History

OPERA OF THE HAMPTONS is a New York State non-profit corporation, incorporated in the Spring of 1992 as a regional opera company, to bring opera to the East End of Suffolk County, extending to both the North and South Forks.

The Corporation and its goals have been certified by the New York State Attorney General's Office and the New York State Education Department.

The goals of our company is to enhance the cultural life of diverse communities on the East End in both the quiet of the winter months and the frenzy of the summer season. Opera of the Hamptons has provided extraordinary performances, concerts, musicales and opera galas throughout the Hamptons and North Fork.

To date, there have been over three-hundred performances on the East End, from Water Mill to Peconic, Westhampton Beach to Southampton, and even back west at Hofstra University for their Italian-American and Dutch Colonial Festivals.

Opera of the Hamptons is recognized everywhere for its professionalism. There are standing ovations and bravos, whether it's under the stars, at the enchanting Pindar Vineyards Pavilion, or at the marvelous Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, on the magnificent grounds of the Siena Spirituality Center at Villa Maria, the wonderful Castello di Borghese Vineyard &Winery and the beautiful Field House at the Hampton Day School.

Through the years, performances were held at the prestigious John Drew Theater at Guild Hall of East Hampton, the landmark Vail Leavitt Music Hall, at both Duck Walk South and Duck Walk North Vineyards, and the Levitas Center for the Arts at the Southampton Cultural Center.

During 1994-1995, a two-year collaborative program "Introduction to Opera" was sponsored by a BOCES Arts and Education program, bringing together Opera of the Hamptons and the students of the Southhampton School District. The project benefited all students, providing knowledge of music, culture, and history, which evolved through workshops in a theater environment.

This program marked the beginning of a liaison with the Southhampton School District. Opera residcncy programs, and the participation of the students and professional artists, side by side, in productions of Verdi's "AIDA', Menotti's 'AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS", Humperdinck's "HANSEL AND GRETEL', fulfill the educational aspects of the company's charter.

A series of lectures entitled "WHAT IS OPERA?" were given in conjunction with The Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton and also, through the auspices of the Parent-Teachers Association, for the Westhampton Beach Schools. The "Franco Gentilesca Young Artist Program" has been incorporated into productions and each year outstanding artists and students are given awards and the opportunity to perform in a professional milieu.

Opera of the Hamptons looks forward to exciting educational ventures that introduce the noble art form of opera to our youth, as well as performances everywhere, which enliven, enrich and bring to the community the wonderful world of opera.

Opera of the Hamptons is the recipient of financial grants from the following agencies:

Town of Southampton

Town of Southold

Suffolk County

Office of Film and Cultural Affairs

New York State Council On the Arts

The New York State Council on the Arts is a state agency dedicated to the funding and promoting of all the arts as an intrinsic part of the heritage and lives of the citizens of the state.

Bridgehampton Bank

North Fork Bank

Suffolk County Bank

WE WELCOME THE PARTICIPATION

AND THE SUPPORT OF THE EAST END COMMUNITY

By Active Work On Committees.

Financial Support Through Annual Donations.

In Sponsorship, Underwriting of Productions and New Venues.

Executive Bios

Barbara Giancola

(Artistic Director)

Atarah Hazzan

(Music Director)

An accomplished musician, pianist and conductor, Atarah Hazzan began her private studies at age 8. At age 13 she was accepted into piano competitions alongside professional pianists in career. At age 17 she was accepted into Brandeis University Music Department and was expected to follow a career as a concert pianist. She finished her music studies at the New York University School of Music Department, while noticing that an exceptionally fine vocal instrument was also emerging. A two-fold career began, and Atarah continued her piano as a coach and accompanist primarily to opera singers, with recommendations from such notable coaches as Joan Dornemann, and others. Simultaneously, Atarah�s vocal career started to emerge, and she formed a highly successful singing duo with her husband, appearing alongside such famous performers as Jackie Mason and others. Shortly, opportunities in the classical concert and operatic fields began to present themselves- and after a major success in New York�s Town Hall, followed by rave reviews in all the New- York papers, Atarah was invited to join the Metropolitan Opera Company in the Italian wing as Principal Artist. Her debut there was as Elizabetta in Verdi�s Don Carlos, with Marilyn Horne as Princess Eboli, James Levine conducting. This was followed by opening the season in Rome�s Teatro dell�Opera in the title role of Mascagni�s Parisina, an honor which had never been bestowed upon an American singer. Other roles sung at the Met were Desdemona in Othello, Marie in Wozzeck, Leonora in Il Trovatore. Interestingly, the Met asked her to step in for Caballe�s opening night Tosca, and Shirley Verrett�s opening night Norma. The critics have said of her �About once in a generation a soprano comes along who has all of the natural attributes of a great dramatic soprano�a voice of exquisite beauty and seemingly unlimited power, the ability to soar above an orchestra in full cry, a sense of phrasing that requires no movements or gestures to underline the content of the music and text, and an extraordinary rapport with operatic music.� Currently, Atarah is a prominent voice teacher and coach in Manhattan with students traveling from all over the United States, Canada and Europe. This is her twelfth season as conductor, music director, rehearsal coach and performance pianist with Opera of the Hamptons. The critics continue to rave about her playing and her amazing ability as a director to take each and every cast to the ultimate, and even beyond the ultimate of their apparent abilities both as individual artists and as an ensemble: �prodigious�.played with wonderful sensitivity to a singer�s phrasing and an unerring sense of musical drama�. Additionally, as pianist, Ms. Hazzan appeared last year in chamber music ensemble with the Viola Society of New York and recently in piano recital as soloist in New York�s Steinway Hall. Opera of the Hamptons is indeed honored to have the esteemed Ms. Hazzan as its Music Director and Conductor and looks forward to a continued, long and highly inspired collaboration

Martha Scriven-Campanella

Martha Scriven-Campanella is a member of the Board of Directors of Opera of the Hamptons, a founding member and Administrative Director of Opera of the Hamptons. Ms. Campanella, previously a resident of New York City, was teaching for the NYC Board of Education, and then went on to the UFT Teacher Center Program as a Master Teacher, and Adjunct Professor in Teacher Education at Fordham University and Brooklyn College.

She came out to Southampton in 1965 and built her first home on the East End in Southampton in 1967.  Upon retiring, she became a permanent resident of Southampton and became involved in politics and in the East End community.

Martha was Membership Chairman of the Hampton Bays Women Republican Volunteers.  She is a member of the Southampton Study Club, Eastern Suffolk; Duplicate Bridge Group; Old Towne Garden Club; Rogers Memorial Library, Monday P.M. Library Book Group; a member of Hampton Bays Book Club and the Southampton Artists Association.  As a member of the Southampton Rose Society, in their First Annual Art Contest in June 2006, Martha won First Prize.

As an artist she opened the Marant Stained Glass Studio on Fifth Avenue In Pelham, New York.  As owner and manager, she specialized in Commercial Design and sale of stained glass works, repair, demonstrations and classes.

Her art training is in Water Color Painting and she has been involved in the Art Students League, New York City; Armory Art, West Palm Beach, Florida; Lighthouse Center for the Arts, Tequesta, Florida; and the East End Council for the Arts, Riverhead, New York.

Margaret Julian

(Administrative Director)

Margaret Julian is a member of the Opera of the Hamptons Board of Directors. She also is Co-ordinater of Public Relations information for the Opera Guild through the Opera Journal, website queries, ticket sales, TV advertisement and office management of the East End Location. She comes to us with an Accountant degree as well as many years of management.

With her own Web business "sweatersbymaggie.com" you can get hand knit baby sweaters and blankets. Her computer skills has been a plus for the Opera Guild. Margaret has helped moved Opera of the Hamptons  into the Computer, Fax, Credit Card Age!

 

Guild Members

Grace Bollo

Roy & Stella Bradbrook

Martha Campanella

Evelyn Carroll

Maryann & Cleve Christie

Cathy & Vincent Ciriello

Margaret Dwyer

Barbara & Michael Giancola

Linda & Bob Glinski

Margaret Julian

Janice & Al Junge

Dottie & James Macaluso

Marian Passidomo

John Sullivan

Cindy Willis

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Production Staff

Stage Directors

Stage Manager

Charles Bosselman

Video Archivist/Photographer

Michelle Giancola

Production Assistant/Supernumerary

Martin L. Young

Linda & Bob Glinski and Family

Charles Bosselman

(Stage Manager)

A character singer of the first order and he has mesmerized audiences with his outstanding ability. Bass-Baritone Charles Bosselman has sung throughout the United States from Palm Beach Opera to San Diego Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, the Metropolitan Opera Guild, Westchester Opera, Knoxville Opera, Chattanooga Opera, among others. �Charles Bosselman�s singing was impeccable, his acting superb in turn, elegant and dignified resentful and angry and finally noble an expressive jewel commanding vocal moments an excellent combination of acting and singing�. Mr. Bosselman has performed numerous roles with Opera of the Hamptons  and is also Stage Manager for the company.

Michelle Giancola

(Video Archivist/Photographer )

Michelle Giancola's career began at the radio and television stations of WNYE. There she developed such radio shows as The Other Half, a series of programs that explored music styles ranging from classical to rap. She also co-produced several television shows including one of the first investigative reports on the crack epidemic. Since leaving WNYE, Michelle produced the award winning independent feature Free Floaters, award winning shorts What's Up & X-Philes and worked as the line producer on the award winning Mexican mocumentary Who the Hell Is Juliette? Her work on commercials, music videos, public service announcements and documentaries spans clients such as McDonalds, HBO, People Magazine, Advil, NY Lotto, K-Mart, Latina Magazine, Chemical Bank, Giga Pets, Mariah Carey, Salt N Pepper, Kid 'N Play, Skid Row, the BBC and the Community Food Resource Center.  The feature film Love Like Blood, her most recent collaboration with director Steven Bozga is making the festival rounds.  Presently she is developing a series of storytelling documentaries and writing her first novel: My Life as a Dog (so far).

Martin L. Young

(Production Assistant/Supernumerary)

Martin Young, as a very young man played the role of Maximillian in �The Sound of Music�; Marly in �Scrooge�; and Bill Sikes in �Oliver�, in good company indeed, with John and Nicky Turturro. He sang with the Vocal Ensemble of South Windsor, Connecticut and his interest in the arts led him to film. He is presently in the movie �Love Like Blood� and the mockumentary �Naked and Laughing�. As a graphic designer, he has co-developed websites for �X Philes�, �Firefly Rising�, �Saybelize�, �Firelane Digital Ltd.� for �Love Like Blood�, and �Opera of the Hamptons�. Martin has appeared in numerous productions with Opera of the Hamptons.