Isabelle Chapuis Starr, Principal Flute

Orchestra of Opera San José

San Jose, California

Isabelle has served as Principal Flute of the Orchestra of Opera San José since 1982, when that brilliant and energetic opera company was founded by General Director Irene Dalis.  Isabelle has played every performance of every opera ever presented by Opera San José, with one exception (a recent set of Toscas.) 

Three of her former flute teachers were principal flutists of opera orchestras: Gaston Crunelle (who was Principal Flute of the Opéra Comique in Paris for 30 years); Marcel Moyse (who was Principal Flute of the Opéra de Paris); and surprise!, Jean-Pierre Rampal (who served as Principal Flute of the Paris Opera for 1 year in his only orchestral position before he became a soloist.)  All of these famous teachers stressed the operatic repertoire -- not the orchestral flute parts, but the soprano and tenor arias.  While a student, many of Isabelle's lessons consisted of playing arias sung by Mimi, Carmen, Rosina, Violetta, Cio-Cio-San, Don Ottavio, Manon, Susanna, Zerlina, Rodolfo, Tamino, Fiodiligi and The Queen of the Night.  At that time, she never imagined she would ever get an opportunity to perform these arias in the pit.

Some of the operas listed below Isabelle has performed more than 30 times, spread over several seasons.

Operas Performed

BIZET, Georges                          Carmen

                                                    Les Pécheurs de perles

BOHMLER, Craig                         The Tale of the Nutcracker

BRITTEN, Benjamin                   The Turn of the Screw

CHAIKOVSKIJ, Piotr Illyich       Eugene Onegin

DONIZETTI, Gaetano                 Don Pasquale

                                                    L'Elisir d'Amore

                                                    Lucia di Lammermoor                         

FLOYD, Carlisle                          Of Mice and Men

GOUNOD, Charles                      Faust

                                                   Manon

HAENDEL, G. F.                          Xeres

HUMPERDINCK,  Englebert       Hansel and Gretl

LEHAR, Franz                             The Merry Widow 

LEONCAVALLO, Ruggero           Pagliacci

MASCAGNI, Pietro                     Cavalleria rusticana

MECHUM, KIRK                          Tartuffe

MENOTTI, Gian-Carlo                Amahl and the Night Visitors

                                                   The Medium

MOLLICONE, Henry                   Hotel Eden

MOZART, Wolfgang Amadeus  Così fan tutte

                                                   Die Zauberflöte

                                                   Don Giovanni

                                                   Le Nozze di Figaro

POULENC, Françis                     La Voix humaine

PUCCINI, Giacomo                    Gianni Schicchi

                                                   La Bohème

                                                   Madama Butterfly

                                                   Suor Angelica

                                                   Tosca

ROSSINI, Gioacchino                Il Barbiere di Siviglia

                                                   Il Turco in Italia

                                                   La Cenerentola

ROUMANIS, George                  Phaedra

STRAUSS, Johann                     Die Fledermaus

STRAVINSKY, Igor                    The Rake's Progress

VERDI, Giuseppe                       Falstaff

                                                   Il Trovatore

                                                   La Traviata

                                                   Rigoletto

                                                   Un Ballo in maschera

WAGNER, Richard                     Die fliegende Höllander

WARD, Robert                           The Crucible