Candide

  • Curtis Opera Theatre, Curtis 100
  • Apr 11, 2025 @ 7:00 p.m.

Bernstein’s Outrageous, Philosophical Operetta

Curtis Opera Theatre presents Leonard Bernstein’s timeless masterpiece, Candide.  Filled with sparkling wit, soaring melodies, and globe-trotting grandeur, this bitingly clever adaptation of Voltaire’s philosophical French novella is an absurdist romp across “the best of all possible worlds.” Featuring iconic songs like “Glitter and Be Gay” and “Make Our Garden Grow,” Candide’s satirical exploration of innocence and folly resonates deeply today. Don’t miss this unforgettable production as Curtis Opera Theatre celebrates Bernstein’s enduring legacy.

LEONARD BERNSTEIN (Conducting ’41), music

RICHARD WILBUR, JOHN LATOUCHE, DOROTHY PARKER, LILLIAN HELLMAN, STEPHEN SONDHEIM, and LEONARD BERNSTEIN, lyrics
LILLIAN HELLMAN and HUGH WHEELER, book

Candide will be performed in English with English supertitles.

This performance runs approximately two hours and ten minutes with one intermission after Act One.

Read the program book

Program

BERNSTEIN Candide

Artists

  • David Charles Abell Conductor

    Throughout his distinguished career, conductor David Charles Abell has excelled in a wide range of musical genres, from contemporary opera to worldwide television broadcasts. Learn more

  • Emma Griffin Director

    Emma Griffin is a theater and opera director; she is also the managing artistic director of Mannes Opera, a program at the College of Performing Arts at The New School. Learn more

  • Curtis Opera Theatre

    Through visionary productions, bold concepts, and compelling narratives, the artists of Curtis Opera Theatre prepare to become stars of the world stage. The combination of key elements of artistry—music, acting, singing, and design—allows these student-artists to create a lasting connection with audiences.

  • Curtis Symphony Orchestra

    Comprised of outstanding talent and unmatched enthusiasm for musical collaboration, Curtis Symphony Orchestra stands as a cornerstone of the Curtis Institute of Music experience and a vital component of Philadelphia’s vibrant cultural scene. For 100 years, our exceptional students have sharpened their skills and broadened their musical horizons, as they prepare for professional careers with the world’s foremost orchestras and chamber ensembles.

Cast

Pangloss Emilio Vásquez
Candide Landry Allen
Cunegonde Emilie Kealani
Maximillian Nathan Schludecker
Baron/Grand Inquisitor/Don Issachar/Cacambo Evan Gray
Baroness/First Sheep Juliet Rand
Paquette Emily Damasco
Judge/Crook Hongrui Ren
Judge/Aide/Ragotski Robert Frazier
Judge/Captain/Archbishop Ross Macatangay
Heresy Agent/Señore/Governor/Vanderdendur Jackson Allen
The Old Lady Katie Trigg
Señore/Prefect Yulin Yan
Priest Sam Higgins
Second Sheep Shikta Mukherjee
Narrator Various members of the company
The Company Sarah Fleiss, Nikan Ingabire Kanate, Kylie Kreucher, Juliette Tacchino, Maya Mor Mitrani, Shikta Mukherjee, Juliet Rand, Jeysla Rosario Santos, Katie Li, Judy Zhuo, Sam Higgins, Gabriel Feldt (guest artist), Hongrui Ren, Ross Macatangay, Robert Frazier, Evan Gray, and Yulin Yan

Special Thanks

Curtis’ Centennial Season is made possible through the support of Derek and Sissela Bok, the Mary Louise Curtis Bok Foundation, Deborah M. Fretz, Charles C. Freyer and Judith Durkin Freyer, Lisa and Gie Liem, Mark and Robin Rubenstein, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

Mainstage productions were financed in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development.

Curtis Institute of Music receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

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