About the World Premiere Production:

The Children of the Keweenaw was commissioned by the Pine Mountain Music Festival, Hancock, Michigan, with the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts, The Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, The Frederick S. Upton Foundation, The Michigan Quality of Life Grant Program, The Keweenaw National Historical Park, Republic Bank (formerly D&N Bank), MJ Electric, Wells Fargo Bank and the Dickinson County Area Community Foundation. The opera was premiered on July 11, 2001 in the Calumet Theatre, Calumet, Michigan. The principal artists in the world premiere production are listed below.

Principals:

Anna Clemenc

Christine Seitz

Pat Murphy

Harold Brock

James MacNaughton

Brian Montgomery

Frank Shavs

Scott Blackshire

Mary Klobuchar/Darwina Shaw/T'reesa Kaiser

Emily Lodine

Joe Clemenc

Ron Witzke

 

The Oral History Ensemble:

Polly

Ann Campbell

Maria Bono

Rebeccah Pyper

Annie Bader/Mother Jones

Heidi Bowen

Briida

Lisa Agazzi

Johnny Burcar

Sarah Sheperd

Juhanni/Frankie Klobuchar/Arresting Officer

Tim Kuhn

Thomas Paull/ John James

Paul Busselberg

Charles Meyers/Deputy

Benjamin LeClair

Pine Mountain Music Festival Chorus and Orchestra, Donald Schleicher, conductor.

Production:

Stage Director

William Farlow

Set and Lighting Designers

Steve Schepker, Michael Kramer, Don J. Eller

Costume Designer

Margaret Whedon

Chorus Master

Charles White

Musical Preparation

Russell Miller, Kevin Class

Technical Director

James P. Schaefer

Stage Manager

Dyan Wimmer

Music Director for Workshop (July 2000)

David Bishop

Festival Artistic Director

Laura Jean Deming

Festival Executive Director

Kathy Tompkins