SEASON
30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REOPENING OF THE DETROIT OPERA HOUSE
55TH ANNIVERSARY OF DETROIT OPERA
BALLETS JAZZ MONTRÉAL / OCT 17
TOSCA / NOV 01-07
THE NUTCRACKER / NOV 28-29
A NIGHT OF INSPIRATION / DEC 19
Season2026-27 Julie Benko Oct. 10, 2026
stePhanie PoPe Nov. 7, 2026
u of M Musical Theatre Seniors
chelsea & Geoff Packard March 20, 2027
ari axelrod May 15, 2027
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Jan. 30, 2027
TABLE OF CONTENTS PHOTO COURTESY OF HELMUT ZIEWERS
04 Board of Directors 04 Board of Trustees 07 A Message from Patty Isacson Sabee 09 A Message from Roberto Kalb P3 Program 11 Thank You to Our Donors 17 Detroit Opera Orchestra 18 Administration and Staff
Naomi André Lisa Applebaum Bettye Arrington-Martin Gene Bowen Ethan Davidson Kevin Dennis Lisa DiChiera Shauna Diggs Enrico DiGirolamo Fern Espino
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS OF AUGUST 17, 2026 CHAIR
Ethan D. Davidson VICE CHAIR
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AS OF JULY 1, 2026
Lourdes Andaya Naomi André* Lisa Applebaum* Harold Arrington Bettye Arrington-Martin* Barbra Bloch
Paul Ewing
Gene Bowen*
Mary Ann Fontana
Charles Bullock
Bharat Gandhi
Thomas Cohn
Ellen Hill Zeringue
Ethan Davidson*
Julie Hollinshead
Gretchen Davidson
John Ingle
Kevin Dennis*
Patty Isacson Sabee
Cristina DiChiera
Mary Kramer
Lisa DiChiera*
Barbara Kratchman
Shauna Diggs*
Denise Lewis Arthur Liebler
Enrico DiGirolamo* Kathleen DiGirolamo
Don Manvel
Debbie Dingell
Dexter Mason
Mary Doerr
VICE CHAIR
Ali Moiin
Denise J. Lewis
Donald Morelock
Maria Duey*
Mary Kramer
VICE CHAIR
Don Manvel PRESIDENT/CEO
Patty Isacson Sabee
Allan Nachman Ann Nicholson Sara Pozzi Carrie Pryor Paul Ragheb
SECRETARY
Irvin Reid
Gene P. Bowen
Evan Ross
TREASURER
Bharat C. Gandhi
4
Nedda Shayota Terry Shea
Kenneth Eisenberg Fern Espino* Mary Sue Ewing Paul Ewing* Margo Feinberg Robert Feinberg Carl Fontana Mary Ann Fontana* Bharat Gandhi*
Matthew Simoncini
Lynn Gandhi
Richard Sonenklar
Stephanie Germack Kerzic
Lorna Thomas
Mara Ghafari
Jesse Venegas
Yousif Ghafari
Barbara Walkowski
Toby Haberman
Gary Wasserman
Gregory Haynes
Michael Wellman
Ellen Hill Zeringue*
R. Jamison Williams
Julie Hollinshead*
John Ingle*
Waltraud Prechter
Tara Ingle
Carrie Pryor*
Patty Isacson Sabee*
Ted Pryor
Meredith Korneffel
Amy Ragheb
Mary Kramer*
Paul Ragheb*
Barbara Kratchman*
Irvin Reid*
William Kupsky
Pamela Reid
Edward Levy
Evan Ross*
Denise Lewis*
Kelsey Ross
Arthur Liebler*
Anthony Rugiero
Nancy Liebler
Sabrina Rugiero
Marian Loginsky
David Sabee
Stephan Loginsky
Nedda Shayota*
Mary Alice Lomason
Terry Shea*
Don Manvel*
Matthew Simoncini*
Jack Martin
Mona Simoncini
Dexter Mason*
Sheila Sloan
FOUNDING MEMBERS Lynn & Ruth Townsend † Avern & Joyce Cohn † John & Mardell † De Carlo David DiChiera † Karen VanderKloot DiChiera † Aaron & Bernice Gershenson † Donald & Josephine Graves † Roman & Katherine Gribbs † John & Gwendolyn Griffin † Harry & Jennie Jones † Wade & Dores McCree † Harry J. Nederlander † E. Harwood Rydholm † Neil & Phyllis † F. Snow Richard & Beatrice Strichartz †
Benjamin Meeker
Richard Sonenklar*
Ronald Michalak
Mary Anne Stella
Robert & Clara “Tuttie” VanderKloot †
Ali Moiin*
Lorna Thomas*
Sam & Barbara Williams †
Jesse Venegas*
Theodore & Virginia Yntema †
Donald Morelock* Antoinette Morelock
Yesenia Venegas
Allan Nachman*
Amy Voigt
Joy Nachman
Jeff Voigt
Ann Nicholson*
Barbara Walkowski*
Linda Orlans
Gary Wasserman*
Myrna Partrich
Michael Wellman*
Spencer Partrich
Karen Williams
Margaret Pehrson
R. Jamison Williams*
Sara Pozzi*
Jeremy Zeltzer
KEY † Deceased
* Trustee and Director
DE T R OI T OPER A | 5
Sip & Stroll at the DOH Have you ever strolled by the Detroit Opera House and wanted to know what it looks like inside? Join us for a 90-minute “Sip & Stroll” experience at the Detroit Opera House. Tours offer participants the chance to see our beautiful, historic 1922 theater, designed by renowned architect C. Howard Crane, and include the mainstage and backstage areas, plus a visit to the rooftop for spectacular views of downtown Detroit from our SkyDeck (weather permitting). Sip & Stroll tours include a glass of premium red or white wine, bottled water, and snacks. Must be 21 years old with a valid ID.
Visit DetroitOpera.org for available dates and to purchase tickets.
A message from
Patty Isacson Sabee What a distinct pleasure to welcome you to our 2026–27 season celebrating the 55th anniversary of Detroit Opera and the 30th anniversary of the Detroit Opera House! The season opens with the internationally renowned contemporary dance company Ballets Jazz Montréal and continues with a thrilling new look at a classic: Puccini’s Tosca. This staging will represent Detroit Opera’s ninth production of Tosca—the first, in 1972, featured the eminent American soprano Phyllis Curtain in the title role. Other highlights of our 55th-anniversary season include the return of beloved holiday favorite The Nutcracker now with our partners at Grand Rapids Ballet (also celebrating their 55th anniversary) and a brand-new holiday tradition inspired by Detroit’s gospel community. There is so much to enjoy here at Detroit Opera this fall season. David DiChiera founded Detroit Opera in 1971 as Michigan Opera Theatre. The company was created to bring world-class opera to Michigan and to ensure that opera was an integral part of the cultural life of Detroit and the region. With 55 years of dedication and loyalty to that purpose, and with the renovation of the glorious Detroit Opera House leading up to its re-opening in 1996, Detroit Opera now serves hundreds of thousands of people a year at the Detroit Opera House and throughout our region through opera, dance, musical theater, youth education opportunities, and more. Throughout this season, we’ll be spotlighting the many great artists and creatives who have graced our company and our stage over the years. But while you are here in the House we hope you will enjoy the new generation of talent nurtured on our stage—from the extraordinary purity and precision of the Detroit Opera Youth Chorus in Tosca to the 60 young dancers from our community who liven up The Nutcracker, our children are connecting us to a shared vision for what comes next. None of this is possible without you, our audience. If you haven’t already done so, we hope you will join DevOted, Detroit Opera’s new flexible loyalty program, designed to make it easier to plan your experiences here. Thank you for joining us.
Patty Isacson Sabee President & CEO, Detroit Opera DE T R OI T OPER A | 7
S U N / M A R 14 / 2:3 0 P M T H U / M A R 1 8 / 7:3 0 P M S AT / M A R 2 0 / 7:3 0 P M
Tevye’s hopes for his family are tested as love, tradition, and change collide. This enduring story of family, faith, and resilience features unforgettable songs including “Matchmaker,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” and “Sunrise, Sunset.”
S AT / A P R 17 / 7:3 0 P M
Satyagraha transforms Mahatma Gandhi’s formative years in South Africa into a transcendent meditation on truth, resistance, and spiritual force. From the balcony, audiences experience Philip Glass’s sweeping score and the production’s visual architecture as a panoramic dream that reaches beyond the stage.
A message from
Roberto Kalb It’s hard to believe that four years have passed since I became Detroit Opera’s music director. It has been a joy to be part of this city’s musical life, to see downtown Detroit continue to grow, and to welcome audiences into our beautiful, historic opera house. From the beginning, I felt a wonderful rapport with the Detroit Opera Orchestra and Detroit Opera Chorus, and working with these musicians and the singers who join us each season as guest artists remains one of the great joys of my role. Last season, they brought versatility and commitment to music ranging from the distinctly American voices of Kurt Weill and William Grant Still in our double bill, to the intense, unsettling world of Poul Ruders’ The Handmaid’s Tale. I’m especially excited about the music we’ll share with you this season: the passion and drama of Puccini’s Tosca, the extraordinary sound world of Philip Glass’s Satyagraha, and the warmth and humanity of Fiddler on the Roof. Each asks something different of us as musicians, and each offers a powerful experience for our audiences. One of our goals has also been to create more opportunities for audiences to hear our orchestra beyond opera. Last season, those performances included the sold-out “Symphonic PFunk, Celebrating the Music of Parliament Funkadelic,” a concert with singer-songwriter St. Vincent, and the beloved music of Bugs Bunny cartoons. This season brings collaborations with Grand Rapids Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, a gospel holiday celebration, and much more. I look forward to sharing these occasions with you and celebrating the remarkable musicians we have here in Detroit.
Roberto Kalb Music Director, Detroit Opera DE T R OI T OPER A | 9
RENNIE HARRIS PUREMOVEMENT AMERICAN STREET DANCE THEATER American Street Dancer SAT / JAN 23 / 7:30PM
Rennie Harris Puremovement brings American Street Dancer to the Detroit Opera House with a vibrant celebration of street dance’s profound impact on American culture and the arts. Featuring styles from across the country— including Detroit Jitting, Chicago Footwork, and Philadelphia GQ—this electrifying performance blends movement, music,
DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM SAT / FEB 20 / 7:30PM SUN / FEB 21 / 2:30PM
Dance Theatre of Harlem returns with a powerful vision for ballet in the 21st century, blending treasured classics, neoclassical works, and bold contemporary movement. Rooted in Arthur Mitchell’s belief that ballet belongs to everyone, the company brings elegance, innovation, and empowerment to the Detroit Opera House stage.
AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE SWAN LAKE with the Detroit Opera Orchestra
SAT / MAY 01 / 2:00PM / 7:30PM SUN / MAY 02 / 2:30PM
A timeless tale of love, illusion, and sacrifice, Swan Lake follows Prince Siegfried and Princess Odette as they battle the dark spell of the sorcerer von Rothbart. With Tchaikovsky’s iconic score and breathtaking classical choreography, this beloved ballet moves from moonlit romance to heartbreaking devotion.
LEARN MORE AND PURCHASE TICKETS AT DETROITOPERA.ORG
S U N / N OV 01 / 2:3 0 P M T H U / N OV 0 5 / 7:3 0 P M S AT / N OV 07 / 7:3 0 P M D E T R OI T O P E R A H O US E
TEAM Artistic and Executive Director Alexandra Damiani Rehearsal Director and Artistic Coordinator Stéphanie Dalphond Principal Artist Yosmell Calderon Mejias Artists Zoey Anderson, Troy Atamanuk, Gustavo Barros, Millie Brinck-Dubuc, Kyle Davis, Jasmine Heart Cruz, Shanna Irwin Calderon, Zack Preece, Willem Sadler, Madeleine Salhany and Silje Vereide Intern Rhapsody Stiggers Guest Artists Raphaël Bouchard and Ryan Sherk Technical Director Marco Vargas Navarro Head Carpenter Chantel Deguise Head of Sound Maxime Lambert Head of Lighting Claude Plante Head of Video Roderic Dyon Deputy Executive Director, Development and Partnerships Catherine Cardinal Assistant to the Artistic and Executive Director Camille Fabre Tour Manager Louis Morisset Booking Representation Margaret Selby, Selby Artists Management
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Anie Perreault Treasurer Valérie Bergeron Secretary Brigitte Nepveu Administrators Karine Fortin, Dave Giguère, Marie-Yseult Laurin, Tammy Peddle, John Bargelletti, Marie-Hélène Sirois, Terry Kyle Lapierre, Marie-Ève Breton
PUBLIC PARTNERS
PARTNERS
FOLLOW US Website: bjmdanse.ca Facebook: /BalletsJazzMontreal Instagram: /balletsjazzmontreal LinkedIn: /Ballets Jazz Montreal X: @bjmdanse P2
PHOTO COURTESY OF BALLETS JAZZ MONTRÉAL
PROGRAM
SAT / OC T 17 / @7:30P M PR E- PERFO R M A N C E TALK @ 6:30P M W I T H S T ÉPH A NIE DALPHOND, R EHE A R S AL DIR EC TOR A ND A R T IS T IC C O OR DIN ATOR
No photography or video is allowed during the performance. Please silence all phones. LEN G T H: 80 M IN, N O INTER MISSION
DE T R OI T OPER A | P 3
ABOUT
Founded in 1972 by Geneviève Salbaing, Eva Von Gencsy, and Eddy Toussaint, Ballets Jazz Montréal is a contemporary dance repertory company which, under the general and artistic direction of Alexandra Damiani, creates, produces, and performs on local, national, and international stages. Among the artistic directors of the company who have greatly marked its evolution, company founder Geneviève Salbaing, driven by her visceral love of dance, led Ballets Jazz Montréal with passion and determination for over 20 years. Upon his appointment as artistic director in 1998, Louis Robitaille, reoriented the company towards an audience curious to discover new choreographic forms. In June 2021, Alexandra Damiani took over the artistic direction of Ballets Jazz Montréal and will carry out the company’s mission and vision into the future. The company recruits internationally renowned choreographers to develop their own research in line with its identity and generates a repertoire that is both exclusive to the company and accessible to all audiences. The company’s impressive roster of talented and influential choreographers includes Crystal Pite, Aszure Barton, Mauro Bigonzetti, Andonis Foniadakis, Itzik Galili, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Barak Marshall, Benjamin Millepied, Ihsan Rustem, Anne Plamondon and Juliano Nunes, to name a few. As an ambassador of Quebec dance to the world, Ballets Jazz Montréal offers an artistic product that is explosive, original, accessible, and noted for its performance’s excellence. P4
PROGRAM
P HO TO C OU RT ES Y OF B AL LE TS J AZ Z MO NT RÉ AL
All of Ballets Jazz’s work brings an element of humanity, fearlessness, and emotion in addition to the highly technical skill that each dance requires. Additionally, each piece is nuanced, multilayered and often multidisciplinary—combining other artistic disciplines such as theater, video, and music. With accessibility and quality as key values, the company successfully integrates pleasure and humanity into their strong, expressive, and demanding pieces. Moreover, the distinct personalities and high caliber of its performers further add to the quality that is expected from the company and play a key role in maintaining the company’s reputation and influence in the dance world. Through their productions, performances, and educational activities, Ballets Jazz Montréal encourages discovery, stimulates imagination, and shares their passion for this discipline to all its audiences—both local and abroad. With more than 3,250 performances in 60 countries and an audience of nearly 3 million, Ballets Jazz Montréal is considered one of the world’s leading ambassadors of Quebec dance and artistic vitality. In 2016, the Prix Rideau Hommage was awarded to the company and its artistic director at the time, Louis Robitaille, in recognition of BJM’s impact and continued presence on Quebec stages. In 2020, the company received the Prix de la danse de Montréal for the category of international dissemination presented by CINARS. In 2022, the company celebrated 50 years of creating, exploring, and connecting with its audiences. DE T R OI T OPER A | P5
DANCE ME
MUSIC BY LEONARD COHEN Dance Me – Music by Leonard Cohen is an exclusive creation inspired by the rich and profound work of Montréal-based poet, artist and songwriter, Leonard Cohen. Approved by Cohen during his lifetime, this riveting homage to the famed artist evokes the grand cycles of existence, as described in Cohen’s deeply reflective music and poems. Three internationally renowned choreographers were entrusted with putting movement to Cohen’s legendary songs: Andonis Foniadakis, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Ihsan Rustem. Their powerful and profound choreographic world reflective of Cohen’s singular work is brought to life by Ballets Jazz Montréal’s 14 artists and the strong, bold staging of Eric Jean. Surrounded by a team of celebrated designers, Dance Me combines scenic, visual, musical, dramaturgical, and choreographic writing to pay tribute to Montréal’s greatest ambassador. Dance, music, lighting, scenography, and videography all come together in this unforgettable show. Songs in the show include (in program order):
Here It Is (2001) Lover, Lover, Lover (1974) Dance Me to the End of Love (Live in London, 2009) Boogie Street (Live in London, 2009) Steer Your Way (2016) Everybody Knows (2001) Tower of Song (1988) So Long, Marianne (1967) A Thousand Kisses Deep (poem) Suzanne (1967) Famous Blue Raincoat (1971) Nevermind (2014) First We Take Manhattan (1988) It Seemed the Better Way (2016) Hallelujah (1984) String Reprise / Treaty (2016) P6
PROGRAM
Ballets Jazz Montréal would like to thank the Marjorie and Gerald Bronfman Foundation for the support given to the creation of the show. Dance Me was supported by the CCOV - Centre de Création O Vertigo. CREDITS Ideation Louis Robitaille Stage Direction Eric Jean Choreography Andonis Foniadakis, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Ihsan Rustem Music Direction Martin Léon Sound Design Alexis Dumais Set and Prop Design Pierre-Etienne Locas Set Technical Direction Alexandre Brunet Lighting Design and Production Cédric Delorme-Bouchard, Simon Beetschen Video Design HUB Studio - Gonzalo Soldi, Thomas Payette, Jeremy Fassio. Costume Design Philippe Dubuc Costume Production Anne-Marie Veevaete Assistance Stage Direction Elsa Posnic Sound Engineer Guy Fortin Technical Director Marco Vargas Navarro Head Carpenter Chantal Deguise Head of Sound Maxime Lambert Head of Lighting Claude Plante Head of Video Roderic Dyon Artists Zoey Anderson, Troy Atamanuk, Gustavo Barros, Raphaël Bouchard, Millie Brinck-Dubuc, Kyle Davis, Jasmine Heart Cruz, Shanna Irwin Calderon, Zack Preece, Willem Sadler, Madeleine Salhany, Ryan Sherk, Rhapsody Stiggers, and Silje Vereide Vocalist (So Long, Marianne) Zoey Anderson Vocalists (Hallelujah) Ryan Sherk and Zoey Anderson
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DANCER PROFILES ZOEY ANDERSON (she/her) Originally from Utah, Zoey Anderson trained at Center Stage Studio before graduating cum laude with a BFA from Marymount Manhattan College. After her studies, she danced with Parsons Dance Company, touring the world and performing for over ten years in iconic works such as Caught and Balance of Power by David Parsons, and Takedeme by Robert Battle. She was a soloist at the Titas Gala, Stars of American Ballet in Santa Fe, and the Berliner Bar Gala in Germany. Zoey appeared in the Academy Award–winning film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and in web episodes of Dancing with the Stars. She has graced the cover and been featured multiple times in Dance Spirit and Dance Magazine. Zoey was nominated for the 2018 Bessie Award in the “Outstanding Performer” category and received the prestigious Clive Barnes Dance Artist Award in 2019. She was then a guest artist with Ballets Jazz Montréal for the 2025–26 season and is very excited to start his second season with the company for the 2026–27 season.
TROY ATAMANUK (he/him) Troy Atamanuk began his dance training in Markham, ON, where he danced competitively before joining Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre in 2021. In 2022, he moved to Vancouver to attend Arts Umbrella’s Post-Secondary Graduate Program under the direction of Artemis Gordon. During his time there, he performed works by Crystal Pite, Aszure Barton, Marco Goecke, William Forsythe, Mats Ek, Roy Assaf, Fernando Hernando Magadan, among many others. While at Arts Umbrella, Troy had the opportunity to choreograph in the Young Choreographers Mentorship Project directed by Crystal Pite. Troy also had the opportunity to perform alongside Ballet BC as a guest in Shahar Binyamini’s Bolero X in various cities, including Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal. Troy is very excited and grateful to be dancing with Ballets Jazz Montréal this year.
GUSTAVO BARROS (he/him) Born in Brazil, Gustavo began his professional path as a dancer in his hometown, Goiânia. He then joined some of the best contemporary dance companies in the country such as Deborah Colker cia and Balé da Cidade de São Paulo. He continued his career in Germany, where he danced for Ballethagen and Staatstheater Augsburg. Over the course of his career, Gustavo has performed the work of many renowned choreographers including Alexander Ekman, Mauro Bigonzzetti, Crystal Pite, Cayetano Soto, Marco Goecke, and Peter Chu. He joined Ballets Jazz Montréal in 2020.
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Millie Brinck-Dubuc is a movement artist from Montreal, Canada. She began her journey in a competitive dance studio, where she trained in jazz, tap, ballet and contemporary. At the age of twelve years old, Millie joined l’École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec, where she graduated in the spring of 2022 from the professional program in classical and contemporary dance. After graduation, Millie took part in the 10th edition of the Big Bang program and worked with various choreographers through summer intensives such as Propulsion, TransFormation, Rubberband, Arts-Umbrella and Orsolina28. She is excited to start her third season with Ballets Jazz Montréal.
RAPHAËL BOUCHARD Guest Artist (he/him) Raphaël Bouchard, originally from Baie-Saint-Paul in the Charlevoix region, began dancing at the age of 16 at the École supérieure de ballet du Québec, under the direction of Didier Chirpaz. A few months later, he joined the Jeune Ballet du Québec, where he participated in several creations alongside renowned choreographers. In 2005, following the Monaco Dance Forum, Jean-Christophe Maillot invited him to join Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. He was appointed soloist there a few years later. In 2013, Raphaël Bouchard continued his career with the Pacific Northwest Ballet. Returning to Quebec in 2015, he joined Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal as a soloist and was appointed principal dancer for the 2020–21 season. Alongside his performing career, he is actively involved in teaching. He is a member of the teaching staff at Danse à la carte, was a ballet instructor for the Canadian national diving team in preparation for the last Olympic Games, and is a guest instructor for the company Cas Public. He also works as an assistant choreographer, collaborating with Lesley Telford, Étienne Béchard, Julien Guérin, and Marina Villanueva, among others. Since September 2025, he has been a guest ballet master with Ballets Jazz Montréal. In 2022, he founded the Festival Charlevoix Danse, a project deeply rooted in his native region, which he directs with the aim of promoting contemporary dance and supporting artistic creation.
KYLE DAVIS (he/him) Kyle Davis, a Chicago native, began his training at the Sammy Dyer School of Theater before continuing at Pacific Northwest Ballet. He began his professional career as a corps artist with Ballet West, where he performed soloist roles, and was nominated for The Princess Grace Award in 2019. He joined The Saarländisches Staatstheater in Saarbrücken, Germany, as a solo dancer in 2021. He has performed principal roles in works by Jiří Kylián, David Dawson, Marco Goecke, Nacho Duato, Mauro Bigozetti, and George Balanchine. He was the recipient of the Deutschland 2023 Sponsorship Club Prize for his outstanding performance in the role of “Death” in Kurt Jooss’ The Green Table. Kyle joined Ballets Jazz Montréal in August 2024.
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DANCER PROFILES
MILLIE BRINCK-DUBUC (she/her)
JASMINE HEART CRUZ (she/her) Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Jasmine Heart Cruz began her competitive dance training at the Westlake School for the Performing Arts. She has received numerous awards at the regional and international level from organizations such as ADCIBC, NYCDA, Tanzolymp, and the Youth America Grand Prix. After being accepted into the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, she completed one year of study at the University of Southern California before moving to New York to begin her professional career, where she danced for three seasons with Complexions Contemporary Ballet. As an independent artist in New York, Jasmine has collaborated with choreographers such as Roderick George, Rena Butler, Loughlan Prior, and Houston Thomas. She also trains closely with Preston Miller and Jacqueline Green Miller at The Dance Artist Prep in Chicago. Additionally, Jasmine is regularly invited to teach and choreograph at various schools in the Philippines. She was then a guest artist with Ballets Jazz Montréal for the 2025–26 season and is very excited to start his second season with the company for the 2026–27 season.
SHANNA IRWIN CALDERON (she/her) Shanna Irwin grew up in New Jersey, where she began training as a competitive dancer. She later switched her focus to ballet when she was accepted into The New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble under the direction of Nancy Turano. Shanna went on to continue her studies at Marymount Manhattan College and began touring with Complexions Contemporary Ballet during her senior year. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in May 2014. Shanna completed five seasons with Complexions and joined Ballets Jazz Montréal in 2019. Her career has led her to perform in opera houses across five continents, where she has danced the works of Crystal Pite, Dwight Rhoden, Aszure Barton, Itzik Galili, Andonis Foniadakis, and Juliano Nunes, among others. This is her eighth season with Ballets Jazz Montréal.
ZACK PREECE (he/him) Zack Preece was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He did most of his training at Arts Umbrella under the direction of Artemis Gordon, where he had the opportunity to work with various world-renowned choreographers. He has performed works by Crystal Pite, Mats Ek, Sharon Eyal, Medhi Walerski and many more. He graduated the Arts Umbrella Post Secondary program in 2021. He then joined Ballet BC as an emerging artist for the 2021–22 season, under the direction of Medhi Walerski. Following that, Zack joined Cas Public productions for one season. He was then a guest artist with Ballets Jazz Montréal for the 2023 season and is very excited to start his third full season with the company for the 2026–27 season.
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Willem Sadler, born and raised in Toronto, Canada, began his artistic journey in street styles, working as a young dancer in Toronto’s commercial industry. At 17, he joined the youth company Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (CCDT), where he transitioned into contemporary dance. Since then, he has successfully freelanced within the Toronto industry, performing and collaborating with Toronto’s top companies such as ProArteDanza, Zata Omm Dance Projects, Dusk Dances, and Côté Danse. Throughout his career, he has performed on internationally renowned stages for prestigious festivals including Fall for Dance (NYC), Battery Dance Festival (NYC), Colours International Dance Festival (GER), Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur (CAN), and the Baku International Dance Festival (AZE). Throughout this time, he has performed choreographies by Guillaume Côté, Robert Lepage, William Yong, Colin Connor, Roderick George, and Jennifer Archibald, while collaborating with major institutions like the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Mirvish. Willem looks forward to this new chapter of his career in Montreal with Ballets Jazz Montréal, and he is grateful to have joined the company for the 2026–27 season.
RYAN SHERK Guest Artist (he/him) Born and raised in St.Catharines, Ontario, Ryan began dancing at the age of five. He is currently a student of The Juilliard School in New York City, under the direction of Melissa Toogood, as part of their BFA Dance Program in the Class of 2027. During his time at Juilliard, he has performed in works by William Forsythe, Alvin Ailey, Lauren Lovette, Jamar Roberts, My’kal Stromile, and Jenn Freeman. Ryan has trained in prestigious programs with Ballet BC, Ballets Jazz Montréal, and also Orsolina 28 in Italy where he has studied the repertoire of Crystal Pite, Marco Goecke, and also worked closely with Johan Inger and Medhi Walerski. Ryan is a New York City Dance Alliance Foundation Scholar, led by Joe Lanteri, and performed in the organization’s ‘Destiny Rising Concert ’ at The Joyce Theater. Other performance credits include Buglisi Dance Theatre’s (Project 9/11) Memorial Performance in Lincoln Center Plaza, and the FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony 2026. Ryan is grateful and excited to be joining the Company as a Guest Artist this Fall, while continuing his studies at The Juilliard School through their Curricular Practical Training program.
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DANCER PROFILES
WILLEM SADLER (he/him)
MADELEINE SALHANY (she/her) Madeleine Salhany, born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance at the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase (New York). While at SUNY Purchase, she has had the pleasure of performing works by Sidra Bell, Ana Maria Lucaciu, Ohad Naharin and Loni Landon. She went on to begin her dance career as an apprentice with Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal and since has been dancing in Germany at Stadttheater Gießen, under the direction of Tarek Assam and is currently with Ballett Theater Trier under the direction of Roberto Scafati. Throughout these years she’s performed works by Fernando Melo, Gustavo Remírez Sansano, Andonis Foniadakis, Mauro Astolfi, Georg Reischl, Itzik Galili, Liam Francis and Vittoria Girelli among others. She has also attended the NDT Summer Intensive, Arts Umbrella’s International Summer Dance Intensive and has performed at several dance festivals/galas across Europe. Madeleine rejoined Ballets Jazz Montréal in August 2024.
RHAPSODY STIGGERS INTERN (she/her) Born and raised in Minnesota, Rhapsody Stiggers began her dance journey at the Minnesota Dance Theater, and continued studying at TU Dance Center under the direction of Toni Pierce Sands. She received her BFA in contemporary dance from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Over the years, Rhapsody had the opportunity of performing works by Ronald K. Brown, Juliano Nunes, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Doug Varone, Gregory Dawson and many more. Additionally, she has expanded her dance knowledge through various intensive programs and workshops including: Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Since graduating from The Boston Conservatory, Rhapsody has been a guest artist in Tony Williams’ Urban Nutcracker, and performed on stages in The Netherlands and South Africa with Anderson Carvalho Dance and Choreography. The 2026–27 season will mark her first season with the company.
SILJE VEREIDE (she/her) Born in Texas and raised in Norway, Silje Vereide began dancing at the age of three. She initially focused on gymnastics before deciding to dedicate herself to a career in dance. She pursued professional studies at Oslo National Academy of the Arts, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz Dance. After graduation, Silje joined Valencia Dancing Forward, performing in works by Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, Philip Taylor, Alba Castillo, Bryan Arias, and Jose Carlos Blanco. As a freelance artist, she has collaborated with companies such as the Norwegian National Ballet, Company Snorkel Rabbit, Show de Vida, Dans5, Oslo Jazzdans Festival, and På Tå Hev. In 2023, she joined Ballet Ireland for their spring season and later performed in the Electric Picnic Festival with them. Silje has had the honor of working with and performing pieces by renowned choreographers like Aszure Barton, Ohad Naharin, Jo Strømgren, Samantha Lynch, Douwe Dekkers, Brandon Collwes, Simone Charete Grøtte, Paul Blackman, Knut Arild Flatner, Karl-Erik Nedregaard, Christopher Arouni, Masja Abrahamsen, Tine E. Aspaas, Christer Tornell and Inés Belli among others. Silje joined Ballets Jazz Montréal in August 2024. P1 2
PHOTO COURTESY OF BALLETS JAZZ MONTRÉAL
DANCER PROFILES
DE T R OI T OPER A | P1 3
ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP PROFILES ALEXANDRA DAMIANI
GENERAL AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR (she/her)
Appointed Artistic Director of Ballets Jazz Montréal the spring of 2021, then General and Artistic Director in 2025, Alexandra Damiani has been a major player in the dance community for over two decades. During her 10 years with New York’s Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (2005–15), first as Ballet Mistress and then as Artistic Director, Damiani had the opportunity to work with and present a wide selection of contemporary dance choreographic languages by such internationally renowned choreographers as Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Crystal Pite and Hofesh Schecter. She also showcased the company in major cities and international festivals, including at the Lyon Biennale in France and Sadler’s Wells in London. Originally from France, Damiani is a multidisciplinary artist who has been lending her expertise to the world of film, television, and advertising for many years. Her credits include playing the ballet mistress in Darren Aronofsky’s cult film Black Swan and working alongside Tanisha Scott on Cardi B’s performance for the 2019 BET Awards. She is also passionate about training the young dancers of tomorrow and has excellent connections with highly regarded institutions like Jacob’s Pillow and The Juilliard School. Damiani trained in classical dance at the Geneva Dance Center, and later in the French capital with teachers from the Paris Opera Ballet. After winning the Bayonne competition in France, she received a scholarship to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in the US. She began her career as a dancer-performer in New York where she danced as a soloist with Donald Byrd/The Group and with the company Complexions, directed by Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson. Her career continued in Montréal with the RUBBERBANDance Company and later with Ballets Jazz Montréal, under the direction of Louis Robitaille (2002–05).
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REHEARSAL DIRECTOR & ARTISTIC COORDINATOR (she/her) Born in Montréal, Stéphanie Dalphond trained at École Supérieure de Danse du Québec and at the Paris Opera School. At the age of 16, she joined Les Grands Ballets Canadiens. She danced with the company for 6 years before becoming a ballet mistress for a year. Yearning to dance again, Stéphanie went to Europe to pursue her career where she danced with Kevin O’Day in Mannheim and Serge Campardon with Compagnie Nomades. She finished her career of 20 years with world-reknowned Nacho Duato’s Compañia Nacional de Danza. She is a certified ballet teacher and has been teaching at various professional institutions such as École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec, Cas Public and Ballets Jazz Montréal. She joined the company as rehearsal director for the season 2024–25, before also taking on the role of Artistic Coordinator for the 2025–26 season.
ERIC JEAN STAGE DIRECTOR (he/him) Eric Jean is a stage director and creator recognized for his distinctive artistic approach, which he describes as “living writing”—a collaborative creative process grounded in improvisation, close work with playwrights, and exploration of the scenic environment. His work is marked by a sustained commitment to contemporary dramaturgy, emerging artists, and cross-disciplinary dialogue. In 2004, he was appointed Artistic and General Director of Théâtre de Quat’Sous, where he led the institution through a period of significant success and artistic vitality. His tenure is noted for its strong focus on artistic emergence and diversity, as well as for establishing a major programming platform presenting works by other companies and artists from dance, music, and poetry. He also contributed to the reconstruction of the theatre in collaboration with architect firm FABG. After stepping down from Quat’Sous in 2016 to devote more time to creation, he developed an acclaimed practice in both theatre and dance, including large-scale productions such as Dance Me for Ballets Jazz Montréal and Vanishing Mélodies, both of which were widely presented. From 2021 to 2025, he served as Director of Programming (theatre, dance, circus, and youth programming) and Artistic Director at Théâtre de la Ville in Longueuil. In parallel, he was appointed Artistic Director and Co‑General Director of the company Les 2 Mondes in 2023. Since 2025, he has continued his collaboration with Théâtre de la Ville as Theatre Commissioner and Artistic Development lead, while maintaining an active career as a stage director and creator.
DE T R OI T OPER A | P1 5
ARTIST PROFILES
STÉPHANIE DALPHOND
ANDONIS FONIADAKIS CHOREOGRAPHER (he/him) Andonis Foniadakis grew up in city of Ierapetra, in the south part of the island of Crete, in Greece. He began his dance training with Niki Papadaki at the local dance school, in his hometown. From 1990 to 1992, he studied at the State Dance School of Athens and before his graduation he received the prestigious Maria Callas scholarship to continue his studies in Rudra Bejart Lausanne, in Switzerland until 1994. As a dancer Andonis has collaborated with Bejart Ballet Lausanne (1994–96) under the direction of Maurice Bejart, Lyon Opera Ballet (1996–2002) under the direction of Yorgos Loukos, Saburo Teshigawara / Karas Co. (2004) under the direction of Saburo Teshigawara, as well as, with his own dance company “ApotosomaAndonis Foniadakis”. During the years of his professional engagement with these companies he has performed choreographic works of Maguy Marin, Jiri Kilian, William Forsythe, Dominique Boivin, Nacho Duato, Mats Ek, Maurice Bejart, Ohad Naharin, Frederic Flamand, Bill T Jones, Herve Robbe, Tero Saarinen, Lionel Hoche, Joachim Schlomer, John Jasperse, Saburo Teshigawara etc. As a freelance choreographer he has collaborated with The Royal New Zealand Ballet, Geneva Ballet (Switzerland), Lyon Opera Ballet (France), Bern Ballet (Switzerland), Ballet de Lorraine (France) Luzern Ballet (Switzerland) Gauthier Dance Company (Germany), Martha Graham Dance Company (USA) Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet (USA), Aterballetto (Italy), Ballet du Rhin (France), Sydney Dance Company (Australia), Florence Ballet (Italy), National Dance Company of Wales (England), Dansgroep Amsterdam (Netherlands), Cia Sociedade Masculina Brazil Bale da Cidade of Sao Paulo (Brazil), Helsinki Dance Company (Finland), National Ballet of Greece, National Theater of Northern Greece, Greek National Theater (Greece), Codarts (Netherlands), Benjamin Millepied Dance Company (USA), Washington Ballet (USA), Bejart Ballet Lausanne (Switzerland), Ballet Junior Geneva (Switzerland), Hellenic Dance Company (Greece), CNSMD Lyon (France), Copenhagen International Dance Festival (Denmark). He has been director of the Greek National Ballet for the season 2016–17 and has programmed the seasons 2016–17 and 2017–18. He is currently the resident choreographer of the Greek National Ballet. Foniadakis has been commissioned to choreograph for 3 operas: The Theatre des Champs Elysees—Castor et Pollux, Opera National du Rhin—Les boreades by Rameau GRAME, Lyon—Il canto della pelle by Claudio Ambrosini. He has collaborated as moving coordinator for the film NOAH by Darren Aronofsky. In 2012 he received the Danza and Danza Award for the “Best Choreographer 2012” in Italy, for the creation Les Noces in Maggio Danza—Florence Ballet. As well he has collaborated with Palais de Tokyo as Choreographic Curator for the exhibition Prec(ar)ious Collectives that took place in Athens Greece as parallel event of the Documenta 14, in 2017. In addition to creating and performing, Andonis is teaching seminars based on his personal dance technique. He has been teaching in the State Dance School of Greece, DAN.C.CE studios and Baile de Barrio in Athens, DOCK11 in Berlin, CND and CNSMD in Lyon, Dansgroep, as well as at Henny Jurriens, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. P16
Colombian-Belgian Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (1973) completed her dance education at the Royal Ballet School of Flanders in Belgium. In 2003, after a 12-year dance career, where she danced as a soloist with the Scapino Ballet, she decided to focus her energy solely on choreography. In that same year, she was hailed “rising star of the Dutch dance scene” (NRC newspaper) and only 7 years later the Temecula Performing Arts Examiner wrote: “Ochoa is truly a masterful choreographer with an edge for what dance can and should be in this constantly changing industry”. Annabelle is an award-winning and sought-after choreographer who has created works for more than 40 companies around the world such as the Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, Dutch National Ballet, Djazzex, Ballet de Genève, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Gothenburg Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet, BalletX, Ballets Jazz Montréal, Luna Negra Dance Theater, Ballet National de Marseille, Saarbrucken Ballet, Jacoby & Pronk, Chemnitzer Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Morphoses Wheeldon Company, Whim W’Him, IncolBallet de Colombia, Finnish National Ballet, Compania Nacional de Danza Madrid, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Scottish Ballet, The Washington Ballet, Ballet Nacional Dominicano, Ballet Saarbrucken, Augsburg Ballet, Ballet Austin, Atlanta Ballet, Grand Rapids Ballet, Ballet Moscow, Ballet Nacional de Cuba, West Australian Ballet, Danza Contemporanea de Cuba, Ballet Nacional Chileno, Ballet Staatstheater am Gartnerplatz Munchen, Ballet Manila, Daniil Simkin Intensio Project, Cincinnati Ballet, Silicon Valley Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, English National Ballet, Ballet Black, and New York City Ballet. Ms. Lopez Ochoa is a versatile choreographer who also creates for theatre, opera, musical theatre, and fashion events, such as the celebrated Dutch fashion designers Viktor & Rolf’s project in the Van Gogh Museum. She belongs to the theatre-dance collective “De Fantasten” for whom she successfully co-directed five full-length productions that have been performed in numerous theaters and festivals throughout the Netherlands. In 2009, she created Zip Zap Zoom for BJM, which was included in the “10 best dance moments of the year” by the Pittsburgh Gazette, The Boston Globe and the Montréal Gazette and was cited as one of the 10 best dance highlights of the year in San Diego and Chicago. Her work has received numerous awards. In 2016, Broken Wings, created for the English National Ballet was nominated for a National UK Dance Award in the category of Best Classical Premiere. In 2015, Sombrerisimo, created for Ballet Hispanico, was given the Villanueva Award in Cuba. In 2012, A Streetcar Named Desire was nominated for the prestigious Olivier Award (UK), named Best Classical Choreography by the Circle of Critics of the National Dance Award (UK), and was awarded Best Dance Production 2012 by the South-Bank Sky Arts Awards. In 2007, Annabelle was elected to participate in the New York City Ballet Choreographic Institute. In 2002, Replay received first prize the audience prize at the Borne Choreographers Competition, and in 2001, Clair/Obscur received third prize at the Hannover Choreographic Competition.
DE T R OI T OPER A | P17
ARTIST PROFILES
ANNABELLE LOPEZ OCHOA CHOREOGRAPHER (she/her)
IHSAN RUSTEM CHOREOGRAPHER (he/him) British-Swiss choreographer, Ihsan Rustem was born in London, where he trained at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. Ihsan is the Artistic Director of the Swiss dance company Cie. La Ronde, founded in 2020 with choreographer Cathy Marston, and the Resident Choreographer of the NW Dance Project in Portland, Oregon, where he has created 12 works to date. His other collaborations include Nederlands Dans Theater 2, Ballets Jazz Montréal, São Paulo City Ballet, Chilean National Ballet, Moscow Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago 2, Istanbul State Ballet MDT, Tanz Luzerner Theater, Bern Ballet, Konzert Theater St. Gallen, Whim W’Him Seattle, Ballare Carmel, Ballett Augsburg, Thüringer Staatsballett, Staatstheater Braunschweig, Tanztheater, Kazan State Opera and Ballet, Koblenz Ballet, Ballet Regensburg, Würzburg Ballet, Siberian State Ballet, Salt Contemporary Dance USA, Arts Umbrella Dance Company Vancouver, Moving Arts Cincinnati, National Youth Dance Company, Palucca Hochschule Dresden, Codarts, ZHdK, Tanzwerk101, Taipei National University of the Arts, and the Rambert School. He is also one of the featured choreographers on the popular Russian television show The Bolshoi Ballet. The Nederlands Dans Theater included Ihsan Rustem in its “Choreographers of Tomorrow” program for the 2018–19 season. His work for the NW Dance Project has received numerous awards. State of Matter won the Sadler’s Wells Global Dance Contest in 2012, as well as the Audience Award at the 25th International Choreographic Competition in Hanover, and Carmen received the 2017 Dance Magazine Readers’ Choice Award for Best Collaboration. Rustem was also the 2014 recipient of the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago International Commissioning Project. Rustem is the former director of the Ballettschule Luzern and, in 2021, joined the jury of the prestigious Prix de Lausanne. From 2000 to 2014, Ihsan Rustem danced with Ballet Theater Munich, Introdans, Bern Ballet, Tanz Luzerner Theater, and Adventures in Motion Pictures. He performed roles in creations by Wayne McGregor, Hofesh Shechter, Alexander Ekman, Matthew Bourne, Stijn Celis, Patrick Delcroix, Cayetano Soto, Felix Landerer, and Cathy Marston. He has also worked with choreographers such as Mats Ek, Jiri Kylián, Paul Lightfoot & Sol Leon, Hans van Manen, and William Forsythe, among others. He currently lives in Zurich, Switzerland.
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Leonard Norman Cohen, poet, novelist, singer, songwriter (born 21 September 1934 in Montréal, QC; died 7 November 2016 in Los Angeles, California). Leonard Cohen was one of the most iconic Canadian artists of the 20th century. A sage, mystic, bohemian and romantic, he built an acclaimed body of literary work and a revered career in pop music. In his poetry, novels, and music, he constantly probed the human condition, exploring themes of love, loss, death and his commitment to his art. As a poetic and unlikely pop star, his narrow-ranged, gruff voice, which deepened and darkened with age, and his reliance on simple, singsong melodies were complimented by the intense imagery and depth of his lyrics. A Companion of the Order of Canada, he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, the US Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Folk Music Walk of Fame. He also received the Glenn Gould Prize, the Prince of Asturias Award for Literature, eight Juno Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and numerous other honours.
DE T R OI T OPER A | P1 9
ARTIST PROFILES
LEONARD COHEN
Dance thrives on vision, rigor, and community, and audiences like you help make that possible.
Ticket sales alone do not sustain the extraordinary opera, dance, and live performance presented by Detroit Opera. As a for-impact organization, we rely on philanthropy to champion groundbreaking artists, create ambitious work on our stages, and connect people across Detroit and our region through the power of live performance. When you make a gift to Detroit Opera, you become part of the community that brings these experiences to life. Your support sustains the artists you see onstage, expands access to the arts, and helps ensure that bold, inspiring performance continues to thrive in Detroit. Join us in sustaining the future of dance, opera, and live performance in our city. For more details or to make a gift, visit DetroitOpera.org/support or call 313.309.8255.
SCAN TO DON AT E NO W!
PHOTO COURTESY OF BALLETS JAZZ MONTRÉAL
Detroit Opera Needs You
Thank you to our donors Contributors to Detroit Opera
Detroit Opera gratefully acknowledges the generous corporate, foundation, government, and individual donors whose gifts were received between July 1, 2025 and September 15, 2026. Their generosity sustains Detroit Opera as a valued cultural resource.
Foundations, Corporate & Government Support
MGM Grand Detroit
$1,000,000+
OPERA America
William Davidson Foundation The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
$500,000-$999,999 The Ruth F. Rattner and Ann F. and Norman D. Katz Charitable Foundation
$250,000-$499,999 Gilbert Family Foundation
$100,000–$249,999
Oliver Dewey Marcks Foundation The State of Michigan The Mary Thompson Foundation Burton A. Zipser and Sandra D. Zipser Foundation
$5,000–$9,999 C&N Foundation Aaron Copland Fund for Music James and Lynelle Holden Fund Strum Allesee Family Foundation
$1,000–$4,999 The Andromeda Foundation
Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation
Binson Medical Equipment And Supplies
Ford Philanthropy
John A. and Marlene L. Boll Foundation
General Motors
Charities Aid Foundation of America
Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation
Cohn Family Programming Endowment Fund
$50,000–$99,999
Culture Source
Milner Hotels Foundation National Endowment for the Arts
$25,000–$49,999
The Gilmour-Jirgens Fund Josephine Kleiner Foundation Elmira L. Rhein Family Foundation Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc.
Coates Creative Consultants
Seligman Family Foundation
Hudson-Webber Foundation
Somerset Collection Charitable Foundation
Kresge Foundation
University of Michigan
Kurt Weill Foundation for Music
Warsh-Mott Funds
Matilda R. Wilson Fund
$10,000–$24,999
$500–$999 California Community Foundation
DTE Energy Foundation
Marjorie and Maxwell Jospey Foundation
Geoinge Foundation
Tuesday Musicale of Detroit DE T R OI T OPER A | 11
Individual Support
The National Circle
The National Circle is comprised of Detroit Opera’s leading supporters in this pivotal moment for our company. Through their annual support of $25,000 or more, these donors play an essential role in advancing the transformative power of opera and dance, ensuring that Detroit Opera remains a dynamic cultural force in Detroit and beyond. Their unwavering belief in the arts reflects a shared commitment to creativity, community, and meaningful change.
$100,000+
Matthew and Mona Simoncini
Mary Kramer
Ethan and Gretchen Davidson
Jesse and Yesenia Venegas
John J. Janowicz*
Ms. Barbara A. Walkowski
The Hon. Jack and Dr. Bettye Arrington Martin
Ida King*
R. Jamison and Karen Williams
Amy McCombs
Richard Sonenklar and Gregory Haynes
$25,000–$49,999
$50,000–$99,999
Richard* and Joanne Brodie
Richard and Mona Alonzo Family Fund
Enrico and Kathleen DiGirolamo
Denise J. Lewis
Carl and Mary Ann Fontana
Lois Lindgren
Patty Isacson Sabee and David Sabee
Susanne McMillan Ann and James B. Nicholson Dr. Irvin D. Reid and Dr. Pamela Trotman Reid Prof. Michael Wellman
The DiChiera Society
DiChiera Society members are among Detroit Opera’s most committed supporters, investing in the company’s future and its role as a vibrant cultural resource for our city. Their generosity helps ensure that opera and dance continue to inspire, engage, and connect audiences for generations to come.
$10,000–$24,999
Sandra & Doug Bitonti Stewart
Waltraud Prechter
Gene P. Bowen
Wayne Brown & Brenda Kee
Janice Ross
Mr. Thomas Cohn
Beverly Hall Burns
Anthony & Sabrina Rugiero
Community Living Concepts
Albert & Janette Cassar
Leon & Debbe Saperstein
Kevin Dennis & Jeremy Zeltzer
Denton Creighton & Kristine Vikmanis
Mrs. Sandy Schreier
Dr. Raina Ernstoff
Sue Cutler & Jeff Fessler
Mrs. Rosalind B. Sell
Mr. Michael Fisher
Ms. Violet Dalla Vecchia
Ms. Nedda Shayota
Bharat & Lynn Gandhi
Reverend Bill Danaher
Terry Shea & Seigo Nakao
Barbara & Michael* Kratchman
Walter & Lillian Dean
Ann Steglich
Nancy & Bud Liebler
Maria & David Duey
Lorna Thomas, MD
Ms. Mary C. Mazure
Nell Duke & David Ammer
Barbara Van Dusen
Ali Moiin & William Kupsky
Fern Espino & Tom Short*
Ned & Joan Winkelman
Donald & Antoinette Morelock
Andrew Glancy
Ellen Hill Zeringue
William & Wendy Powers
James & Nancy Grosfeld
Dr. & Mrs. Samir M. Ragheb
Toby Haberman
$3,000–$4,999
Evan & Kelsey Ross
Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Christine Hage
Thomas & Gretchen Anderson
Norman Silk & Dale R. Morgan
Barbara Heller
Paul & Lee Blizman
Simmons & Clark Jewelers, Michael & Stacey Simmons
Julie & Peter Hollinshead
Bob & Rosemary Brasie
William Hulsker & Aris Urbanes
Dr. & Mrs. Ronald T. Burkman
Gary L. Wasserman & Charles A. Kashner
John & Arlene Lewis
Stacie Chaiken & Martin Berg
Stephan & Marian Loginsky
Carolyn Demps & Guy Simons
Don Manvel
Marla Donovan
Mrs. Nina Dodge Abrams
Allan & Joy Nachman Philanthropic Fund
Marjory Winkelman Epstein
Dr. Lourdes V. Andaya
Mr. George & Mrs. Jo Elyn Nyman
James & Margo Farber
Dr. Harold M. Arrington
Joshua & Rachel Opperer
Joseph Fontana & Nada Jurisich-Fontana
Gregory & Mary Barkley
Sara A. Pozzi, Ph.D.
Betty Lou Fox
$5,000–$9,999
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Ms. Laurie R. Frankel
Benjamin Meeker & Meredith Korneffel, MD
Lois & Mark Shaevsky
Dr. Glendon M. Gardner & Leslie Landau
Brian & Lisa Meer
Susan A Smith
Mr. Lawrence Glowczewski
Ms. Evelyn Micheletti
Andrew J Sturgess
Ms. Carole Hardy
Eugene & Lois Miller
Manuel Tancer & Claire Stroker
Christina Hopkins
Van Momon & Pamela L. Berry
Buzz Thomas & Daniel VanderLey
Jody & Tara Ingle
Brian Murphy & Toni Sanchez-Murphy
Stanley Waldon
Roberto Kalb & Mane Galoyan
Geoffrey Nathan
Dr. John Weber & Dr. Dana Zakalik
Mary B. Letts
Margaret Pehrson
Bret & Susanna Williams
Kathleen Ligocki & Frederick Rosenau
Brock & Katherine L. Plumb
Ms. Mary McGough
Rip & Gail Rapson
Friends of Detroit Opera
Every gift helps ensure that opera and dance thrive in our community, and that we share the indescribable experience we feel when the curtain rises. Friends of Detroit Opera are among our most loyal and crucial supports and receive exclusive benefits with annual gifts of $500 or more.
$1,000–$2,999 Constance Jane Allen Ms. Geraldine Atkinson
James Sidney Keller
Katina Zaninovich
Jane Iacobelli
Marc Keshishian & Susanna Szelestey
David Zoll
James J Lutfy Kimberly Johnson
Mr. & Mrs. Gerd H Keuffel
$750–$999
Andy Levin & Mary Freeman
David A. Agius
Geraldine & Jacqueline Keller
Robin & Rod Little
D.L. Anthony, Ph.D.
Ms. Lee Khachaturian
Mrs. Joan Marie MacKay
Frank & Jenny Brzenk
Justin & Joanne Klimko
Ms. Vera C. Magee
Paula Lisa Cole
William & Jean Kroger
Mr. Loreto A. Manzo
Murray & Alice Ehrinpreis
Albert Kurt
Mr. Paul Bringer
Federico Mariona & Clara Sumeghy-Mariona
Dr. Andrew James Stocking
Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth Levin
Marsha Bruhn
Ms. Janet Groening Marsh Patrick & Patricia McKeever
$500–$749
Mrs. Marsha Lynn
Ilse Calcagno Howard & Judith Christie
Mr. Ronald Michalak
Tonino & Sarah Corsetti
Dr. Anne Missavage & Mr. Robert Borcherding
Alexandria Ballard Martin & Marcia Baum Mr. Robert Hunt Berry Mr. Stanislaw Bialoglowski Constance Bodurow Mrs. Marlene L. Boll
Patricia Cosgrove
Antonia Abbey & James Lee Ms. Allison Bach & Mr. Michael Cool Ms. Mary Anne Barczak
Cristina DiChiera & Neal Walsh
Ms. Maryanne Mott
Dr. Beverly A Baroni
Stephen Munk
Lisa DiChiera
Ms. Kanta Bhambhani
Harold Munson & Libby Berger
Margaret c Buttenheim
Mr. Rex L. Dotson & Mr. Max Lepler*
Carol Johnston
Ms. Marjorie Martin Timothy McDonnell Ms. Lynne M. Metty Patricia Mooradian Maury Okun & Tina Topalian Elaine & Bertram Pitt Bernard & Eleanor A. Robertson
Mark & Kyle Peterson
Mr. David Egner
Stephen Calkins & Joan Wadsworth
Daniel M. Sandberg
Katrina Fasulo
Mr. Michael Clyne
Adam D. Rubin, M.D, Lakeshore Professional Voice Center
Burke & Carol Fossee
Professor Alvin* & Mrs. Harriet Saperstein
John & Doreen Cole
Mr. Richard Lee Ruby
Mr. William Fulton
Kingsley & Lurline Sears
David Kupsky
Mr. Rodney Michael Rusk
Carol Gagliardi & David Flesher
Timothy & Kelli Shaheen
Donald Dietz
Vincent & Kathy Scanio
Thomas M. Gervasi
Ms. Brenda Shufelt
Mr. John R. DiLodovico
Anthony Smith & Leland Calloway
Joseph & Lois Gilmore
Mr. Carl R. Smith
Mr. M. Brennan Farrell
Frank & Susan Sonye
Daniel H Ferrier
Dante & Olga Stella
Allan Gilmour & Eric Jirgens
Mrs. Louise Taylor
Gil Glassberg & Sandra Seligman
Ms. Theresa Spear & Mr. Jeff Douma
Barbara Fisher & William Gould Daniel & Susan Fox
Pete Tully
Mr. Nathaniel Good
Gabriel & Martha Stahl
John Gierak & Dona Tracey
Maria Urquidi
Henry Grix & Howard Israel
Ms. Mary Anne Stella
Ms. Anita DeMarco Goor
Salvatore Ventura
Sylvia Gucken
Dr. Jewlee Weah Tweh
Doc Grant
Meredith Weston-Band & Jeffery Band
Ms. Joyce M. Hennessee
Dennis & Jennifer Varian
Fay & Allen Herman
Joseph & Rosalie Vicari
Joseph C Jackson
Ms. Carol Walters
Richard & Involut Jessup
Eileen Weiser & Caldarazzo
Ann Katz
Dr. & Mrs. Herman Gray, MD Philip & Martha Gray Ms. Rosemary Gugino Beth Hoger & Lisa Swem Ms. George-Ann Howell
KEY * Deceased
DE T R OI T OPER A | 1 3
Gifts in Tribute
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to those who have made generous gifts to Detroit Opera in honor or in memory of loved ones. The names of those being honored or remembered are listed in bold below.
IN MEMORY OF Betty Brooks Ethan & Gretchen Davidson Cathy Mousseau R. Jamison & Karen Williams Nicoangelo Corsetti Tonino & Sarah Corsetti Armando Delicato Thomas J. Ronzi Enrico DiGirolamo, Sr. Enrico & Kathleen DiGirolamo Shirley DiGirolamo Enrico & Kathleen DiGirolamo Linda Dresner Robert Cohen Lori Cohn Ethan & Gretchen Davidson Kimberly Dudek Ann Fishman Linda Gold Jennifer Hermelin Julie & Peter Hollinshead Darienne Hudson Patty Isacson Sabee & David Sabee Barbara Kratchman Mark & Debbie Landau Rena & Mark Lewis Alan & Elizabeth May Sean Metrose Sally Orley Rachel Salle Grace Trueman Sharon Zimmerman Grant Eldridge Tracy Barr Drs. Julie B. Finn & Bradley Rowens Herman Frankel Couzens, Lanksy, Fealk, Ellis, Roeder & Lazar P.C. Ethan & Gretchen Davidson Laurie R. Frankel Sherri Ketai Barbara Kratchman Richard & Kathleen Nauer Forrest Wall Seymour Ziegelman
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Ruth Roby Glancy The Glancy Foundation Sophia Kimmons Alexandria Ballard Michael Kratchman Lily Broner Ethan & Gretchen Davidson Enrico & Kathleen DiGirolamo Katrina Fasulo David & Rose Handleman Erica Ward Gerson Gary L. Wasserman & Charles A. Kashner R. Jamison & Karen Williams Mark Lewis Lisa & Tom Pullman Ghebre Mehreteab Ethan & Gretchen Davidson
IN HONOR OF Apartment House 1776 Brenda Shufelt Ethan D. Davidson Reverend Bill Danaher Kevin Dennis & Jeremy Zeltzer Eliot & Elizabeth Bank Enrico DiGirolamo Ethan & Gretchen Davidson John Etsell & Anna Hart Katina Zaninovich Patty Isacson Sabee William Austin Juliano Bitonti Stewart Angela Nelson-Heesch
David Carroll Mulligan Ann Sinicrope
Patty Isacson Sabee & Yuval Sharon Stacie Chaiken & Martin Berg
Ruth Rattner Richard & Eleanore Gabrys
Barbara Kratchman Morris & Rhonda Brown
Karol Ross Susan Stepek
Ali Moiin & William Kupsky William & Elizabeth S. Kupsky
Walter & Blanche Sahijdak Patricia Behrendt Vickie Schmelzer
Yuval Sharon Carolyn Demps & Guy Simons Carl & Mary Ann Fontana Joyce M. Hennessee
William Sandy Julie & Peter Hollinshead Thomas Short Dianne Blocker Janet & Stephen Cheaney Ethan & Gretchen Davidson Mary Kramer Mexicantown Community Development Gordon Okada James Paulk Charlotte Sebastian Linda Short & Roberta Kaiser Curtis Slotkin Kevin Dennis & Jeremy Zeltzer
Every effort has been made to accurately reflect donor, honoree, and memorial names for gifts received between July 1, 2025 and September 15, 2026. Should you find an error or omission please contact Angela Nelson-Heesch at anelsonheesch@detroitopera.org or 313.237.3438.
KEY * Deceased
Avanti Society Members Setting the Stage for Tomorrow
Members of the Avanti Society have chosen to leave a lasting legacy through a planned gift to Detroit Opera. Their thoughtful generosity and commitment to the future help sustain artistic excellence, expand community impact, and ensure that the transformative power of opera and dance continues to inspire audiences for generations to come. We are honored to recognize their extraordinary support. Douglas* & Sarah Allison
Dr. Cindy Hung & Jeremy Crites
Alice* & Paul Tomboulian
Aaron E. Jabbour
Richard & Mona* Alonzo
Eleanor & Alan Israel
Jonathan* & Salome E. Walton
John J. Janowicz
Dr. Lourdes V. Andaya
Ms. Kristin R. Jaramillo
Susan Weidinger
Mr. John Jesser
Mr. & Mrs. Agustin & Nancy* Arbulu
Don Jensen & Leo Dovelle
Mr. Andrew Wise
H. Barbara Johnston
John Jickling
Ms. Richelle Wojtczak
Maxwell & Marjorie Jospey
Mr. & Mrs. Chester* & Emilia Arnold
Mr. Patrick J.* & Mrs. Stephanie Germack Kerzic
Larry* & Mary Lou Zangerle
Ida King
Dr. Leora Bar-Levav
Josephine Kessler
Lee & Floy Barthel
Edward & Barbara Klarman
Brett & Veronica Batterson
Robert & Wally Klein
Mr. Robert Hunt Berry
Erwin & Suzanne Klopfer
Richard & Gwen Bowlby
Myron & Joyce LaBan
Mrs. Doreen Bull
Linda Dresner & Ed Levy, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Roy E.* & Ilse Calcagno Thomas & Dorothy* Carson Dr. & Mrs. Victor J.* & Katherine Cervenak Father Paul F. Chateau Mary Christner Mr. Gary L. Ciampa Prof. Kenneth Collinson Douglas & Minka Cornelsen Robert Cornette* & Alan Murdock Mr. Thomas J. Delaney Walter & Adel Dissett Ms. Mary J. Doerr Mr. Rex L. Dotson & Mr. Max Lepler*
PLANNED GIFTS REALIZED
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Krolikowski Mr. Phillip Leon
Mr. Hannan Lis Florence LoPatin
Robert G. Abgarian Serena Ailes Stevens
Helen M. Miller
Stephen Lord Ms. Denise Lutz
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Allesee
Laura & Mitchell Malicki
Mr. & Mrs. J. Addison Bartush
Bruce Miller
Mr. & Mrs. Mandell Berman
Orlando & Dorothy Miller
Margaret & Douglas Borden
Ms. Monica Moffat & Pat McGuire
Charles M. Broh
Stephen & Barbara* Munk
Charlotte Bush Failing
Harold Munson & Libby Berger
Mary C. Caggegi
Mr. Jonathan F. Orser
Gladys L. Caldroney
Ms. Julie A. Owens
Allen B. Christman
Mr. Dale J. Pangonis
Miss Halla F. Claffey
Charles & Mary Parkhill
Ms. Virginia M. Clementi
Mr. Richard M. Raisin
Hon. Avern Cohn & Ms. Lois Pincus
Ms. Deborah Remer
Marianne T. Endicott
Dr. Joshua Rest
David & Jennifer Fischer
James & Marguerite S. Rigby
Herbert & Betty Fisher
Mr. Bryan L. Rives
Barbara Frankel* & Ron Michalak
Ms. Patricia H. Rodzik David & Beverly Rorabacher
Barbara Lucking Freedman Dores & Wade McCree Ms. Jane C. McKee Lucie B. Meininger Ella M. Montroy Mr. Ronald K. Morrison Ruth Mott Elizabeth M. Pecsenye Clarice Odgers Percox Thomas G. Porter
Milena T. Brown
Mrs. Ruth F. Rattner Mitchell Romanowski Ms. Joanne B. Rooney Concetta Ross Giles & Beverly Ross Merle H. Scheibner Drs. Heinz & Alice Platt Schwarz Laura Sias
Robert C. & RoseAnn B. Comstock Mrs. Mary Rita Cuddohy Marjorie E. DeVlieg
Marge Slezak Mrs. Phyllis Funk Snow Edward L. Stahl Dr. Mildred Ponder Stennis Mary Ellen Tappan
Nancy Dewar
Margaret D. Thurber
Dulcie Rosenfeld
James P. Diamond
Albert & Barbara Glover
Professor Alvin* & Mrs. Harriet Saperstein
Mrs. Karen V. DiChiera Charles & Mary Jane Duncan
Robert Green
Ms. Susan Schooner
Mr. Wayne C. Everly
Ernest Gutierrez
Mark & Sally Schwartz
Dr. Evelyn J. Fisher
Stephen & Aline Hagopian
Arlene Shaler
Mrs. Anne E. Ford
Mr. Lawrence W. Hall
Ms. Ellen Sharp
Ms. Pamela R. Francis
Jerome & Margot Halperin
Ms. Edna J Pak Shin
Mrs. Rema Frankel
Heather Hamilton
Harold & June Siebert
Edward P. Frohlich
Charlene Handleman
Mrs. Loretta Skewes
Priscilla A.B. Goodell
Preston* & Mary Happel
Anne Sullivan Smith
Freda K. Goodman
Mr. Kenneth E. Hart
Richard* & Roberta Starkweather
Priscilla R. Greenberg, Ph.D.
Eugene & Donna Hartwig
Ms. Mary Anne Stella
Maliha Hamady
Gerhardt & Rebecca P. Hein
Stanford C. Stoddard
Mary Adelaide Hester
Fay & Allen Herman
Ronald Switzer & Jim McClure
Ms. Patricia Hobar
Derek & Karen* Hodgson
Lillie Tabor
Gordon V. Hoialmen
Andrew & Carol Howell
Peter & Ellen Thurber
Carl. J. Huss
Byron & Marilyn Georgeson
Misses Phyllis & Selma Korn
We express profound thanks to these Avanti Society members whose planned gifts to Detroit Opera have been realized.
Mrs. Helen Ophelia Dove-Jones
Herman* & Sharon Frankel
Josephine Kleiner
Mr. & Mrs. George & Inge Vincent Herman W. Weinreich J. Ernest Wilde Mrs. Ruth Wilkins Helen B. Wittenberg Estate Mr. & Mrs. Walter & Elizabeth Work Mr. Joseph J. Zafarana George & Pearl Zeltzer
KEY * Deceased
DE T R OI T OPER A | 1 5
Detroit Opera Honor Roll Detroit Opera gratefully acknowledges the individuals whose lifetime generosity of $1 million or more has played a transformative role in our history. Their extraordinary philanthropic support helped establish and sustain Michigan Opera Theatre, realize the vision of the Detroit Opera House, and position Detroit Opera for a bold new era of artistic innovation and community impact. The legacy of their generosity continues to be felt throughout our organization and across the region, enriching lives through exceptional opera and dance performances, education initiatives, and meaningful community engagement.
$10,000,000+
$1,000,000+
William Davidson Foundation
Richard and Mona Alonzo Family Fund
Ford Philanthropy
AT&T
The State of Michigan
Bank of America
$5,000,000+
Mandell L. and Madeleine H. Berman Foundation
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Mr. & Mrs. John A. and Marlene L. Boll
The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation
Robert C. and RoseAnn B. Comstock*
Compuware Corporation
General Motors
Joanne Danto and Arnold Weingarden
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Ethan and Gretchen Davidson
Kresge Foundation
DTE Energy Foundation
Stellantis
Robert and Margo Feinberg
$2,000,000+ Sarah Allison Lee and Floy Barthel Mr. & Mrs. Herman Frankel Lear Corporation Linda Dresner and Ed Levy, Jr.
Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation Barbara Frankel* and Ron Michalak Gilbert Family Foundation Hudson-Webber Foundation JPMorgan Chase Paul Lavins
Masco Corporation
Edward C and Linda Dresner Levy Foundation
McGregor Fund
National Endowment for the Arts
Mellon Foundation
Matthew and Mona Simoncini
The Skillman Foundation
Richard Sonenklar and Gregory Haynes
R. Jamison and Karen Williams
Sam and Barbara Williams Matilda R. Wilson Fund
KEY * Deceased 16
Every effort has been made to accurately reflect donor names and gift levels. Should you find an error or omission, please contact Angela Nelson-Heesch at anelsonheesch@detroitopera.org or 313.237.3438
Orchestra Detroit Federation of Musicians, Local #5, of the American Federation of Musicians
V IOLIN
BA SS
BA SS OO N
Michael Ferri
Derek Weller
Daniel Fendrick
Yuri Popowycz
Clark Suttle
Open Position
HARP
HORN
Juan Riveros
Colin Bianchi
Concertmaster
Acting Assistant Concertmaster
Emelyn Bashour Principal Second
Anna Bittar-Weller Molly Hughes Bryan Johnston Henrik Karapetyan Velda Kelly Beth Kirton Daniel Stachyra Jenny Wan Andrew Wu
Principal
Principal
FLU T E
Collin Stavinoha Principal
Andrea Velasquez PIC C OLO
Andrea Velasquez OBOE
Principal
Principal
Natalie Sweasy T RU M PE T
David Ammer Principal
Elijah Leonard T RO M BO N E
Jordan Dove Principal
Eli Stefanacci
Dustin Nguyen
John Madison
Mark Doerr
T I M PA NI
Jacqueline Hanson
EN GLI S H H O R N
V IOL A Principal
Scott Stefanko
Principal
Mark Doerr
Chloe Thominet CL A R IN E T C ELLO
Ivana Biliskov Principal
Roi Karni
Eric Stoss Principal
PER C USSIO N
John Dorsey Principal
Principal
J.William King
Benjamin Maxwell Andrea Yun Open Position
BA SS CL A R IN E T
J.William King DE T R OI T OPER A | 17
Administration & Staff LEADERSHIP
FACILITIES
WIGS & MAKEUP
Patty Isacson Sabee, President & CEO
Vanessa Boyd, Facilities Manager
Erika Broderdorf, Wig & Makeup Crew Coordinator
Roberto Kalb, Music Director Juliano Bitonti Stewart, Chief Growth Officer Daniel T. Brinker, General Manager, Detroit Opera House & Parking Center
Juan Benavides, Building Engineer Kevie Crumb, Facilities & Event Technician
FINANCE
STAGE CREW John Kinsora, Head Carpenter Jerome Bowie, Head Electrician
Kimberley Burgess, Accountant
Pat McGee, Head Propertyman
Rita Winters, Accountant
Chris Baker, Head of Sound
Shawn Rieschl Johnson, Chief Programming & Production Officer
FINANCIAL ONE
Pat Tobin, Head Flyman
Jon Teeuwissen, Artistic Advisor for Dance
Ayhan Chaushev, CFO
Kathy Nauer, CFO
Samantha Teter, Chief Marketing Officer
Debbie Folarin, Controller
Ataul Usman, Senior Director of Human Resources
Vaishnavi Aprameya, Accountant
ADMINISTRATION William Austin, Executive Assistant
ARTISTIC DEPARTMENT Nathalie Doucet, Head of Music & Director of Detroit Opera Resident Artist Program Elizabeth Anderson, Artistic Administrator
DANCE Kim Smith, Dance Administrator
DETROIT OPERA YOUTH CHORUS Twannette Nash, Chorus Administrator
Magan Reece, Accountant
HUMAN RESOURCES Denver Harvey, Human Resources Coordinator
Dee Dorsey, Surtitle Operator Mary Ellen Shuffett, Head of Wardrobe IATSE Local #38 Stage Crew IATSE Local #786 Wardrobe
SAFETY AND SECURITY Rock Monroe, Director of Safety & Security Lieutenant Lorraine Monroe
MARKETING/ COMMUNICATIONS
Sergeant Demetrius Newbold
Leah Hill, Director of Marketing
Officer A.M. Hightower
Madelyn Estes, Website Administrator
Officer Michelle Johnson
Allison Graw, Graphic Design Lead Austin Richey, Digital Media Manager & Storyteller
Officer Gary Cabean
Officer Terrence Hunter Officer Khalil Nalis
TICKETING & BOX OFFICE
Arthur White, Director of Community & Audience Engagement
Amy Brown, Director of Ticketing and Booking
MUSIC DEPARTMENT
Stephanie Stoiko, Box Office Manager
Katherine Kozak, Chorus Director & Music Administrator
Evan Carr, System Administrator Christopher Lewis, Box Office Associate
Jane Arvidson Panikkar, Preparatory Chorus Conductor
Molly Hughes, Orchestra Personnel Manager
Maria Cimarelli, Preparatory Chorus Accompanist
Jean Posekany, Orchestra Librarian
Aaron Tyson, Box Office Associate
John Etsell, Staff Pianist
VENUE OPERATIONS
Joseph Jackson, Principal Chorus Accompanist
DEVELOPMENT Chelsea S. Kotula, Director of Institutional Giving Katrina Fasulo, Director, Individual Giving & Donor Engagement Angela Nelson-Heesch, Director, Data Analytics & Operations Valentino Peacock, Manager of Data & Operations Stephani Davis, Development Coordinator
PRODUCTION Elizabeth Anderson, Production Coordinator Kathleen Bennett, Production Finance Administrator Monika Essen, Property Master Kaila Madison, Technical Assistant Brodrick Whittley, Assistant Technical Director
Holly Clement, Senior Manager of Events & Rentals Jennifer George-Consiglio, Manager of Venue Operations Michael Hauser, Curator of History & Architecture Kathie Booth, Volunteer Coordinator
USHERS
Suzanne Hanna, Costume Director
Max Aghili, Christine Berryman, Ellen Bishop, Kathie Booth, Lori Burkhardt, Randall Davis, Erin Doakes, Suzanne Erbes, Pamela Fergusson, Sue Hargrave, Myrna Mazure, Ennis Mcgee, Steven McReynolds, Heddie O’Connor, Bill Ried, Kim Ried, Edna Rubin, Ida Vance, Sheryl Weinan-Yee
EDUCATION Branden Hood, Director of Education
Mary Ellen Shuffett, Fitting Assistant
Alaina Brown, Program Coordinator: Education & Community Programs
Maureen Abele, Paul Moran, Clare Neville, Lupé Vazquez, Stitchers
18
Alexis Means, Director of Operations & Patron Experiences
COSTUMES Michaela Tanksley, Wardrobe Supervisor
Eliza Beutler, Program Administrator
Chris Simpson, Box Office Associate
IN CA SE OF EM ERGENCY Please observe the lighted exit signs located throughout the theater. In the event of an emergency, remain calm and walk, do not run, to the nearest exit. Ushers and security personnel are trained to assist. An emergency medical technician (EMT) is on-site during most events. Contact an usher or staff member if you need medical assistance.
GUEST SERVICES: Vincent Lobby and Broadway Lounge There are a variety of amenities for your comfort and use located in both guest services locations. Wheelchairs, booster seats*, earplugs, assisted listening devices, feminine hygiene products, basic first aid items, and more are complimentary and available for your convenience. Coat check is also available. The Vincent Lobby is located on the Madison Street side of the building and the Broadway Lounge is located on the Broadway Street side of the building. *Limited quantity
PHOTOGR A PH Y, R EC OR DING, A ND C ELL PHONE USE Photography and/or recording during any performance is strictly prohibited. Photographs taken in the lobby areas, before or after a performance, and during intermission are welcome. As a courtesy to all guests, please turn off all electronic devices and refrain from use during the performance.
RESTROOMS Women’s restrooms are located off the Ford Lobby (Broadway Street entrance) and down the stairs, and on third floor (Madison Street entrance). Men’s restrooms are located under the Grand Staircase and on the third floor (Broadway Street side). There are two sets of elevators or stairs available to access all third-floor restrooms. All third-floor restrooms are wheelchair accessible (women’s restroom, press 3R in the elevator). There are single-use unisex wheelchair accessible restrooms on the first floor of the Broadway Street side of the building and the Madison Street side of the building. There is also a wheelchair accessible women’s restroom on the Broadway Street side of the building.
NO SMOKING The Detroit Opera House is a non-smoking facility. This includes e-cigarettes, vapes, and other “smokeless” products.
USHERS Ushers are stationed throughout the building to assist patrons as needed. Please direct questions, concerns, and feedback to them during your visit.
LOST A ND FOUND During the performance, lost and found is located in guest services. Unclaimed items are logged and taken to the Safety and Security office after each performance. To inquire about a misplaced or lost item, please call 313.961.3500. Items left over 30 days will be discarded or donated.
RECORDING IN PROGRESS Entry and presence on the event premises constitute your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded, and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with Detroit Opera and its initiatives. By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event.
Fall & Winter Events 26/27 TOURS
WED / OCT 21 / 6:00PM
26/27 TOURS
THU / OCT 29 / 6:00PM
26/27 OPERA
NOV 01 / NOV 05 / NOV 07
26/27 TOURS
SAT / NOV 14 / 11:00AM & 12:30PM
Sip & Stroll at Detroit Opera Premium Sip & Stroll: Tosca Tosca
Detroit Opera House Highlights Tours DETROIT OPERA HOUSE PRESENTS
SAT / NOV 14 / 8:00PM
26/27 TOURS
WED / NOV 18 / 6:00PM
Step Afrika!
Holiday Sip & Stroll
NOV 28 / NOV 29
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE PRESENTS
The Nutcracker with Grand Rapids Ballet and the Detroit Opera Orchestra 26/27 TOURS
SAT / DEC 12 / 11:00AM & 12:30PM
Detroit Opera House Highlights Tours DETROIT OPERA HOUSE PRESENTS
SAT / DEC 12 / 7:30PM
26/27 DETROIT OPERA YOUTH CHORUS
SUN / DEC 13 / 2:30PM
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE PRESENTS
SUN / DEC 13 / 3:00PM
26/27 TOURS
WED / DEC 16 / 6:00PM
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE PRESENTS
FRI / DEC 18 / 7:30PM
DETROIT OPERA HOUSE PRESENTS
SAT / DEC 19 / 8:00PM
The Holiday Film with the Detroit Opera Orchestra A Winter Fantasy
A Charlie Brown Christmas Live with the Detroit Opera Orchestra Holiday Sip & Stroll Renee Elise Goldsberry’s Christmas
A Night of Inspiration: A Gospel Holiday Celebration with the Detroit Opera Orchestra and special guests Kim Burrell, the Clark Sisters, and Donald Lawrence, conducted by Ray Chew