Graphic Design by Rene Choy Cover and 60th Anniversary art by Lisa Congdon
Dear Friends,
Welcome to The Juliet Letters , a production that holds a special place in our hearts. As a lifelong fan of Elvis Costello, having attended over 25 of his concerts, I’ve always been captivated by his ability to express the many shades of love. His music for this piece is no exception—taking us through the raw and beautiful stages of connection, heartbreak, and renewal.
What’s extraordinary about The Juliet Letters is how effortlessly Costello’s music intertwines with the operatic voice, creating something truly timeless. His ability to evoke both vulnerability and strength makes this song cycle as relevant now as it was when first composed in 1993. It reminds us that no matter where we are on our own journeys, love has the power to transform and transport us.
We hope this evening resonates with you, and that you feel the same magic we do in this remarkable work. Thank you for being here and sharing this musical journey with us.
SUE DIXON
Portland Opera General Director
PORTLAND
OPERA PRESENTS in collaboration with Papermoon Opera Productions
SHAKESPEARE SONGS
Music by HOWARD BLAKE
Lyrics by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
THE CAST
(in order of vocal appearance)
HANNAH S. PENN Δ
ERIN ROTH THOMAS *+
NATHANIEL CATASCA*+
MATTHEW MAISANO *+
GINAIA BLACK *+
PORTLAND OPERA ORCHESTRA
Concertmaster
MARGARET BICHTELER
Principal Second Violin JENNIFER ESTRIN
Principal Viola HILLARY OSEAS
Principal Cello DYLAN RIECK
THE JULIET LETTERS
Music and lyrics by ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE BRODSKY QUARTET
CREATIVE TEAM
Stage Director FENLON LAMB
Conductor DEREAU K. FARRAR *
Scenic Designer JEFFERSON RIDENOUR *
Costume Designer CHRISTINE A. RICHARDSON
Lighting Designer NATE WHEATLEY *
Assistant Conductor NICHOLAS FOX
Principal Accompanist CLAIRE FORSTMAN +
Production Stage Manager JON WANGSGARD
* PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT
+ Portland Opera Resident Artist
Δ Former Portland Opera Resident Artist
Scenery and props for this production constructed by Portland Opera and Papermoon Opera Productions. Costumes built by Portland Opera. The Juliet Letters presented with permission of BMG Rights Management. Projected English captions written and produced by Ethan Cope Richter. Total running time is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. Performed in English with projected English captions.
CAST & CREW BIOS
DEREAU K. FARRAR
PRONOUNS: he/him
HOMETOWN: Portland, OR
ROLE: Conductor
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT
RECENTLY: Music Director/Conductor, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street , Music Director, Choir Boy , Portland Center Stage; Music Director/ Conductor, The Threepenny Opera , A Noise Within Theatre
HANNAH PENN Mezzo-soprano
PRONOUNS: she/her
HOMETOWN: Portland, OR
ROLE: Soloist, Shakespeare Songs
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT: Mercédès, Carmen (2007)
RECENTLY: Soloist, Puccini: In Concert , Portland Opera; Galatea, Acis and Galatea , Ruth, Dark Sisters , Hope/The Messenger, L’Orfeo , OrpheusPDX; Baba, The Medium , Syracuse Opera
ERIN ROTH THOMAS Mezzo-soprano
PRONOUNS: she/her
HOMETOWN: Lufkin, TX
ROLE: Soloist, The Juliet Letters
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT
RECENTLY: Juditha, Juditha Triumphans , American Baroque Opera Company; Soloist, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 Resurrection , Plano Symphony Orchestra; Paula, La Pastorela , Orchestra of New Spain
UPCOMING: Mrs. Massey, The Shining , Meg Page, Falstaff, Portland Opera
FENLON LAMB
PRONOUNS: she/her
HOMETOWN: Santa Cruz, CA
ROLE: Stage Director and Executive & Artistic Director, Papermoon Opera Productions
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT: Stage Director, The Marriage of Figaro (2023)
RECENTLY: Stage Director, Carmen , Amarillo Opera; Stage Director, La Fanciulla del West , Central City Opera; Stage Director, Alcina , Boston University; Stage Director, Così fan tutte , Palm Beach Opera
UPCOMING: Stage Director, Rigoletto , Eugene Opera/Papermoon Opera Productions; Stage Director, Don Giovanni , Madison Opera
GINAIA BLACK Soprano
PRONOUNS: she/her
HOMETOWN: Birmingham, AL
ROLE: Soloist, The Juliet Letters
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT
RECENTLY: Nuria, Ainadamar, Juliette, Roméo et Juliette , Indiana University Opera and Ballet Theater; Shannon (Cover), The Righteous , Santa Fe Opera
UPCOMING: Mrs. Grady, The Shining , Nannetta (Cover), Falstaff, Portland Opera
NATHANIEL CATASCA
Tenor
PRONOUNS: he/him
HOMETOWN: Albuquerque, NM
ROLE: Soloist, The Juliet Letters
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT
RECENTLY: Radio Announcer, Two Corners , Finger Lakes Opera; Le Remendado, Carmen , Sarasota Opera; Ferrando, Così fan tutte , Opera Arlington
UPCOMING: Bill Watson/Lloyd the Bartender, The Shining , Bardolfo, Falstaff, Portland Opera
MATTHEW MAISANO
Baritone
PRONOUNS: they/them
HOMETOWN: Philadelphia, PA
ROLE: Soloist, The Juliet Letters
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT
RECENTLY: Director/Gendarme, Les mamelles de Tirésias , Hogfish; Sergeant, La Bohème , Opera Philadelphia; Leporello, Don Giovanni , Lancaster Symphony
UPCOMING: Horace Derwent, The Shining , Pistola, Falstaff, Portland Opera
MARGARET BICHTELER
HOMETOWN: Austin, TX
ROLE: Concertmaster
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT: Concertmaster, Salome (2013)
RECENTLY: Concertmaster, Rusalka, La Bohème , Salome , Don Giovanni , Portland Opera
UPCOMING: Concertmaster, The Shining , Falstaff, Portland Opera
JENNIFER ESTRIN
PRONOUNS: she/her
HOMETOWN: Bloomington, IN
ROLE: Principal Second Violin
PORTLAND OPERA
DEBUT: Violin, Madama Butterfly (2012)
RECENTLY: Violin I, Oregon Bach Festival; Principal Second Violin, Violin I, Oregon Symphony
UPCOMING: Violin I, Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton , Oregon Symphony; Violin I, The Nutcracker, Oregon Ballet Theatre; Assistant Concertmaster, New Year’s Music Mixology , Portland Chamber Orchestra
HILLARY OSEAS
PRONOUNS: she/her
HOMETOWN: Beaverton, OR
ROLE: Principal Viola
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT: Principal Viola, Big Night Concert (2012)
RECENTLY: Principal Viola, The Rose Elf, Orpheus PDX; Violin and Viola, Ain’t Too Proud , Broadway in Portland; Section Viola, Oregon Bach Festival
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT: Principal Cello, La Bohème (2017)
RECENTLY: Principal Cello, The Marriage of Figaro , The Snowy Day , Carmen , Portland Opera
UPCOMING: Principal Cello, The Shining , Falstaff, Portland Opera
CLAIRE FORSTMAN
PRONOUNS: she/her
HOMETOWN: Birmingham, AL
ROLE: Principal Accompanist
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT: Music Staff, Chorus Rehearsal Pianist, The Marriage of Figaro (2023)
RECENTLY: Pianist, Katherine Goforth Voice: Cabaret Songs , StanfordLive, Stanford University; Rehearsal Pianist, Otello , Vashon Opera; Pianist, Black Opera , a recital by Jasmine Johnson, Renegade Opera
UPCOMING: Pianist, The Blacknificent 7, Resonance Ensemble; Music Director, The Gift of the Magi , Portland State University; Pianist, Amahl and the Night Visitors , Ping and Woof Opera
JEFFERSON RIDENOUR
PRONOUNS: he/him
HOMETOWN: New York City, NY
ROLE: Scenic Designer and Co-Founder of Papermoon Opera Productions
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT
RECENTLY: Scenic Designer, The Turn of the Screw, Opera Roanoke; Scenic Designer, La Fanciulla del West , The Pirates of Penzance , Central City Opera
UPCOMING: Scenic Designer, Rigoletto , Eugene Opera; Scenic Designer, Suor Angelica , Gianni Schicchi , University of Houston Opera
CHRISTINE A. RICHARDSON
Portland Opera Costume Director
PRONOUNS: she/her
HOMETOWN: Vancouver, WA
ROLE: Costume Designer
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT: Hansel & Gretel , Portland Opera to Go (2015)
RECENTLY: Costume Designer, The Marriage of Figaro, When the Sun Comes Out, Tosca, An American Quartet, Madama Butterfly, In the Penal Colony, La Traviata, POGO La Bohème & Magic Flute, Songs of Love and War, Portland Opera
NATE WHEATLEY
PRONOUNS: he/him
HOMETOWN: Phoenix, AZ
ROLE: Lighting Designer, Papermoon Opera Productions
PORTLAND OPERA DEBUT
RECENTLY: Lighting Designer, Macbeth, Lucia di Lammermoor, Opera Orlando; Lighting Designer, Three Sisters , Binghamton University
UPCOMING: Lighting Designer, Four Lost Santas, Amahl and the Night Visitors , Opera Orlando; Lighting Designer, The Gradient , Arizona State University
PROGRAM NOTES
By Alfrelynn Roberts, Director of Artistic Planning & Operations
A funny thing happened at a Shostakovich concert… Picture it…it was a misty London night in 1989, as the cozy, elegantly adorned Queen Elizabeth Hall—having hosted iconic artists like David Bowie, Philip Glass, Nina Simone, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra—welcomed its next audience.
As the Brodsky Quartet stepped onto the stage, thunderous applause echoed through the hall. Little did they know that this performance would profoundly impact one particular admirer sitting among the many fans who gathered to witness this iconic group hailed for its masterful artistry in the UK chamber music scene. This moment would leave an indelible mark on the future of music collaboration, especially for the captivated listener in the audience.
The Brodsky Quartet’s passionate performance of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich’s string quartets immediately caught this listener’s attention. His music appeals to listeners who appreciate rhythmic and emotional complexity, and the Brodsky Quartet excelled at highlighting the intricate layers within his compositions. Their skillful interpretation brought out the intense contrasts in Shostakovich’s work, from the haunting dissonances to the bursts of raw emotion, leaving the audience, and especially Elvis Costello, deeply captivated by their technical precision and expressive power.
It is no surprise that Costello was drawn to the Brodsky Quartet. Both are masters of genre-blending and renowned for their stylistic versatility. Individually, they are celebrated for composing works that challenge the listener’s musical expectations while showcasing profound emotional depth. Together, they created The Juliet Letters , a groundbreaking song cycle that blends the quartet’s classical chamber music arrangements with Costello’s signature lyricism. The work reflects both the emotional intensity and the genre-defying spirit that defines their artistry. In this cycle, they explore themes of love, loss, and communication through fictional letters that illustrate their shared ability to craft music that is intellectually challenging and profoundly expressive.
One of the most popular songs from the cycle, “I Almost Had A Weakness” brilliantly contrasts the complexity of Costello’s lyrics with a bright,
seemingly cheerful accompaniment. The listener would think that this song depicts happy love, but Costello quickly shatters that illusion. The accompaniment steadies this piece as if it is a heartbeat that fluctuates, reflecting on the complexities of love. Its beautiful chordal sonority evokes the wonderment of love while the vibrant and excited articulation of the strings showcases love’s turbulence..
In the second verse, the viola and violin have a playful interaction much like that of lovers, only to be interrupted by a sudden acceleration that depicts the frustration that only love can bring. Moreover, each time the title is sung, the strings descend chromatically, mimicking a fall into emotional vulnerability, before rebounding to the steadiness of prior verses. This musical back-and-forth fantastically enhances the song’s dramatic tension, drawing the listener deeper into the emotional landscape of the piece. Although this work is hailed for its lyrics, the listener will be awed by the soundscape of the quartet. This cycle is riddled with unexpected effects and cross-voicing between the instruments in pieces like “Damnation’s Cellar” and “Swine.”
“Jacksons, Monk and Rowe” is a song that features the quartet’s ability to capture the stringed instruments’ richness and sound capacity. The listener will hear a simple melody sung above a slightly familiar, yet robust, contemporary, and harmonic complement. This piece has a warm, comforting, pop music feel that the listener will appreciate. This blend of classical and pop influences encapsulates the essence of the entire cycle. Throughout The Juliet Letters , Costello and the Brodsky Quartet seamlessly merge these genres, creating a sound that is innovative and reflective of their diverse musical backgrounds.
In Portland Opera’s production, The Juliet Letters is complemented by Howard Blake’s Shakespeare Songs beautifully sung by local favorite mezzo-soprano, Hannah Penn. As in The Juliet Letters , Shakespeare Songs employs themes of love and connection to explore Shakespeare’s most human topics. This piece will serve as the prelude to The Juliet Letters , setting the emotional tone for the evening.
Tonight, you will experience this music viscerally. You will be able to reach out and touch the letters, as the phenomenal Hannah Penn and the Portland Opera Resident Artists sing as if they are reading the letters to you. Each letter will resonate with your senses and prompt you to reflect on the profound impact that love has had in your own life.
Tonight, you will become Juliet. As Shakespeare once wrote, ‘All the world’s a stage,’ and this evening, the stage is set for you to experience love’s profound journey.
DIRECTOR NOTES
By Fenlon Lamb
“So there was this professor in Verona who answered letters addressed to Juliet…” No, that’s not the beginning of a naughty joke but the foreword to Elvis Costello’s song cycle created in 1992 with The Brodsky Quartet. He goes on to relate the process of creation: after many conversations and several informal music sessions The Juliet Letters was born as an exploration of all the many forms a letter can take — love letter, begging letter, chain mail, suicide note and so on. Mr. Costello and each member of the quartet supplied lyrics which made the cycle very personal and intimate. As a result, he hoped that they had caught the language of letters which “swings wildly from the lyrical to the banal and from the courteous to the confessional.”
Almost eight years ago, I was asked to envision a staged version of this song cycle. I knew then that I wanted to follow in the spirit of exploration by physicalizing the drama and painting stage pictures with the movement of both the set and the singers. The many permutations of connection, and sometimes disconnection, through the written word felt like an ideal opportunity for singers to dig into character work and hone their storytelling skills. As I began discussions with my artistic partner and co-founder of Papermoon Opera Productions, Jefferson Ridenour, we agreed that the set should feel fluid like an art installation to reflect the ebb and flow of the varied subjects in these letters. We created an atmosphere full of the textures of paper which moved and changed from vignette to vignette.
As we approached this new version with Portland Opera, we found some different inspiration working with the creative team here. This time around, I got to dig into a costuming aesthetic with Costume Director, Christine A. Richardson. We mined for sartorial storytelling in the textures of the clothing and the exchange of pieces. The performance space also played an integral part of our reimagining. The Papermoon team worked closely with Technical & Production Director, Kyle Spens and Scenic Artist Sumi Wu to find new ways of creating more intimacy and to make the show more interactive and immersive for the audience within the Artists Repertory Theatre space. Lighting Designer Nate Wheatley and Jefferson Ridenour collaborated on new lighting and lobby looks with Mark James (Head Electrician) and Props Director Cindy Felice.
I devised this “opera” as a storytelling workshop with lots of flexibility so that the artists and I could create and explore together from scene
to scene. The framework includes some archetypes reflected in the traditional operatic cannon. The baritone functions as the Veronese professor and parental-figure as well as the occasional villain. The soprano is often the harrowed heroine or represents an ingénue/child. The tenor is a disruptor and clown with the tender heart, while the mezzo explores the “witches, bitches, and boys“ that are typical for this voice type. Within this setting the Resident Artists play, move, explore and discover new perspectives of storytelling. Each artist brought their unique set of skills and personality to the table to support the text as well as their colleagues’ storytelling. Singing styles are also flexible ranging from classical to pop, jazz and musical theater. Our coaches and conductor built fluidity into the musical portrayals to complement the physical and dramatic language.
My hope is that each singer finds deeper connection with each letter and effectively pulls the audience into this intimate world of confessions, secrets, gossip, cries for help, and romantic roulades within the poetry. Ultimately, this production reflects and explores the human experience as seen through connection, collaboration and catharsis; lead by the artist and felt by the collective. Hannah Penn provides a fitting start to the evening with Blake’s Shakespeare Songs. She has re-ordered this song cycle to create the evolution of a human life and a reflection of the themes in Juliet Letters; from the giddy discovery of pleasure to the recognition of life’s many burdens. Hannah opens the door to dramatized song and offers her prodigious storytelling chops as an inspiration for the Resident Artists to follow.
Papermoon Opera Productions is a cohesive design and production company founded by Executive & Artistic Director Fenlon Lamb and Scenic Designer Jefferson Ridenour. Papermoon is an eco-forward production company that partners with opera companies, arts organizations, and educators to explore alternative mediums and elevate artistic value while energizing community involvement.
Learn more at www.papermoonopera.com.
ELVIS, ARTS AND LETTERS
By Marty Hughley
Elvis Costello has big ears.
This isn’t, of course, to cast aspersions on his physical features. Rather, it’s a slangy way of complimenting his astute and wide-ranging musical interests, his capacity for absorbing a variety of influences, in both broad concept and fine detail, as part of his nonetheless distinctive body of work.
The musician born Declan Patrick MacManus might never fully elude the image of a dyspeptic, punk-adjacent pop star — earned with such sneering New Wave-era hits as “Watching the Detectives” and “Pump It Up” — but he came by his eclecticism early and naturally. His father was a British big-band singer, his mother ran the record section of a Selfridges department store; successive obsessions with jazz, country and soul records occupied his youth. As a professional singer and songwriter (arguably the most broadly accomplished of any in the past half century), he’d go on to collaborate with a head-spinning array of musical luminaries: Paul McCartney, the Chieftains, the New Orleans R&B master Allen Toussaint, mezzo-soprano marvel Anne Sofie von Otter, hip-hop superband the Roots, the saxophonist John Harle, and the dean of pop songsmiths, Burt Bacharach.
But nothing in Costello’s long history of stylistic adventuring has been quite as distinctive as his partnership with Britain’s Brodsky Quartet, which resulted first and foremost in the 1993 album The Juliet Letters
Costello first saw the group in 1989, performing a series of Shostakovich string quartets, and became a regular at their London performances. Meanwhile, the Brodskys had been attending his concerts, too. The connection was made (perhaps through their mutual record label, Warner Bros.) and, according to Costello biographer Graeme Thomson, their initial lunch meeting went so well that it lasted until 7 PM “when everyone suddenly remembered they had other places to be.” As it turned out, they all had tickets to the same concert that night, a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 7. Along with instant chemistry and shared enthusiasms came interest in collaborating.
It was Costello’s then-partner Cait O’Riordan (former bassist for the Pogues) who happened upon the guiding idea: a news article about an Italian professor who had been answering letters addressed to the fictional “Juliet Capulet, Verona.” Rather than don the tights of Shakespeare fan fiction, though, the new quintet seized on the looser
notion of the letter as a literary form, a flexible approach that also had the advantage of feeling accessible to the string players turned novice lyricists. In fact, despite the cycle’s title, Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers merit at most tangential mention. Instead, the songs range from love-lorn missive (“Who Do You Think You Are”) to suicide note (“Dear Sweet Filthy World”), political commentary (“This Sad Burlesque”) to child’s worried plea (“Why?”), scurrilous graffiti (“Swine”) to diabolical junk-mail enticement (“This Offer Is Unrepeatable”).
Musically, while “classical” string arrangements have been served as icing on pop confections at least as far back as the Beatles “Eleanor Rigby,” The Juliet Letters is a different sort of dish. Neither self-conscious high/low cultural crossover nor middlebrow weak tea, it brims with its own organic flavor. As the aforementioned Thomson wrote of the album, “It was a truly unique record, fantastically clear and uncluttered sounding, sometimes very funny, often intensely moving, at times unerringly beautiful…” It’s perhaps indicative of the open-mindedness of all involved that the closest thing to a straightforward pop song, “Jacksons, Monk and Rowe,” was built on music not by Costello but by violinist Michael Thomas. Poorly promoted by Warner Bros. and unjustly dismissed by rock purists, The Juliet Letters album was not a big seller. But Elvis and the Brodsky Quartet toured the work to enthusiastic response in 1993, and made celebrated appearances two years later at the Costello-curated Meltdown Festival in London and the Montreux Jazz Festival. The relationship continued, with the string quartet as guests on further Costello albums ( All This Useless Beauty , North ) and performing more joint concerts in 2004.
The song cycle also lives on as popular repertoire for ensembles of various sizes and styles, from various parts of the world. Waltz around on YouTube and you can find faithful (if often less expert) renditions, but also versions augmented by chamber orchestra or accompanied by a contemporary dance troupe.
And now, most immediately and excitingly, by Portland Opera.
Relax, open your own big ears, and enjoy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marty Hughley is a Portland journalist who writes about theater, dance, music and culture. In 2013 he was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame for his contributions to the industry. His recent work has appeared in Oregon ArtsWatch, Artslandia and the Oregon Humanities magazine.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
We gratefully acknowledge the ongoing philanthropic support from our generous donors and funders, including James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Community Foundation, Regional Arts and Culture Council, including support from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the Arts Education & Access Fund.
Portland Opera Association Inc. receives support from the Oregon Arts Commission, a state agency funded by the State of Oregon and the National Endowment for the Arts.
MAKE YOUR IMPACT MONTHLY
“ Portland Opera is such a vital thread in our region’s cultural fabric, their voice is essential and the quality of performance is unmatched. Join me in giving a small — or big — amount every month. It adds up!”
Christine Lewis, Portland Opera Board Member, Committee Chair; Metro Councilor, District 2
JOIN THE DRAMA: SUSTAIN THE OPERA
Monthly gifts empower Portland Opera to bring the drama, beauty, and artistry of opera to life, season after season. Will you join this group of drama-loving donors? In this, our 60th anniversary season, we aim to expand the “Drama Club” of monthly givers to 60 people – learn more at www.portlandopera.org/support/monthly-impact .
PORTLAND OPERA MISSION & AUDIENCE STATEMENT
We gather and inspire audiences, artists, and collaborators to create shared opera experiences that enliven and connect us all, enhancing the cultural landscape of the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
We are proud to be Portland’s opera, and to share inclusive opera experiences. Our commitment to cultural equity continues to inform our audience policies and experiences. When we gather, it must be with respect and with care for the entire community.
Let us be clear: there is no place for bigotry, discrimination, hate, harassment, or intolerance at Portland Opera.
Behaviors that are disrespectful, discriminatory, or not aligned with our policies for attendance (including health and safety and firearm policies) will not be tolerated, and audience members may be asked to leave the premises and/or be prohibited from returning in the future.
The Oregon Cultural Trust acknowledges the many tribes and bands who call Oregon their ancestral territory and honors the ongoing relationship between the land, plants, animals, and people indigenous to this place we now call Oregon. We recognize the continued sovereignty of the nine federally recognized tribes who have ties to this place and thank them for continuing to teach us how we might all be here together.
STAFF
GENERAL DIRECTOR
Sue Dixon
INTERIM MUSIC
DIRECTOR & ARTISTIC
ADVISOR
Damien Geter
ARTISTIC ADVISOR
Karen Slack
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Melissa Buxton, Director of Finance
Donna Bell, Accountant
Paul Lovincey, Human Resources Generalist
PRODUCTION
Anna B. Labykina, Director of Production
Kyle Spens, Technical and Production Director
Jon Wangsgard, Stage & Production Manager
Christine A. Richardson, Costume Director
Cindy Felice, Props Director
Carl Faber, Lighting Supervisor and Staff Assistant Lighting Designer
Pascaline LeFèbvre, Production Coordinator
Jaison Stagg, Production Carpenter
Iain Chester, Warehouse Head
Sumi Wu, Scenic Artist
Megan Thorpe, Assistant Stage Manager
Jeffery Wilson, Tailor/ Draper
Claudie Fisher, Audrey Goldfarb, Rebecca Lewis, Daniel Wilson, Properties Assistants
Mark M. James, Production Electrician
Jenessa Raabe, PreProduction Electrician
ARTISTIC & MUSIC
Alfrelynn Roberts, Director of Artistic Planning and Operations
Alexis Hamilton, Manager of Education & Community Engagement
Nicholas Fox, Chorus Master & Assistant Conductor
Cressa Burris, Artistic Administrator
Ethan Cope Richter, Music Administrator and Librarian
Quinn Kun Liu, Music Assistant
Jasmine Johnson, Civic Engagement and Partnerships Manager
Lindsey Rae Johnson, AGMA Delegates
Michael Hettwer, Orchestra Manager
Paul Floyd, Pianist
DEVELOPMENT
Melody Mikkelsen, Director of Development
Amy Johnson, Major Gifts Officer
Carleena Manzi, Development Database Specialist
Michael Ball, Development Coordinator
Alexis Walker, Development Assistant
MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS & PATRON SERVICES
Christina Post, Director of Marketing & Communications
Jen Wechsler, Marketing & Audience Development Manager
Lizzie Adelsheim, Marketing Associate
Christy McGrew, Senior Database & Sales Manager
Chris Kim, Patron Services Supervisor
Magdalena Travis, Patron Services Representative
BROADWAY IN PORTLAND
Tracy Wenckus, General Manager, Broadway
Dereth Salchak, Customer Service Manager
Ella Ratham, Customer Service Supervisor
Hannah Keihl, Customer Service Representative
Bradford Johnson, Technical Liaison
Orchestra Musicians are represented by the American Federation of Musicians Local 99. Chorus, principal singers, dancers, and staging staff are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists.
Production designers are represented by United Scenic Artists 829 (a subsidiary of International Alliance of Theatre and Stage Employees).
Stage crew provided by IATSE Local #28.
Admission staff provided by Artists Repertory Theatre
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Carole Morse, President, Past President, PGE Foundation
Curtis T. Thompson, MD, Past President, President, Curtis T. Thompson & Associates
Kregg Arntson, Vice President, Director, Community Impact | Executive Director, PGE Foundation
Victoria Alvares-Chacon, Box Office and Operations Associate
Kevin Hoover, House Manager
SHARE YOUR OPERA MEMORIES
As we celebrate our 60th Anniversary, as a company that has been singin’ in the rain since 1964, we want to hear from you. Do you have a treasured memory of a past production that resonated strongly for you? Was your first opera experience a Portland Opera performance? How has our work had an impact on you and your family?
Add your memories to the growing collection.
Subscribe to our newsletter at portlandopera.org and follow us to see memories shared throughout the season!
@portlandopera
AUDITORIUM MAY 10, 16, 18M, 2025 NEWMARK THEATRE MARCH 15, 19, 21, 23M, 2025 ARTISTS REPERTORY THEATRE NOVEMBER 15, 16, 17M, 22, 23, 24M, 2024
Learn more and get tickets at portlandopera.org (M) matinee performances
