From walking down the aisle to hosting an annual fundraiser, the theater is all yours. Michigan's premier venue is unmatched, offering versatile spaces for any celebration. Home to world-class performances and legendary productions, the historic Detroit Opera House offers a backdrop of elegance and drama. Between our exclusive lounges, main stage, grand lobby, and 360° panorama-view Sky Deck, this iconic venue is guaranteed to impress your guests.
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A message from Patty Isacson Sabee
Welcome to the Detroit Opera House—we are thrilled to have you with us today.
Whether you are here to enjoy the jazzy offerings of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, the chilling, dystopian landscape of Poul Ruders’ opera The Handmaid’s Tale, or the groundbreaking approach to modern dance embodied by the Paul Taylor Dance Company—or all three!—you already know Detroit Opera as a producer of world-class opera and a presenter of internationally acclaimed dance companies.
But we’re also the steward of an amazing historic opera house, with one of the largest stages in the country, built by and for our community. Detroit Opera embodies the innovative spirit and diverse perspectives of our city. We weave together incredible artistry, spellbinding drama, magical stagecraft, and stories that hit home—all in a spectacular venue. Detroit Opera is creating an ambitious standard for American opera and dance that emphasizes community, accessibility, artistic risk-taking, and collaboration. Beyond opera and dance, we’re committed to bringing you more opportunities to enjoy performing arts and cultural events that shine on our stage and stretch our imaginations. We hope you’ll visit our website often to find out more about what is on offer here.
Every time you attend a performance or event at the Detroit Opera House, you are supporting the arts in Detroit and our mission to bring unforgettable opera and dance to our region. So many people have asked me what they can do to help Detroit Opera—please continue to be our advocates! Tell others about your experiences here and encourage them to check us out. You can make a difference.
Patty Isacson Sabee President & CEO, Detroit Opera
SATURDAY / MAY 02 / 2:00PM
Detroit Opera Youth Chorus at the Detroit Opera House
SCAN
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.
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Join Detroit Opera’s volunteer community and share your gifts and talents. Have fun and make friends while participating in a multitude of opportunities all supporting Detroit Opera’s mission. Our volunteers are ambassadors for Detroit Opera and the city of Detroit, warmly welcoming patrons from near and far to the beautiful, 103-year-old Detroit Opera House for an experience they will cherish forever.
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A message from Jon H. Teeuwissen
Welcome to the finale of our 2025–26 Dance @ Detroit Opera season, showcasing the evolution of American dance in the genres of ballet, modern, and theatrical jazz dance. It is most appropriate that we end the season with the Paul Taylor Dance Company.
Paul Taylor was an American dancer and choreographer. Both a painter and an athlete, he discovered dance somewhat late in life. A competitive swimmer, he received a swimming scholarship to Syracuse University in the late 1940s. It was through books in the university’s library that he became fascinated with dance and created his first piece, Hobo Ballet, on students from the university dance department. He would later transfer to Juilliard and earn a bachelor’s degree in dance.
In 1954, he assembled a small company of dancers on which he created his own works. From 1955 to 1962, he danced with the Martha Graham Dance Company. In 1959, George Balanchine invited him as a guest performer with New York City Ballet. Taylor worked with noted choreographers Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, José Limón, and Jerome Robbins while continuing to choreograph works for his own company.
Taylor’s early works were not necessarily successful. It has been said that audiences were beating down the doors—to get out! Taylor had a wicked sense of humor. In 1957, he created Duet, a piece in which two dancers stood motionless as the music played on—launched during the same decade when John Cage wrote one of his most famous works, 4’33,” consisting solely of 4 minutes and 33 seconds of silence. The duet generated controversy when the dance critic for The Dance Observer published a blank column that stated only the date and location of the performance.
In 1962 at the American Dance Festival, Paul Taylor premiered Aureole, set to music by Handel, which established him as a major choreographic force: It was groundbreaking to set modern dance movement to classical music. With that success, he quit dancing with Graham to focus on his own company. A prolific artist, Taylor would go on to create 147 dances. The company’s signature piece, Esplanade, celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, will close the Detroit Opera program.
“Each dance is a new beginning, a new place to discover.”—Paul Taylor
Jon H. Teeuwissen Artistic Advisor for Dance
Paul Taylor Dance Foundation in association with Dance @ Detroit Opera presents
THE COMPANY
MADELYN HO KRISTIN DRAUCKER LEE DUVENECK ALEX CLAYTON
DEVON LOUIS JOHN HARNAGE LISA BORRES CASEY JADA PEARMAN
JESSICA FERRETTI AUSTIN KELLY KENNY CORRIGAN
GABRIELLE BARNES EMMY WILDERMUTH ELIZABETH CHAPA
PAYTON PRIMER CALEB MANSOR PATRICK GAMBLE
Founding Artistic Director PAUL TAYLOR
Artistic Director MICHAEL NOVAK
Resident Choreographers LAUREN LOVETTE and ROBERT BATTLE
Rehearsal Directors BETTIE DE JONG and CATHY M C CANN
Principal Lighting Designers
JENNIFER TIPTON JAMES F. INGALLS
Principal Set & Costume Designers
SANTO LOQUASTO
WILLIAM IVEY LONG
Executive Director JOHN TOMLINSON
Leadership funding provided by Stephen Kroll Reidy.
Major support provided by The SHS Foundation, Jody and John Arnhold, the Howard Gilman Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and an anonymous donor.
Additional major funding provided by The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation and The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.
Paul Taylor Dance Company gratefully acknowledges the estates of Harlan Morse Blake and Mary J. Osborn for their transformational gifts.
Paul Taylor Dance Company performances at Detroit Opera House are supported by
Paul Taylor Dance Company
SAT / APR 11 / @7:30PM
PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK
@6:30PM WITH MICHAEL NOVAK AND CATHY M C C ANN
SUN / APR 12 / @2:30PM
PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK
@1:30PM WITH MICHAEL NOVAK AND CATHY M C CANN
No photography or video is allowed during the performance. Please silence all phones.
BRANDENBURGS (1988)
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Brandenburg Concertos #6 (Movements 1 & 2) and #3
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Costumes by Santo Loquasto
Lighting by Jennifer Tipton
John Harnage
Madelyn Ho Lee Duveneck Alex Clayton Devon Louis
Jessica Ferretti Austin Kelly Kenny Corrigan Gabrielle Barnes
Original production made possible in part by contributions from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Wallace Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and The Ida and William Rosenthal Foundation, Inc.
Preservation made possible by Elise Jaffe and Jeffrey Brown and contributions to the Paul Taylor Repertory Preservation Project with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. —INTERMISSION—
COMPANY B (1991)
Songs sung by The Andrews Sisters
(The songs express typical sentiments of Americans during World War II)
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Costumes by Santo Loquasto
Lighting by Jennifer Tipton
Kristin Draucker Lee Duveneck Alex Clayton Devon Louis John Harnage Jada Pearman Jessica Ferretti
Austin Kelly Gabrielle Barnes Emmy Wildermuth
Elizabeth Chapa Payton Primer Caleb Mansor
Bei Mir Bist du Schön ................................................................... Full Cast
I Can Dream, Can’t I? .............................................................
Ms. Ferretti
Joseph! Joseph! .............................
Mss. Pearman, Barnes, Wildermuth
Messrs. Duveneck, Kelly, Mansor
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (of Company B) ........................ Mr. Harnage
Rum and Coca-Cola
There Will Never Be Another You ................
Ms. Primer with cast men
Ms. Chapa and Mr. Louis
Bei Mir Bist du Schön ................................................................... Full Cast
Commissioned by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Wallace Foundation and The Brown Foundation.
Produced in cooperation with Houston Ballet and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Creation of this dance made possible with support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Preservation made possible by contributions to the Paul Taylor Repertory Preservation Project with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. —INTERMISSION—
ESPLANADE (1975)
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Violin Concerto in E Major, Double Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor (Largo & Allegro)
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Costumes by John Rawlings
Lighting by Jennifer Tipton
Madelyn Ho Kristin Draucker Devon Louis John Harnage Jada Pearman Kenny Corrigan
Gabrielle Barnes Emmy Wildermuth Elizabeth Chapa
Original production made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Revival made possible by a contribution from Elise Jaffe and Jeffrey Brown.
Preservation made possible by contributions to the Paul Taylor Repertory Preservation Project with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Prospect Hill Foundation, and Charles F. and Theresa M. Stone.
PHOTO
ABOUT PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY
The Paul Taylor Dance Company is one of the world’s leading dance organizations, based in New York City and with vast international reach. Under the artistic direction of Michael Novak, together with the best dancers, choreographers, educators, and creatives, the Company continues to innovate and transform the landscape of 21st-century dance performance and education. The Taylor Company was founded in 1954 by Paul Taylor (1930–2018), one of America’s most celebrated artists, whose work reflected his belief that dance can convey complex truths about the human experience.
The hallmark of the Company is the brilliance of its ever-expanding repertory. Of the 170 dances that exist within the canon (147 choreographed by Paul Taylor), many are hailed as among the greatest works of the 20th and 21st centuries. While celebrating these masterworks of the past, the Company invests heavily in the future of the art form, appointing Lauren Lovette as the Company’s first Resident Choreographer in 2022 and Robert Battle as the Company’s second Resident Choreographer in 2024. Dedicated to sharing dance and education with the broadest possible audience, the Taylor Company sustains a global presence through its robust touring programs. Since its first European tour in 1960, the Company has performed in more than 600 cities in 66 countries, representing the United States at arts festivals and touring extensively under the aegis of the U.S. Department of State.
With a vast new headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, Taylor Dance West, adding to its longtime downtown studios, Taylor Dance East, the Company under Michael Novak is positioned to be a greater resource in New York City. Its three creative sites across the city— Lincoln Center for the annual performance season, Midtown for Company creation and training, and the Lower East Side for dance instruction and community engagement—together realize Novak's vision for multiple spaces across the city to connect with the world of Taylor. For more information please visit paultaylordance.org.
PAUL TAYLOR
Paul Taylor, one of the most accomplished artists this nation has ever produced, helped shape and define America’s homegrown art of modern dance from the earliest days of his career as a choreographer in 1954 until his death in 2018. Having performed with Martha Graham’s company for several years, Taylor uniquely bridged the legendary founders of modern dance— Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, Doris Humphrey and Martha Graham—and the dance makers of the 21st Century with whom he later worked. Through his initiative at Lincoln Center begun in 2015—
Paul Taylor American Modern Dance —he presented great modern works of the past and outstanding works by today’s leading choreographers alongside his own vast repertoire. He also commissioned the next generation of dance makers to work with his renowned Company, thereby helping to ensure the future of the art form.
Taylor continued to win public and critical acclaim for the vibrancy, relevance and power of his dances into his eighties, offering cogent observations on life’s complexities while tackling some of society’s thorniest issues. While he often propelled his dancers through space for the sheer beauty of it, he more frequently used them to comment on such profound issues as war, piety, spirituality, sexuality, morality and mortality. If, as George Balanchine said, there are no mothers-in-law in ballet, there certainly are dysfunctional families, disillusioned idealists, imperfect religious leaders, angels, and insects in Taylor’s dances. His repertoire of 147 works covers a breathtaking range of topics, but recurring themes include the natural world and man’s place within it; love and sexuality in all gender combinations; and iconic moments in American history. His poignant looks at soldiers, those who send them into battle and those they leave behind prompted The New York Times to hail him as “among the great war poets”—high praise indeed for an artist in a wordless medium. While some of his dances have been termed “dark” and others “light,” the majority of his works are dualistic, mixing elements of both extremes. And while his work was largely iconoclastic, he also made some of the most purely romantic, most astonishingly athletic, and downright funniest dances ever put on stage.
Paul Taylor was born on July 29, 1930—exactly nine months after the stock-market crash that led into the Great Depression—and grew up in and around Washington, D.C. He attended Syracuse University on a swimming scholarship in the late 1940s until he discovered dance through books at the university library, and then transferred to The Juilliard School. In 1954 he assembled a small company of dancers and began to choreograph. A commanding performer despite his late start in dance, he joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in 1955 for the first of seven seasons as soloist while continuing to choreograph on his own troupe. In 1959 he was invited to be a guest artist with New York City Ballet, where Balanchine created the Episodes solo for him.
Taylor first gained notoriety as a dance maker in 1957 with Seven New Dances ; its study in non-movement famously earned it a blank newspaper review, and Graham subsequently dubbed him the “naughty boy” of dance. In 1962, with his first major success—the sunny Aureole —he set his trailblazing modern movement not to contemporary music but to baroque works composed two centuries earlier, and then went to the opposite extreme a year later with a view of purgatory in Scudorama, using a commissioned, modern score. He inflamed the establishment in 1965 by lampooning some of America’s most treasured icons in From Sea To Shining Sea, and created more controversy in 1970 by putting incest and spousal abuse center stage in Big Bertha
After retiring as a performer in 1974, Taylor turned exclusively to choreography, resulting in a flood of masterful creativity. The exuberant Esplanade (1975), one of several Taylor dances set to music by Bach, was dubbed an instant classic, and has come to be regarded as among the greatest dances ever made. In Cloven Kingdom (1976) Mr. Taylor examined the primitive nature that lurks just below man’s veneer of sophistication and gentility. With Arden Court (1981) he depicted relationships both platonic and romantic. He looked at intimacy among men at war in Sunset (1983); pictured Armageddon in Last Look (1985); and peered unflinchingly at religious hypocrisy and marital rape in Speaking In Tongues (1988). In Company B (1991) he used popular songs of the 1940s to juxtapose the high spirits of a nation emerging from the Depression with the sacrifices Americans made during World War II. In Eventide (1997) he portrayed the budding and fading of a romance. In The Word (1998), he railed against religious zealotry and blind conformity to authority. In the first decade of the new millennium he poked fun at feminism in Dream Girls (2002); condemned American imperialism in Banquet of Vultures (2005); and stared death square in the face in the Walt Whitman-inspired Beloved Renegade (2008). Brief Encounters (2009) examined the inability of many people in contemporary society to form meaningful and lasting relationships. In this decade he turned a frightening short story into a searing drama in To Make Crops Grow and compared the mating rituals of the insect world to that of humans in the comedic Gossamer Gallants Taylor’s final work, Concertiana, made when he was 87, premiered at Lincoln Center in 2018.
Hailed for uncommon musicality and catholic taste, Taylor set movement to music so memorably that for many people it is impossible to hear certain orchestral works and popular songs and not think of his dances. He set works to an eclectic mix that includes Medieval masses, Renaissance dances, baroque concertos, classical warhorses, and scores by Debussy, Cage, Feldman, Ligeti, and Pärt; ragtime, tango, Tin Pan Alley, and barbershop quartets; Harry Nilsson, The Mamas and The Papas, and Burl Ives; telephone time announcements, loon calls, and laughter. Taylor influenced dozens of men and women who have gone on to choreograph—many on their own troupes—while others have gone on to become respected teachers at colleges and universities. He worked closely with such outstanding artists as
James F. Ingalls, Jasper Johns, Alex Katz, Ellsworth Kelly, William Ivey Long, Santo Loquasto, Gene Moore, Tharon Musser, Robert Rauschenberg, John Rawlings, Thomas Skelton and Jennifer Tipton. Taylor’s dances are performed by the Paul Taylor Dance Company and companies throughout the world, including the Royal Danish Ballet, Rambert Dance Company, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
As the subject of the documentary films Dancemaker and Creative Domain, and author of the autobiography Private Domain and Wall Street Journal essay “Why I Make Dances,” Taylor shed light on the mysteries of the creative process as few artists have. Dancemaker, which received an Oscar nomination in 1999, was hailed by Time as “perhaps the best dance documentary ever,” while Private Domain, originally published by Alfred A. Knopf, was nominated by the National Book Critics Circle as the most distinguished biography of 1987. A collection of Taylor’s essays, Facts and Fancies, was published by Delphinium in 2013.
Taylor received nearly every important honor given to artists in the United States. In 1992 he was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors and received an Emmy Award for Speaking in Tongues, produced by WNET/New York the previous year. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton in 1993. In 1995 he received the Algur H. Meadows Award for Excellence in the Arts and was named one of 50 prominent Americans honored in recognition of their outstanding achievement by the Library of Congress’s Office of Scholarly Programs. He is the recipient of three Guggenheim Fellowships, and honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degrees from California Institute of the Arts, Connecticut College, Duke University, The Juilliard School, Skidmore College, the State University of New York at Purchase, Syracuse University and Adelphi University. Awards for lifetime achievement include a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship—often called the “genius award”—and the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award. Other awards include the New York State Governor's Arts Award and the New York City Mayor's Award of Honor for Art and Culture. In 1989 Taylor was elected one of ten honorary members of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. Having been elected to knighthood by the French government as Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1969 and elevated to Officier in 1984 and Commandeur in 1990, Taylor was awarded France’s highest honor, the Légion d’Honneur, in 2000 for exceptional contributions to French culture.
Paul Taylor left an extraordinary legacy of creativity and vision not only to American modern dance but to the performing arts the world over.
MICHAEL NOVAK
Michael Novak, Artistic Director of Paul Taylor Dance Company, is carving a profound mark in the dance industry with an unwavering commitment to usher in a new era of expansion for the Taylor organization, driven by his passion for artistic innovation, inclusion, and education. Before assuming his current role, Michael built an impressive, eight-year career as a critically acclaimed Taylor dancer, hailed by The New York Times as “a marvel of plasticity and penetrating imagination.” In 2018, Paul Taylor appointed Michael as his successor, entrusting him with the responsibility of preserving and evolving the company. That same year, after Paul Taylor’s death, Michael officially became Artistic Director and retired from performing.
Under Michael’s direction, Taylor continues to be one of the world’s leading dance companies. In 2019, he partnered with Orchestra of St. Luke’s Bach Festival, curating the first presentation in a single engagement of all six of Paul Taylor’s iconic dances set to music by the Baroque composer. In memory of Mr. Taylor, he launched The Celebration Tour, a multi-year international touring retrospective of the Taylor repertoire. He co-directed the company’s first virtual, live-streamed benefit, Modern Is Now: Stories of Our Future. In 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he brought the Taylor Company to 16 venues in 11 American cities, earning the designation “Best of Dance 2021” from The Washington Post. That same year, he was named to the Crain’s New York Business “40 Under 40” list for his leadership.
Born with a passion for movement and expression, Michael began his formal dance education at a young age, with foundational training in his hometown of Rolling Meadows, Illinois. He later studied at University of the Arts, the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, Springboard Danse in Montréal, and the Taylor School. In 2005, Michael was admitted to Columbia University’s School of General Studies. He became a member of the Columbia Ballet Collaborative and was named Artistic Associate.
At Columbia, Michael became immersed in the study of dance history, which ignited a passion for modern dance. He performed Mr. Taylor’s solo in Aureole, leading him to embrace the Taylor repertoire. Upon graduation, he received his BA in dance, magna cum laude with departmental honors, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. As a distinguished alumnus, he was the keynote speaker for the Class of 2020, and now serves as a member of their Board of Visitors.
THE COMPANY
LAUREN LOVETTE (Resident Choreographer) personifies the intertwining of dance and choreography, moving seamlessly from one to the other. In spring 2022 she was invited to be the first-ever Resident Choreographer for the Paul Taylor Dance Company, and she creates new work on the company annually. Born in Thousand Oaks, California, Lauren began studying ballet at the age of 11. She enrolled at the School of American Ballet as a full-time student in 2006, and from 2009 to 2021 she danced with the New York City Ballet (NYCB), quickly rising to the role of principal dancer. Lauren began creating dance as a ballet student, and, as a principal dancer at NYCB, she choreographed for the 2016 Fall Fashion Gala. She was awarded the Virginia B. Toulmin Fellowship at the Center for Ballet and the Arts at New York University in 2018, and a year later created a second work for the Fall Fashion Gala. In addition to the Taylor Company and NYCB, her work has been commissioned and performed worldwide—with a full-length Romeo and Juliet at Leipzig Ballet—regionally at American Ballet Theatre, Vail Dance Festival, American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and Colorado Ballet, and showcased in a self-produced evening, Why It Matters. Lauren received the Clive Barnes Award for dance in December 2012, was the 2012-2013 recipient of the NYCB’s Janice Levin Award, and won the School of American Ballet’s Mae L. Wein award for choreography in 2024. In 2023, Lauren joined the Nantucket Dance Festival as Co-Artistic Director.
ROBERT BATTLE (Resident Choreographer) began his journey to the top of the modern dance world in the Liberty City neighborhood of Miami, Florida, where he showed artistic talent early and studied dance at a high school arts magnet program. From there he attended Miami’s New World School of the Arts and then the dance program at The Juilliard School, where he met his mentor, Carolyn Adams. He performed with Parsons Dance from 1994 to 2001, and set his choreography on that company starting in 1998. Robert founded Battleworks Dance Company in 2002, which performed extensively at venues and festivals including The Joyce Theater, American Dance Festival, and Jacob’s Pillow. A frequent choreographer and artist in residence at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater since 1999, he set many of his works on the Ailey company and Ailey II. In July 2011 he was personally selected by Judith Jamison to become Artistic Director of Ailey, making him only the third person to head the company since it was founded in 1958. During his 12 years in the role, he expanded the Ailey repertory with works by artists as diverse as Kyle Abraham, Mauro Bigonzetti, Ronald K. Brown, Rennie Harris, and Paul Taylor. He also instituted the New Directions Choreography Lab to help develop the next
generation of choreographers. He stepped down from the position in 2023. Robert was honored as one of the “Masters of African American Choreography” by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2005, and he received the prestigious Statue Award from the Princess Grace Foundation-USA in 2007. He is a recipient of the 2021 Dance Magazine Award and has honorary doctorates from the University of the Arts, Marymount Manhattan College, and Fordham University. Robert was named a 2015 Visiting Fellow for The Art of Change, an initiative by the Ford Foundation. In spring 2025 he was invited to be a Resident Choreographer for the Paul Taylor Dance Company.
BETTIE DE JONG (Rehearsal Director) was born in Sumatra, Indonesia, and in 1946 moved to Holland, where she continued her early training in dance and mime. Her first professional engagement was with the Netherlands Pantomime Company. After moving to New York City to study at the Martha Graham School, she performed with the Martha Graham Dance Company, Pearl Lang Dance Theater, John Butler, and Lucas Hoving, and was seen on CBS TV with Rudolf Nureyev in a duet choreographed by Paul Taylor. Bettie joined the Taylor Company in 1962. Noted for her strong stage presence and long line, she was Mr. Taylor’s favorite dancing partner and, as Rehearsal Director, has been his surrogate in the studio and on tour for more than 40 years. In 2019 she was awarded the Balasarawati/Joy Anne Dewey Beinecke Endowed Chair for Distinguished Teaching from the American Dance Festival for her substantial contributions to the sustainment of the Taylor legacy.
CATHY MCCANN (Rehearsal Director) was a member of the Paul Taylor Dance Company for 13 years. Among the 18 dances Mr. Taylor made on her were Mercuric Tidings, Brandenburgs, Musical Offering, and Sunset. She was featured in five Taylor television specials, including the 1991 Emmy Award–winning Speaking in Tongues. In 1991 Mikhail Baryshnikov invited her to join the White Oak Dance Project, where she performed works by Mark Morris and Lar Lubovitch. Cathy has staged Taylor dances for American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, San Francisco Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, and Washington Ballet, among others, and her own choreography has been presented at New York City Center. She has been a faculty member of Adelphi University, Barnard College, and Hofstra University, and has taught at the American Dance Festival and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. She was appointed Director of Taylor 2 by Michael Novak in March 2019. She became Rehearsal Director in March 2020.
DANCER PROFILES
MADELYN HO, MD, is from Sugar Land, Texas, where she began dancing at Kinard Dance School with Shirley McMillan and later trained at BalletForte under the artistic direction of Michael Banigan. She graduated from Harvard College with a BA in chemical and physical biology. While there, she was awarded the Artist Development Fellowship and attended the Taylor School Winter Intensive. She was a member of Taylor 2 from 2008 to 2012 and left to attend Harvard Medical School, during which time she was a guest artist for Alison Cook Beatty Dance and performed with Urbanity Dance. She joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in spring 2015 and completed her Doctor of Medicine degree in May 2018.
KRISTIN DRAUCKER was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in York, Pennsylvania. She began her training at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet under Marcia Dale Weary. In 2005 she was awarded a fellowship to study Horton and Graham at The Ailey School. Since moving to New York City, she has danced with Michael Mao Dance, Armitage Gone! Dance, and New Chamber Ballet, and at Bard SummerScape in Les Huguenots. In 2009 she joined the 50th Anniversary International Tour of West Side Story, and in 2010 performed in Tino Sehgal’s Kiss at The Guggenheim. Kristin began creating dances in 2014 and has shown her work in New York and Philadelphia, and as part of La MaMa Umbria festival in Spoleto, Italy. She joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in winter 2017.
LEE DUVENECK grew up in Arlington, Texas, where he trained with Anne Oswalt and Gwen Price. In 2010 he earned his BFA in dance performance from Southern Methodist University, where he studied with Taylor alumna Ruth Andrien and jazz dance icon Danny Buraczeski. While in New York, he has danced for Annmaria Mazzini, Mari Meade, and Jessica Gaynor. Lee joined Taylor 2 in 2012, and joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in summer 2017.
ALEX CLAYTON grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. He received his BFA in dance with a minor in visual arts from Stephens College in 2013. He was a Graham 2 company member from 2014 to 2015. He also performed with companies including 10 Hairy Legs, Abarukas, Curet Performance Project, and Performa 15. He served as Rehearsal Assistant for Paul Taylor American Modern Dance’s Taylor Company Commissions choreographer Lila York when she created Continuum in 2016. He joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in summer 2017.
DEVON LOUIS , who hails from Washington, D.C., is a graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts. He attended The Ailey School as a recipient of the Oprah Winfrey Foundation Scholarship, and furthered his dance education at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival under the direction of Milton Myers. Devon has performed works by Alvin Ailey, Matthew Rushing, Christopher Huggins, Nathan Trice, Ronald K. Brown, and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. He has also performed as a member of Ballet Hispánico’s junior company, BHdos; the Metropolitan Opera; and Nimbus Dance Works. Devon joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in summer 2018.
JOHN HARNAGE , a native of Miami, Florida, studied dance at the Miami City Ballet School and New World School of the Arts. He was a Modern Dance Finalist in the 2010 YoungArts National Arts Competition. In 2014 he graduated from The Juilliard School, where he performed works by Pina Bausch, Alexander Ekman, José Limón, and Lar Lubovitch, among others. He then began working with Jessica Lang Dance, and joined the company in 2015, performing and teaching around the world. He also performed as a principal dancer in Washington National Opera’s 2017 production of Aida at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. John joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in fall 2018.
LISA BORRES CASEY, a native of Staten Island, New York, is a graduate of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts. At The Hartt School of the University of Hartford, from which she graduated in 2011, she studied with Stephen Pier and Katie Stevenson-Nollet, and danced in works by Martha Graham and Pascal Rioult. She participated in summer intensives at the Joffrey Ballet School, Martha Graham Dance Company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Parsons Dance, and has taught dance at The Hartt School. Since 2012 Lisa has been part of the selection process for Ballet Tech, Eliot Feld’s tuition-free school that draws its students from the New York City public school system and whose diversity reflects the full American spectrum. She has performed with Amy Marshall Dance Company, Elisa Monte Dance, DAMAGEDANCE, and Lydia Johnson Dance. She joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in spring 2019.
JADA PEARMAN began dancing at the In Motion School of Dance in Hamilton, Bermuda, where she trained extensively in all styles of dance. In 2013 Jada attended the Grier School in Pennsylvania as a pre-professional dancer under the direction of Jocelyn Hrzic. While at the Grier School, she worked with such choreographers as Jon Lehrer, Melissa Rector, Kiki Lucas, Phil Orsano, and many more. As a member of Grier Dance, she performed at the Palm Springs Choreography Festival, Steps on Broadway Choreography Festival, and Koresh Artist Showcase. She attended summer intensives at Alvin Ailey, Point Park, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and Hubbard Street. She earned her BFA from the University of Arizona in spring 2019, where she performed works by Martha Graham, Larry Keigwin, and others. She joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in summer 2019.
JESSICA FERRETTI is originally from Port Chester, New York, and started her dance training at Westchester Dance Academy. She graduated magna cum laude in 2019 from Marymount Manhattan College, where she performed works by Larry Keigwin, Jessica Lang, Michael Thomas, Loni Landon, Nancy Lushington, Pedro Ruiz, Chase Brock, and Tito del Saz. She attended the Paul Taylor Summer Intensives in 2016 and 2018, and the Martha Graham Intensive in 2017. She joined Taylor 2 in fall 2019, and joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in summer 2021.
AUSTIN KELLY is from Overland Park, Kansas, where he began dancing at Jody Phillips Dance Company. He later studied at the Hartt School of the University of Hartford where he graduated summa cum laude in 2021, earning a BA in performing arts management with minors in dance performance and business management. He has performed works by Paul Taylor, José Limón, August Bournonville, Lar Lubovitch, and Stephen Pier. While earning his degree, he simultaneously studied Paul Taylor’s style through the Taylor School’s winter intensives, summer intensives, and virtual classes held during the COVID-19 pandemic. Austin danced with Alison Cook Beatty Dance after graduating. He joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in winter 2021.
KENNY CORRIGAN is originally from Southwick, Massachusetts, and he received his BFA from Point Park University. He has performed in Carmen (Houston Grand Opera), An American in Paris (First International), Queen of the Night (New York City), Rock the Ballet (Sweetbird Productions), Rasta Thomas’s Romeo and Juliet (international), and as Carnival Boy in Carousel (Riverside Theatre). He has also
been seen on America’s Got Talent (Season 9 semifinals), in Bad Boys of Ballet, in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as Jimmy Fallon’s body double, on Saturday Night Live (featuring Harry Styles), and in a Swarovski commercial (featuring Karlie Kloss). Kenny joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in spring 2022.
GABRIELLE BARNES was born and raised in Tampa, Florida, where she began her dance training at the age of four and furthered her studies at Florida State University’s School of Dance, graduating with a BFA in dance in 2021. She is a Balanced Body Comprehensive–certified Pilates instructor. She has performed works choreographed by Paul Taylor, Norbert De La Cruz III, Merce Cunningham, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Donna Uchizono, David Parsons, Trey McIntyre, Francisco Graciano, David Grenke, and Laura Halzack, to name a few. Gabrielle has recently performed with The Heraclitus Project; NANM, A Robenson Mathurin Dance Company; and Laura Halzack. She received a scholarship for the Taylor School in 2022 and joined the Taylor Outreach Ensemble in 2023. Gabrielle joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in summer 2024.
EMMY WILDERMUTH is originally from Littleton, Colorado, where she began her dance training at the Belliston Academy of Ballet. In 2021 she graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oklahoma with degrees in modern dance performance and professional writing. She has performed internationally with programs in Barcelona and Beijing. Throughout her professional career, Emmy has performed as a company member of Kizuna Dance, rogue wave, and NewBrese Dance Project. Emmy has also created a collection of works for stage and film that has been presented at festivals throughout the country under the collective name dance.WILD. In 2023 Emmy and her collaborator, Catherine Messina, founded the unKEMpT Dance Festival, with a mission to provide performance opportunities for artists, regardless of background or resources. Emmy joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in summer 2024.
ELIZABETH CHAPA is from Barrington, Illinois, where she trained at The Joffrey Ballet and A&A Ballet. She furthered her studies at Butler University under Taylor alumna Susan McGuire. In 2020 Elizabeth was the recipient of the Eileen Poston Dance Scholarship. After graduating with a BFA in dance performance in 2023, she began her professional career with Ballet Fantastique. She attended the 2023 and 2024 Taylor Winter Intensives, as well as the 2024 Taylor Summer Intensive. Elizabeth joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in summer 2024.
PAYTON PRIMER is from Dallas, Texas, where she trained at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. While there, she was named a Contemporary/Modern Dance Finalist in the 2018 YoungArts National Arts Competition. Payton graduated summa cum laude from Fordham University/The Ailey School with three BFA degrees—in dance, anthropology, and international studies with a concentration in global affairs. She has performed works by Paul Taylor, Robert Battle, Lar Lubovitch, Peter Chu, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Omar Román de Jesús, among others. Payton has danced internationally in Armenia, Georgia, and Germany, as well as throughout the United States. She has also performed as a member of Gaspard&Dancers, Alison Cook Beatty Dance, Adams Company Dance, and the Taylor Outreach Ensemble. She joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in winter 2025.
CALEB MANSOR is from Hatboro, Pennsylvania. He began his dance training at the age of 12 as a student of Metropolitan Ballet Academy & Company in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, where he first fell in love with dance. There, he had the opportunity to perform classical ballets as well as works by contemporary choreographers. Upon graduating high school, he attended George Mason University’s School of Dance, completed his BFA in dance, tried his hand at dancemaking, and learned and performed works by Lucinda Childs, Rafael Bonachela, Christopher d’Amboise, Hope Boykin, and Larry Keigwin, among others. Caleb then danced for Nimbus Dance Works in Jersey City, New Jersey, from 2022 to 2025 under the directorship of Samuel Pott. He joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in summer 2025.
PATRICK GAMBLE is a dancer with alopecia, born and raised in Queens, New York. He was recently in the final cast of Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More. Previously a dancer with Ailey II for three seasons, Patrick began his dance training at the age of five in The Ailey School’s Junior Division. He graduated from the Ailey/Fordham BFA program with a double major in art history. He has performed works by Robert Battle, Ohad Naharin, William Forsythe, Hope Boykin, Baye & Asa, Andrea Miller, Rena Butler, Earl Mosley, and Francesca Harper. Patrick has also danced with artists such as Nona Hendryx, Mary J. Blige, and English conductor Simon Halsey. Additionally, Patrick has acted in Saturday Night Live, Gossip Girl, and HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness. Most recently, he movement directed Fear of God and Players Magazine. He joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in summer 2025.
For over four decades, the Taylor Center for Dance Education has served as the educational branch of the Taylor Company and is under the direction of Taylor Alumna Amy Marshall. With two locations in Manhattan, the Taylor Center for Dance Education amplifies the rich multicultural history of American dance, sharing Paul Taylor’s rich repertory, and offering high-quality dance training to students of all ages and experience levels.
The Taylor Center for Dance Education is also known for its extensive outreach and impact programs, including the Jody and John Arnhold Tier 3 Dance Education and Audience Development Initiative, which provides K–12 public school students free dance classes and complimentary tickets to the Taylor Company’s Lincoln Center Season. Since its inception, this program has served over 30,000 students and their caregivers, bringing access to over 200 schools in New York City.
To learn more about innovative educational initiatives that empower, inspire, and support the next generation of dancers, choreographers, audiences, and advocates, visit paultaylordance.org/school
The taking of photographs and the use of recording devices are strictly prohibited. Program and casting are subject to change. Latecomers will be seated only during intermissions. Please silence all mobile devices during the performance.
PAUL TAYLOR DANCE FOUNDATION, INC.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Founder PAUL TAYLOR
Artistic Director MICHAEL NOVAK
Nancy H. Coles, M.D., Chair
John Philip Falk
Richard E. Feldman, Esq., Vice Chair Joshua Jeffery
Stephen Kroll Reidy, Vice Chair
Jonna Mackin, Ph.D.
Joseph A. Smith, Treasurer Rosalind Reed
Elise Jaffe, Secretary Yvonne Rieber
Robert E. Aberlin Bianca A. Russo
Carolyn Adams, Trustee Emerita William A. Shutzer
Deborah G. Adelman C.F. Stone III
Sally Brayley Bliss, Trustee Emerita
Deirdre K. Dunn
Executive Director JOHN TOMLINSON
Max R. Shulman—Counsel
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Dr. Robert A. Scott, Chair Maria Kantorowicz
Christine Ramsay Covey, Secretary Ambassador Kenton Keith
Lisa Brothers Arbisser, M.D.
Roger A. Kluge
Chance Blakeley Lee Manning-Vogelstein
Nancy Feller
Darcy Gilpin
Dr. John D. Golenski
Meloney Moore
Hal Rubenstein
ADMINISTRATION
Artistic Director Michael Novak
Music Director .................................................................................. David LaMarche
Resident Choreographer Lauren Lovette
Resident Choreographer ......................................................................... Robert Battle
Rehearsal Director Bettie de Jong
Rehearsal Director ............................................................................... Cathy McCann
Assistant Rehearsal Director Lee Duveneck
Executive Director ............................................................................... John Tomlinson
Director of Finance Julia Lu
General Manager ................................................................................... Noah Aberlin
Senior Director of Advancement Cathy Harding
Director of Education ............................................................................. Amy Marshall
Company Manager Bridget Welty
Director of Marketing ............................................................................... Sarah Weiss
Director of Tour Engagements Lisa Conlon
Director of Building Operations ..................................................................... Ruel Davis
Associate Director of Development Operations Dorcas Yip
Individual and Corporate Giving Manager ............................................... Michael Apuzzo
Development Operations Assistant Jules Assue
Taylor School Manager Amanda Stevenson
Polaris Project Manager Elisabeth Robert
Licensing Director Richard Chen See Arnhold Tier 3 Education Administrator Nadia Hannan
Education Operations Manager Chelsea Rose
Education Associate Julia Lawton
Production Manager & Lighting Supervisor Ethan Saiewitz
Wardrobe Supervisor Amelia Dent
Assistant Production Manager Emma Iacometta
Press Agent ........................................................................... Lisa Labrado, LL-PR INC
Orthopedic Specialist David S. Weiss, MD, NYU Langone Health
Archival Consultant ................................................. Jonathan Craig, The Winthrop Group
Auditor Michael Wallace, Lutz & Carr
Travel Agent ............................................................................ Michael Retsina, Altour
Detroit Opera Needs You
Dance thrives on vision, rigor, and community—values shared by Paul Taylor Dance Company and Detroit Opera alike. Your support helps Detroit Opera present bold dance and opera, champion groundbreaking artists, and engage our city through movement and performance. As a donor, you’ll enjoy benefits like priority ticket access, invitations to exclusive events, behind-thescenes experiences, and special opportunities to connect more deeply with the art you love. Join us in sustaining the future of dance and live performance in Detroit. For more details or to make a gift, visit DetroitOpera.org/support or call 313.309.8255. USE
PHOTO
RACHEL NEVILLE.
Thank you to our donors Contributors to Detroit Opera
Detroit Opera gratefully acknowledges the generous support of our corporate, foundation, government, and individual donors whose contributions were received between July 1, 2024, and December 19, 2025. Your generosity is essential to sustaining Detroit Opera as a vibrant cultural resource for our community.
Foundations, Corporate & Government Support
$500,000-$999,999
William Davidson Foundation
John. S. and James L. Knight Foundation
State of Michigan
$250,000-$499,999
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
Ford Foundation
$100,000-$249,999
Ford Philanthropy
General Motors
Gilbert Family Foundation
Mellon Foundation
Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation
$50,000-$99,999
J. Addison Bartush and Marion M.
Bartush Family Foundation
Max M. & Marjorie Fisher Foundation
Milner Hotels Foundation
$25,000-$49,999
The Fred and Barbara Erb
Family Foundation
Hudson-Webber Foundation
Kresge Foundation
National Endowment for the Arts
The Ruth F. Rattner and Ann F. & Norman D. Katz Charitable Foundation
Kurt Weill Foundation For Music
Matilda R. Wilson Fund
$10,000-$24,999
DTE Energy Foundation
MGM Grand Detroit
Oliver Dewey Marcks Foundation
OPERA America
Penske Corporation
Ralph L. and Winifred E. Polk Foundation
Ida and Conrad H. Smith Endowment for MOT
The Mary Thompson Foundation
Burton A. Zipser and Sandra D. Zipser Foundation
$5,000-$9,999
C&N Foundation
Co-Ette Club, Inc.
Aaron Copland Fund For Music
Gerson Family Foundation, Inc.
James and Lynelle Holden Fund
The Karen & Drew Peslar Foundation
Louis and Nellie Sieg Fund
Donald R. and Esther Simon Foundation
Somerset Collection Charitable Foundation
Strum Allesee Family Foundation
The Samuel L. Westerman Foundation
$1,000-$4,999
ABM Janitorial Services
John A. & Marlene L. Boll Foundation
Joyce Cohn Young Artist Fund
Detroit Children’s Choir
The Gilmour-Jirgens Fund
Marjorie & Maxwell Jospey Foundation
Josephine Kleiner Foundation
Warsh-Mott Funds
Individual Support
The National Circle
Introduced in 2024, the National Circle unites Detroit Opera’s foremost supporters at a pivotal moment in our history. With annual contributions of $25,000 or more, these visionary donors affirm their belief in the transformative power of live performance to inspire meaningful change—both in our city and across the nation.
$100,000+
Ethan & Gretchen Davidson
Linda Dresner & Ed Levy Jr.
David & Christine Provost
Matthew & Mona Simoncini
Richard Sonenklar & Gregory Haynes
Barbara A. Walkowski
$50,000-$99,999
Richard Alonzo
Enrico & Kathleen DiGirolamo
Patricia Isacson Sabee & David Sabee
Mary Kramer
Denise J. Lewis
Lorna Thomas, MD
Jesse & Yesenia Venegas
R. Jamison & Karen Williams
$25,000-$49,999
Lisa A. Applebaum
Richard and Joanne Brodie
Alex Erdeljan
Carl & Mary Ann Fontana
Barbara Lucking Freedman*
Jane Iacobelli
Barbara & Michael* Kratchman
The Hon. Jack & Dr. Bettye Arrington Martin
Susanne McMillan
The DiChiera Society
Ali Moiin & William Kupsky
Allan & Joy Nachman Philanthropic Fund
Ann & James B. Nicholson
Ebbie & Ayana Parsons
Mrs. Ruth F. Rattner*
Barbara Van Dusen
KEY * Deceased
DiChiera Society members honor the legacy and vision of our founder, David DiChiera, while advancing Detroit Opera’s future as one of the nation’s most significant and innovative opera and dance organizations. Their commitment supports our ongoing focus on community engagement, accessibility, and bold artistic exploration under the leadership of Barbara Walkowski Artistic Director Yuval Sharon.
$10,000-$24,999
Gene P. Bowen
Mr. Thomas Cohn
Kevin Dennis & Jeremy Zeltzer
Dr. Raina Ernstoff & Mr. Sanford Hansell
Maxine & Stuart Frankel Foundation
Bharat & Lynn Gandhi
Toby Haberman
Jody & Tara Ingle
Nancy & Bud Liebler
Ms. Mary C. Mazure
Donald & Antoinette Morelock
Mr. Cyril Moscow*
William & Wendy Powers
Dr. & Mrs. Samir M. Ragheb
Dr. Irvin D. Reid & Dr. Pamela Trotman Reid
Evan & Kelsey Ross
Salome E. Walton
Prof. Michael Wellman
$5,000-$9,999
Nina Abrams
Ms. Christine Ammer
Dr. Lourdes V. Andaya
Dr. Harold M. Arrington
Gregory & Mary Barkley
Wayne Brown & Brenda Kee
Albert & Janette Cassar
Sue Cutler & Jeff Fessler
Ms. Violet Dalla Vecchia
Reverend Bill Danaher
Walter & Lillian Dean
Lisa DiChiera
Maria & David Duey
Nell Duke & David Ammer
Marianne Elrick & Kenneth Myers
Fern Espino & Tom Short
Mr. Michael Fisher
Joseph Fontana & Nada Jurisich-Fontana
Ralph & Erica Gerson
Andrew Glancy
James & Nancy Grosfeld
Beverly Hall Burns
Barbara Heller
Ellen Hill Zeringue
Julie & Peter Hollinshead
William Hulsker & Aris Urbanes
Addison & Deborah Igleheart
Andy Levin & Mary Freeman
Don Manvel
Mrs. L. William Moll
Robert & Susan Morris
Mr. George & Mrs. Jo Elyn Nyman
Joshua & Rachel Opperer
Ms. Linda Orlans
Sara A. Pozzi, Ph.D.
Waltraud Prechter
Carrie & Ted Pryor
Janice Ross
Anthony & Sabrina Rugiero
Leon & Debbie Saperstein
Mrs. Rosalind B. Sell
Terry Shea & Seigo Nakao
Simmons & Clark Jewelers, Michael & Stacey Simmons
Christopher Stavrou
Ned & Joan Winkelman
$3,000-$4,999
Thomas & Gretchen Anderson
Sandra & Doug Bitonti Stewart
Paul & Lee Blizman
Bob & Rosemary Brasie
Dr. & Mrs. Ronald T. Burkman
Carolyn Demps & Guy Simons
Marla Donovan
Marjory Winkelman Epstein
James & Margo Farber
Sally & Michael Feder
Ms. Laurie R. Frankel
Dr. Glendon M. Gardner & Leslie Landau
Mr. Lawrence Glowczewski
Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Christine Hage
Ms. Carole Hardy
Richard & Involut Jessup
Roberto Kalb & Mane Galoyan
Ann Katz
Max Lepler & Rex Dotson
Mary B. Letts
John & Arlene Lewis
Stephan & Marian Loginsky
Mr. Loreto A. Manzo
Ms. Mary McGough
Patrick & Patricia McKeever
Benjamin Meeker & Meredith Korneffel, MD
Brian & Lisa Meer
Ms. Evelyn Micheletti
Eugene & Lois Miller
Phillip Minch
Van Momon & Pamela L. Berry
Brian Murphy & Toni Sanchez-Murphy
Geoffrey Nathan
Friends of Detroit Opera
George & Nancy Nicholson
Brock & Katherine L. Plumb
Lois & Mark Shaevsky
Susan Sills-Levey & Michael Levey
Susan A Smith
Frank & Susan Sonye
Sharon Tevis Finch
Buzz Thomas & Daniel VanderLey
Joseph & Rosalie Vicari
Stanley Waldon
Dr. John Weber & Dr. Dana Zakalik
Bret & Susanna Williams
Dr. Lucia Zamorano
Every gift helps ensure that opera and dance continue to flourish in our community, bringing to life the indescribable magic that begins when the curtain rises. Friends of Detroit Opera—among our most loyal and essential supporters—sustain this work through annual contributions of $500 or more & enjoy exclusive benefits in recognition of their generosity.
$1,000-$2,999
Ms. Geraldine Atkinson
Mr. Jason Batke
Martin & Marcia Baum
Ms. Kanta Bhambhani
Mr. Stanislaw Bialoglowski
Constance Bodurow
Ms. Nicole A. Boelstler
Mrs. Marlene L. Boll
Marsha Bruhn
Ilse Calcagno
Mrs. Judith Christie
Harriet Clark
John & Doreen Cole
Tonino & Sarah Corsetti
Cristina DiChiera & Neal Walsh
Ms. Mary J. Doerr
Mr. David Egner
Ms. Judith Ellis
Burke & Carol Fossee
Carol Gagliardi & David Flesher
Marcelo Ganasevici
Arline Geronimus
Mr. Nathaniel Good
Rober & Ann Greenstone
Kimberly Hastie
Fay & Allen Herman
Adriana Herrera
Christina Hopkins
Joel Howell
Mary Ellen Hoy & Jim Keller
Paul Jednak & Tim Kasunic
Marc Keshishian & Susanna Szelestey
Mr. & Mrs. Gerd H Keuffel
Sam Logan Khaleghi
Justin & Joanne Klimko
Gregory Knas
Jennifer Lindsay Kott
Ms. Vera C. Magee
Federico Mariona & Clara Sumeghy-Mariona
Ms. Janet Groening Marsh
Mr. Ronald Michalak
Mary F. Miller
Ms. Maryanne Mott
Iuliana & Ovidiu Niculescu
Ms. Pamela Patton-Cone
Margaret Pehrson
Mark & Kyle Peterson
Ankur Rungta & Mayssoun Bydon
Professor Alvin* & Mrs. Harriet Saperstein
Mary Schlaff & Sanford Koltonow
Kingsley & Lurline Sears
Anthony & Theresa Selvaggio
Timothy & Kelli Shaheen
Ms. Brenda Shufelt
Joe Skoney & Luisa Di Lorenzo
Ms. Theresa Spear & Mr. Jeff Douma
Gabriel & Martha Stahl
Ms. Mary Anne Stella
Andrew J. Sturgess
Manuel Tancer & Claire Stroker
Mr. Jon Teeuwissen
Dr. Jewlee Weah Tweh
Jeff & Amy Voigt
Gary L. Wasserman & Charles A. Kashner
Eileen Weiser & Richard Caldarazzo
Erica White
Katina Zaninovich
$750-$999
David A. Agius
Eric Alonas
D.L. Anthony, Ph.D.
Frank & Jenny Brzenk
Mr. Michael Clyne
Murray & Alice Ehrinpreis
Dr. Anne Missavage & Mr. Robert Borcherding
Maury Okun & Tina Topalian
Mr. Carl R. Smith
Dr. Andrew James Stocking
Dennis & Jennifer Varian
$500-$749
Antonia Abbey & James Lee
Wallace Ayotte
Ms. Allison Bach &
Mr. Michael Cool
Ms. Mary Anne Barczak
Marceline Bright
Ms. Susan Burns
Stephen Calkins & Joan Wadsworth
Oliver & Susan Cameron
Paula Lisa Cole
Gerald Davis
Mr. John R. DiLodovico
Manisha Dostert
Daniel H Ferrier
Barbara Fisher & William Gould
Yvonne Friday & Stephen Black
John Gierak & Dona Tracey
Joseph & Lois Gilmore
Gil Glassberg & Sandra Seligman
Ms. Anita DeMarco Goor
Philip & Martha Gray
Henry Grix & Howard Israel
Ms. Rosemary Gugino
Beth Hoger & Lisa Swem
Ms. George-Ann Howell
Lawrence John & Lilian Lai
Kimberly Johnson
Carol Johnston
Geraldine & Jacqueline Keller
Ms. Lee Khachaturian
Ms. Cynthia Kratchman
William & Jean Kroger
Mary Jane & Jeff Kupsky
Albert Kurt
Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth Levin
Mr. John Lovegren & Mr. Daniel Isenschmid
John & Kimi Lowe
Mrs. Marsha Lynn
Jane Panikkar
Bertram & Elaine Pitt
Elaine & Bertram Pitt
Garry Post & Robert Hill
Shawn Rieschl Johnson & Christian Kirby
Adam D. Rubin, M.D, Lakeshore Professional Voice Center
Mr. Richard Lee Ruby
Mr. Rodney Michael Rusk
Charles & Pamela Schiffer
Demetrius Shields
Anthony Smith & Leland Calloway
Catherine Strumbos
Mr. Bruce Tackett
Frank Tenkel
Dr. Gretchen Thams
Pete Tully
Maria Urquidi
Salvatore Ventura
Ms. Janet Beth Weir
Meredith Weston-Band & Jeffery Band
Elliot & Dr. Susan Zeltzer
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 HONOR OF
Ethan D. Davidson
Reverend Bill Danaher
Carl Fontana
Mrs. Nina Dodge Abrams
Paul & Orvilla Ashely
Thomas E Barron
Michael J Bartoy
Beverly Anne Bloomberg
Andre Boulanger
Wilson Curle
Mary Jo & Donald Dawson
David Feeny
Pamela Fontana
Cynthia Gitt
Peter Gude
Patricia Isacson Sabee & David Sabee
Theresa Johnson
Mary Kramer
Allen A Lewis
James Peggs & Margaret Talburtt
Sarah Siwek
Teresa Taranta
Sara Valenti
Rick Warner
Robert Wittenberg
Patricia Isacson Sabee
William Austin
Juliano Bitonti Stewart
Katrina Fasulo
Angela Nelson-Heesch
Brenda Kee
Dr. Ali Moiin & Dr. William Kupsky
Dr. Ali Moiin & Dr. William Kupsky
Mary Jane & Jeff Kupsky
William & Elizabeth S. Kupsky Household
Jon Teeuwissen
Manisha Dostert
Lorna Thomas, MD
Paul & Lee Blizman
Barbara Walkowski
Neal S. Goren
IN MEMORY OF
Wickam Allen
Beth Buzzelli Carlson
Betty Brooks
Ethan & Gretchen Davidson
Cathy Mosseau
Nicoangelo Corsetti
Tornino & Serafina Corsetti
Armando Delicatio
Patricia Bentley
Judith Gordon & Lawrence Banka
Jacqueline Shuster
Carol DeVore
Mr. Mark S. DeVore
Shirley DiGirolamo
Enrico & Kathleen DiGirolamo
Sandy Duncan
R. Jamison & Karen Williams
Grant Eldridge
Tracy Barr
Drs. Julie B. Finn & Bradley Rowens
Heather Gehring
Shawn Rieschl Johnson & Christian Kirby
Joseph Katulic
Stuart Grigg
Alphonse S. Lucarelli
R. Jamison & Karen Williams
George & Ann Marisl
Thomas Dickson & Carol Dick
Ruth Rattner
Jody & Gary Astrein
David & Nancy Barbour Household
Ms. Lori Cohn
Elle Elder
Marianne Elrick & Kenneth Myers
Beth & Earle Erman
Ann Fishman
Amy Folbe
Richard & Eleanore Gabrys
Marilyn Goldberg
Renee Handelsman
David & Rose Handleman
Barbara Heller
Patricia Isacson Sabee & David Sabee
Ann Katz
Richard Katz
Mrs. Barbara Kratchman
Michael* & Barbara Kratchman
Victor Lebovici
Dr. Jay Levinson
Nancy & Bud Liebler
Howard Luckoff
Alex & Lisa MacDonald
Angela Nelson-Heesch
Ali Moiin & William Kupsky
Bluma Schechter
Mrs. Bluma Schechter
Ms. Lisa Schwartz
Grace Serra
Martha Siefman
Mr. Mark Sussman
Mr. William Volz
Gary L. Wasserman & Charles A. Kashner
R. Jamison & Karen Williams
Sharon Zimmerman
Suzann Kaye Ripple
Ms. Catherine Pappas
Miss Alison Piech
Gladys Santiago
Ruth Roby Glancy
The Glancy Foundation
Angeline Rooks
Maria McMullen
Karol Ross
Susan Stepek
William Sandy
Julie & Peter Hollinshead
Tamara Whitty
Phyllis Osler
Every effort has been made to accurately reflect donor, honoree, and memorial names for gifts received between July 1, 2024 and December 19, 2025. Should you find an error or omission please contact Angela Nelson-Heesch at anelsonheesch@detroitopera.org or 313.237.3438.
Avanti Society Members Setting the Stage for Tomorrow
Found throughout Italian opera, the word avanti means “ahead” or “forward.” The Avanti Society— Detroit Opera’s planned giving recognition program—honors a special group of donors whose generosity is guided by vision and foresight. By including Detroit Opera in their estate plans, members ensure that the transformative power of opera and dance will continue to inspire audiences in our community and across the nation for generations to come. With deep gratitude, we thank our Avanti Society members for shaping the future of Detroit Opera.
Douglas* & Sarah Allison
Richard & Mona* Alonzo
Janet Ames
Dr. Lourdes V. Andaya§
Mr. & Mrs. Agustin Arbulu§
Chester* & Emilia Arnold§
George & Joanne Arrick
Dr. Leora Bar-Levav
Lee & Floy Barthel
Brett & Veronica Batterson§
Richard & Gwen Bowlby
Mrs. Doreen Bull
Roy E.* & Ilse Calcagno§
Dr. & Mrs. 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
Dr. Robert A. Cornette§#
Mr. Thomas J. Delaney
Walter & Adel Dissett
Ms. Mary J. Doerr§
Mrs. Helen Ophelia Dove-Jones
Marianne T. Endicott§#
David & Jennifer Fischer
Herbert & Betty Fisher§
Mrs. Barbara Frankel* & Mr. Ronald Michalak§#
Mr. & Mrs. Herman Frankel§#
Byron & Marilyn Georgeson§
William Gipperich
Albert & Barbara Glover
Robert Green
Mr. Ernest Gutierrez
Stephen & Aline Hagopian
Mr. Lawrence Hall§
Jerome & Margot Halperin§
Heather Hamilton
Charlene Handleman
Preston* & Mary Happel
Mr. Kenneth E. Hart§
Eugene* & Donna Hartwig§
Dr. & Mrs. Gerhardt A. & Rebecca P. Hein
Fay & Allen Herman
Derek & Karen* Hodgson
Andrew & Carol Howell
Dr. Cindy Hung§
Eleanor & Alan Israel
Ms. Kristin R. Jaramillo§
Don Jensen & Leo Dovelle§
John Jickling
Patrick J.* & Stephanie
Germack Kerzic
Josephine Kessler
Edward & Barbara Klarman
Robert & Wally Klein#
Erwin H. & Suzanne Klopfer§#
Myron & Joyce LaBan
Max Lepler & Rex Dotson
Linda Dresner & Ed Levy, Jr.
Mr. Hannan Lis
Florence LoPatin
Stephen Lord
Ms. Denise Lutz
Laura & Mitchell Malicki
Ms. Jane C. McKee§
Bruce Miller
Orlando & Dorothy Miller§
Ms. Monica Moffat
Drs. Stephen & Barbara Munk
Harold Munson & Libby Berger
Tiffany Nance
Mr. Jonathan F. Orser
Ms. Julie Owens
Mr. Dale J. Pangonis§
Charles A. & Mary Parkhill
Allison Prost
Mr. Richard M. Raisin§#
Ms. Deborah Remer
Dr. Joshua Rest
James & Marguerite S. Rigby§
Mr. Bryan L. Rives
Ms. Patricia H. Rodzik§
David & Beverly Rorabacher
Dulcie Rosenfeld
Professor Alvin* & Mrs. Harriet Saperstein
Ms. Susan Schooner§
Mark & Sally Schwartz
Arlene Shaler§
Ms. Ellen Sharp
Ms. Edna J Pak Shin
Harold & June Siebert
Mrs. Loretta Skewes
Ms. Anne Sullivan Smith
Richard* & Roberta Starkweather§#
Ms. Mary Anne Stella
Stanford C. Stoddard
Ronald F. Switzer§ & Jim McClure
Lillie Tabor
Peter & Ellen Thurber
Alice* & Paul Tomboulian
Jonathan* & Salome E. Walton
Susan Weidinger
Mr. Andrew Wise
Larry* & Mary Lou Zangerle
We express profound thanks to these Avanti Society members whose planned gifts to Detroit Opera have been realized.
Robert G. Abgarian
Robert & Margaret Allesee#
Mona Alonzo
Serena Ailes Stevens
Mr. & Mrs. J. Addison Bartush§#
Mr. & Mrs. Mandell Berman
Margaret & Douglas Borden
Charles M. Broh
Milena T. Brown
Charlotte Bush Failing
The Gladys L. Caldroney
Mary C. Caggegi
Allen B. Christman
Miss Halla F. Claffey
Ms. Virginia M. Clementi
Hon. Avern Cohn & Ms. Lois Pincus Cohn
Robert C. & RoseAnn B. Comstock
Mrs. Mary Rita Cuddohy
James Danaher
Marjorie E. DeVlieg
Nance Dewar
James P. Diamond
Dr. David DiChiera
Mrs. Karen V. DiChiera
Nina S. Drolias
Charles & Mary Jane Duncan§
Mr. Wayne C. Everly
Dr. Evelyn J. Fisher
Mrs. Anne E. Ford
Ms. Pamela R. Francis§
Mrs. Rema Frankel
Barbara Lucking Freedman
Edward P. Frohlich
The Priscilla A.B. Goodell
Freda K. Goodman
Priscilla R. Greenberg, Ph.D. §#
Maliha Hamady
Ms. Nancy B. Henk
Mary Adelaide Hester
Ms. Patricia Hobar
Gordon V. Hoialmen
Carl J. Huss
Aaron E. Jabbour
Mr. John Jesser
H. Barbara Johnston
Maxwell & Marjorie Jospey
Ida King
Mrs. Josephine Kleiner
Misses Phyllis & Selma Korn§#
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Krolikowski§
Leslie Lazzerin
Mr. Philip Leon
Dores & Wade McCree
Vivien McDonald
Lucie B. Meininger
Helen M. Miller
Ella M. Montroy
Ronald K. Morrison
Ruth Mott
Clarice Odgers Percox
Elizabeth M. Pecsenye
Thomas G. Porter
Magdalena Predeteanu
Mrs. Ruth F. Rattner
Mitchell Romanowski
Ms. Joanne B. Rooney
Concetta Ross
Mr. & Mrs. Giles L. & Beverly Ross
Ms. Merle H. Scheibner
Drs. Heinz & Alice Platt Schwarz§
Ms. Laura Sias
Mrs. Marge Slezak
Ida & Conrad H. Smith
Ms. Phyllis Funk Snow§
Edward L. Stahl
Dr. Mildred Ponder Stennis
Mary Ellen Tappan
Margaret D. Thurber
Mr. & Mrs. George & Inge Vincent§#
Herman W. Weinreich
J. Ernest Wilde
Mrs. Ruth Wilkins
Helen B. Wittenberg
Mr. & Mrs. Walter & Elizabeth Work§
Joseph J. Zafarana
George & Pearl Zeltzer§
KEY
§ Founding Members
# Touch the Future donors
* Deceased
Membership in the Avanti Society is open to all who wish to declare their intention for a planned gift to Detroit Opera. Call Demetrius Shields to learn more, 313.309.8255.
Detroit Opera Honor Roll
Detroit Opera gratefully acknowledges these distinguished donors for their lifetime giving. Their extraordinary generosity has shaped the history of our company—from its founding in 1971 by Dr. David DiChiera as Michigan Opera Theatre, to the opening of the Detroit Opera House in 1996, and to our bold transformation into Detroit Opera in 2022 under the leadership of Barbara Walkowski Artistic Director Yuval Sharon.
Their visionary support sustains the vitality of Detroit Opera today, making possible world-class opera and dance performances as well as acclaimed community programs that inspire and engage audiences throughout our region.
$10,000,000+
The William Davidson Foundation
Ford Motor Company Fund
The State of Michigan
$5,000,000+
Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
General Motors
John S. & James L. Knight Foundation
The Kresge Foundation
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
$2,000,000+
Mr. & Mrs. Douglas* & Sarah Allison
Mr. Lee & Mrs. Floy Barthel
Marvin, Betty & Joanne Danto
Dance Endowment & Marvin & Betty
Danto Family Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Herman & Sharon Frankel
Lear Corporation
Linda Dresner & Ed Levy Jr. Masco Corporation
McGregor Fund
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Skillman Foundation
R. Jamison & Karen Williams
KEY
* Deceased
$1,000,000+
Richard & Mona* Alonzo
AT&T
Bank of America
Mandell L. & Madeleine H. Berman Foundation
Mr.* & Mrs. John A. Boll Sr. Compuware Corporation
Robert & RoseAnn Comstock
Joanne Danto & Arnold Weingarden
Ethan & Gretchen Davidson
DTE Energy Foundation
The Fred A. & Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation
Mrs. Margo Cohen Feinberg & Mr. Robert Feinberg
Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation
Mrs. Barbara Frankel* & Mr. Ronald Michalak
Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Frankel*
Hudson-Webber Foundation
JPMorgan Chase
Paul Lavins
National Endowment for the Arts
Matthew & Mona Simoncini
Richard Sonenklar & Gregory Haynes
Dr. & Mrs. Sam B. Williams*
Matilda R. Wilson Fund
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
VIOLIN
Daniel Stachyra
Interim Concertmaster
Yuri Popowycz
Acting Asst. Concertmaster
Emelyn Bashour
Principal Second Violin
Anna Bittar-Weller
Solveig Geenen
Molly Hughes
Bryan Johnston
Henrik Karapetyan
Velda Kelly
Beth Kirton
Jenny Wan
Andrew Wu
VIOLA
John Madison
Principal
Jacqueline Hanson
Scott Stefanko
Chloé Thominet
CELLO
Ivana Biliskov
Principal
Benjamin Maxwell
Andrea Yun
Open Position
BASS
Derek Weller
Principal
Clark Suttle
HARP
Juan Riveros
Principal
FLUTE
Collin Stavinoha
Principal
Andrea Velasquez
PICCOLO
Andrea Velasquez
OBOE
Eli Stefanacci
Principal
Mark Doerr
ENGLISH HORN
Mark Doerr
CLARINET
Roi Karni
Principal
J. William King
BASS CLARINET
J. William King
BASSOON
Daniel Fendrick
Principal
Open Position
HORN
Colin Bianchi
Principal
Natalie Sweasy
TRUMPET
David Ammer
Principal
Elijah Leonard
TROMBONE
Jordan Dove
Principal
Dustin Nguyen
TIMPANI
Eric Stoss
Principal
PERCUSSION
John Dorsey
Principal
Administration & Staff
LEADERSHIP
Patty Isacson Sabee, President & CEO
Yuval Sharon, Barbara Walkowski Artistic Director
Roberto Kalb, Music Director
Daniel T. Brinker, General Manager, Detroit Opera House & Parking Center
Shawn Rieschl Johnson, Chief Programming & Production Officer
Jon Teeuwissen, Artistic Advisor for Dance
Samantha Teter, Chief Marketing Officer
Ataul Usman, Senior Director of Human Resources
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
Jane Arvidson Panikkar, Preparatory Chorus Conductor
Rebecca O-G Eaddy, Principal Chorus Conductor
Maria Cimarelli, Preparatory Chorus Accompanist
Joseph Jackson, Principal Chorus Accompanist
DEVELOPMENT
Juliano Bitonti Stewart, Director of Development
Chelsea S. Kotula, Director of Institutional Giving
Angela Nelson-Heesch, Director, Data Analytics & Operations
Valentino Peacock, Manager of Data & Operations
Demetrius Shields, Manager of Individual Giving
Stephani Davis, Development Coordinator
EDUCATION
Branden Hood, Director of Education
Alaina Brown, Program Coordinator: Education & Community Programs
Eliza Beutler, Program Administrator
FACILITIES
Vanessa Boyd, Facilities Manager
Juan Benavides, Building Engineer
Kevie Crumb, Facilities & Event Technician
FINANCE
Kimberley Burgess, Accountant
Rita Winters, Accountant
HUMAN RESOURCES
Denver Harvey, Human Resources Coordinator
MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS
Leah Hill, Director of Marketing
Anna Herscher, Lead Graphic Designer
Jennifer Melick, Communications & Media Relations Manager
Deirdre Michael, Website Administrator
Austin Richey, Digital Media Manager & Storyteller
Arthur White, Director of Community & Audience Engagement Position is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
MUSIC
DEPARTMENT
Katherine Kozak, Chorus Director & Music Administrator
Molly Hughes, Orchestra Personnel Manager
Jean Posekany, Orchestra Librarian
PRODUCTION
Elizabeth Anderson, Production Coordinator
Kathleen Bennett, Production Finance Administrator
Jeff Beyersdorf, Technical Director
Eden Cope, Assistant Technical Director
Brian Dambacher, Production Manager
Monika Essen, Property Master
Suzanne Hanna, Costume Director
Kaila Madison, Technical Assistant
Brodrick Whittley, Assistant Technical Director
COSTUMES
Suzanne Hanna, Costume Director
Michaela Tanksley, Wardrobe Supervisor
Patricia Sova Jr., First Hand
Mary Ellen Shuffett, Fitting Assistant
Eileen Thorna , Tailor
Maureen Abele, Paul Moran, Lupe Vazquez, Stitchers
WIGS & MAKEUP
Erika Broderdorf, Wig & Makeup Crew Coordinator
STAGE CREW
John Kinsora, Head Carpenter
Jerome Bowie, Head Electrician
Pat McGee, Head Propertyman
Chris Baker, Head of Sound
Pat Tobin, Head Flyman
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
Sergeant Demetrius Newbold
Officer Gary Cabean
Officer A.M. Hightower
Officer Michelle Johnson
Officer Terrence Hunter
Officer Khalil Nalis
TICKETING & BOX OFFICE
Amy Brown, Director of Ticketing and Booking
Stephanie Stoiko, Box Office Manager
Evan Carr, System Administrator
Alex Robinson, Box Office Associate
Chris Simpson, Box Office Associate
Ellen Smith, Group Sales Associate
VENUE OPERATIONS
Alexis Means, Director of Operations & Patron Experiences
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
Max Aghili, Christine Berryman, Ellen Bishop, Kathie Booth, Lori Burkhardt, Randall Davis, Erin Doakes, Suzanne Erbes, Pamela Fergusson, Sue Hargrave, Myrna Mazure, Ennis Mcgee, S teven McReynolds, Heddie O’Connor, Bill Ried, Kim Ried, Edna Rubin, Ida Vance, Sheryl Weinan-Yee
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
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
PHOTOGRAPHY, RECORDING, AND CELL 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. Enjoy volunteering? Please go to guest services or the Detroit Opera website, DetroitOpera.org/support/volunteer, for information on becoming a volunteer.
LOST AND 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.
