Proving Up - an opera by Missy Mazzoli & Royce Vavrek (Trailer) - Recording out Aug. 21 on Pentatone
PROVING UP
Music by Missy Mazzoli
Libretto by Royce Vavrek
an opera based on the short story by Karen Russell
Album out August 21st, 2020
On Pentatone
Available on streaming services and at
This “excellent new recording reveals the lacerating power of Mazzoli’s writing... in an American frontier littered with broken promises, Mazzoli and the librettist Royce Vavrek ask us to see those who failed and were forgotten.“ - The New Yorker
Miles Zegner - Michael Slattery
Mr. Johannes “Pa” Zegner - John Moore
Mrs. Johannes “Ma” Zegner - Talise Trevigne
Taller Zegner Daughter - Abigail Nims
Littler Zegner Daughter - Cree Carrico
The Sodbuster - Andrew Harris
International Contemporary Ensemble
Conducted by Christopher Rountree
Flute & Piccolo - Isabel Lepanto Gleicher
Clarinet & Bass Clarinet - Curt Miller
Bassoon & Contrabassoon - Rebekah Heller
Trumpet - Sam Jones
French Horn - Rachel Drehmann
Harp - Nuiko Wadden
Piano & Harpsichord - Karl Larson
Percussion - Clara Warnaar
Violin I - Leah Asher
Violin II - Marina Kifferstein
Viola - Wendy Richman
Cello - Katinka Kleijn
Double Bass - Brian Ellingsen
CREATIVE TEAM
Director James Darrah
Scenic designer Adam Rigg
Costume designer Chrisi Karvonides- Dushenko
Lighting designer Pablo Santiago
Wig and Makeup designer Ronell Oliveri
Co-commissioned by the Washington National Opera, Opera Omaha, and Miller Theatre at Columbia University and first produced at the Kennedy Center during the 2017-18 Season. The recording of Proving Up was made possible with support from Opera Omaha through a grant from the Peter Kiewit Foundation. This album was recorded at Ware House Productions, Omaha, Nebraska, and features the original cast from the Opera Omaha production in 2018.
© 2018 G. Schirmer, Inc. (ASCAP)
PRODUCTION TEAM
Executive producer Missy Mazzoli
Producer Jesse Lewis
Recording engineer Shauna Barravecchio
Assistant engineer Tom Ware
Editing Shauna Barravecchio & Brett Leonard
Mixing Jesse Lewis
Mastering Kyle Pyke & Jesse Lewis
Trailer Adam Larsen
Publicity Calliope PR
PENTATONE TEAM
Vice President A&R Renaud Loranger
Managing Director Simon M. Eder
A&R Manager Kate Rockett
Product Manager Kasper van Kooten
Head of Marketing, PR & Sales Silvia Pietrosanti