THE ATLANTA OPERA
composer Kevin Puts | librettist Mark Campbell a Tomer Zvulun production
Silent Night
Kevin Puts, composer | Mark Campbell, librettist November 7, 10, 13, 15, 2026 Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
SILENT NIGHT
W E LCO M E Letter From Tomer Zvulun, Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General & Artistic Director . . . . . .
5
S P O N S O R S & C R E D I T S Sponsors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Credits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7 9
F E AT U R E S Director’s Note. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
P age 10
written by Tomer Zvulun
Synopsis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . based on notes from Minnesota Opera
12
10 Key Facts About World War I. . . 18 compiled by Michelle Winters
B E H I N D T H E C U R TA I N Cast & Creative. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Studio Artists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 The Atlanta Opera Chorus. . . . . . . 34 The Atlanta Opera Orchestra. . . . . 35 G I V I N G & S U P P O R T The 2027 Atlanta Opera Gala . . . . . . 36 Crescendo Campaign. . . . . . . . . . 38 Annual Giving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Barbara D. Stewart Legacy Society. . . 42 Tributes & Memorials .. . . . . . . . . . 43 Corporate Partners .. . . . . . . . . . . 44 Foundations & Government. . . . . . . 44 L E A D E R S H I P Executive Committee/Board of Directors /Advisory Council. . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 House Policies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
P age 36
THE ATLANTA OPERA 1575 Northside Dr, NW Bldg 300, Ste 350 Atlanta, GA 30318 admin 404-881-8801 info@atlantaopera.org tickets 404-881-8885 tickets@atlantaopera.org atlantaopera.org
welcome
|5
Dear Friends, Welcome to the opening of Atlanta’s opera season! We are delighted to begin this new season with Silent Night; composer Kevin Puts and librettist Mark Campbell’s moving opera inspired by the extraordinary Christmas Truce of 1914.
Tomer Zvulun Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General & Artistic Director
Ever since I directed the European premiere of Silent Night in Wexford, Ireland, in 2014, this production has held a special place in my heart. Since then, it has traveled to cities around the world, touching audiences with a story that transcends borders, languages, and generations. Bringing it back to Atlanta feels especially meaningful in a world still marked by conflict. Its message of friendship, compassion, and shared humanity is one we need now more than ever. We dedicate this production to those who served and never came back home, and to all whose lives have been changed by war. Our 2016 performances of Silent Night also helped inspire The Atlanta Opera’s veterans outreach program a decade ago. Since then, more than 70,000 tickets have been shared with veterans and active-duty military members who have attended our performances free of charge. We are proud of this continuing commitment and grateful to all who have served. This holiday season, we are also partnering with Theatrical Outfit to present All is Calm, December 2–27, offering audiences another perspective on the same remarkable historic event. While Silent Night tells the story through opera, All is Calm weaves together the actual words of the soldiers who experienced the Christmas truce with popular music and Christmas carols of the era. These distinct artistic approaches illuminate different facets of the same extraordinary moment in history. I hope you will join us for both productions and discover the unique message each has to offer. Thank you for joining us as we begin a new season together. May Silent Night move you, surprise you, and remind you of the extraordinary things we can discover when we recognize the humanity in one another. Enjoy the performance!
sponsors
|7
AN OPERA IN TWO ACTS COMPOSER Kevin Puts LIBRETTIST Mark Campbell Based on the screenplay for the motion picture Joyeux Noël by Christian Carion produced by Nord-Ouest Productions. | Winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Music. FIRST PERFORMANCE November 12, 2011 at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, St. Paul, Minnesota APPROXIMATE RUNTIME: Act I: 76 minutes | Intermission: 25 minutes | Act II: 50 minutes CONTENT WARNING This production includes simulated gun/wartime violence and alcohol use, gunshot effects, flashing/strobing lights, and theatrical haze. 2026-27 SEASON IS SPONSORED BY
VETERANS TICKET PROGRAM
THE 2026-27 DISCOVERIES SERIES IS SPONSORED BY The Molly Blank Fund of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM The Livingston Foundation THE STUDIO ARTIST PROGRAM Made possible with generous support from The Donald & Marilyn Keough Foundation, John & Yee-Wan Stevens, and Jerry & Dulcy Rosenberg SPECIAL THANKS Florida Grand Opera for its partnership as co-producer of Silent Night, for generous support of the role of the German Military Officer–performed by Louis Otey, and commitment to bringing this powerful story to life. Wexford Festival and Glimmerglass Festival Dr. Robert J. Andrews, M.D. of Atlanta Institute for ENT – for his generosity and care of our artists THE ATLANTA OPERA IS GRATEFUL FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT FROM
The Atlanta Opera receives support from the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Funding for programming is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners. Special thanks to Frank & Ann Critz and the Slumgullion Charitable Fund.
©2021 The Coca-Cola Company.
credits
|9
CONDUCTOR Iván López Reynoso PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Tomer Zvulun SET & PROJECTION DESIGNER Erhard Rom COSTUME DESIGNER Vita Tzykun LIGHTING DESIGNER Robert Wierzel ORIGINAL SOUND DESIGNER C Andrew Mayer FIGHT DIRECTORS Sordelet Inc. | Rick Sordelet & Christian Kelly-Sordelet WIG & MAKEUP DESIGNER Lindsey Ewing CHORUS MASTER Daniel Chervinsky CAST (IN ORDER OF VOCAL APPEARANCE) ANNA SØRENSEN Susanne Burgess† NIKOLAUS SPRINK Kameron Lopreore† FATHER PALMER Mark Diamond JONATHAN DALE Christian Sanders WILLIAM DALE Joseph Lattanzi MADELEINE AUDEBERT Page Michels* LT. AUDEBERT Luke Sutliff LT. GORDON Jonathan Bryan† PONCHEL Edward Nelson LT. HORSTMAYER Aleksey Bogdanov KRONPRINZ Wayd Odle† BRITISH MAJOR David Crawford FRENCH GENERAL Wayne Tigges MOVEMENT SPECIALISTS Julianna Feracota (fight captain), Tyler Fox, Christopher Llorca, Whondy Mogollon, Santos “Flip” Perez, Barry Westmoreland SUPERNUMERARIES Melodie Sida, Jessica Wax ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Conor Hanratty† ASSOCIATE LIGHTING DESIGNER Eric Norbury ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR Jacobsen Woollen ASSISTANT DIRECTORS Gregory Luis Boyle, Madeleine Snow* ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGNER Amy Sutton MUSICAL PREPARATION Nyle Matsuoka, Erica Xiaoyan Guo PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Jonathan S. Campbell ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS Caitlin Denney-Turner, Caitlynn Sandoval PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Liesel Nelson PROJECTED TITLES PROVIDED BY Frank Rizzo/Lyric Opera of Chicago PROJECTED TITLES OPERATED BY Valerie Pool† *Member of The Atlanta Opera Studio | †Alum of The Atlanta Opera Studio Silent Night, based on the screenplay by Christian Carion for the motion picture Joyeux Noël produced by Nord-Ouest Productions. | Commissioned by Minnesota Opera – A Minnesota Opera New Works Initiative Production. By arrangement with Aperto Press, publisher – Bill Holab Music: Sole Agent This production of Silent Night was originally created by Wexford Festival Opera. | By arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., sole agent for o/b/o G. Ricordi & Co. Biihnen - und Musikverlag GmbH in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Scenery | Constructed by Bay Productions Ltd. | Costumes and properties for Silent Night are owned by and provided by The Atlanta Opera. Performed in English, French, German, and Italian with English supertitles. The performance on Friday, November 13, 2026 will be livestreamed by The Atlanta Opera Film Studio.
10 | director’snote
Notes on Silent Night WRITTEN BY
PHOTO: JEFF ROFFMAN
Tomer Zvulun
Lt. Audebert and
From the first moment that I listened to Silent Night, it
Lt. Horstmayer
touched something deeply personal in me. Kevin Puts’
agreeing to the
music and Mark Campbell’s libretto uniquely capture the
terms of the truce.
dichotomy of love and war, creating a world that is both specific and universal at once. The opera captures the humanity of its characters and the comfort that friendship and music bring to the bloodiest and most inexplicable of all human experiences—war. War, whether a century ago across Europe or in our own day, evokes a chaotic, surreal world. The characters who inhabit it are completely lost in it—as is so often the case in war. Our production was conceived as an entangled nightmare that progresses vertically. The structure of the opera is intricate and complicated, and the space is the key to the concept: it allows the fluidity that the storytelling requires. Frequently, the vertical nature of the set allows for simultaneous action on different levels.
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
encoreatlanta.com
| 11
What moves me most about this story is what it understands about soldiers everywhere. They are ordinary people—sons, lovers, friends—who long for home, for family, for their youth and innocence. The uniforms they wear and the lines drawn on maps divide them; the shared fear of never seeing their loved ones again unites them. Often, the people asked to carry the burden of war have far more in common with one another than with those who draw the lines. In the trenches, soldiers discover that the man on the other side misses his mother just as much as they miss theirs. That is why I find the story of Silent Night so moving— personal, and yet universal at the same time. Each of the characters is acutely aware of his own mortality, fears, and loves. In the midst of unimaginable terror, music, friendship, and humanity emerge to offer momentary solace from the horrors of a futile war—and to remind us that our shared humanity is stronger than anything that divides us. Ever since I directed the 2014 European premiere of Silent Night in Wexford, this production—now seen in eight cities—has held a special place in my heart. Bringing it back to Atlanta now, in a world so marked by war, feels profoundly timely. It is also the opera that launched our Veterans Program a decade ago, opening our doors to more than 70,000 veterans.
PHOTO: JEFF ROFFMAN
We dedicate this production to our veterans and activeduty service members, and to the 100,000 Georgians who served in World War I—3,000 of whom never came home. We offer it in their memory.
Anna Sørensen follows Nikolas Sprink to the front lines. The two lovers are joyfully reunited.
12 | synopsis
Synopsis BASED ON NOTES FROM
PHOTO: JEFF ROFFMAN
Minnesota Opera
Anna Sorensen sins “Dona Nobis Pacem” during a Christmas Mass shared between all three armies on the front lines.
PROLOGUE: Late Summer, 1914 War had been declared across Europe. At a Berlin opera house, the announcement disrupts the lives of acclaimed opera singers Anna Sørensen and Nikolaus Sprink. Nikolaus is called away to fight for Germany, separating the lovers. In a small church in Scotland, the news of war inspires William Dale to enlist. He urges his younger brother, Jonathan, to join him, despite the concern of their priest, Father Palmer. In Paris, Madeleine Audebert, pregnant with her first child, is furious that her husband, Lieutenant Audebert, is leaving to fight. Across Europe, nationalism and patriotic fervor send young men toward the battlefields. ACT I December 23 — The Battlefield The action moves to the Western Front, near the FrenchBelgian border, where French, Scottish and German troops face one another across the trenches. A horrific battle erupts and an attempt to infiltrate the German bunker ends in disaster, leaving bodies scattered
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
encoreatlanta.com
| 13
across no-man’s-land between the three bunkers. William is shot, and Jonathan is forced to leave his wounded brother behind. The violence of the battlefield gives way to its aftermath. In the Scottish trenches, Lieutenant Gordon counts the casualties while Father Palmer attempts to comfort Jonathan. Across the field, the French Lieutenant Audebert is reprimanded by his commanding officer for the failed attack. He thinks of Madeleine and the child he has never met and mourns the loss of a photograph of his wife. As night falls, the soldiers on all three sides try to sleep. Snow begins to cover the bodies lying between the trenches. Alone in the German bunker, Nikolaus thinks of Anna and despairs over the war and the violence he has witnessed. December 24 — Christmas Eve Christmas arrives at the front, bringing an unexpected contrast to the brutality of the previous day.
PHOTO: JEFF ROFFMAN
The German soldiers receive small Christmas trees from the Kronprinz, though Lieutenant Horstmayer considers the gifts useless compared with ammunition and reinforcements. Nikolaus is ordered to perform for the Kronprinz at his nearby chalet and he learns that Anna will also be there. He is thrilled at the possibility of seeing her again.
The Scottish Army (top level), French Army (middle level), and German Army (bottom level) share gifts with each other on Christmas even each in their own trenches.
PHOTO: JEFF ROFFMAN
14 | synopsis
A soldier lays a poppy at a WWI Monument Wall, honoring and in remembrance of his fallen brothers.
The French soldiers receive wine, sausages and chocolates. Ponchel, Audebert’s aide-de-camp, gives his lieutenant a haircut and talks fondly about his mother, who lives nearby. In the Scottish bunker, whiskey arrives from home. Jonathan writes to his mother but conceals the truth about William’s death. At the Kronprinz’s chalet, Anna and Nikolaus are reunited. They perform together and then steal a private moment outside. Anna sees how deeply the war has changed Nikolaus. She has arranged for him to remain with her, but Nikolaus insists that he must return to his fellow soldiers. Anna refuses to let him go alone and decides to follow him back to the front. The Christmas Truce That night, the three armies remain separated by noman’s-land. A Scottish bagpiper plays while Father Palmer sings a sentimental song about home. The music drifts across the battlefield to the French and German soldiers. When Nikolaus returns with Anna, the German soldiers greet them enthusiastically. After the Scottish song ends, Nikolaus begins singing a Christmas song in response. The bagpiper joins him. Nikolaus then climbs above the German trench holding a small Christmas tree—a gesture that crosses the boundaries of language, nationality and military orders.
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
encoreatlanta.com
Soldiers from all three sides emerge from their trenches. A French soldier who had been preparing to attack the Germans abandons his plan. Eventually, Lieutenants Audebert, Gordon and Horstmayer meet in no-man’s-land under a white flag and agree to an unofficial cease-fire for Christmas Eve. The soldiers cautiously approach one another. Enemies become people: they exchange names, photographs, food and cigarettes. Anna’s presence astonishes the soldiers, who have spent months seeing only the enemy across the battlefield. Father Palmer creates a makeshift church and celebrates Mass for the soldiers. For a brief time, French, Scottish and German troops stand together in peace. But the moment is bittersweet. While the other soldiers celebrate, Jonathan discovers his brother William’s body. His grief turns into a vow of revenge. Father Palmer concludes the Mass by urging the men to “go in peace,” even as the distant sound of artillery reminds everyone that the war has not ended. ACT II December 25 — Christmas Day The truce is supposed to end at dawn. Jonathan attempts to bury William, but German sentries prepare to shoot him. Father Palmer and Lieutenant Gordon intervene. Lieutenant Horstmayer observes what is happening and suggests that perhaps the dead from both sides should be buried. The three lieutenants—Gordon, Audebert and Horstmayer—meet again. Over coffee, they agree to extend the cease-fire long enough to retrieve the bodies scattered across no-man’s-land. Burying the Dead The soldiers from opposing armies work together to collect their dead. Father Palmer gives the fallen their last rites as the soldiers form a solemn procession carrying the bodies away from the battlefield. The men who had fought one another only days before now share the difficult work of mourning. Anna realizes that Nikolaus, despite the brief peace, remains in danger. She promises that she will not allow the war to take him from her.
| 15
16 | synopsis The Generals Learn of the Truce Meanwhile, news of the Christmas cease-fire reaches military headquarters. The British Major, the Kronprinz and the French General are furious with the soldiers’ fraternization with the enemy. The men who participated in the truce are to be punished and separated from one another. The brief moment of humanity at the front has become a military scandal. Nikolaus & Anna As the truce comes to an end, Nikolaus openly challenges Horstmayer’s unquestioning loyalty to Germany and is arrested for insubordination. Anna refuses to leave him behind. She and Nikolaus cross no-man’s-land toward the French position. Horstmayer orders his men to shoot, but none of them can bring themselves to fire. When Anna and Nikolaus reach the French trenches safely they ask for asylum, choosing love and humanity over the army and the war that has torn their lives apart. December 26 — The Consequences The military authorities begin carrying out their punishments. The British Major reprimands the Scottish soldiers and orders them transferred to another part of the front. When a German soldier is seen crossing the battlefield, the Major orders him killed. Jonathan obeys and shoots him—an act that shows how quickly the extraordinary peace of Christmas can be replaced by the familiar violence of war. The French General tells Lieutenant Audebert that he will be transferred to Verdun and that his unit will be disbanded because of its participation in the truce. Then Audebert learns something unexpected: he has a son, Henri, whom he has never met. Audebert and his father, the General, resolve to survive the war for the sake of the child. The German soldiers are to be transferred to Pomerania, sending them away from the battlefield and toward another uncertain future. The opera ends with the battlefield emptied of soldiers. The trenches that had been filled with gunfire, singing, grief and, briefly, friendship become silent. Snow begins to fall again.
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
encoreatlanta.com
| 17
TOGETHER, LET’S MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR NATION’S HEROES The Home Depot Foundation is proud to partner with The Atlanta Opera to honor our U.S. military, veterans and their families.
© 2020 Homer TLC, Inc. All rights reserved.
HomeDepotFoundation.org
18 | productionnote 10 Key Facts About World War I COMPILED BY
Michelle Winters
1. W ORLD WAR I BEGAN IN JULY 1914, BUT ITS ROOTS WENT DEEPER. Europe had become increasingly divided by nationalism, militarism, imperial competition, and a system of military alliances. Two major alliance coalitions emerged: the Triple Entente of France, Britain and Russia, and the Central Powers, led by Germany and Austria-Hungary. 2. THE IMMEDIATE TRIGGER WAS AN ASSASSINATION. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist. Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia and declared war on July 28. A chain reaction of alliances and mobilizations quickly turned a regional crisis into a European war. 3. G ERMANY’S INVASION OF BELGIUM HELPED EXPAND THE CONFLICT. Germany invaded neutral Belgium as part of its strategy to attack France. Britain entered the war against Germany, and the conflict rapidly spread across Europe. By the end of 1914, millions of soldiers were mobilized. The conflict became known as “The Great War.” 4. T HE WAR QUICKLY BECAME A WAR OF TRENCHES. On the Western Front, armies dug extensive networks of trenches stretching across France and Belgium. New technologies—including machine guns, heavy artillery, poison gas, tanks and aircraft—made attacking extremely
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
dangerous. Battles could produce enormous casualties for very little territorial gain. It is estimated that 15 to 22 million died, including battle casualties and civilian victims of war crimes, genocides and disease. 5. CHRISTMAS 1914 BROUGHT AN EXTRAORDINARY MOMENT OF PEACE. Along portions of the Western Front, some 100,000 British and German soldiers spontaneously stopped fighting around Christmas. Soldiers emerged from their trenches, exchanged greetings and gifts, and in some locations played football. The Christmas Truce became one of the most enduring stories of humanity during the war and is the historical event at the heart of Silent Night. 6. T HE UNITED STATES INITIALLY STAYED OUT OF THE WAR. When fighting began in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared American neutrality. But German submarine warfare increasingly threatened American ships and citizens. The sinking of the Lusitania in 1915, which killed 128 American civilians, heightened tensions, although the United States did not immediately enter the war. 7. THE UNITED STATES ENTERED THE WAR ON APRIL 6, 1917. Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in early 1917, attacking ships without warning. At the same time, the Zimmermann Telegram revealed a German proposal to Mexico to join the war against the United States. On April 2, 1917, Wilson asked Congress for a
encoreatlanta.com
declaration of war; Congress approved it, and the United States formally declared war on Germany on April 6, 1917. 8. AMERICAN TROOPS HELPED STRENGTHEN THE ALLIED WAR EFFORT. The United States rapidly expanded its military through voluntary enlistment and the draft. More than two million American service members eventually served overseas, with American forces playing an important role in the final campaigns of 1918. The Allied forces included military from the Triple Entente plus those of the United States, Italy, Romania, Canada, and Japan. Thirty countries were ultimately involved in the first global conflict. More than 100,000 men and women from Georgia served in the U.S. Armed forces and auxiliaries during World War I. Updated historic records report that there were more than 2,100 casualties from the Georgia forces. 9. T HE FIGHTING ENDED ON NOVEMBER 11, 1918. After years of devastating fighting, Germany agreed to an armistice, or cessation of hostilities. The agreement took effect at 11 a.m. on November 11— the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. The formal peace settlement came later, most notably with the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. 10. NOVEMBER 11 BECAME VETERANS DAY. The United States originally observed November 11 as Armistice Day, honoring those who served in World War I. After World War II, the holiday was expanded to recognize veterans of all American wars, and in 1954, Congress officially changed its name to Veterans Day. Today, November 11 connects a historic moment—the end of
| 19
World War I—with a broader national day of gratitude and remembrance for those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. A CONNECTION TO SILENT NIGHT The history of World War I is particularly relevant to Silent Night because the opera focuses on the 1914 Christmas Truce, just months after the war began. The soldiers portrayed in the opera were among the millions sent to fight a conflict that their leaders expected to be short. Instead, they found themselves living in trenches, separated from their families and facing an enemy who was, in many ways, experiencing the same fear, homesickness and uncertainty. For one remarkable night, those soldiers crossed the lines separating them and recognized their shared humanity. That is the extraordinary historical moment Silent Night brings to the stage.
American Battle Monuments Commission: abmc.gov/news-events/news/ hometown-boys-georgia-informationand-statistics-about-wwi-servicemembers Georgia Memorial Database: worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/ georgia-memorial-database.html The National WWI Museum and Memorial: theworldwar.org History.com: history.com/articles/world-war-ihistory National Archives: archives.gov Britannica: britannica.com/event/World-War-I/ Killed-wounded-and-missing
20 | cast&creative KEVIN PUTS COMPOSER Winner of numerous prestigious awards, including the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for his debut opera Silent Night, Kevin Puts’ works have been commissioned, performed, and recorded by leading ensembles, and soloists throughout the world, including Yo-Yo Ma, Renée Fleming, Jeffrey Kahane, Dame Evelyn Glennie, the New York Philharmonic, the Tonhalle Orchester (Zurich), the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Miro Quartet, and the symphony orchestras of Baltimore, Cincinnati, Detroit, Atlanta, Colorado, Houston, Fort Worth, St. Louis, and Minnesota. His newest orchestral work, The City, was co-commissioned by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in honor of its 100th anniversary and by Carnegie Hall in honor of its 125th anniversary. His new vocal work Letters From Georgia, written for Soprano Renée Fleming and orchestra and based on the personal letters of Georgia O’Keeffe, had its world premiere in New York in Fall 2016, and his first chamber opera, an adaptation of Peter Ackroyd’s gothic novel The Trial of Elizabeth Cree commissioned by Opera Philadelphia, had its world premiere in September 2017, followed by performances with Chicago Opera Theater in February 2018. Kevin is currently a member of the composition department at the Peabody Institute and the Director of the Minnesota Orchestra Composer’s Institute. MARK CAMPBELL LIBRETTIST Mark is proud of his association with The Atlanta Opera following the company’s productions of his operas As One, The (R) evolution of Steve Jobs, The Shining, and Silent Night, and his involvement with the 24-Hour Opera Project. His Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award-winning works include 45 opera
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
librettos, lyrics for 7 musicals and text for 11 song cycles and 5 oratorios, and include the titles: Elizabeth Cree, Sanctuary Road, A Nation of Others, Stonewall, The Manchurian Candidate, A Thousand Acres, Edward Tulane, Dinner at Eight, Unruly Sun, Later the Same Evening, and Songs from an Unmade Bed. Mark has received many other prestigious prizes for his work, including the first Kleban Foundation Award for Lyricist, two Richard Rodgers Awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Jonathan Larson Foundation Award, and the first Domenic J. Pellicciotti Award. Mark has mentored future generations of librettists and composers at the American Opera Project, American Lyric Theatre and as a founding member of the American Opera Initiative. He created and funds the Campbell Opera Librettist Prize, the first award for opera librettists in the history of the art form and co-created the True Voice Award to support the training of transgender and non-binary singers. Mark received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Opera Association in 2025 and was inducted into OPERA America’s prestigious Hall of Fame in 2026. In Autumn 2026, a threevolume compendium of his librettos will be published by Subito Music. markcampbellwords.com IVÁN LÓPEZ REYNOSO CONDUCTOR Iván López Reynoso has served as Carl & Sally Gable Principal Conductor of The Atlanta Opera since June 2025 and was appointed Principal Conductor of The Santa Fe Opera beginning with its 2027 season. Praised for his musicianship and assured temperament, Reynoso has conducted leading ensembles throughout Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Japan, Italy and the United States. Maestro Reynoso has led the Philharmonia Zürich, National Orchestra and Chorus of Spain, Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the
encoreatlanta.com
Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Madrid Symphony Orchestra, Royal Seville Symphony Orchestra, Staatsorchester Braunschweig, Oviedo Filarmonía and many of Mexico’s leading ensembles. His operatic engagements have taken him to Opernhaus Zürich, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro Real, The Dallas Opera, The Atlanta Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Rossini Opera Festival, Donizetti Opera Festival, Savonlinna Opera Festival and Teatro de la Maestranza. His collaborators include Bryn Terfel, Brigitte Fassbaender, Lise Davidsen, Ildar Abdrazakov, Juan Diego Flórez, Angela Meade, Ramón Vargas, John Osborn, Augustin Hadelich, Michael Barenboim, Yulianna Avdeeva and Gabriela Montero. Reynoso made his operatic conducting debut in 2010 at age 20 with Le nozze di Figaro. His repertoire now encompasses more than 60 operas, including Aida, Der fliegende Holländer, Carmen, La bohème, Turandot, Die Zauberflöte, Don Giovanni, The Rake’s Progress, Rigoletto, Werther, Tosca and Don Carlo, as well as the Mexican premieres of Rossini’s Le comte Ory and Il viaggio a Reims and Donizetti’s Viva la mamma. Previous appointments include First Kapellmeister at Staatstheater Braunschweig, Principal Guest Conductor of Oviedo Filarmonía, Associate Conductor of the National Autonomous University of Mexico Philharmonic Orchestra, and Artistic Director of the Orchestra of the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Born in Guanajuato, Mexico, Reynoso studied violin, piano and choral conducting before graduating summa cum laude in orchestral conducting. He has participated in master classes with Alberto Zedda, Jean-Paul Penin and Avi Ostrowsky. Maestro Reynoso is also an accomplished countertenor. TOMER ZVULUN PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Tomer Zvulun has served since 2013 as General and Artistic Director of The Atlanta Opera, where he has transformed the company
| 21
into one of America’s most innovative and influential opera institutions. During his tenure, fundraising has tripled, the number of productions has doubled, and Atlanta has earned its place among the nation’s top opera companies. This remarkable turnaround has been the subject of a Harvard Business School case study, garnered an International Opera Awards nomination, and led to national recognition including an ArtsATL Luminary Award and a TED Talk on innovation in the arts. Internationally recognized as one of the leading stage directors of his generation, Zvulun’s work is distinguished by its cinematic visuals, psychological depth, and contemporary resonance. His productions have been presented at major houses and festivals across the United States, Europe, Asia, South America, and Israel—among them The Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Israeli Opera, Wexford Festival in Ireland, The Glimmerglass Festival, Wolf Trap Opera, Buenos Aires, Opéra de Montréal, National Theatre of Panama, as well as educational institutions like The Juilliard School and Indiana University. Acclaimed stagings such as Silent Night, Dead Man Walking, The Flying Dutchman, and Wagner’s Ring cycle have traveled across continents, drawing critical praise for their bold theatricality and ability to connect historic works with contemporary social themes. His European premiere of Silent Night at the Wexford Festival won two Irish Times Awards before moving to Washington, Glimmerglass, Atlanta, Austin, and Salt Lake City—an example of how his productions often achieve longevity by resonating with diverse audiences worldwide. At The Atlanta Opera, Zvulun has overseen more than thirty new productions, including immersive site-specific works, large-scale musicals, and groundbreaking contemporary pieces, redefining how opera companies engage with their communities. His upcoming projects include building a new headquarters for the company,
22 | cast&creative completing the first Ring cycle in the Southeast and touring Atlanta-born productions to the Kennedy Center, Los Angeles, Dallas, Toronto, Cincinnati, and beyond. Zvulun is currently focused on transforming Atlanta’s cultural landscape with the creation of a new artistic center that will serve as a hub for opera, chamber music, musical theatre, and cabaret. This bold initiative reflects his passion for reimagining how live performance can connect with modern audiences, positioning Atlanta as a national leader in the evolution of the performing arts. Zvulun was honored with the 2025 Georgia Governor’s Award for Arts and Humanities in recognition of his transformative leadership and significant contributions to the cultural life of the state. ERHARD ROM SET & PROJECTIONS DESIGNER Erhard Rom is an internationally recognized set and projection designer whose work spans more than 250 productions worldwide over a career of more than three decades. In both 2025 and 2015 he was named as a finalist in the Designer of the Year category for the International Opera Awards in London. His designs have been featured in the Prague Quadrennial International Design Exhibition and at the National Opera Center in New York City. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Rom is based in the New York metropolitan area, where he teaches design in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Montclair State University. His extensive design credits include productions for San Francisco Opera, Royal Swedish Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Los Angeles Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, Dallas Opera, Washington National Opera, Wexford Festival Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Vancouver Opera, Minnesota Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Wolf Trap Opera, and Atlanta Opera, among many others. One of his
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
most notable recent achievements is a complete Ring cycle for Atlanta Opera, for which he created both the sets and projections. In 2014, Rom designed the European premiere of Silent Night for the Wexford Festival Opera. The production was honored by The Irish Times Theatre Awards as both Audience Choice and Best Opera Production of the year. Rom earned a B.A. in Music from the University of Washington and later completed an M.F.A. in Design at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. erhardrom.com VITA TZYKUN COSTUME DESIGNER Vita Tzykun is a creative director, designer and transdisciplinary artist, she was named to the 2025 XP Land XLIST as one of the world’s 100 leading creative visionaries in experiential art. Her work in stage direction, design for stage and film, and digital media has been presented by institutions worldwide, including Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Bolshoi Theatre, Norwegian Opera, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Santa Fe Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, and The Atlanta Opera among others. A proponent of new works, she has designed over a dozen world premieres to date. Film and TV credits include art direction for Lady Gaga, and production design for several award-winning films, music videos, and nationally-aired TV ads. Known widely for her work in education and leadership, Tzykun serves on the faculty of the National Theater Institute and has lectured at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, University of California Davis, Mannes School of Music, and Carnegie Hall’s Weil Institute. Advisory roles include the National Endowment for the Arts, and tech-focused panels for San Diego Opera and Austin Opera. Tzykun has been featured in Lighting and Sound America magazine, presented a solo exhibition at New York’s National Opera Center, and was nominated for Designer of the Year by the International Opera Awards.
encoreatlanta.com
In 2025, the same organization honored her immersive production of Rent with a Best Musical nomination—for which she designed the scenery and projections, and co-directed with Tomer Zvulun. Vita and performer/director/media artist David Adam Moore are co-founders of the interdisciplinary art collective GLMMR that presents stage and multimedia works throughout the world. GLMMR was recently awarded a dual Granada Artist Residency and Visiting Professorship at University of California, Davis, where they created a new large-scale immersive theater installation Taming the Lightning that explores the intersection of nature, humans, and technology. This season, a new production of William Tell with Boston Lyric Opera that Tzykun is co-designing and co-directing with David Adam Morore opened the company’s 50th anniversary in September 2026. Her paintings have been exhibited at the Ceres Gallery in NYC and are held in private collections worldwide. ROBERT WIERZEL LIGHTING DESIGNER Robert Wierzel returns to The Atlanta Opera as Lighting Designer for Silent Night. He made his company debut with Lucia di Lammermoor in 2011. His Broadway credits include Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, starring Audra McDonald; Fela!, for which he received a Tony Award nomination; and David Copperfield’s Dreams and Nightmares. His work has also been seen at London’s National Theatre and Savoy Theatre, The Public Theater, Signature Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, Playwrights Horizons, BAM, Lincoln Center Festival and the Mostly Mozart Festival. Wierzel has collaborated extensively with composer Philip Glass, on works including on Hydrogen Jukebox and Les Enfants Terribles, earning an American Theatre Wing Lighting Design Award. His regional theatre credits include productions at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley
| 23
Repertory Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Goodman Theatre, Arena Stage, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Guthrie Theater, Center Theatre Group, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, American Repertory Theater, Yale Repertory Theatre and numerous others. Since 1985, Wierzel has maintained a celebrated collaboration with choreographer and director Bill T. Jones and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, earning several Bessie Awards. Their work has appeared at venues including the Louvre Museum, Lyon Opera Ballet, Berlin Opera Ballet and Park Avenue Armory. His additional dance collaborators include Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Pilobolus, Doug Varone and Sean Curran Company. Wierzel has also designed lighting for exhibitions at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Yale University Art Gallery, Jewish Museum and other institutions. He serves on the faculty of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in the Department of Design for Stage and Film and is a Creative Partner at Spark Design Collaborative. LINDSEY EWING WIG & MAKEUP DESIGNER Lindsey Ewing earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Wig and Makeup Design from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and serves as the seasonal resident Wig Mistress at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre. Her professional credits include work with Sarasota Opera, Opera Carolina, Piedmont Opera and the Utah Shakespeare Festival. As a freelance wig and makeup designer, she has also worked with PlayMakers Repertory Company at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Maryland, Aurora Theatre, Kennesaw State University and Serenbe Playhouse. Ewing’s expertise includes custom-built wigs and facial hair, special-effects and character makeup, aging techniques, beauty makeup, men’s grooming, and modern and period hairstyling. A dedicated artist, she continually expands and refines her craft.
24 | cast&creative C ANDREW MAYER ORIGINAL SOUND DESIGNER C Andrew Mayer is a Twin Cities-based sound designer who has worked with numerous theatre and opera companies around the country. At Minnesota Opera he designed The Handmaid’s Tale, Nixon In China, The Grapes Of Wrath, Wuthering Heights, The Dream Of Valentino, The Manchurian Candidate, and Cruzar La Cara De La Luna among others, while the soundscapes he created for the world premieres of Kevin Puts’ and Mark Campbell’s Silent Night and Paul Moravec’s and Campbell’s The Shining have been incorporated into many other productions nationally. This fall he is designing the sound for the world premiere of The Many Deaths Of Laila Starr. He was a McKnight Theatre Artist Fellow and won an Audelco Award for his design for Carlyle Brown’s Pure Confidence at 59E59 Theater in New York City. In summer he serves as the Producing Director of the Acadia Repertory Theatre on Mount Desert Island in Maine. CONOR HANRATTY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR STUDIO ARTIST ALUM Conor Hanratty is a native of Dublin, Ireland, he trained through Rough Magic Theatre Company’s SEEDS program and earned an MFA in Directing from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. He also spent two years in Tokyo studying with director Yukio Ninagawa at Waseda University as a Japanese Government Scholar. Recent projects include directing Florida Grand Opera’s 2026 production of Die Fledermaus, for which he also wrote a new book. In 2025, he directed a new production of John Tiffany’s Once in Seoul and the Irish premiere of Jonathan Dove’s The Walk from the Garden for Opera Collective Ireland. His production
of Stanford’s The Critic received fivestar reviews at Wexford Festival Opera in 2024. Additional credits include Aeschylus’ Na Peirsigh (The Persians) for the Abbey Theatre; An Lár for Glass Mask Theatre; L’italiana in Algeri and an adaptation of Colm Tóibín’s The Master, featuring music by Alberto Caruso, for Wexford Festival Opera; Pat McCabe’s Country and Irish; Persians | The Podcast— Unplugged at the Peacock Theatre; and touring productions of King Lear and Romeo and Juliet for Festival in a Van. He also directed Ghost Apples, a film for Irish National Opera featuring music by Irene Buckley and text by Jessica Traynor and created The Hamlet Podcast. Hanratty is Artistic Director of Ulysses Opera Theatre and a board member of The Everyman in Cork. His book Shakespeare in the Theatre: Yukio Ninagawa was published by Bloomsbury’s Arden Shakespeare imprint in 2020, with a revised paperback edition released in 2021. His forthcoming Bloomsbury Teacher Guide to Macbeth, co-written with Amy Smith, will be published in 2026. JACOBSEN WOOLLEN ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR Jacobsen Woollen is a conductor, cellist, and tenor residing in Springfield, Illinois, where he serves as Resident Conductor of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Springfield Choral Society, Conductor of the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestra, and Director of the UIS Orchestra. Jacobsen is also active in the opera world, having served as Assistant Conductor at The Atlanta Opera, Detroit Opera, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis, where he led several workshops for new works, including Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up In My Bones. An Indiana native, Jacobsen returned to the Midwest after spending six years in Vienna, Austria, where he completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in orchestral conducting under the tutelage of Prof. Mark Stringer at the Universität für Musik
encoreatlanta.com
und Darstellende Kunst, conducted professional ensembles including the Polska Filharmonia Baltycka and Ensemble Ultreia, served as assistant conductor of the Vienna Opera Festival, and led the Schlosschor Hadersfeld. Jacobsen also maintains an active career as a tenor. As a member of the Grammy-winning Arnold Schoenberg Choir, Jacobsen participated in opera productions at Theater an der Wien, as well as concerts in Europe’s most renowned venues, including Vienna’s Musikverein and Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie. Prior to his European sojourn, Jacobsen completed a Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Michigan under the guidance of Kenneth Kiesler. During this time, he was active in the Ann Arbor musical community as well, serving as founder and director of Paradigm Shift Chamber Orchestra, music director of the Ann Arbor Camerata, and assistant conductor of the Michigan Life Sciences Orchestra. As a cellist, Jacobsen was a student of Susan Moses in the Indiana University String Academy and later completed a Bachelor’s Degree with Richard Aaron at the University of Michigan. He has appeared as a soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, Musical Arts Youth Orchestra, and Voces Novae Chamber Choir. As a chamber musician, he has had the pleasure of collaborating with Joshua Bell, Jaime Laredo, Soovin Kim, and many others. From 2013-16, Jacobsen was cellist and artistic curator with the new-music sextet Latitude 49, and he continues to serve on their Board of Directors. DANIEL CHERVINSKY CHORUS MASTER Daniel Chervinsky returns to The Atlanta Opera as Chorus Master for Silent Night, following his company debut with La traviata in 2025. Born in the Soviet Union, he serves as Head of Music, conductor, pianist and music coach at the Israeli Opera. Chervinsky has conducted and performed
| 25
with many of Israel’s leading orchestras, including the Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion, Haifa Symphony Orchestra and Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. He studied conducting with Yoav Talmi and Yi-An Xu at Tel Aviv University’s Buchmann-Mehta School of Music. He won the Golden Baton Conducting Competition presented by the BuchmannMehta School of Music and Haifa Symphony Orchestra and has participated in master classes led by Zubin Mehta and Zsolt Nagy. SORDELET INC.RICK SORDELET & CHRISTIAN KELLYSORDELET FIGHT DIRECTORS Rick and Christian KellySordelet created Sordelet Inc., a Native American owned action movement company with 88 Broadway productions, including The Lost Boys, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, A Few Good Men, and The Lion King. Recent opera includes Moby Dick at the MET, Silent Night at Florida Grand Opera Midsummer Night’s Dream at Garsington Opera, UK and dozens of productions for fight direction/ intimacy for Santa Fe Opera. 52 first-class productions worldwide, hundreds of Off Broadway, National Tours and loads of Television and Films. They teach at William Esper Studio, HB Studio, CUNY Harlem, Montclair State and 22 years at Yale School of Drama. Rick is a board member for Red Bull Theater. sordeletink.com GREGORY LUIS BOYLE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Gregory Luis Boyle is grateful to have lived and traveled all around the United States to pursue his passion for opera. Boyle was the stage director of Tomer Zvulun’s production of Macbeth at The Atlanta Opera and for Zvulun’s production of La bohème, as well as the associate director of Rigoletto. Boyle made his Atlanta
26 | cast&creative Opera directorial debut and completed the journey of Wagner’s Ring cycle with Götterdämmerung in the spring of 2026. Most recently, Boyle directed Don Pasquale for Inland Northwest Opera in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Other credits include associate director at Lyric Opera of Kansas City, revival director for Michael Shell’s The Barber of Seville at Austin Opera, director for a semi-staged Tosca for Opera Philadelphia’s outdoor series at the Mann Center, director of a new production of La Favorite at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, and assistant director of Stephen Barlow’s new production of Don Giovanni at Santa Fe Opera. Boyle has also worked with the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Artists at Central City Opera as a director working with young students and with young professionals at programs including at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, the Santa Fe Opera, and the Herndon Foundation of Emerging Artists of Virginia Opera. Previously, Boyle has held associate and assistant director engagements at companies including Opera Philadelphia, the Santa Fe Opera, Cincinnati Opera Association, The Dallas Opera, Central City Opera and Virginia Opera among others
debuts with Lyric Opera of Chicago as Erster Nazarener (Salome), The Atlanta Opera as Alberich (Götterdämmerung), San Diego Opera as Escamillo (Carmen), and Pacific Symphony as Donner (Das Rheingold). He has also appeared with The Metropolitan Opera in Rigoletto, Arabella, Die Frau ohne Schatten, and Pique Dame; San Francisco Opera in Rigoletto, Un ballo in maschera, and Tristan und Isolde; Palm Beach Opera as Capulet in Roméo et Juliette; and The Glimmerglass Festival as Nick Shadow (The Rake’s Progress). Additional highlights include company debuts at Gran Teatre del Liceu as Crespel and Luther (Les Contes d’Hoffmann) and Royal Swedish Opera as Jack Rance (La Fanciulla del West). A noted interpreter of Scarpia, Bogdanov has performed the role with Palm Beach Opera, Austin Opera, Arizona Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, and Livermore Valley Opera. Other notable roles include the title role in Rigoletto with Nashville Opera and Central City Opera, Sharpless (Madama Butterfly) with Tulsa Opera, Amonasro (Aida) with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, and Sebastiano (Tiefland) with Sarasota Opera. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Shchelkalov in Boris Godunov.
ALEKSEY BOGDANOV LT. HORSTMAYER Aleksey Bogdanov, baritone, debuts this season with The Dallas Opera as Telramund (Lohengrin) and returns to San Francisco Opera as Paolo (Simon Boccanegra), and to The Atlanta Opera as Lieutenant Horstmayer (Silent Night). He also appears with San Francisco Opera covering Scarpia (Tosca) and with The Metropolitan Opera as Montano (Otello) and covering Jack Rance (La Fanciulla del West). On the concert stage, he debuts with the Houston Symphony in Rachmaninoff’s Spring and, the Santa Fe Symphony in Rachmaninoff’s The Bells, and returns to The Florida Orchestra as Don Pizarro in concert performances of Fidelio. Recent highlights include company
JONATHAN BRYAN LT. GORDON STUDIO ARTIST ALUM Jonathan Bryan, baritone, hails from Dallas, Texas, and has performed leading roles on stages throughout the United States and abroad. His 2026–27 season features leading role debuts with Inland Northwest Opera and Opera Delaware. During the 202526 season, Bryan appeared as Silvio (Pagliacci) with Piedmont Opera, made his role debut as Curly McClain (Oklahoma!) with Pensacola Opera and appeared in the company’s fall jukebox gala. In the 2024-25 season, Bryan appeared as Silvio (Pagliacci) with Opéra Louisiane, Count Carl-Magnus (A Little Night Music) with St. Petersburg Opera, Robert in a concert version of Iolanta with Russian Chamber
encoreatlanta.com
Art Society, Escamillo in Carmen excerpts with the Carolina Philharmonic, and Nicholas in Samuel Barber’s Vanessa with the National Symphony Orchestra. In 2023-24, Bryan developed the titular role of Egon Schiele, a new opera by composer Jared Schwartz. Passionate about developing new works, he also sang the role of Safety Observer in The Metropolitan Opera’s workshop for Jeanine Tesori’s new opera, Grounded. Bryan also returned to Lyric Opera of Kansas City to finish out his season as Count Paris in Matthew Ozawa’s celebrated production of Roméo et Juliette. He is an alumnus of The Atlanta Opera Studio Artists, Wolf Trap Opera, and The Glimmerglass Festival Young Artist Program, and was a 2019 Georgia District Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. SUSANNE BURGESS ANNA SØRENSEN STUDIO ARTIST ALUM Susanne Burgess, soprano, announced herself as a rising operatic star with her Summer 2025 performances of Norina in Don Pasqule for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Critics hailed her performances as “perfection incarnate” (Broadway World) and “one of the best witnessed on the company’s stage in years” (ReviewSTL). For her performances, OTSL awarded her the Mabel Dorn Reeder Award. Highlights of Burgess’s 2026-27 season include performances as Gilda in Rigoletto with Pittsburgh Opera, as Musetta in La bohème with Opera Omaha, and as Violetta in La traviata with both Opera Theatre of St. Louis and Charleston Opera Theater. In the 2025-26 season, Burgess made a series of important company and role debuts, beginning with Florida Grand Opera’s production of Kevin Puts’ Silent Night, where she was heard as Anna Sørensen in Tomer Zvulun’s production. Additionally, Burgess took on the monumental Four Heroines in Offenbach Les contes d’Hoffmann for Florentine Opera, and debuted with
| 27
Opera Philadelphia in the world premiere of Gregory Spears’ Sleepers Awake. Additionally, in the 2025-26 season, Burgess continues her association with The Metropolitan Opera, appearing as Frasquita in Carrie Cracknell’s production of Carmen. Having already sung over 20 performances at The Met, Burgess made her debut as Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto and was most recently heard as a Servant in Strauss’ Die Frau ohne Schatten. Recent performances for Burgess include her debut in the title role of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor for Gulfshore Opera, Helena in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for The Atlanta Opera and Des Moines Metro Opera, and appearances at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence as a member of their Académie, including performances with renowned conductor Emanuelle Haïm. Burgess enjoys a special relationship with The Atlanta Opera, having been a Studio Artist. With the company, Burgess has been heard as Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Nedda in Pagliacci, and was a member of their “Reimagine Opera” series during the COVID-19 pandemic, singing Lucy Brown in The Threepenny Opera and covering the role of Micaëla in Carmen. Frequently recognized by major competitions, she is a two-time district winner in the Laffont Competition, has appeared twice at the Tenor Viñas competition in Barcelona, and was awarded First Prize at the National Opera Association’s Argento Competition. DAVID CRAWFORD BRITISH MAJOR David Crawford, bassbaritone, has been hailed as a “standout” by The New York Times. Last season, he returned to the Metropolitan Opera to sing the Mandarin (Turandot) and cover the Bonze (Madama Butterfly), as well as The Atlanta Opera in the roles of Dr. Grenvil (La traviata) and Le Père / L’usurier / Ludovic (La belle et la bête). He also joined the Pacific Symphony as Pong (Turandot). Upcoming engagements include covering
28 | cast&creative Sid in La Fanciulla del West, singing the role of Herald (Otello), and covering British Major in Silent Night at the Metropolitan Opera. Crawford will also return to Nashville Opera as Angelotti/ Jailer (Tosca). In concert, he will join Knoxville Symphony as the bass soloist in Bernstein’s Songfest and make his Amarillo Symphony debut as the bass soloist in Verdi’s Requiem. In the 20242025 season, Crawford returned to The Atlanta Opera to sing Schaunard in La bohème and The Metropolitan Opera to cover Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia. Since making his debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 2007 as The Warrior Apparition in Macbeth, Crawford has taken part in over three hundred performances and covered roles in over two hundred performances with the company. His 2017 Met performance as Hermann and Schlémil in Les Contes d’Hoffmann was celebrated for his “thunderous bass-baritone” (The New York Classical Review). In recent seasons with the Metropolitan Opera, he has been seen in Dialogues des Carmélites, Turandot, Tosca, Don Giovanni, Macbeth, Wozzeck,and Der Rosenkavalier. With the Atlanta Opera, Crawford has performed the roles of Dr. Grenvil in La traviata, Count Monterone in Rigoletto, The Bonze in Madama Butterfly, Achilla in Giulio Cesare, Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Zuniga in Carmen, and Lord Capulet in Roméo et Juliette. MARK DIAMOND FATHER PALMER Mark Diamond, baritone, makes his debut with The Atlanta Opera as Father Palmer in Silent Night. An active performer and teacher, Diamond appears on opera, concert, and recital stages throughout the United States and abroad. This season, he appears with Dallas Winds, Mercury Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Gulbenkian, and the Austin Opera. A dynamic presence onstage, he has performed leading roles
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
with major companies including Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, and internationally with Opéra de Limoges, Théâtre de Caen, and Opéra de Reims. Career highlights include Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Marcello (La bohème), Count Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), John Proctor (The Crucible), and Papageno (The Magic Flute). His journey began when he won Houston Grand Opera’s Concert of Arias, earning a place in the prestigious HGO Studio. Following his time in the studio, Diamond’s singing career took off and he discovered a passion for teaching, leading him to earn an M.M. from Rice University and a D.M.A. from the University of Houston. Today, Dr. Diamond is proud to continue Texas’s rich tradition of vocal pedagogy as a member of the voice faculty at Baylor University, while maintaining an active career performing on the world’s finest stages. JOSEPH LATTANZI WILLIAM DALE Joseph Lattanzi, baritone, reprises his signature role of Hawkins Fuller (Fellow Travelers) with San Diego Opera, continuing a national tour that has included Seattle Opera, Portland Opera, and The Glimmerglass Festival, and will perform as the baritone soloist in Carmina Burana. A 2017 recipient of a top prize from the Sullivan Foundation, Lattanzi established himself as a singer to watch with his portrayal of Hawkins Fuller in the world premiere of Greg Spears’ Fellow Travelers with Cincinnati Opera. He has also made his debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago, in New York at the PROTOTYPE Festival, and with Arizona Opera and Des Moines Metro Opera. The New York Times praised him as “splendid as Hawk,” noting his “buttery baritone, luxuriant and robust.” During the 2025– 26 season, Lattanzi continued his long relationship with the Metropolitan Opera in The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. Other recent performances
encoreatlanta.com
included his San Francisco Opera debut as Paul Jobs (The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs) the title role of Don Giovanni at Arizona Opera, Belcore (L’elisir d’amore) at Minnesota Opera, at Dayton Opera as Anthony Hope (Sweeney Todd), and Opera Parallèlle to reprise Fellow Travelers. On the concert stage, he performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as the baritone soloist in the world premiere of Jonathan Leshnoff’s The Sacrifice of Isaac. KAMERON LOPREORE NIKOLAUS SPRINK STUDIO ARTIST ALUM Kameron Lopreore, tenor, is a New Orleans native praised for his “powerful ringing top and baritenor weight.” During the 2026–27 season, he makes his Metropolitan Opera debut as Il Postiglione (La Fanciulla del West). He also debuts as Alfredo (La traviata) with Austin Opera and Opera San Antonio and as Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) with Florentine Opera. Additional engagements include covering Arnold (Guillaume Tell) with Boston Lyric Opera, appearing in concert with Dayton Opera, and performing Beethoven’s Missa solemnis with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería in Mexico. Lopreore’s previous appearances with The Atlanta Opera include nine performances as Rodolfo in the company’s immersive Bohème Project, Bill Watson and Lloyd the Bartender in Paul Moravec’s The Shining, the tenor soloist in Michael Shapiro’s Frankenstein: The Movie Score, Matteo Borsa (Rigoletto), and Lysander (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). He has also covered Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) and Froh in Tomer Zvulun’s production of Wagner’s Das Rheingold with the company. During the 2021–22 season, Lopreore participated in the prestigious Santa Fe Opera young artist program. He later appeared as the Marquis in John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles with The Glimmerglass Festival and Château de Versailles Spectacles in Versailles,
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
| 29
France. Lopreore was named a district winner in The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in both 2019 and 2020. PAGE MICHELS MADELEINE AUDEBERT STUDIO ARTIST Page Michels, soprano, was named an Atlanta Opera Studio Artist this season. Michels is a 2026 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition National Semifinalist, a 2026 Gerda Lissner Foundation Grant recipient, First Prize winner of the 2025 Cooper-Bing Competition, and First Prize winner of the 2025 John Alexander Opera Competition. She was also a 2025 finalist in the Premiere Opera Foundation Competition, where she made her Carnegie Hall debut in Weill Recital Hall. In January 2027, Michels will make her European debut with the Polish National Opera. After completing her Artist Diploma in Opera Studies at The Juilliard School, she joined Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as a Gerdine Young Artist in summer 2026, covering the role of Blanche DuBois in André Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire. While at Juilliard, she performed Alice Ford (Falstaff) as well as Miss Jessel in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw with Juilliard Opera. She also performed Strauss’ Four Last Songs, Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder on multiple occasions, was a soprano soloist in Handel’s Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day in Alice Tully Hall under Lionel Meunier, she sang the Marschallin in an extended scene from Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier and made her Alice Tully Hall debut with Tom Cipullo’s Late Summer. On the concert stage, Michels has performed as the soprano soloist in Dvořák’s Te Deum and J.S. Bach’s Mass in B Minor while at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, as well as Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater in Fort Lauderdale under conductor Daniel Bates. Previous highlights include Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), and Lucy (Fellow Travelers) with Florida Grand Opera, as well as the title role in Floyd’s Susannah at Rice University.
30 | cast&creative EDWARD NELSON PONCHEL Edward Nelson, baritone, was named one of OperaWire’s Top Ten Rising Stars of 2025, and makes his debut with The Atlanta Opera this season as Ponchel in Silent Night. He previously performed the role in his Houston Grand Opera debut during the 2025–26 season, when he also performed at the Metropolitan Opera for the premiere of Mason Bates’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, created the title role in the world premiere of Benoît Mernier’s Bartelby the Scrivener at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège, and sang the title role in Pélleas et Mélisande at the Palacio de la Ópera a Coruña. During the 2024–25 season, Nelson debuted with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus) and made his Italian debut at Teatro Regio Torino as the Marquis d’Hérigny (Manon Lescaut). He also returned to Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville as Oreste (Iphigénie en Tauride) and debuted with Boston Lyric Opera as Billy Bigelow (Carousel). He performed the title role in Philip Glass’s Orphée at Teatro Real Madrid, and Dandini (La Cenerentola) at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and Semperoper Dresden. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in Terence Blanchard’s Champion, which won the 2024 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. An alumnus of both the Merola Opera Program and the Adler Fellowship at San Francisco Opera, Nelson has made over 70 appearances on the stage of the War Memorial Opera House. Other recent engagements include his return to Washington National Opera as Don Andrès (La Périchole) and the Barber (Die schweigsame Frau) at Bard Summerscape. WAYD ODLE KRONPRINZ RESIDENT ARTIST Wayd Odle, tenor, is The Atlanta Opera’s inaugural Resident Artist. A member of the Studio Artist Program during
the 2024–25 and 2025–26 seasons, the GRAMMY-nominated singer has been described by Opera News as a “standout.” Odle has appeared with the Santa Fe Opera, with The Dallas Opera in their People’s Choice Concert, and at Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Wolf Trap Opera. His operatic credits include Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore and Rodolfo in La bohème, as well as multiple lastminute appearances as Don José in Carmen. With The Atlanta Opera, he has appeared as Don Basilio and Don Curzio (Le Nozze di Figaro), Pang (Turandot), 2nd Valse (Götterdämmerung), Snout (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and First Armored Man and First Priest (Die Zauberflote). Odle was named a 2024 Career Grant Recipient of the Guilio Gari Foundation and has won Audience Choice Awards with Annapolis Opera, Opera Tampa, and Opera Mississippi. He is an alumnus of both the Santa Fe Opera and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City Apprentice Artists. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Brigham Young University and a Master of Music from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is a proud native of North Platte, Nebraska. CHRISTIAN SANDERS JONATHAN DALE Christian Sanders, tenor, has been called “Someone to watch!” (SanDiego.com). His operatic repertoire includes Tom Rakewell (The Rake’s Progress), the title role in Albert Herring, Fenton (Falstaff), Laurie (Little Women), Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi), and Prince Charmant (Cendrillon), as well as a broad range of contemporary works by living composers. Recent engagements include Stuart Ullman and Delbert Grady in The Shining and Tobias Ragg (Sweeney Todd) with Utah Opera; Little Bat (Susannah) with Opera Omaha; Orpheus (Orpheus and Eurydice) and the Vain Man and Snake in The Little Prince with Pacific Opera Victoria; Philip Hirschkop in the new opera
encoreatlanta.com
Loving v. Virginia with Virginia Opera; Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; and Sellem (The Rake’s Progress) at Des Moines Metro Opera. He has also appeared as Rodolfo (La bohème) with Minnesota Opera, Sam Kaplan (Street Scene) with Central City Opera, and the Vain Man and Snake in The Little Prince with Utah Opera. This season, Sanders makes his Atlanta Opera debut as Jonathan Dale in Silent Night and his San Diego Opera debut as Little Bat in Susannah. LUKE SUTLIFF LT. AUDEBERT Luke Sutliff, baritone, is a top prize winner of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2025 Laffont Competition and Second Prize winner of the 2023 Operalia Competition and quickly starting to make his mark in the opera world. This season Sutliff returns to the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and to Seattle Opera as Marcello (La bohème). He also returns to Santa Fe Opera in his signature-role of Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. He will make his house and role debut at Sarasota Opera as Germont (La traviata). Future engagements include debuts at the Metropolitan Opera, Opéra de Lausanne, and at the Glyndebourne Festival. Additionally, he will return to the Lyric Opera of Chicago and to the Houston Grand Opera, his home company, all in leading roles. Last season Sutliff made debuts at the Teatro Municipal in Santiago de Chile as Albert in Werther, at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Silvio (Pagliacci), and at the Canadian Opera Company as Figaro (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), a role he reprised in the summer with Central City Opera. He continued his close collaboration with The Atlanta Opera by making an important role debut with the company: Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro. In concert, he debuted with the Dallas Symphony as the baritone soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with Fabio Luisi.
| 31
WAYNE TIGGES FRENCH GENERAL Wayne Tigges, bassbaritone, recently returned to Lyric Opera of Chicago for Missy Mazzoli’s The Listeners and as the Mayor (Jenůfa). Other recent engagements include Scarpia (Tosca) with Amarillo Opera and Opera Santa Barbara; Jochanaan (Salome) with Tulsa Opera; Howie Albert (Champion) with Boston Lyric Opera; Mr. Flint (Billy Budd) with San Francisco Opera; Owen Hart (Dead Man Walking) with Lyric Opera of Chicago; and Judge Turpin (Sweeney Todd) with Des Moines Metro Opera. He has also appeared as Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia) with Michigan Opera Theatre, Barone Douphol (La traviata) with LA Opera, Owen Hart (Dead Man Walking) with The Atlanta Opera, Frank (Die Fledermaus) with Palm Beach Opera, and John Proctor (The Crucible) with Opera Santa Barbara. Additional credits include the title role in Der fliegende Holländer with The Atlanta Opera, Virginia Opera, Austin Opera and Florentine Opera; Alfio (Cavalleria rusticana) and Tonio (Pagliacci) with New Orleans Opera; the title role in Gianni Schicchi and Tonio in Pagliacci with Utah Opera; Ping (Turandot) with Tulsa Opera; and Sergeant Aaron Marcum in the world premiere of Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang’s An American Soldier at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. He has also performed in Macau, with Washington National Opera, the LA Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, the Des Moines Metro Opera and with San Francisco Opera.
32 | synopsis 2026-27 Studio Artist Program WE’RE PLEASED TO INTRODUCE THIS SEASON’S STUDIO ARTISTS
Now in its tenth season, the Studio Artist program is an early career development program for professional singers and stage directors. The program builds on The Atlanta Opera’s commitment to provide opportunities for artists at all stages in their careers. More information at atlantaopera.org/about/studio-artists/ PAGE MICHELS SOPRANO Page is a 2026 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition National Semifinalist, a 2026 Gerda Lissner Foundation Grant recipient, First Prize winner of the 2025 Cooper-Bing Competition and the 2025 John Alexander Opera Competition. ASHLYN BROWN MEZZO-SOPRANO Ashlyn joins The Atlanta Opera Studio Artists after apprenticeships with Santa Fe Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Aspen Music Festival, and Sarasota Opera. Her role debuts have included Dorabella (Cosí fan tutte), Stephano (Roméo et Juliette) and Flora (La traviata). RANDY HO TENOR Randy is an alumnus of Laufer Young Artist Program of the Palm Beach Opera and has made company debuts with Pensacola Opera and Glimmerglass Festival. He has covered all the leading tenor roles and performed as Tybalt (Roméo et Juliette), Gastone (La traviata), Parpignol (La bohème) and Borsa (Rigoletto).
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
HARRISON HANCOCK BARITONE Harrison is a graduate of the University of Kentucky School of Music and Cincinnati CollegeConservatory of Music. His roles include Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Don Giovanni, Sweeney Todd, Pandolfe (Cendrillon), and King (Dark Sisters)—and also the baritone soloist in Brahms’ German Requiem. KY CHASSELLS STAGE DIRECTOR Ky is a stage director, intimacy director, stage manager, and collaborative artist whose work explores operatic narratives and reimagines stories for contemporary audiences. Their credits include LA Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Opera Philadelphia, The Atlanta Opera, Detroit Opera, Palm Beach Opera, and Opera Orlando. Recent credits include Salome, Carmen, Falstaff, and The Handmaid’s Tale. MADELEINE SNOW STAGE DIRECTOR Madeleine is a stage director and creative collaborator. A 2024–2026 Arizona Opera Studio Artist, she directed La Cenerentola and La finta giardiniera. Recent credits include L’elisir d’amore with Boulder Opera, Roméo et Juliette with Opera Colorado, and Madama Butterfly with Opera Grand Rapids. She was also a 2026 Directing Fellow at Wolf Trap Opera.
The Atlanta Opera Studio Artist program is made possible with support from The Donald & Marilyn Keough Foundation, John & YeeWan Stevens, and Jerry & Dulcy Rosenberg.
encoreatlanta.com
| 33
ALL IS CALM AD
The Christmas Truce of 1914 written by Peter Rothstein | vocal arrangements Erick Lichte & Timothy C. Takach
Dec 2 - 27, 2026 Theatrical Outfit
ATLANTAOPERA.ORG | 404-881-8885
34 | chorus CHORUS MASTER Daniel Chervinsky SCOTTISH SOLDIERS David Tahere (Soldier 1) Randy Ho* (Soldier 2) Ben Longo (Soldier 3) Simri Martinez Chantaca Matthew Gavilanez Timothy Harper Jake McWhorter John Alston Rick Latterell Stephen McCool FRENCH SOLDIERS Harrison Hancock* (Soldier 1 & Sentry) Christopher Briggs Rodriguez (Soldier 2) Matthew Neylon (Soldier 3) Grant Jones Eric Mask Marc Porlier Gus Godbee Michael Ntwa Ydjumbwiths Van-Arc Wright Jordan Zarwea GERMAN SOLDIERS John Arnold (Soldier 1) Pedro Carreras (Soldier 2) Andrew Kapsar (Soldier 3) Owen Malone (Sentry) Brendan Callahan Fitzgerald (Harmonica Player) Raj Das Marcellus Holt Anthony Menardi Tyrone Webb Kyle Hildebrand Nathan Kiliany Jason Royal Wendel Stephens Benjamin Varner CHORUS PERSONNEL MANAGER Jessica Wax
*Member of The Atlanta Opera Studio
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
orchestra
VIOLIN
BASS
TROMBONE
Peter Ciaschini, The Loraine P. Williams Orchestra Concertmaster Chair
Daniel Tancredi, Principal
William P. Mann, Principal
Emory Clements
Richard Brady*
Jared Prokop
Josh Bynum†
FLUTE/PICCOLO
Ryan Black†, Bass Trombone
Helen Kim, Assistant Concertmaster Fia Durrett, Principal Second Violin
James Zellers, Principal double Piccolo
Adelaide Federici, Assitant Principal Second Violin
Kelly Bryant, double Piccolo
Donald Strand, Principal
Chelsea Cline
Erica Pirtle†, double Piccolo
TIMPANI
Edward Eanes
OBOE/ENGLISH HORN
Virginia Fairchild Felix Farrar
Christina Gavin, Principal
Sally Gardner-Wilson
Alexandra Shatalova Prior †
Jeff Kershner†, Acting Principal
Robert Givens
Dominic Bernard, English Horn
Karen Hunt†
Patti Gouvas Lisa Morrison
CLARINET/BASS CLARINET
Patrick Ryan
David Odom, Principal
Jessica Stinson Rafael Veytsblum Elonia Varfi† VIOLA William Johnston, Principal Catherine Allain, Assistant Principal Lucy Gelber Ryan Gregory Julie Rosseter
John Warren, double Bass Clarinet Justin Stanley†, double E-flat Clarinet BASSOON
TUBA
John Lawless, Principal PERCUSSION
Todd Mueller† HARP Susan Brady, Principal* Ellen Foster†, Acting Principal PIANO/CELESTE Nyle Matsuoka†
Marisa Takaki, Principal
BAGPIPES
Debra Grove
ONSTAGE STRING QUARTET
John Grove†, double Contra Bassoon
Sam Wiley† Helen Kim, violin I Fia Durrett, violin II
FRENCH HORN
William Johnston, viola
CELLO
David Bradley, Principal*
Charae Krueger, cello
Charae Krueger, Principal
Eric Hawkins† Acting Principal
James Zellers
Barney Culver, Assistant Principal
Jason Eklund
David Hancock
Andrew Sehmann†
Joli Wu
Cynthia Sulko Yuliya Kim†
| 35
PERSONNEL MANAGER
Mackenzie Newell† TRUMPET Yvonne Toll-Schneider, Principal Alexander Freund Guillem Torro Senent†
Musicians employed in this production are represented by the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada. *Core Musician On Leave †Non-Core Musician
36 | giving&support
L’amour: The Atlanta Opera Gala Saturday, March 27, 2027 Flourish Atlanta
An evening of music, artistry and celebration, L’amour: The Atlanta Opera Gala brings together friends and patrons of The Atlanta Opera for an extraordinary night in support of the company’s mission. Guests will enjoy soaring performances, exquisite cuisine and exciting auction opportunities while helping sustain the artistry, education and community programs that make The Atlanta Opera an essential part of Atlanta’s cultural life. Next year’s Gala will honor Dr. Harold “Hal” Brody and Don Smith, longtime supporters of the arts and generous champions of The Atlanta Opera. Their commitment to Atlanta’s cultural community extends to organizations including the Fox Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, Theatrical Outfit and Out Front Theatre Company. Together, they have also been strong supporters of LGBTQ+ arts and cultural organizations, reflecting their belief in the importance of diverse voices, stories and experiences. The evening is co-chaired by Susan Anderson, Caroline Hardin and Alfredo Martin, with a host committee that includes Victoria & Howard Palefsky, Ann & Frank Critz,
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
encoreatlanta.com
| 37
Bryan Brooks & John Haupert, Roxanne and Benny Varzi, Mary & Charlie Yates, and Tomer Zvulun & Susanna Eiland. Talia Murphy chairs the Impact Committee, joined by Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim, Lejla Dickson and Jack Hardin. SUPPORTING THE ATLANTA OPERA Sponsorship and patron opportunities range from Table Host ($12,500+) through Wagner Sponsor ($100,000+), with additional opportunities at the Mozart, Puccini and Verdi levels. Every Gala contribution helps The Atlanta Opera continue to bring ambitious performances to Atlanta audiences while extending the reach of opera through education, community engagement and innovative programming. A performance from soprano Ailyn Pérez
Kristin Haynes Institutional Giving Manager 470-427-2236 or development@atlantaopera.org
and tenor Arturo
PHOTO: TIM REDMAN
For information about tickets or sponsorship opportunities:
Chacón-Cruz at The Opera’s 2025 Gala
38 | giving&support CRESCENDO CAMPAIGN FOUNDERS The Atlanta Opera gratefully acknowledges the generous supporters bringing the Molly Blank Center for Opera and the Arts to life. These founders have pledged gifts of $10,000 or more in support of this transformative capital project. Mr. & Mrs. James Anderson The Molly Blank Fund of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Atlanta Music Festival Association Fund of Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Bryan & Johanna Barnes Natalie & Matthew Bernstein Andrew Binns Laura & Cosmo Boyd Dr. Harold Brody & Mr. Don Smith John & Rosemary Brown Mr. Don Childress The Coca-Cola Company Susan S. Cofer Matt & Kate Cook The Jim Cox, Jr. Foundation Dr. Frank A. Critz & Dr. Ann Critz Mr. Robert P. Dean & Mr. Robert Epstein Dr. Jeannette Guarner & Dr. Carlos del Rio The Delta Airlines Foundation Mr. Jon & Mrs. Lejla Dickson Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Edge Sally & Hank Fielding
Fraser-Parker Foundation Laura Lee Gentry Georgia Power Foundation, Inc The Robert S. Elster Foundation Mr. Howard W. Hunter - Gramma Fisher Foundation Kevin Greiner & Robyn Roberts Dr. & Mrs. Alexander Gross Mr. John Haupert & Mr. Bryan Brooks The Home Depot Foundation Homrich-Berg, Inc. Inspire Brands Foundation *Gail G. Johnson Donald and Marilyn Keough Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Michael L. Keough Ms. Elizabeth Klump Ms. Carla Knobloch *Mr. & Mrs. Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. Mark and Evelyn Trammell Foundation Alfredo & Beau Martin Mr. James B. Miller, Jr. Stephanie & Gregor Morela Talia & John Murphy Mr. & Mrs. Richard P. Nicholas III Sara Orlando Victoria & Howard Palefsky
Michael & Marie-Elysse Paulhus William Pendleton Dr. Louis G. Prevosti Price Waterhouse Coopers Prince Family Foundation Larry L. Prince Family Foundation Margaret & Bob Reiser The Robert S. Elster Foundation Thomas R. Saylor Stacy and Sachin Shailendra Christine & Mark St.Clare Mr. Eric Thornton Carol B. & Ramon Tomé Truist Trusteed Foundations: Harriet McDaniel Marshall Trust Tull Charitable Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Bill Vance Walentas Foundation Larry & Beverly Willson Rhys & Carolyn Wilson Ms. Bunny Winter & Mr. Michael Doyle Mr. and *Mrs. E. Jenner Wood III Bob & Cappa Woodward Charitable Fund Mary & Charles Yates The Zeist Foundation
To learn how to join the Crescendo Campaign, please contact Luke MacMillan at lmacmillan@atlantaopera.org.
PHOTO: RAFTERMEN
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
encoreatlanta.com
| 39
ANNUAL GIVING We are grateful for the following donors’ generous support. This list reflects gifts and annual pledges to unrestricted operating expenses, special projects, and/or endowment made between March 4, 2025 and September 4, 2025. DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE $200,000+ Dr. Harold Brody & Mr. Don Smith† John & Rosemary Brown† Dr. Frank A. Critz & Dr. Ann Critz† Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Edge Mr. Howard W. Hunter - Gramma Fisher Foundation† *Mr. & Mrs. Carl W. Knobloch, Jr.† Mr. James B. Miller, Jr. Jerry & Dulcy Rosenberg *Mr. Milton J. Sams† Thurmond Smithgall & the Lanie & Ethel Foundation Rhys & Carolyn Wilson†
$100,000+ Anonymous, honoring Tracy McLendon, ABG Connolly Family Foundation† Disosway Foundation - Dudley & Carole Johnson Mr. & Mrs. Michael L. Keough Alfredo & Beau Martin† Mary Ruth McDonald Margaret & Bob Reiser *Ms. Hazel Sanger Katherine Scott Mr. William F. Snyder† John & Yee-Wan Stevens† Mr. & *Mrs. E. Jenner Wood III
$50,000+ The Antinori Foundation† Natalie & Matthew Bernstein† Mr. & Mrs. Paul Blackney† Mr. Paul Brown Dr. & Mrs. Alexander Gross† Anonymous Ms. Bunny Winter & Mr. Michael Doyle†
$25,000+ Cathy & Mark Adams† Mr. & Mrs. James Anderson Wagner Society of Santa Fe’s Karen Loud Memorial Grant Bryan & Johanna Barnes† Laura & Cosmo Boyd Susan S. Cofer Matt & Kate Cook Mr. Robert P. Dean & Mr. Robert Epstein† David & Frances Ertel
Mr. John L. Hammaker Mr. & Mrs. Edward J. Hardin Mr. John Haupert & Mr. Bryan Brooks† Mr. Larry & Mrs. Carole Hooks *Gail G. Johnson Ms. Elizabeth Klump Larry & Karen Anderson Dr. Jill Mabley† Mimi & Dan D. Maslia Ms. Kelly Mayhall Sandra & Peter Morelli† Talia & John Murphy Victoria & Howard Palefsky† Mr. & Mrs. Steve Paro† Michael & Marie-Elysse Paulhus† *Mr. William E. Pennington† Dr. Louis G. Prevosti Mr. & *Mrs. Robert L. Setzer Judith & Mark Taylor Carol B. & Ramon Tomé† Larry & Beverly Willson† Bob & Cappa Woodward Charitable Fund Mary & Charles Yates†
PATRONS CIRCLE $15,000+ Mrs. Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim & Mr. David Scott Dr. & Mrs. Asad Bashey Mr. David Boatwright† Sally & Hank Fielding† Mr. Jamael & Mrs. Rashidah Hester Slumgullion Charitable Fund† Stephanie & Gregor Morela† Mr. & Mrs. Richard P. Nicholas III† Lynn & Kent Regenstein† Ms. Janine Brown & Mr. Alex J. Simmons, Jr. Triska Drake & G. Kimbrough Taylor Benny & Roxanne Varzi
Gold $10,000+ Shareef & Dee Dee Abdur-Rahim Elizabeth & Jeremy Adler† Mrs. *Phillip E. Alvelda† *Mr. & Mrs. C. Duncan Beard Catherine A. Binns Anonymous *Mr. Frank H. Butterfield†
Mr. & Mrs. Ron L. Cundy Dr. Jeannette Guarner & Dr. Carlos del Rio† Mr. Jon & Mrs. Lejla Dickson Mr. Tomer Zvulun & Mrs. Susanna Eiland Mr. Leroy & Mrs. Ariana Fass Dr. Donald J. & Janet Filip† Mr. Wyche Fowler Laura Lee Gentry Dr. & Mrs. Robert W. Gilbert Jr. Mr. Michael D. Golden & Dr. Juliet Asher Mr. Ellis & Mrs. Cathy Green Kevin Greiner & Robyn Roberts† Barbara N. Croft & Thomas High The Hilbert Law Firm Mr. L. D. Holland† Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey R. Hoopes Mr. & Mrs. David C. Huffman Roya & Bahman Irvani Dr. & Mrs. David Kavtaradze Christopher & Joan Kell Belinda & Gino Massafra National Distributing Co., Inc. Mr. Ron Raitz Ms. Ana M. Rountree & Mr. Mason Rountree Christine & *Mark St.Clare† Lynne & Steven Steindel Theofilis Family Foundation Mr. Rashaun Williams & Mrs. LaNeah Williams Wadleigh C. Winship Charitable Fund
Silver $5,000+ Mr. Kent B. & Dr. Diane Alexander Mr. Edward S. & Mrs. Nese Berkoff Drs. Tatiana & Igor Bidikov *Dr. R. Dwain Blackston Sean & Amy Bowen Lucinda Bunnen Drs. Eda Hochgelerent & Bruce Cassidy† Mrs. Carol J. Clark Dr. John W. Cooledge Jean & Jerry Cooper Mr. Trey Duskin & Ms. Noelle Albano Mr. Richard H. Delay & Dr. Francine D. Dykes†
40 | giving&support Mr. James & Mrs. Kathy Flanagan William & Barbara Henagan Ms. Rebecca Y. Frazer & Mr. Jon Buttrey Stephens Family Foundation Judge Adele P. Grubbs Enio P. Guerra Atlanta Neurology *Sylvia Halleck, MD Mr. Thomas Harbin Douglas Hooker & Patrise Perkins Hooker Mr. David Hughes Ms. Anne Morgan & Mr. James Kelley Mr. Alfred D. Kennedy & Dr. Bill Kenny Naresh Khanna Mr. & Mrs. Larry Kurlander Mr. & Mrs. Larmore Mrs. Dale Levert & Mr. George W. Levert Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Long Samantha & William Markle Dr. Joe B. Massey, M.D. Robert & Creel McCormack Rob McSwiney & Samantha Kirby Ms. Heidi Munzinger & Mr. John Shott† Anita Neff Mrs. Agnes Nelson Clara M. & *John S. O’Shea† Mr. Chuck & Mrs. Kathie Palmer Lucy S. Perry Mr. James L. Rhoden Thomas R. Saylor Mr. & Mrs. J. Barry Schrenk Mr. Fred & Mrs. Marilyn Schwartz *Morton & Angela Sherzer Baker & Debby Smith† Dr. Christopher G. Smith & Mrs. Simin Nasiri-Smith Stephen Swicegood & Ruth Ann Rosenberg Mr. Tarek Takieddini George & Amy Taylor† Mr. Clay Martin & Mr. Johnny Thigpen Dr. & Mrs. Nicholas Valerio III† Thurman Williams
Bronze $2,500+ Paula Stephan Amis Ms. Casey Armanino Jill Blair & Fay Twersky Mr. Jonathan Blalock Susan Borrelli Raphael Bostic Robert Bunnen Ms. Alice Sue Claeys
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Cohn John & Linda Cooke Mr. Robert & Mrs. Elizabeth Currie Eb & Sarah Daniels Mr. James M. Datka & Ms. Nora P. DePalma Mr. Clark & Mrs. Kristin Dean Jim & Carol Dew Mr. Mark du Mas Dieter Elsner & Othene Munson Mr. Thomas Emch Jacqueline Flake Mr. & Mrs. Lance Fortnow David H. Dase *Mr. & Mrs. Hix H. Green Jr. Dr. Thomas N. Guffin, Jr. George L. Hickman III Veronica L. Kessenich & Michael P. Hogan Mr. & *Mrs. Harry C. Howard Cliff Jolliff & Elaine Gerke Mr. & Mrs. Gert Kampfer Linda L. Lively & James E. Hugh III Charles Bjorklund & Sted Mays Linda & Don Morris Denis Ng & Mary Jane Panzeri Ng Mrs. Betsy Pittman Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Pliner Dr. Edgar P. Simard Richard Sonenklar & Gregory Haynes Elizabeth Morgan Spiegel Gail & Barry Spurlock Dr. Jane T. St. Clair & Mr. James E. Sustman Alan & Marcia Watt Dr. & Mrs. James O. Wells, Jr. *Dr. & Mrs. R. Craig Woodward Michael Young
FRIEND’S CIRCLE Investor $1,000+ Dr. Catherine Allard Mr. Paul Anderson, Jr. Carol Attridge Ms. Joselyn B. Baker Ms. Hope M. Barrett Christine M. Beard Mr. Walter Carter Bland Mrs. Jane Blount Dr. & Mrs. Jerry Blumenthal Ms. Martha S. Brewer Stanford M. Brown Mr. & Mrs. Edward S. Croft III Ann & Jim Curry Dr. & Mrs. F. Thomas Daly, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Harold T. Daniel, Jr. Ms. Janet Dawson Mr. Jack Firestone
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
Allen & Judy Freedman Neil Garvin Margaret Graff Jeffrey Graubart A. J. Earley & W. L. Green Helen C. Griffith Mr. & Mrs. Richard P. Grodzicki Donna & *Richard Hiller The Hills Family Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas D. Hills, Trustees Richard & Linda Hubert Red Eft Mapping Ms. Carla Knobloch Anonymous Kathryn Lee Livvy Kazer Lipson Allan & Vaneesa Little Dr. & Mrs. Steven Marlowe Mrs. Erin Martin Mr. M. Reynolds McClatchey, Jr. Lee Metz Mr. M Sean Molley & Ms. Heidi C. Pritchett Barbara & Mark Murovitz Twinkle Nelson Carol S. Niemi Mr. Darryl-Christopher Payne† Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence S. Phillips Doug Plunkett Dick & Patricia Price Dr. & Mrs. Hal S. Raper, Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Donald Reitzes Sidney & Phyllis Rodbell Mr. James & Mrs. Kristin Ruff Ms. Anne Schneider Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Shreiber Simone Siex James Sizemore Mr. Fred B. Smith Mark Sprouse Kay Summers Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth G. Taylor Ms. Virginia S. Taylor Mr. & Mrs. William E. Tucker Ms. Juliana T. Vincenzino Mrs. Kathleen & Mr. Arthur Waldrop Ms. Betsy K. Wash Mr. & Mrs. Mark Westfall Ms. Kathy J. White Dr. & Mrs. Hamilton Williams
Supporter $500+ Judith M. Alembik Karyn Alexander Stephan & Laura Anderson Mr. & Mrs. Robert O. Banker Colonel & Mrs. John V. Barson, D.O. Mr. Matt Blackburn Mr. Jerald M. Byrd
encoreatlanta.com
Mr. & Mrs. Don S. Coatworth Dr. Lawrence M. Cohen Ms. Sally Combs Ms. Joan Cravey Mr. David D’Ambrosio Mr. & Mrs. Peter Dean *Mr. & Mrs. Robert F. Engeman Sr. Ms. Ellen Evans Richard & Anne Farnsworth Judy & Stan Fineman Dr. & Mrs. David J. Frolich Mr. Glen Galbaugh Mr. Tim & Mrs. Linda Gartland Dr. Richard Goodjoin Anna & Jeff Gordon Janie & Sheldon Jeter Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Johnston Ms. Lynne Elliott Jones Dorothy Yates Kirkley Arnold & *Joan Kurth Mr. Sidney E. Linton Jeanie & Albert Marx Jonathan Master Terri & Stephen Nagler Ms. Mollie W. Neal Mr. John Owens Mr. William A. Pasch *Mrs. Polly N. Pater Mr. & Mrs. John Payan Kay Preston *Sharon & Jim Radford Mr. Stephen L. Rann & Ms. Dytre Fentress Michael Reineck Mr. Tom Rosseter Mr. Thomas Rossiter Dr. & Mrs. William M. Scaljon Ms. Regina Schuber Andrew J. Singletary, Jr. Clayton & Holly Sparrow Mr. & Mrs. Gerald F. Stafford, Jr. Judge Mike & Mrs. Jane Stoddard Kylie Stradley Carolyn & Robert Swain Dr. & Mrs. Michael Szikman Kiki Wilson Mary J. Wood Mrs. Mary S. Wright
Contributor $250+ Dr. Raymond Allen *Mr. & Mrs. David S. Baker Pam Barker Claire & Bryan Benedict Mr. & Mrs. Sid Besmertnik James & Nancy Bross Mr. Richard Brownlee Mr. & Mrs. Raymund Callaway Andres Celedon Raymond Chinn
Mrs. Jan W. Collins Mrs. Eleanor Crosby Carol Comstock & Jim Davis Mr. & Mrs. John Drucker Mr. & Mrs. David R. Dye Jean Fitzpatrick Mr. Roger Fleming & Mr. Sean Burns Mary Anne & Bruce Gaunt Drs. Nancy & Robert Griner *Mr. & Mrs. Sam Hagan Mr. Ronald L. Harris & Mrs. Jacqueline Pownall Ms. Elizabeth Hicks Mr. Charles & Mrs. Leigh Hoke Mr. & Mrs. Douglas M. Holly, Jr. Mrs. Fay Howell Ms. Jan W. Hughen Susan Johnston & Shannon Motley Mr. William Johnston Katherine Joseph Mr. & Mrs. David Keller Jessica Kiger Nancy Kritikos Harry Kustick Janice Landrum Mason Landrum David & Kathy Linden Mitchell Lippman Mr. Everett Long & Mr. Fred Smith Elane & Paul Lukasiewicz Michael McDaniel Mr. Simon Miller Bahar Nia Mr. Neil & Mrs. Rebecca Olack Charles Palmer Mr. Lawrence F. Pinson Jackson Rainer Misty Reid Mr. Barry F. Ross & Mrs. Jane M. Rooks Ross Sandra & Ronald Rousseau Mr. Michael & Mrs. Andrea Ryan Masaki Sato Dr. & Mrs. William E. Silver Dr. & Mrs. Stuart H. Silverman Ms. Renee Smiley Mr. Joseph R. Stabile & Mr. Michael Dunkelberger Steve & Christine Strong Dr. David E. Sutherland II & Mrs. Sarah F. Yates Sutherland Barbara & Jon Swann Mr. & Mrs. Frederick C. Taylor Mr. Stephen H. Thompson & Mr. Drew Mote Mr. & Ms. Wolfgang Tiedtke Ms. Susan Wall
| 41
Joan Wendt Richard E. & Anne-Marie H. Whisnant Mr. Robert & Mrs. Susan White Ann Williams Ms. Jone Williams & Ms. Barbara Robb Dr. & Mrs. David Wingert Barbara Zellner Mr. & Mrs. Richard H. Zimmermann Mr. Stephen H. Thompson & Mr. Drew Mote Isabel Urrittia Kiki Wilson Mary J. Wood
†extraordinary donors who have committed to continue their annual giving for three years or more *deceased
42 | giving&support BARBARA D. STEWART LEGACY SOCIETY The Atlanta Opera recognizes donors who have designated The Opera as a beneficiary in their estate plan as members of the Barbara D. Stewart Legacy Society. This society honors Barbara D. Stewart’s extraordinary legacy gift and her many contributions to The Atlanta Opera. Cathy Callaway Adams & Mark Adams Anonymous (5) *Mr. & *Mrs. Shepard B. Ansley *Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Bair Mrs. Wallace F. Beard The Bickers Charitable Trust Charles Bjorklund & Sted Mays Mr. Jonathan Blalock *Jim & *Nancy Bland Mr. Montague L. Boyd, IV Mr. Thomas R. Carr Carol Josey Clark Mr. Robert Colgin *Martha Thompson Dinos The Roy & Janet Dorsey Foundation Mr. Richard H. Delay & Dr. Francine D. Dykes Arnold & Sylvia Eaves * Ms. Dorothy E. Edwards *Heike & Dieter Elsner Ms. Melodi Ford Carl & Sally Gable *Ms. Anne Marie Gary Mr. & Mrs. Sidney W. Guberman *Sylvia Halleck, MD Ms. Judy Hanenkrat Caroline Hardin Richard & Fern Hartnig The Hilbert Family Trust Eda L. Hochgelerent, M.D. & Bruce A. Cassidy, M.D. Mr. L. Don Holland Mr. Hilson Hudson *Mrs. Joseph B. Hutchison *Gail G. Johnson Mr. J. Carter Joseph *Mrs. Alfred D. Kennedy, Sr. *Mrs. Isabelle W. Kennedy Mr. Alfred Kennedy Dr. William R. Kenny *Donald & *Marilyn Keough
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
Mr. & Mrs. Michael L. Keough Ms. Corina M. LaFrossia Mr. & Mrs. John G. Malcolm Mr. Robert L. Mays Mr. Luke MacMillan Mr. & Mrs. Allen P. McDaniel *Mr. Michael A. McDowell *Peggy Weber McDowell & *Jack McDowell Mr. & Mrs. Craig N. Miller *Miss Helen D. Moffitt Mr. J. Robert Morring Clara M. & *John S. O’Shea *Mrs. Polly N. Pater Mr. James Paulk *Mr. William Pennington *Mr. Bruce Roth *Mr. Milton J. Sams *Ms. Hazel Sanger Mr. D. Jack Sawyer, Jr. Anita & J. Barry Schrenk Katherine Scott *Mrs. Roberta Setzer Elizabeth N. Shapiro *Mrs. Lessie B. Smithgall Mr. William F. Snyder Elizabeth Morgan Spiegel Christine & *Mark St.Clare *Ms. Barbara D. Stewart *Mrs. Eleanor H. Strain Mr. Tarek Takieddini Sandra & *Tom Teepen Dr. & Mrs. Harold Whitney *Mrs. Jane S. Willson Rhys & Carolyn Wilson Ms. Bunny Winter & Mr. Michael Doyle Mr and Mrs Robert G Woodward Mr. Charles R. Yates, Jr. & Mrs. Mary Mitchell Yates *Mr. & *Mrs. Charles R. Yates, Sr. Mr. Tomer Zvulun & Mrs. Susanna Eiland *deceased
encoreatlanta.com
| 43
TRIBUTES & MEMORIALS In Honor of Charlie & Mary Yates Lucy & William Vance Tom Nolan James & Kathy Flanagan Mr. John Stephenson In Honor of Emily Knobloch Beverly Green In Honor of Frank & Ann Critz Jonathan Blalock In Honor of Howard & Vicki Palefsky Mr. Stuart & Mrs. Barbara Pliner Mr. Michael D. Golden & Dr. Juliet Asher Kent & Diane Alexander Mr. Fred & Mrs. Marilyn Schwartz In Honor of Jerry Rosenberg William & Susan Silver In Honor of Jim Rhoden Charlie & Mary Yates In Honor of Richard Charles Payne Darryl-Christopher Payne In Honor of Robert & Elizabeth Edge Eleanor Crosby Robert & Lynda Moister In Honor of Rosemary & John Brown Barry Ross & Jane Rooks Ross In Memory of Kyle Burkhalter Mr. Matthew Y. Burkhalter & Mr. John Carey
In Honor of Sally & Hank Fielding Anne Schneider Mary Jo Wood In Honor of Tomer Zvulun Jill Blair & Fay Twersky Nick & Anne Schreiber In Honor of Vita Tzykun Allen R & Judy Brick Freedman In Memory of Col. & Mrs. Ed & Ann Duskin Trey Duskin & Noelle Albano In Memory of Dr. Fred Schwartz Stacey Hader Epstein In Memory of Dr. Joe Arnold Jeff & Cary Gershon In Memory of Frank Butterfield Jonathan Blalock Charles & Leigh Hoke Pam Barker Dorothy Yates Kirkley The Sara Giles Moore Foundation Bobbie Archie Burrs & Gerrard Burrs TIFF Advisory Services James & Kristin Ruff John & Lynn Neil & Rebecca Olack Larry & Susan Pitts In Memory of Gail Johnson Jonathan Blalock Edward Shiver Mr. Howell E. Adams, Jr. Jean Fitzpatrick Ms. Felicia J. Guest Peggy Norton Doug Plunkett Mason Landrum Schultz Ilene Semiatin & Mr. Vince Park Elizabeth K Brock Thomas E Adams Annette Rizzo Claire Carlson Joan Cravey Dana Cravey Anne Farnsworth Carol Attridge
In Memory of Jane & Don Gatley Peggy P. Alford In Memory of Jerry & Phyliss Kustick Ronda Kustick In Memory of John H. Wilhelmina D. Harland Mrs. Margaret Reiser In Memory of Marya Gabrielle Williams Jone P. Williams & Barbara Robb In Memory of Milton J. Sams Jonathan Blalock Katherine Keenum In Memory of Mr. & Mrs. Peter G. Kessenich, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Michael P. Hogan In Memory of Polly Pater Jonathan Blalock In Memory of Ralph Winter Janie & Sheldon Jeter In Memory of Roberta P. Setze Mr. Robert Setzer In Memory of Speight Jenkins Linda Allen In honor of The Home Depot Veteran’s Program Larry Knight
44 | giving&support CORPORATE PARTNERS $200,000+
$10,000+
The Coca-Cola Company The Home Depot Foundation
PwC Charitable Foundation KPMG LLP SG Contracting Mr. & Mrs. Mason Rountree
$50,000+ Nelson Mullins Smurfit WestRock
$5,000+ Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters Anonymous BNY Mellon James Kane
$25,000+ Southern Company Homrich-Berg, Inc. Gas South The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation
FOUNDATIONS & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOUNDATIONS
$50,000+
$5,000+
$500,000+
Atlanta Music Festival Association Fund of Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta Livingston Foundation† The Zeist Foundation, Inc.
Camp-Younts Foundation The Robert & Polly Dunn Foundation Lubo Fund, Inc. Massey Charitable Trust NCM Foundation
$20,000+
$1,000+
The Jim Cox, Jr. Foundation The Roy & Janet Dorsey Foundation The Halle Foundation† J. Marshall & Lucile G. Powell Charitable Trust Mary & EP Rogers Foundation, Inc.
The Mary Brown Fund of Atlanta, Georgia The Hills Family Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas D. Hills, Trustees The Opera Guild for Atlanta
The Molly Blank Fund of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation† Mr. Howard W. Hunter - Gramma Fisher Foundation† Donald & Marilyn Keough Foundation
$100,000+ Anonymous The Charles Loridans Foundation, Inc.† The Coca-Cola Foundation† Connolly Family Foundation† Disosway Foundation - Dudley & Carole Johnson The Goizueta Foundation Knobloch Family Foundation† The Sara Giles Moore Foundation
$10,000+ The George M. Brown Trust Fund The John & Rosemary Brown Family Foundation The Stephens Family Foundation Walentas Foundation
GOVERNMENT FUNDING
City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs Fulton County Arts & Culture
†extraordinary donors who have committed to continue their annual giving for three years or more
atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera
leadership
| 45
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Board Chair Mr. John Haupert
Our Company Culture Committee Chair Mrs. Stephanie Morela
Vice-Chair Mr. John L. Hammaker
Facilities Task Force Chair Mr. Howard Palefsky
Vice-Chair | Development Committee Co-Chair Mr. Charles R. Yates, Jr.
Investment Committee Chair Mrs. Sandra S. Morelli
Treasurer | Finance Committee Chair Ms. Bunny Winter
Nominating & Board Engagement Committee Chair Mr. Rhys T. Wilson
Secretary Mr. Howard W. Hunter
Strategic Planning Committee Chair Mrs. Christine St.Clare
Audit Chair Mr. Bryan H. Barnes
At-Large Member Mrs. Cathy Callaway Adams
Community Engagement Committee Chair Mr. Alex Simmons, Jr.
Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General & Artistic Director, ex-officio member Mr. Tomer Zvulun
Development Committee Co-Chair Mrs. Talia Murphy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBERS Mrs. Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim Mrs. Cathy Callaway Adams Mrs. Susan M. Anderson Mr. Bryan H. Barnes Mr. Montague L. Boyd, IV Dr. Harold J. Brody Mrs. Rosemary Kopel Brown Mrs. Kate Cook Dr. Frank A. Critz Mrs. Ann Q. Curry Mr. Robert Dean Dr. Carlos del Rio Mrs. Lejla Dickson Dr. Donald J. Filip Mrs. Laura Lee Gentry Mr. Kevin Greiner Mrs. Joanne Chesler Gross Mr. John L. Hammaker Mrs. Caroline Hardin Mr. John Haupert Mr. Jamael Hester
Mr. Howard W. Hunter Mr. Alfredo Martin Ms. Kelly Mayhall Mr. James B. Miller, Jr. Mrs. Stephanie Morela Mrs. Sandra S. Morelli Mrs. Talia Murphy Mr. Howard Palefsky Mr. Jonathan Parris Mr. Michael E. Paulhus Mr. Herbert J. Rosenberg Mr. Thomas Saylor Mr. Alex Simmons, Jr. Mrs. Christine St.Clare Mr. Rashaun Williams Mr. Rhys T. Wilson Ms. Bunny Winter Mr. Charles R. Yates, Jr. Mr. Tomer Zvulun, Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General & Artistic Director, ex officio
HONORARY MEMBERS Mr. Ronald Antinori The Very Reverend Samuel G. Candler Mr. Robert G. Edge Mr. Dieter Elsner Mr. Carl I. Gable, Jr. Mrs. Nancy Hall Green Mr. Gregory F. Johnson Mr. Carter Joseph Mr. Alfred Kennedy, Jr. Mr. Michael Keough Mrs. Emily C. Knobloch Mr. George Levert Mr. J. Barry Schrenk Mr. Timothy E. Sheehan Mr. G. Kimbrough Taylor, Jr. Mr. Mark K. Taylor Mr. Thomas R. Williams Mr. Robert G. Woodward
ADVISORY COUNCIL Mr. Andrew J.M. Binns Mr. Kenny L. Blank Mrs. Inge Bledel Ms. Mary Calhoun Mrs. Lejla Dickson Mr. David Ertel
Ms. Sally Bland Fielding Mr. Roger Fleming Mr. Lance Fortnow Dr. Thomas N. Guffin, Jr. Mr. Douglas Hooker Mr. Thornton Kennedy
Mrs. Samantha Kirby McSwiney Mrs. Erin Quinn Martin Mr. Robert G. Pennington Mr. Keith Pepper Mr. Paul Snyder
46 | staff THE ATLANTA OPERA STAFF EXECUTIVE
Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General & Artistic Director. . . . . Tomer Zvulun Managing Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Micah Fortson Chief of Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jessica Kiger Executive Assistant & Board Liaison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Misty Reid
ARTISTIC / MUSIC
Carl & Sally Gable Principal Conductor. . . . . . . . . Iván López Reynoso Director of Artistic Administration ����������������������������� Meredith Wallace Assistant Artistic Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gregory Luis Boyle Assistant Artistic Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Hampton Chorus & Orchestra Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Bragg Ari Jerome. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Artistic Coordinator Orchestra Librarian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phil Parsons
ADVANCEMENT Director of Advancement Revenue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan Blalock Associate Director of Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Luke MacMillan Associate Director of Development Operations ���������������� Katy Gardner Institutional Giving Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristin Haynes Individual & Community Giving Manager. . . . . . . . . Brandall C. Jones Revenue Operations Coordinator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patty de la Garza Special Projects Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Kritikos Development Assistant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathy White Patron Services Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin Stanley Patron Experience Concierge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erin Abely Marketing Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deanna Smith
PRODUCTION—OPERATIONS
FINANCE
Director of Production Planning. . . . . . . . . . . . . Meggie Roseborough Director of Production Operations ���������������������������������������� Amy Smith Production Stage Manger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan S. Campbell Production Finance Specialist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruth Strickland
Controller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lawanda Coleman Accounting Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Britt Herring Senior Accountant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Tubbs, Jr. Staff Accountant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Allison Scott
PRODUCTION—TECHNICAL
ADMINISTRATION
Technical Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan Rollins Lighting Supervisor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jessica Drayton Associate Technical Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rodney Barge Associate Technical Director-Operations ����������������������Bram Sheckels Props Supervisor & Artisan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paige Steffens Production Stage Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jonathan S. Campbell
COSTUME
Show Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paula Peasley Communications Coordinator ��������������������������������������������� Allison Hines Master Draper / Tailor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Cruz Torres Costume Stock Manager / Stitcher ��������������������������������������Jenn Rogers Shop Assist / Wardrobe Supervisor ��������������������������� Gibron Shepperd Lead First Hand Stitcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jaime Anthony Orrego First Hand Stitcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cassie Smith Overhire Craft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michealle Dziak
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & EDUCATION
Assistant Director of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Williams New Works and Community Engagement Manager. . . Jasmine Galante Community Engagement & Education Coordinator. . Jonesia Williams Community Engagement & Education Manager ����������� Julia Whitten
Director of Facilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kenneth R. Timmons Network Technician. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Garrett Jaennette Human Resource Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Quemika Edwards
COMMUNICATIONS & BRAND Director of Communications & Public Relations ������ Michelle Winters Creative Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matt Burkhalter Communications Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julia Bellezza
THE ATLANTA OPERA FILM STUDIO Director of The Atlanta Opera Film Studio ����������������������� Felipe Barral Film Studio Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toya Gadsden-Quarles Short-Form Video Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brittney Fontus
THE ATLANTA OPERA STUDIO ARTISTS Soprano �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Page Michels Mezzo-Soprano ��������������������������������������������������������������������� Ashlyn Brown Tenor �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Randy Ho Baritone ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� Harrison Hancock Stage Director ��������������������������������������������������������������������������Ky Chassells Stage Director �������������������������������������������������������������������Madeleine Snow
THE ATLANTA OPERA
1575 Northside Dr, NW; Bldg 300, Ste 350; Atlanta, GA 30318 admin: 404-881-8801 • info@atlantaopera.org | tickets: 404-881-8885 • tickets@atlantaopera.org
PRODUCTION SUPPORT
LIVESTREAM SUPPORT
Head Carpenter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Besand Head Electrician. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kevin Zegan Head Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kendal Petty Head Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teddy Murray Head Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Van Eychaner Lighting Programmer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Will Brunson Projections Programmer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erin Teachman Wigs & Makeup Lead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jessica Paige Goodin Stagehands employed in this production are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees—Local 927
Sound Capture & Live Mixing �������������������������������������������Tim Whitehead Technical Operator ���������������������������������������������������������������Gerald Griffith Sound Monitor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preston Goodson Switcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Felipe Barral-Secchi Technical Support ��������������������������������������������������������������Keelan Bearden Camera Operators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mark Covino, Kendra Johnson, Carlisle Kellam, Adam Khan, Valeriia Luhovska, Pablo Miranda, Michelle Sander
The Wardrobe Department employed in this production is represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees—Local 859
The Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists employed in this production are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees—Local 798
housepolicies
CONCESSIONS Concession stands are located in the center of the lobbies on all three levels. Food is prohibited inside the theater. Guests seated in Orchestra rows A–D may only bring water bottles into the theater; beverages purchased at the concession stands are welcome in all remaining seating areas. Thank you for your cooperation. RESTROOMS Restrooms are located on house right and house left of all three lobbies. Family restrooms are also located on house right of all three lobbies. Mobility-impaired patrons may use any of our restrooms. PARKING Day of parking is available for $20 (credit or debit card only). There are 1,000 on-site parking spaces; 700 in a four-level deck and 300 more in a surface lot. EMERGENCY INFO In the event of an emergency, please locate the nearest usher who will direct you to the appropriate exit. ELEVATORS Elevators are located on each side of the lobbies on all levels.
PROHIBITED ITEMS / SECURITY Upon entry, guests will be required to pass through a metal detector. Items not allowed inside the venue: Bags larger than 11” x 13” are not permitted, weapons of any kind (including knives), no binoculars, backpacks, baby car carriers and car seats, strollers, flags, outside food and beverage. For a complete list refer to the venue website. LOST & FOUND Items are turned into the Synovus Box Office on the day of a performance. To inquire about a lost item, please call Public Safety at 770-916-2911. SMOKING Smoking is prohibited inside the building. SPECIAL ASSISTANCE Persons requiring access assistance are asked to contact Ticketmaster at 800-877-7575 for advance arrangements. Assistive listening devices are available at no charge to guests who are deaf or hard of hearing on a firstcome, first-served basis. Devices are available at the main desk in the lobby. Wheelchairs are available upon request. All items require a form of identification to be held until the item is returned.
| 47
COBB ENERGY CENTRE RULES & REQUESTS • All patrons, regardless of age, must have a ticket in order to be admitted to the performance. • Please be aware that not all performances are suitable for children. Parents and guardians may be asked to remove any child who creates a disturbance. • The Atlanta Opera offers late seating in designated areas to minimize disruption. Patrons may move to their assigned seats at the first intermission. • Please turn off all cellphones prior to the beginning of each performance. • Please limit conversation during the performance. • C ameras (including use of cellphone camera) and audio and video recording devices are strictly prohibited at all times. • Leaving while the show is in progress is discourteous and we ask that you refrain from doing so. • Please unwrap all candies and cough drops before the performance.