LA BOHÈME
NOVEMBER 15, 21, 23, 2025
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.
Welcome to Portland Opera’s production of La Bohème .
Few operas speak to the heart as profoundly as Puccini’s masterpiece. In this story of young artists—of friendship, loss, and love that endures against all odds—we are reminded why art matters. La Bohème shows us that even amid struggle, beauty and love will always find a way to shine.
That spirit resonates deeply with us at Portland Opera. At a time when many of our colleagues across the country face shrinking resources and uncertain futures, we hold fast to a bohemian spirit—one that values empathy, freedom, and love for one another. Like the characters we meet onstage, we choose resilience, creativity, and hope.
Your presence tonight makes this possible. By being here, you affirm that opera is alive and vital in our community—that the power of music, story, and human connection continues to matter. We are profoundly grateful for your support, your belief, and your companionship on this journey.
Thank you for sharing in this evening, and for helping us keep the flame of art burning brightly in Portland.
SUE DIXON
Portland Opera General Director
Make sure you know the latest – connect with us on social media! @ portlandopera #PDXopera
A TRIBUTE TO SUE DIXON
Please join us in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to Sue Dixon as she prepares to retire at the end of this year, following 11 remarkable years of service with Portland Opera, including six as General Director.
Sue’s leadership has been deeply inspiring and profoundly impactful. With vision, compassion, and dedication, she guided the company through a period of extraordinary change, always grounded in a belief that opera has the power to move, connect, and reflect the communities it serves.
During her tenure, Portland Opera reached meaningful milestones: commissioning and premiering new works, growing audiences for contemporary opera, navigating unprecedented social and economic challenges, and securing a new artistic home. She championed artistic innovation and cultural equity, helping the company tell stories that resonate deeply with today’s audiences while honoring opera’s timeless traditions.
Beyond her many accomplishments, Sue’s warmth, integrity, and devotion to the arts have left an enduring imprint on all who have had the privilege to collaborate with her.
As we celebrate Sue’s legacy and wish her well in her next chapter, we do so with deep gratitude and affection. Her leadership has strengthened Portland Opera and enriched our entire cultural landscape. Sue, thank you for everything your influence will continue to inspire us for years to come.
KREGG ARNTSON President, Portland Opera Board of Directors
LA BOHÈME
Composed by GIACOMO PUCCINI
Libretto by GIUSEPPE GIACOSA and LUIGI ILLICA
Premiere FEBRUARY 1, 1896, TURIN, TEATRO REGIO
Portland Opera Premiere FEBRUARY 26, 1965
THE CAST
(in order of vocal appearance)
Marcello, a painter MARKEL REED *
Rodolfo, a poet ALOK KUMAR
Colline, a philosopher JASON ZACHER *
Schaunard, a musician ADRIAN ROSALES
Benoit, the landlord RICHARD ZELLER
Mimì, a seamstress REBECCA KRYNSKI COX
Parpignol, a toy vendor NATHANIEL CATASCA +
Prune Seller, a vendor JOHN BOELLING
Alcindoro, a councilor of state and admirer of Musetta RICHARD ZELLER
Musetta, occasional girlfriend of Marcello (Nov 15, 21) KATRINA GALKA +; (Nov 23) AUBRY BALLARÒ *
Custom House Officer DANIEL GIBBS
Sergeant GREGORY BRUMFIELD
with the PORTLAND OPERA ORCHESTRA and CHORUS
CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor/Chorus Master NICHOLAS FOX
Stage Director/Choreographer CARA CONSILVIO
Scenic Designer MICHAEL YEARGAN *
Costume Designer MARTIN PAKLEDINAZ*
Costume Designer FABIAN AGUILAR *
Lighting Designer MARCELLA BARBEAU
Hair & Makeup Designer SARA BEUKERS
Principal Accompanist CLAIRE FORSTMAN +
Stage Manager ERIN JOY SWANK
Assistant Director EBONI ADAMS
*Portland Opera Debut
+Alumnae of the Portland Opera Resident Artist Program
Scenery originated at San Francisco Opera. Costumes provided by Seattle Opera, with additional builds by Portland Opera. Projected English surtitles written and produced by Cori Ellison.
There will be two intermissions.
Total running time is approximately 2 hours, 45 minutes.
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. Portland Opera is a member of OPERA America.
Left to right: 1965 La Bohème (1st season), The Oregonian; 1967 La Bohème cast; Marcello and Musetta, La Bohème
LA BOHÈME CHORUS
Soprano
GINA ADORNO **
KARI BURGESS **
MEGAN CONROYPETERS **
ALISSA DEETER
LINDSEY RAE JOHNSON **
CRISTINA MARINO **
YULIIA PINCHUK
KAYLA RAY
MAEVE STIER
JOCELYN THOMAS **
Mezzo-Soprano
CELINE CLARK **
ALISHIA GARCIA **
SADIE GREGG **
ANNA JABLONSKI **
KATHRYN KIBOTA
ALLISON KIM-YOK KNOTTS **
SARAH MAINES **
LISA NEHER **
JENA SLATER
SHERRIE VAN HINE **
Tenor
JOHN BOELLING **
SCOT CRANDAL **
JIM JEPPESEN **
AARON DOUGLAS
LANGE **
SHANE MAGARGAL BRANDON MICHAEL
LA BOHÈME CHILDREN'S CHORUS
JENNA ARENIVAR
MARYN ARENIVAR
ASPEN CLAYTON
ADDYSON FINLEY
CHARLIE GOSSELIN
SANA KANTAK
SIMONE LUZANIA
MAYA MCDOWELL
LA BOHÈME SUPERNUMERARIES
LAURA CHRISTENSEN
SUSAN MORGAN
BARBARA OBRZUT
CALLIE PAPPAS
JAMES SHERMAN
JOYELAINE SHERMANLEWIS
ANTHONY NGUYEN
ONRY **
ANDREW WALTON PAUL WRIGHT **
Bass-Baritone
GREGORY BRUMFIELD **
QUINTON GARDNER
DAN GIBBS **
DEAC GUIDI **
TIMOTHY LAFOLETTE **
BRIAN LANGFORD **
DANIEL PICKENS-JONES
PAUL SADILEK **
PATRICK SCOFIELD **
STEFAN SIMANTON
CHARLOTTE PETERS
NORA PIÑA
BRIAN THOMAS
UANI TILLMON
** Vested choristers who have been a regular member of the Portland Opera Chorus for more than two years and have sung in five or more productions.
ˆdenotes substitute musician
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 IATSE Local #B20
LA BOHÈME ORCHESTRA
Violin
JAMES M. MCLENNAN, Acting Concertmaster
JANET GROH DUBAY, Acting Assistant Concertmaster
JENNIFER ESTRIN, Acting Principal Second
JULIA FRANTZ, Acting Assistant Principal Second
LUCIA ATKINSON
MARGARET BICHTELER
JAMIE CHIMCHIRIAN
IRENE GADEHOLT ^
KAREN HILLEY ^
LINA KANG ^
MARYA KAZMIERSKI ^
TATIANA KOLCHANOVA ^
HEATHER MASTELLIPSON
ANN MEDELLIN ^
NIC PRICE ^
AINUR ZABENOVA ^
LUCIE ZALESAKOVA ^
Viola
ANGELIKA
FURTWANGLER, Acting Principal
DAPHNE GOOCH, Acting Assistant Principal
PAMELA BUROVAC
SHAUNA KEYES
MICHELLE MATHEWSON
Cello
DYLAN RIECK, Principal
KATHERINE SCHULTZ, Acting Assistant Principal
HEATHER BLACKBURN ^
JAE CHOI
DAVID EBY ^
KAREN SCHULZHARMON ^ Bass
CLINTON O’BRIEN, Principal
DAVID PARMETER, Acting Assistant Principal
KEVIN BROWN ^
Flute/Piccolo
GEORGEANNE RIES, Principal
SYDNEY CARLSON
RACHEL RENCHER
Oboe
KELLY M. GRONLI, Principal
ALAN JUZA
English Horn
KAREN STRAND
Clarinet
RICKY SMITH, Acting Principal ^
THERESA MARKS
Bass Clarinet
CAROL ROBE
Bassoon
SAMUEL RHOTON, Principal
JANICE RICHARDSON
French Horn
MICHAEL HETTWER, Principal
JEN HARRISON
JONATHAN KUHNSOBANA
STEVE HAYWORTH ^ Trumpet
CHARLES R. BUTLER, Principal
JOSEPH KLAUSE
ROBERT RUTHERFORD
Trombone
LARS CAMPBELL, Acting Principal ^
DAVID BRYAN
DOUGLAS PEEBLES
Tuba
JOSEPH READY, Principal
Timpani
WILL RENO, Principal
Percussion
GORDON RENCHER, Principal
KEVIN SCHLOSSMAN ^
WANYUE YE ^ Harp
JENNIFER CRAIG, Acting Principal ^
SYNOPSIS
by Alexis Hamilton
ACT I
On a freezing Christmas Eve in Paris’s Latin Quarter, impoverished poet Rodolfo and his equally indigent friend, the artist Marcello attempt to warm their garret by burning Rodolfo’s latest play. Colline the philosopher arrives, swathed in his overcoat, stamping and steaming in the cold. They are joined by the jubilant Schaunard, a musician who is flush with riches—food, wood, and coin—having just come from a lucrative job, and he is eager to tell the tale. They are interrupted by the arrival of the landlord, Benoit, whom they deftly eject, while holding onto their cash. The friends decide to spend the evening celebrating at the Café Momus. Rodolfo insists he will join them later and settles in to write. His reverie is disturbed by a knock at the door—his pretty neighbor, Mimi, is there, asking him to light her candle. Charmed, Rodolfo invites her in. Suddenly, Mimi swoons, and in an effort to revive her, Rodolfo offers her a glass of wine, while she catches her breath. As she is about to leave, the draft from the door blows out both of the candles and Mimi realizes that she has lost her key. The two fumble around for it and their hands meet in the dark. A fire is ignited—but it isn’t their candles. Quietly, they share their hopes and dreams, and then, arm and arm, head out into the Paris streets to join Rodolfo’s friends at the Café Momus.
ACT II
The streets of Paris swirl and sparkle with snow and passersby purchasing last minute gifts from the street vendors. Rodolfo buys a rose-colored bonnet for Mimi and ushers her into the café to introduce her to his friends. As the group joyfully order everything the menu has to offer, the tables begin to buzz at the arrival of Musetta, Marcello’s erstwhile girlfriend, trailing her latest elderly (but very wealthy) “companion,” Alcindoro. Marcello studiously ignores her, but Musetta has other plans, stopping the show with her ostentatiously flirtatious paean to her popularity. Once she has Marcello’s undivided attention, Musetta rids herself of Alcindoro and throws herself into Marcello’s arms. The party of friends join the crowd as they cheer for a passing parade of soldiers, sticking the bill to Alcindoro as they fade into the night.
ACT III
It is dawn at the edge of the city. As the day slowly begins and the gates open, Musetta is heard singing in a nearby tavern. Mimi hurries into the inn’s yard, seeking Marcello and Musetta in their new home. Marcello leaves the tavern and Mimi rushes to him in a torrent of distress over her troubles with Rodolfo—she thinks that they should separate. Rodolfo is heard in the tavern—he has been staying with Marcello and Musetta. Mimi retreats into the shadows. Marcello, thinking she has gone talks with Rodolfo who at first blusters that he is leaving Mimi because she is a flirt, but then confides that it is really because he fears that her health is deteriorating and because of their poverty he can do nothing for her. Mimi has heard
Left: 2009 Portland Opera production
Above: 2017 Portland Opera production, Cory Weaver
everything and overwhelmed with emotion, emerges to wish him a heartfelt goodbye. Marcello leaves them to it, only to follow Musetta from the tavern. They carry on a furious quarrel as Rodolfo and Mimi decide to remain lovers—at least until the spring.
ACT IV
It is spring and both Rodolfo and Marcello are single and living once again in their Latin Quarter garret. Each is trying to move on from their former loves, but struggling with their loneliness. As before, Colline and Schaunard arrive to share a meal. Cheered by each other’s company, the young men begin to roughhouse— ended only by the sudden appearance of a desperate Musetta who tells them that she has brought Mimi, but the poor girl is too weak to climb the stairs—she wanted to see Rodolfo before she died. The friends settle Mimi into the only bed and consider what is to be done. Colline leaves to pawn his overcoat and Marcello and Musetta disappear to sell her earrings in the desperate hope that they will be able to afford a doctor and medicine. Schaunard steps away to give Rodolfo and Mimi some time alone. The two recollect their love and their happiness, but Mimi is overcome with coughing. The friends all return and Musetta gives Mimi a muff to warm her hands, telling her it is from Rodolfo. Mimi smiles and chides him for spending too much. Quietly, she passes away. The friends grieve as Rodolfo collapses at her side, sobbing her name.
2017 Portland Opera production, Cory Weaver
CAST & CREW BIOS
CARA CONSILVIO
Pronouns: she/her
Role: Director/Choreographer
Portland Opera Debut: Assistant Director, La Bohème (2017)
Cara Consilvio is a director and producer of opera, theater, and film. Cara has directed productions for Charlottesville Opera, Guerilla Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, Opera Naples, HALO, Tri-Cities Opera, Opera in the Heights, Chautauqua Opera, Opera Carolina, Fort Worth Opera, Anchorage Opera, Piedmont Opera, and others. Cara has also had engagements with Houston Grand Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, The Atlanta Opera, Portland Opera, Tulsa Opera, American Opera Projects, and Opera Saratoga. Cara is a co-founder of Hup! Productions. Her feature film directing debut, a documentary called For the Love of Friends is currently available to watch on PBS passport.
NICHOLAS FOX
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Conductor/Chorus Master
Portland Opera Debut: Conductor, The Elixir of Love ( 2015)
Described by Oregon Arts Watch as “…a flipping genius,” conductor Nicholas Fox has served as Assistant Conductor, Chorus Master, and now Associate Music Director at Portland Opera since the fall of 2013. During his tenure at Portland Opera, he has conducted six mainstage productions, numerous chamber opera performances, and countless concerts, in repertoire ranging from Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice to Philip Glass’ In The Penal Colony . In 2019, Fox stepped in at the last moment, without rehearsal, to lead a triumphant opening night performance of Portland Opera’s production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly . In addition to his local engagements, Fox made his debut at New Orleans Opera in April 2025 conducting Donizetti’s L’elisir d'amore
REBECCA KRYNSKI COX
Pronouns: she/her
Role: Mimì
Portland Opera Debut: Wendy Torrance, The Shining, ( 2025)
Praised by The New York Times as “a vibrant soprano… with a secure, appealing sound and eye-opening volume,” Rebecca Krynski Cox appears this season as Mimì with Portland Opera, Leonora ( Il trovatore ) with North Carolina Opera, and the Countess ( Le nozze di Figaro) with Indianapolis Opera. Recent performances include Mimì ( La Bohème ), Wendy Torrance ( The Shining ), Leonore ( Fidelio), Violetta ( La traviata ), Micäela ( Carmen ), and Verdi’s Requiem. Internationally, she has appeared as a Fest and Guest Artist with the Luzerner Theater in Switzerland, performing leading roles in operas by Mozart, Verdi, and Tchaikovsky.
ALOK KUMAR
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Rodolfo
Portland Opera Debut: Faiz/Police Chief/Villager/ Reporter, Thumbprint (2023)
Alok Kumar’s 2024 and 2025 include house and/ or role debuts with Vancouver Opera (Don José in Carmen ), Vienna Volksoper (Lazarus in Adams’s The Gospel According to the Other Mary ), Fort Worth Opera (Rodolfo in La Bohème ), State Opera of South Australia (Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor ), MV Hong Kong (Percy in Anna Bolena ), Scottish Opera’s French Collection concert (title roles in Werther and Faust), The Metropolitan Opera (Caesar in Antony and Cleopatra ), Hawaii Symphony Orchestra (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony), and concerts of opera hits with The South Asian Symphony Orchestra ( Carmen, La Traviata, Roméo et Juliette ).
KATRINA GALKA
Pronouns: she/her
Role: Musetta (Nov 15, 21)
Portland Opera Debut: Ida, Die Fledermaus (2014)
Katrina Galka, soprano, returns this season to Portland Opera, Utah Opera, and the Oregon Symphony and makes company debuts with Semperoper Dresden and Teatro Carlo Felice Genova. She recently appeared in the world premiere of Il nome della rosa at Teatro alla Scala and as Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffmann with Opernhaus Zürich. Katrina has also sung with the Wiener Staatsoper, San Francisco Opera, Staatsoper Hamburg, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opera Colorado, Minnesota Opera, Atlanta Opera, and the Glimmerglass Festival, singing roles like Gilda in Rigoletto, Cunegonde in Candide , and Marie in La fille du régiment . Follow her journey and singing on IG @katrina.galka
AUBRY BALLARÒ
Pronouns: she/her
Role: Musetta (Nov 23)
Portland Opera Debut
Gaining attention for her “solid technique and heroic timbre” (Opera Today), soprano Aubry Ballarò makes her Asian debut this season as Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor with Musica Viva Hong Kong. She also appears as Micaëla in Carmen (Opera in the Park Portland), soprano soloist in Strauss’s Vier letzte Lieder (Chautauqua Symphony), and in her Portland Opera debut as Musetta in La Bohème . Further engagements include Stravinsky’s Pulcinella (Princeton Symphony) and a return to Opera Columbus as Violetta in La Traviata Recent highlights include her Spanish debut at Madrid’s Auditorio Nacional and her Bulgarian debut as Lucia di Lammermoor. www.aubryballaro.com
MARKEL REED
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Marcello
Portland Opera Debut
Baritone Markel Reed, a native of Charlotte, NC, was seen recently in his charming portrayal as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Virginia Opera and a provocative Jigger Craigin in Rogers and Hammerstein’s Carousel with Boston Lyric Opera. Within contemporary opera, Markel originated the role of Chester in the premiere of Terence Blanchard’s acclaimed opera Fire Shut Up in My Bones with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, later following the production to the Metropolitan Opera where he covered Adult James in their historic season premiere. Last season saw Mr. Reed in his Detroit Opera debut in the role of Yusef Salaam in Anthony Davis’s The Central Park Five . This fall includes the roles of Eisenstein in Washington Opera Society’s production of Die Fledermaus
JASON ZACHER
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Colline
Portland Opera Debut
Bass-baritone Jason Zacher has garnered national acclaim as a versatile and promising emerging talent in opera, concert, and musical theatre. Praised for his “resonant baritone voice, acting skills to burn, and most important, an alluring persona that dominated the stage every moment he was on” (Opera News), Zacher continues to captivate audiences with his dynamic presence and vocal command. This season, he makes company and role debuts with Portland Opera as Colline in La Bohème , Salt Marsh Opera and Tulsa Opera as the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, and Sarasota Opera as Olin Blitch in Susannah . He also joins Chattanooga Symphony and Opera as the bass soloist in Verdi’s Requiem.
ADRIAN ROSALES
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Schaunard
Portland Opera Debut: Calaveras/Guillermo Kahlo/Mr. Rockefeller/E.G. Robinson, Frida (2021)
Adrian Rosales, baritone, hails from Portland, Oregon. He holds a Master of Music in Vocal Arts/Opera from the University of Southern California. This season, he sang Figaro in OperaBend’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Schaunard in Cascadia Chamber Opera’s La Bohème . Rosales has been praised for his “comedic physicality” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer), “good-natured virility and…powerful baritone" (Bend Bulletin). He is managed for singing by James Greening-Valenzuela through Vocal Artists Management Services, studies voice with renowned baritone, Richard Zeller, and acting with Dan Kyle through the Portland chapter of the Actor’s Lab. Learn more at adrian-rosales.art.
RICHARD ZELLER
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Benoit/Alcindoro
Portland Opera Debut: Mazetto, Don Giovanni (1989)
Bass-Baritone Richard Zeller is a veteran of the operatic and concert stage and is internationally acclaimed for his dramatic voice. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1989 and appeared there for 11 seasons; in the 2002/03 season he appeared at the Met in lead roles in three new productions; as Ernesto in Bellini’s Il Pirata ; as the main lead role of Eddie in William Bolcom's opera, A View from the Bridge , and Chorebe in Berlioz's Les Troyens led by Maestro James Levine. Zeller has appeared with the Chicago Lyric Opera, New York City Opera, Berlin Staatsoper, Hamburgische Staatsoper, Deutsche Opera am Rhein, English National Opera at the Barbican in London, the Edinburgh Festival and Vienna Festival.
NATHANIEL CATASCA
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Parpignol
Portland Opera Debut: Soloist, The Juliet Letters (2024)
A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Nathaniel Catasca recently finished a year residency with Portland Opera debuting the role of Bardolfo in Verdi’s Falstaff, among other productions. Previous roles include Le Remendado in Bizet’s Carmen , Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte and Javier Moreno in Torroba’s zarzuela Luisa Fernanda . He made his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut portraying Nemorino/Tamino in the children’s production of The Magic Victrola Past companies include Sarasota Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera Arlington, Central City Opera, Florentine Opera, Finger Lakes Opera, and Hawai’i Opera Theatre. He holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Oklahoma, and a Master of Music & Literature from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Robert Swensen.
DANIEL GIBBS
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Custom House Officer
Portland Opera Debut: Huntsman, Rusalka ( 2023)
Dan Gibbs, Baritone, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocal Performance from Southern Oregon University. He's performed multiple roles for Rogue Opera, Bravo! Opera Theater, Opera Modesto, OperaBend, Vashon Opera, and Portland Opera. His most recent credits include singing the role of Father in E. Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel with Opera Modesto, Lodovico in G. Verdi’s Otello with Vashon Opera, Marquis in G. Verdi’s La Traviata with OperaBend; and Tim in Joel Thompson’s The Snowy Day with Portland Opera. Dan runs an active voice studio and is a frequent performer with multiple organizations in the Pacific Northwest.
GREGORY BRUMFIELD
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Sergeant
Portland Opera Debut: Custom House Officer, La Bohème (2017)
Gregory began singing in Gary, Indiana ("his home sweet home") as a boy soprano. Gregory has sung as a soloist and/ or chorister with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the San Francisco Opera, the Madison Opera, the Dallas Opera, the Virginia Opera and the Wichita Opera companies. He is a regular chorister with the Portland Opera Company, was showcased in their workshop, The Factotum, and their spring opera, The Shining , and multiple outdoor concerts with their Portland Opera a la Cart concerts at various wineries and parks throughout the metro area.
JOHN BOELLING
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Prune Seller
Portland Opera Debut: Dr. Caius, Falstaff (2025)
John has been a member of the Portland Opera Chorus for 10 years or more. He performed his first supporting role with Portland Opera last spring as Dr. Caius in Falstaff. Mr. Boelling was also seen last summer as El Remendado in Opera in the Park PDX's production of Carmen . Other roles include the Schoolmaster/Mosquito in The Cunning Little Vixen , Opera Theater Oregon; Quartet Member in Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris , Key City Public Theater, and Tenor Soloist in Christ on the Mount of Olives with Bravo! Vancouver.
MICHAEL YEARGAN
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Scenic Designer
Portland Opera Debut: Scenic Designer, Carmen (2007)
Michael Yeargan designed his first opera production in 1970 – La Bohème – at the Nevada Opera Company. Since that time his opera designs have been seen at the Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, LA Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Opera, Glimmerglass, and New York City Opera, as well as the Royal Opera – Covent Garden, Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, the Théâtre Musical in Paris, Frankfurt Opera, and Opera Australia. His set designs for plays and on and off Broadway include Seascape, Light in the Piazza (2005 Tony Award winner) , South Pacific, Awake and Sing, Ah, Wilderness , and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone .
FABIAN F. AGUILAR
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Costume Designer
Portland Opera Debut
Fabian Fidel Aguilar was born in El Paso, TX where its giant skies and vast desert landscape were a blank canvas for a highly active imagination. He received his BA from Boston University and MFA from Yale School of Drama, where his credits include The Moors (a Yale Repertory Theater world premier). Other credits include Preston Montfort—An American Tragedy and The Master and Margarita (Yale School of Drama); Midsummer’s, Love Holds a Lamp in This Little Room, Orlando (Yale Summer Cabaret 2015: Rough Magic); and He Left Quietly (SummerWorks Performance Festival, Toronto and Yale Cabaret). He has worked for various theatres, conservatories, and universities in Boston including American Repertory Theater, Boston Ballet, Moscow Ballet, Beau Jest, the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, among others. Fabian Aguilar is on the faculty at Colgate University.
MARTIN PAKLEDINAZ
(1953-2012)
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Costume Designer
Portland Opera Debut
International opera credits: Rodelinda (The Metropolitan Opera), Tristan and Isolde (directed by Peter Sellars for Opéra national de Paris - Bastille) and lphigénie en Tauride (Seattle Opera and the Metropolitan Opera) as well as Juilliard, Salzburg, Chatelet (Paris), Santa Fe, Helsinki, Madrid.
Broadway: Nice Work If You Can Get It , The Normal Heart, Anything Goes , The Pajama Game , Lend Me a Tenor (Hewes Award), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award winner), Kiss Me, Kate (Tony Award winner), Blithe Spirit , Chaplin
MARCELLA BARBEAU
Pronouns: she/her
Role: Lighting Designer
Portland Opera Debut: Associate Lighting Designer, The Shining (2025)
Recently : L’elisir d’amore , Florida Grand Opera, Florentine Opera; Acis & Galatea , Florentine; Much Ado About Nothing , OSF; Carmen , Austin Opera; Murder on the Orient Express , Playmaker’s Rep; La Traviata , Opera Omaha; L’amant Anonyme , Madison Opera; Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon , Lookingglass Theatre; Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s 2023 & 2024 festivals; María de Buenos Aires , Opera San Antonio, Opera Columbus
Upcoming: The Merry Wives of Windso r, Into the Woods , Oregon Shakespeare Festival
SARA BEUKERS
Pronouns: she/her
Role: Wig and Makeup Designer
Portland Opera Debut: Wig and Makeup Designer, La belle Hélène (2001)
Sara has designed wigs and makeup for theatre, opera and dance companies all over the country including Oregon Ballet Theater, OrpheusPDX, Portland Opera, Opera San Jose, Indianapolis Opera, Orlando Opera, New Orleans Opera, Tulsa Opera, Ft. Worth Opera, Chautauqua Opera, The Wildwood Festival, The Western Opera Theatre Tour, TheatreWorks, Marin Theatre Company, The Willows Theatre Company, San Jose Stage Company, Diablo Light Opera Company, and the Aurora Theatre. She has also worked for the San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Ballet, Mark Morris Dance Group, Spoletto Festival USA and on several films television shows including Metal Lords, Wild, Grimm, Shrill and Leverage
ERIN JOY SWANK
Pronouns: she/her
Role: Production Stage Manager
Portland Opera Debut: Stage Manager, Falstaff (2025)
Erin Joy Swank returns to Portland after joining Falstaff last season. Earlier this year she stage managed the internationally-nominated revival of Douglas Moore’s Pulitzer-prize winning Giants in the Earth , resurrected by South Dakota Symphony after a 50+ year hiatus of performances. Erin is a Denver-based freelancer whose recent credits include theatre (Curious, Human Race, Opera House Arts); Texas Ballet’s Nutcracker, a Star Wars burlesque parody; a hybrid opera/circus (Opera North); contributing to two stage management books, and hosting a popular industry blog. Her favorite cast members ever remain the three adorable camels in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. erinjoyswank.com
EBONI ADAMS
Pronouns: she/her
Role: Assistant Director
Portland Opera Debut: Assistant Director, Thumbprint ( 2023)
Eboni Adams is a multidisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles. She recently made her debut at Houston Grand Opera as the revival choreographer for Porgy and Bess . In the upcoming season, Adams will direct the world premiere of My Name is Florence at Minnesota Opera, La Bohème at Austin Opera, and choreograph Treemonisha at Washington National Opera. Her past collaborations include productions with Santa Fe Opera, Dallas Opera, and Atlanta Opera, among others. Eboni is thrilled to return to Portland Opera for her third engagement with the company.
CARL FABER
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Assistant Lighting Designer
Portland Opera Debut: Assistant Lighting Designer, La Bohème (2017)
Recent: Hair (Portland Center Stage), Portland Revels, How To Be A Visitor (American Dance Festival), Grease (Broadway Rose). Lighting Supervisor at Portland Opera since 2017. Touring Production for Bon Iver, The National, and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. Lead Associate Lighting Designer for Disney Cruise Lines. Member: United Scenic Artists Local USA 829.
CLAIRE FORSTMAN
Pronouns: she/her
Role: Principal Accompanist
Portland Opera Debut: Music Staff, Chorus Rehearsal Pianist, The Marriage of Figaro (2023)
Claire Forstman is a music director, pianist, and vocal coach based in Portland, Oregon. Her current season includes shows with Seattle Opera, Portland Opera, OrpheusPDX, Ping & Woof Opera, Renegade Opera, and Vashon Opera. A sought-after collaborator, she has worked for OperaBend, the Oregon Bach Festival, Portland’s Opera on Tap, PSU’s Opera Department, New Wave Opera, the Portland Symphonic Choir, Portland’s Opera in the Park, the Sage Singers, and Resonance Ensemble. She also works as a dance accompanist and has played for the Oregon Ballet Theatre School, BodyVox dance company, the Portland Ballet Academy, and the Milwaukee Ballet School and Academy.
GYAN SINGH MARIA
Pronouns: he/him
Role: Conducting Fellow
Portland Opera Debut: Music Director, Portland Opera to Go's Shizue: An American Story ( 2024)
Conductor Gyan Singh Maria (IG _gyansinghmaria_) was born into diverse and disparate musical cultures. His paternal grandfather, a Kolkata-born resident of Hong Kong, was a North Indian classical musician; his maternal grandfather, an Esztergom-born resident of Budapest, was a Romani violinist. In the 2025-2026 season, Gyan continues his tenure as the Conducting Fellow at Portland Opera where he assists on Puccini's La Bohème Additionally, he music directs Voices of Angels for The Muses Projects in December and assists on Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos at Pacific Northwest Opera.
BEATRICE ANTONIE MARTINO
Pronouns: they/them
Role: Assistant Stage Manager
Portland Opera Debut
Beatrice Antonie Martino holds a B.A. in Dance and Psychology from UC Santa Barbara, and an M.A. in Grief Studies from NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study (Artistic Thesis: What Remains - Ritual Spaces for the Contemporary Mourner). Bea has worked as a performer, designer, producer, choreographer, and stage manager in New York, California, and Oregon. They are the Assistant Stage Manager at Oregon Ballet Theatre, and this is their first production with Portland Opera. Other credits include Kate Digby Dance, Brave New World Repertory Theater NYC, and Orpheus PDX. Bea is a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists.
LILY WELSH
Pronouns: she/her
Role: Assistant Stage Manager
Portland Opera Debut
Lily is a stage manager based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is Lily’s first production with Portland Opera. Recent productions: Il viaggio a Reims (Assistant Stage Manager) Opera Philadelphia, Rigoletto (Assistant Stage Manager) Cincinnati Opera, Don Giovanni (Assistant Stage Manager) Opera Philadelphia, The Anonymous Lover (Assistant Stage Manager) Opera Philadelphia, Don Giovanni (Directing Intern) Cincinnati Opera, Lucia di Lammermoor (Stage Management Intern) Cincinnati Opera. Upcoming productions: The Seasons (Assistant Stage Manager) Opera Philadelphia, Complications in Sue (Assistant Stage Manager) Opera Philadelphia. Lily has a BFA in Stage Management from Ohio University.
LA BOHÈME: A TALE OF TWO OPERAS
By Dr. Harry Baechtel
The famed turn of the century Italian composer Giacomo Puccini began work on his most enduringly successful opera, La Bohème in 1893. At the time he claimed ignorance that his former classmate and erstwhile friend, Ruggero Leoncavallo, was also hard at work on his own operatic version of the story. Both efforts were loosely based on the popular French play by Henri Murger and Théodore Barrière, La vie de bohème (1849). Unfortunately, the nearly simultaneous birth of two operas on the same plot led to a falling out between Puccini and Leoncavallo. The latter claimed that he had offered a libretto for the work to Puccini a year earlier, that he had been rebuffed, and that despite this Puccini had taken up the project independently and completed it first. Indeed, Puccini’s La Bohème premiered on February 1st, 1896 in Turin, over a year before Leoncavallo’s version, under the baton of the young Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini. The opera received a mixed response, with favorable audiences and hostile critics, but it nevertheless spread quickly across Italian theaters, and shortly after to international audiences. Leoncavallo’s ill-fated La Bohème had its premiere in 1887 at the Teatro la Fenice in Venice. Although it initially received more critical acclaim than that of Puccini, any hope for a long runout was dashed by the surging popularity of his former friend’s opera. For better or worse, history has decisively declared Puccini the victor. His La Bohème remains amongst the most performed and best beloved operas in all of the repertoire.
Both composers were foundational practitioners of the new Italian operatic style of Verismo (realism), inspired by a contemporary movement in Italian literature that had been spearheaded by Giovanni Verga and Luigi Capuano. The style primarily focused on lower class, contemporary people and situations, their passions, their tragedies, their raw emotions, and their desperate decisions. Some of Verdi’s operas, La Traviata comes to mind, were already hinting at this style, but the public taste for tragedies about lower class people and their
concerns really took flight at the end of the nineteenth century. Leoncavallo became a standard bearer for this style with his opera Pagliacci in 1892. Tonio’s wonderful prologue functions as a sort of operatic Verismo credo, and an exhilarating introduction to the new style. Inadvertently, this success made Leoncavallo a direct rival of Puccini, and likely whet Puccini’s competitive appetite toward beating Leoncavallo to the punch with La Bohème .
There are many reasons for Puccini’s remarkable success, and perhaps for Leoncavallo’s commercial failure in this enterprise. Puccini employed a more extensive and fluent use of leitmotif as a guiding musical-narrative device. His innate melodic gift, and mastery at delivering believable Italian dialogue in the stylish, seamless orchestral sinew that was in vogue in these years, is still considered by many to be unmatched. The sense of balance across the acts, and the pacing of the drama are incredibly effective at telling the story, and rendering the audience both attentive and emotionally engaged throughout. Additionally, while Puccini’s story romanticizes the bohemian life and its tragedies, it doesn’t point any uncomfortable fingers at the economic forces that lead to so many of these kinds of hardships. In a divergent reading, Leoncavallo’s Musetta is forced to sell off her furniture to pay her debts, and later, shortly before she perishes, Mimì is forced to leave the hospital in which she is being treated for Consumption (TB), because she cannot afford to pay for her care. Leoncavallo adds a bit of anti-capitalist flavor with these sorts of details that perhaps made his La Bohème a bit too realistic for the casual enjoyment of some of opera’s wealthy audiences.
Whatever the case, Puccini’s masterpiece will almost certainly remain the more popular telling of the story. The material is compositionally brilliant, emotionally moving, and well deserving of our profound and prolonged attention after all of these years. Nevertheless, I’d like to invite our audiences here in Portland to not only empathize with the beautiful, heart-breaking lives of these Parisian bohemians, but with a slight nod to Leoncavallo, to also acknowledge some of the economic forces that have entrenched this kind of poverty in the past, and continue to do so in our era.
LARSON & LA BOHÈME
By Kamilah Bush
While 1830s Paris and 1990s New York seem worlds apart, and an Italian composer in the heat of his career and a Jewish kid from White Plains right at the start of his living a century apart seem to have very little in common in Puccini’s La Bohème and Jonathan Larson’s Rent we find two intertwined and enduring legacies.
Within a few years of La Bohème’s 1896 world premiere in Turin, Italy, it had been performed in many of the leading opera houses of Europe, including in Britain, as well as in the United States. It was a popular success, and remains one of the most frequently performed operas ever written. Just as La Bohème is one of the world’s most performed operas, Rent is one of the theater’s most imperishable musicals. Almost 30 years after its premiere, it is still one of the top 10 longest running shows on Broadway. The fingerprints of this seminal musical are felt all over our culture. In the original production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch , the character Yitzhak wore a Rent t-shirt, the CW show Riverdale features a cover of “Out Tonight,” and a viral remix of “Tango: Maureen” called “Tango: Vaccine” has been used to combat Covid vaccine misinformation. The musical has been performed in 25 languages and in more than 50 countries. In fact, it was the first Broadway musical to open in Cuba after sanctions between the country and the U.S. were lifted.
The popularity of each piece is not their only point of connection.
As Puccini took Louis-Henri Murger’s short story collection Scènes de la vie de bohème (Scenes of Bohemian Life), Larson looked to Puccini. “I analyzed the libretto, broke it down beat by beat,” Larson told the New York Times . Puccini’s Roldolfo becomes a struggling musician Roger, Mimì the seamstress becomes Mimi the dancer, Marcello the painter become Mark the filmmaker, Colline the philosopher becomes Collins, a MIT professor, Benoit the landlord becomes Benny, the former friend who buys their crash pad and most brilliantly, perhaps, Schaunard becomes Angel Dumott Schunard, the heart of the friend group and their benefactress. In
Rent , not only do we hear interpolations of Musetta’s Waltz, we see her embodied as Mark’s ex-girlfriend, performance artist Maureen on the arm of her new partner a lawyer named Joanne.
As in the opera, Roger and Mimi, the lovers meet in the moonlight and fall in love during musical numbers like “Light My Candle” where Roger croons about Mimi’s cold little hands. Mimi ends the song with an echo of Puccini’s “Sì, mi chiamano Mimì” “They call me Mimi” she sings she leaves her new love’s apartment. One can find a meal in the musical and lyrical similarities between the original score and Larson’s rock reimagining.
The world of La Bohème did not just exist in abstract for Jonathan Larson. He was a well documented citizen of his own bohemia. His tribe of friends was rounded out by young artists and creators including Roger Bart, Jesse L. Martin, Marin Mazzie and Scott Burkell. His apartment became the center of the friend group’s lives. Like in Rent , Jonathan let guests up to his place by throwing his key out the window. He would host what they called “The Peasants’ Feast” where guests would cook and sing and kiki together into the night listening to Jonathan boast that he would “change the face of American theater”. Despite dying unexpectedly the night before the first public performance of Rent , Larson, with Puccini at his back, did just that.
Keep the Parisian café vibe going…show your printed or digital La Bohème ticket at C’est Si Bon Bistro + Vins for 15% off your order, valid through the end of January 2026.
STAFF
GENERAL DIRECTOR
Sue Dixon
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Damien Geter
ARTISTIC AMBASSADOR
Karen Slack
ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE
Paul Lovincey, HR and Operations Manager
Michael Martinez, Senior Accountant
ARTISTIC & MUSIC
Alfrelynn Roberts, Artistic Director
Alexis Hamilton, Associate Director of Education Outreach
Nicholas Fox, Associate Music Director
Amrit-Sadhana Boyd, Artistic Administrator
Ethan Cope Richter, Music Administrator and Librarian
Quinn Kun Liu, Music Assistant
Jasmine Johnson, Civic Engagement & Partnerships Manager
Gyan Singh Maria, Conducting Fellow
Paul Floyd, Principal Coach, Chorus Rehearsal Pianist
Sherrie Van Hine, Shane Magargal, AGMA Delegates
Lisa Neher, Chorus Secretary
Michael Hettwer, Orchestra Manager
Jessica Crawford, Supertext Coordinator
DEVELOPMENT
Beth Lewis, Director of Development
Carleena Manzi, Development Manager
Alexis Walker, Donor Benefits Coordinator
MARKETING
Christina Post, Director of Marketing & Communications
Lizzie Adelsheim, Marketing Project Manager
Ervanny Astari , Social Media Manager
PATRON SERVICES
Magdalena Travis, Patron Services Manager
Chris Kim, Patron Services Supervisor
PRODUCTION
Anna B. Labykina, Director of Production
Kyle Spens, Technical and Production Director
Ivy Thompson, Costume Shop Manager and Design Assistant
Sara Beukers, Wig and Makeup Supervisor
Cindy Felice, Properties Director
Carl Faber, Assistant Lighting Designer and Lighting Supervisor
Pascaline LeFèbvre, Production Coordinator
Bill Burbach, Production Carpenter
Iain Chester, Warehouse Head
Sumi Wu, Scenic Artist
Beatrice Antonie Marino, Lillian Welsh, Assistant Stage Managers
Addison Nuttbrock, Production Assistant
Laura Christensen, Children’s Supervisor
Adam Arnold, Tailor
Lillian Hannahs, Tailor/Draper
PRODUCTION CONT.
Jane Beach, Ryo Endal, Kim Smith-Kupani, Stitchers
Morgan Reaves, Wardrobe Supervisor
Miranda Nolten, Foreman, WMU Principal Makeup Artist
Helen Hart, WMU Principal Makeup Artist
Leighann Barrie-Foreman, Lisa Jubera, Nadine Nakagawa, Terri Lodge, Cristina Villareal, Ruthann Lentz, Diane Trapp, WMU Artists
Claudie Fisher, Daniel Wilson, Audrey Goldfarb, Brian Keith Properties Assistants
Mark M. James, Production Electrician
Jenessa Raabe, Pre-Production Electrician
FOR BROADWAY IN PORTLAND
Tracy Wenckus, General Manager, Broadway
Kelsey Wenckus, Marketing Assistant
Rachel Allred, Customer Service Rep
Ella Black, Broadway Ticketing & Database Manager
Bradford Johnson, Technical Liaison
Sophie Stebbins, Broadway Group and Customer Service Supervisor
FOR THE KELLER AUDITORIUM
Marty Rugger, Head Carpenter
Jay Spottswood, Head Flyman
Scott Bartel, Head Propertyman
Alex Hammond, Head Electrician
Brandon Houget, Head Soundman
PORTLAND OPERA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Kregg Arntson, PRESIDENT; Director, Community Impact | Executive Director, PGE Foundation
Carole Morse, PAST PRESIDENT; Past President, PGE Foundation
Linda Brown, VICE PRESIDENT; Former Owner, Brown’s Blueberries
Christine Lewis, VICE PRESIDENT; Metro Councilor, District 2
Larry D. Roper, TREASURER ; Emeritus Professor of Language, Culture and Society, Oregon State University
Carol Turner, SECRETARY; Civic Volunteer
MEMBERS
Nichole Anglin, Attorney, Innova Legal Advisors PC
Regena Frieden, Chief Administrative Officer, Providence Health Plan
Laura Howe, Accounting Manager, On Point Community Credit Union
Ayaka Jones, Senior Account Executive, Finn Partners
Vanessa Valencia, Vice President of Financial Planning, On Point Community Credit Union
PORTLAND’5 CENTERS FOR THE ARTS
Portland’5 Centers for the Arts includes the Keller Auditorium, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and Antoinette Hatfield Hall, comprising the Newmark Theatre, Dolores Winningstad Theatre, and Brunish Theatre. All are public facilities owned by the City of Portland and managed by Metro through the Metropolitan Exposition-Recreation Commission. Each year approximately one million people attend more than 1,000 performances in these facilities.
METRO
Lynn Peterson, Metro Council President
CITY OF PORTLAND
Keith Wilson, Mayor
METROPOLITAN EXPOSITIONRECREATION COMMISSION
Karis Stoudamire-Phillips, Chair
Damien Hall, Vice-Chair
Deidra Krys-Rusoff, SecretaryTreasurer
Dañel Malán-González
Chris Oxley
Deanna Palm
David Penilton
Craig Stroud, Visitor Venues General Manager
PORTLAND’5 CENTERS FOR THE ARTS
Rachael Lembo, Executive Director
Stephanie Torres De Los Santos, Director of Events
Stephanie Viegas Dias, Director of Ticket Services
Ruby Joy White, Director of Culture and Community
Nancy Strening, Director of Operations
Heather Wilton, Director of Programming, Booking, and Marketing
Dave Woodman, Levy Director of Operations
PORTLAND’5 CENTERS FOR THE ARTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Greg Brown
Jim Brunberg
Gus Castaneda, Chair
Elisa Dozono
Heather Kmetz
Jessica Lagunas
Antonio Lara
Chariti Montez
Ombrea Moore
Brian Sanders
Daniel A. Sullivan
Richard Wattenberg
Steve Wenig
THANK YOU DONORS
Portland Opera would like to recognize the following donors of $100 or more for their generous contributions and support for the 2025/26 season. To learn more about the Bel Canto Society and giving to Portland Opera or for any corrections to your listing, please contact giving@portlandopera.org. Contributions received between 10/16/2024 and 10/16/2025.
Kay and Roy Abramowitz
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In Memory of Tami G. Martin - John Martin
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McCourt
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Moore
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Mueller-Crispin Cultural and Environment Fund
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Anonymous
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Norris Dermatology & Lasers NW
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Anonymous
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Portland Opera Guild
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Sujata Pagedar
Callie Pappas and John Winner
Daniel Mueller and JoAnn Pari-Mueller
James Parker
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Anonymous
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Patterson
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PGE
PGE Foundation
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Frances Portillo
Portland Metro Chamber
Portland State University
Portland Wine Storage Inc.
Scott and Tamara Prater
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John and Debbie Purcell
R&J Construction
Russell Ramsey
Andrew Recinos
Regional Arts and Culture Council
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Resonance Wines
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In Memory of Gerry Allen - Stephen and Leslie Robinson
Lynne Roe MD
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Charitable Trust
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Roundhouse Foundation
Sheila and Gerald Sadis
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Tom Scheuermann
Susan Schubert*
Anonymous - (In memory of Mayer D. Schwartz)
Sarah Schwarz
Members of the Portland Opera Chorus
Hal and Diana Scoggins
Kathleen Scott
Anonymous
Anonymous
Ruth A. Short
Robyn and Kemp Shuey
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Sir James & Lady
McDonald Designated Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation
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In Memory of Garry Stensland
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L. Susan Sullivan
Drs. Donald and Roslyn Sutherland
In Memory of Richard E Swart
Hank Swigert and Marlene Koch
Laszlo Szidonya
Charles Talbot
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Claudia Taylor, M.D.
Anna Taylor-Richter
The Flowerree Foundation
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The Monday Musical Club of Portland
Oregonian Media Group
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Kenneth Thrasher
Thrivent
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Homero Trevino Lopez
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David and Carol Turner
Russell Turner and Urszula Iwaniec
U.S. Bank/U.S. Bancorp Foundation
United Way of the MidWillamette Valley
Utopia Vineyard
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Thank you to our wine sponsor for La Bohème
Dave and Christine Vernier
Julie Vigeland
Legend Lain Vineyard
Janet and Bruce Womack
Ms. Helen Ann Volpe
Jim and Michelle Vondenkamp
Jeanette Waddle
Mark Ward
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
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Wildhorse Foundation
Andrew Wilson and Ronnie-Gail Emden
Julie Wilson
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Ana Winner
Linda M. Wood
Anne Workman
David DeMoss and Geoffrey Wren
Wyss Foundation
Dr. Greg Zarelli and Mr. John Bush*
Katherine Zeller and David Hill
Kathryn Zerbe
John and Nancy Zernel
*Denotes a Monthly Gift to Portland Opera
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
We gratefully acknowledge the ongoing philanthropic support from our generous donors and funders.
The Herbert A. Templeton Foundation
PGE Foundation
Ronald W. Naito MD Foundation
Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust
Roundhouse Foundation
Utopia Vineyard & Winery
Wildhorse Foundation
Wyss Foundation
IN-KIND SPONSORS
200 Market
Argyle Winery
Audacy, Inc.
Botanica Floral Design
Classic Pianos
Elk Cove Vineyards
Et Fille Wines
Mark Spencer Hotel
Ovum Wines
Portland Wine Storage Inc.
Remy Wines
Resonance Wines
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Originally from Seoul, South Korea, Samantha Yun Wall immigrated to the United States as a child and comes from a multiracial background. Operating from within this framework, her artwork embodies the experience of navigating transcultural identity. Wall’s art is characterized by her unique approach to traditional techniques combined with a contemporary vernacular that reflects her understanding of the world.
Samantha’s work has been featured in the New York Times, The New Yorker, and on the cover of the Sleater-Kinney album Path of Wellness She has exhibited globally at galleries and museums including the Frye Art Museum in Seattle and the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Featured in the recent Black Artists of Oregon exhibit at Portland Art Museum, her work is now in their permanent collection. Samantha will unveil her most extensive solo exhibition to date at the Seattle Art Museum in 2026.
KEEP YOUR NEIGHBORS WARM THIS WINTER
Visit the One Warm Coat digital La Bohème coat drive or leave your gently used outerwear and baby supplies in the collection bin in the lobby.
DEC 12-21, 2025
World Trade Center Theatre
FEB 14-15, 2026
MAR 7-15, 2026
Newmark Theatre
MAY 16, 2026 VERDI’S
Keller Auditorium
World Trade Center Theatre
