Cinderella, Lyric Opera of Kansas City 2025-2026 Season by TheIndependentMagazinePA

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A NOTE FROM DEBORAH SANDLER KEMPER

Welcome to the start of Lyric Opera’s 2025–2026 season and our happy return to four fully staged operas at the Kauffman Center! You are about to experience our new production of Cinderella, or La Cenerentola, created here in Kansas City by local artists. We have assembled a fabulous cast and creative team to bring this story to life in innovative ways. Thank you so much for being here!

Later this season, we will present Puccini’s beautifully emotional opera, Madame Butterfly, followed by the company premiere of The Gershwins’® Porgy and Bess, staged on a grand scale that only we can deliver. Finally, we’ll introduce a new production of Carlisle Floyd’s adaptation of the Steinbeck novella, Of Mice and Men

In 2026, we will celebrate both the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding and the 100th anniversary of Carlisle Floyd’s birth. Our productions of the American operas Porgy and Bess and Of Mice and Men, serve as our contribution to these two significant anniversaries. Join us in experiencing the variety of opera throughout the season!

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our donors who make this work possible. Your contributions enable us to bring impactful programming to the Kauffman Center. Thank you for being a part of the opera story in Kansas City and for helping to expand horizons.

Deborah Sandler Kemper, General Director and CEO

Photo@ Don Ipock

BOARD OF TRUSTEES: 2025–2026

OFFICERS

Anthony Durone, President

Richard English, Vice President

Mira Mdivani, Secretary

Mark Benedict, Treasurer

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Dr. Iván Batlle

Scott Blakesley

Richard P. Bruening

Casey Claps

Rita Cortés

Dr. Melinda Estes

Michael D. Fields

COUNSEL

Christina Hager

Kenneth V. Hager

Mary Leonida

Edward P. Milbank

Thomas E. Nanney

Andrew Robb

Jug Stanovcic

Wade Kerrigan, Ex-Officio

AUXILIARY MEMBERS

Peggy Beal, Ex-Officio | President, Lyric Opera Circle

Nicole Browne, Ex-Officio | Ball Co-Chair, Lyric Opera Circle

Kimberlee Ried, Ex-Officio | Ball Co-Chair, Lyric Opera Circle

design@ Steven C. Kemp

THE PATH TO ELEGANCE STARTS WITH US.

NUMEROUS MODELS | ENDLESS OPTIONS ONE UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE

RESIDENT ARTIST PROGRAM

Resident Artists are chosen by national audition. The program bridges graduate training to professional careers by providing performance opportunities, coaching, and career training.

MIKAYLA LYNN HATFIELD (Soprano)

Soprano MiKayla Lynn Hatfield is a rising artist currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts at Shenandoah Conservatory, studying with Nancy Gustafson. Praised for her expressive stage presence and vocal warmth, Hatfield has recently appeared as Alice Ford in Falstaff, Lidochka in Moscow, Cheryomushki, Eugénie in Germaine Tailleferre’s La pauvre Eugénie, and the title role in Suor Angelica. In 2022, she was selected to attend the renowned American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria. The following year, she was awarded the $20,000 Stephen Feinberg Scholarship by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. In 2023, she took first place in Division II of the Shenandoah Conservatory Student Soloist Competition. Most recently, she toured Spain and Portugal with Shenandoah Opera, performing the role of Galatea in Handel’s Acis and Galatea

CHRISTINA GROHOWSKI (Mezzo-Soprano)

Mezzo-soprano Christina Grohowski holds a Master of Music in Voice and Opera from the Yale School of Music, where she studied with Adriana Zabala. She recently appeared as Clarina in La cambiale di matrimonio, Martha in Iolanta, and Mother Goose in The Rake’s Progress with Yale Opera. In summer 2024, she made her Santa Fe Opera debut as an Apprentice Singer, performing as Noble Orphan 3 in Der Rosenkavalier and in ensembles for L’elisir d’amore and The Righteous. She also covered the role of Flora in La traviata. Other recent performances include Yale Opera’s fall scenes program, in which she appeared as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor, and in Yale Opera on Broadway.

DAVID PELINO (Tenor)

Haitian American performer David Pelino, described as having a “powerful tenor” (South Florida Classical Review), is equally at home on the concert stage, in opera, in recital, and with professional ensembles. On stage, he recently made his role debuts as Wesley Harris in the Kentucky premiere of Paul Moravec’s Sanctuary Road, and as Sam in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah. In summer of 2025, Pelino participated in the Bay View Music Festival, performing the roles of Booker T. Washington in Ragtime and Don José in Carmen. In concert, his versatile instrument has made him a featured soloist in major works such as Joseph Haydn’s The Creation, Handel’s Messiah, Théodore Dubois’s The Seven Last Words of Christ, Adolphus Hailstork’s I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, and as the Evangelist in J. S. Bach’s St. John Passion

ALEX SMITH (Baritone)

Baritone Alex Smith is in his second year as the Resident Artist Baritone at Lyric Opera of Kansas City. In the 2024–2025 Lyric Opera season, he performed Fiorello in The Barber of Seville and Ping in Turandot, and study-covered Figaro in The Barber of Seville. In 2023, Smith was a Young Artist at The Glimmerglass Festival, performing in the ensembles of La bohème and Roméo et Juliette. Other recent roles include the Musiklehrer in Ariadne auf Naxos, Junius in The Rape of Lucretia, Raimbaud in Le Comte The Rake’s Progress, and Marco in Gianni Schicchi

Sponsored, in part, by Ms. Connie Walker

INKYO HONG (Coach-Accompanist)

Pianist Inkyo Hong is a collaborative pianist and conductor and has participated in numerous operatic productions and orchestral ensembles. From 2021 to 2023, she served on the musical coaching staff at the Indiana University Opera and Ballet Theater. In 2023, she joined the Juilliard School as a studio pianist in the Pre-College, Extension, and College divisions. In the fall of 2024, she joined the artistic team for opera productions at Julliard Vocal Arts, where she is a collaborative pianist. Hong has performed at distinguished venues such as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the Kosciuszko Foundation, and the Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Lincoln Center.

Photo@ Andrew Schwartz

Best Historic Small Town by USA TODAY (2025)

Top 10 True Western Town of the Year by True West Magazine (2025)

Best Presidential Attraction by Newsweek (2025)

APPRENTICE ARTIST PROGRAM

Lyric Opera’s Apprentice Artist Program gives university vocal students the opportunity to gain valuable experience and training on their way to becoming professional opera singers. Throughout the season, our Apprentice Artists gain practical career experience working alongside the industry’s most notable singers, conductors, and directors.

PAYTON BOLDT (Soprano)

Soprano Payton Boldt holds a Master of Music from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and is pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice at the same institution, studying with Dr. Maria Kanyova. Boldt has performed extensively in the United States and Italy, with roles including Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Pamina and Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Cinderella in Into the Woods, and Laurette in Le docteur Miracle

MADELINE FRIESEN (Mezzo-Soprano)

Mezzo-soprano Madeline Friesen is in her second year as the Apprentice Artist Mezzo-Soprano at Lyric Opera of Kansas City. During the 2024–2025 season, she performed as the Clear String in The Haberdasher Prince and appeared in the ensemble of Turandot. Other recent roles include Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, Le Prince Charmant in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, and Olga in The MerryWidow. A native of Olathe, Kansas, Friesen earned her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the University of North Texas and is currently pursuing her Master of Music at the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory, where she studies with Dr. Aidan Soder.

SAMUEL ENRIQUEZ (Baritone)

Samuel Enriquez is a baritone from Houston, TX, who recently completed his Master of Music in Voice at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory, studying with Dr. Raymond Feener. He recently performed roles such as Father in Hänsel und Gretel, Senator Potter in Fellow Travelers, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, the Baker in Into the Woods, and Moralès in Carmen

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

FOR ADULTS

Our community engagement programs invite audiences to connect more deeply with the stories we tell on stage—through conversation, context, and shared experiences. Regular offerings include:

Community Conversations

This event series uses opera to discover our shared humanity, on and off the stage. We invite the culturally curious to explore the “here and now” implications of productions in a series of events featuring live music and stimulating conversation. No prior opera knowledge necessary!

Opera Dives Deep

This free series provides audiences with fresh insights from regional scholars and industry professionals to enrich appreciation and understanding of the operas in our season. Both established operagoers and curious newcomers alike are sure to make discoveries.

Opera Book Club

Discover more about the operas in our season through relevant books and discussions. Members enjoy exclusive behind-the-scenes opportunities, enhancing understanding of every production.

Pre-Opera Talks

Do you have tickets to see an opera at the Kauffman Center? Come fifty minutes early to learn about the who, what, where, when, and why of the production you’re about to see.

FOR SCHOOLS

Our K–12 education programs invite students and teachers to engage with opera in classrooms and community spaces. 2025–2026 offerings include:

• The Haberdasher Prince—a touring opera for elementary schools

• Langston Hughes: A Lyrical Life—a touring production for secondary schools

• Student Dress Rehearsals—school groups attend the final dress rehearsal of our operas at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Cusick Plastic Surgery

Premier Senior Living in the Heart of Kansas City

For families on the cancer journey

An opera in two acts

Music by Gioachino Rossini

Words by Jacopo Ferretti

PRINCIPAL CAST

Angelina

Don Ramiro

Dandini

Don Magnifico

Alidoro

Clorinda

Tisbe

* Lyric Opera Debut

^ Lyric Opera Resident Artist

Siphokazi Molteno*

Jack Swanson

Ian Rucker*

Matt Burns

Colin Ramsey*

MiKayla Lynn Hatfield*^

Christina Grohowski*^

Cinderella was originally performed by Teatro Valle, 1817.

Presented in Italian with English titles projected above the stage

Running time: Three hours with one intermission

CREATIVE TEAM

CONDUCTOR

DIRECTOR

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

SET DESIGNER

COSTUME DESIGNER

LIGHTING DESIGNER

SOUND DESIGNER

WIG AND MAKE-UP DESIGNER

CHORUS MASTER

REHEARSAL ACCOMPANISTS

MUSIC LIBRARIAN

PROPS SUPERVISOR

PROPS ASSISTANT

LIGHTING SUPERVISOR

COSTUME COORDINATOR

WIG AND MAKE-UP ASSISTANT

TITLES OPERATOR

STAGE MANAGER

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS

HEAD SCENIC ARTIST

SCENIC ARTISTS

HEAD CARPENTER

HEAD PROPSMAN

HEAD ELECTRICIAN

HEAD FLYMAN

HEAD SOUND ENGINEER

WARDROBE SUPERVISOR

WARDROBE ASSISTANT

SCENIC CARPENTERS

CONSTRUCTION DRAFTERS

*Lyric Opera Debut

^Lyric Opera Resident Artist

Gary Thor Wedow

Michael Shell

Matthew J. Schulz*

Steven C. Kemp

Amanda Seymour

Driscoll Otto

John Story

David Zimmerman

Piotr Wiśniewski

Piotr Wiśniewski, Inkyo Hong*^

Elena Lence-Talley

Gavin Merrill

Amaka Maduabuchi*

Selena Gonzalez-Lopez

Nancy Robinson

Oran Wongpandid

Sarah Zsohar

Alayna Powell

Zoe Steenwyk, Jess Tibboles

Bethany Elliott

Jack Brooks, Kelli Herrod, Shawnna Journagan, Tress Katzenmeier, Gavin Merrill, Charles Moore, Ethan Shaffer, Erin Walley

Kyle Deckman

Stephen Cochran

Dan McMahan

Ryan Lewis

Grant Conrad

Desiree Baird Story

Amanda McCarty

Stephen Cochran, Kyle Deckman, Julian Garcia, James Hare, Dale Klamm, Melvin McClenahan, Miles Mosher, Eli Yaffe

Selena Gonzalez-Lopez, Rafael Toribio

CHORUS TENOR

Aaron Bunnell

Zachary K. Devin@

Drew Duncan

Trent Green

Kevin Thomas Smith

Brian Sussman

*Lyric Opera Debut

@ Past Resident Artist/Apprentice

BASS-BARITONE

Phil Eatherton

Cameron Ferguson

Riley Findley@

Terry Murphy@

Matthew Scrivner

Nathan Whitson

SUPERNUMERARIES

Deborah Carr

Jeninne Coleman

Charlotte Gilman

Gayle Hutchens*

Josh Keen

Erin Klubek

Alisa Lynn

Will Petrie

Natasha Roh

Ernesto Suárez

Katie Tigerstrom

Jeremy Walter

Photo@ Andrew Schwartz

JUNE

OCTOBER

DECEMBER 5-7, 2025 | THE FOLLY THEATER Aha! CaBOOret

MARCH 20-22, 2026 | THE FOLLY THEATER

HONORING OUR LEGACY. FORGING OUR FUTURE.

KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY

MATTHIAS PINTSCHER, Music Director

FIRST VIOLINS

Jun Iwasaki, Concertmaster

Miller Nichols Chair

Stirling Trent, Associate Concertmaster

Sunho Kim, Assistant Concertmaster

Anne-Marie Brown

Michael Brown

Betty Chen

Anthony DeMarco

Susan Goldenberg*

Tomoko Iguchi

Dorris Dai Janssen

Filip Lazovski+

Chiafei Lin

Vladimir Rykov

Alex Shum*

SECOND VIOLINS

Tamamo Someya Gibbs, Principal

Carter Coleman, Associate Principal

Kristin Velicer, Assistant Principal

Minhye Helena Choi

Mary Garcia Grant

Kazato Inouye

Rena Ishii

Paul Kim

Stephanie Larsen

Jinyou Lee

Sodam Lim

Ayrton Pisco

VIOLAS

MingYu Hsu, Principal

Duncan Steele, Associate Principal

Jessica Nance, Assistant Principal

Kent Brauninger

Sean Brumble

Marvin Gruenbaum

Jenifer Houck

Duke Lee

Jesse Yukimura

CELLOS

Mark Gibbs, Principal, Robert A. Kipp Chair

Susie Yang, Associate Principal, Richard Hill Chair

Alexander East, Assistant Principal

Maria Crosby

John Eadie

Lawrence Figg

Sally Kim

Meredith McCook

Allen Probus

DOUBLE BASSES

Evan Halloin, Acting Principal

Richard Ryan, Acting Associate Principal

Nils Aardahl

Lena Goodson+

Joseph Nuñez

Keith Wymer+

FLUTES

Michael Gordon, Principal, Marylou and John Dodds

Turner Chair

Shannon Finney, Associate Principal

Liz Teplitsky+

PICCOLO

Liz Teplitsky+

OBOES

Kristina Fulton, Principal, Shirley Bush Helzberg Chair

Alison Chung, Associate Principal

Matthew Lengas

ENGLISH HORN

Matthew Lengas

CLARINETS

Javier Morales-Martinez+, Acting Principal, Bill and Peggy Lyons Chair

Raymond Santos^

Trevor Stewart+, Acting Associate Principal

John Klinghammer

E-FLAT CLARINET

Trevor Stewart+

BASS CLARINET

John Klinghammer

BASSOONS

Ann Bilderback, Principal, Barton P. and Mary D. Cohen Chair

Thomas DeWitt, Associate Principal

Maxwell Pipinich

CONTRABASSOON

Thomas DeWitt

HORNS

David Sullivan, Acting Principal, Landon and Sarah Rowland Chair

Elizabeth Gray, Acting Associate Principal

David Gamble

Stephen Multer, Associate Principal Emeritus

Benjamin Bacni+

TRUMPETS

Julian Kaplan, Principal, James B. and Annabel Nutter Chair

Omri Barak#, Associate Principal

Shea Kelsay+

TROMBONES

Evelyn Carlson, Principal

Porter Wyatt Henderson, Associate Principal

Joseph Maiocco#

BASS TROMBONE

Joseph Maiocco#

TUBA

Joe LeFevre, Principal, Frank Byrne Chair

TIMPANI

Timothy Jepson, Principal, Michael and Susan Newburger Chair

PERCUSSION

David Yoon, Acting Principal

Justin Ochoa+, Associate Principal, Adrian and Nancy Kay

Hertog Family Chair

HARP

Chai Lee#, Principal

LIBRARIANS

Elena Lence Talley, Principal

Fabrice Curtis, Associate Principal

DAVID T. BEALS III ASSISTANT CONDUCTORS

Luke Poeppel

Daniel Wiley

Justin White, Director of Orchestra Personnel

Elena Collins, Assistant Personnel Manager

Tyler Miller, Stage Manager

Mark Watson, Assistant Stage Manager

Kristina Banton, Lighting Designer

CONDUCTOR’S NOTES

By Gary Thor Wedow

Warning! Rossini’s music can cause heart palpitations, fainting, ecstasy, euphoria, and can lead to the “Stendhal Syndrome.”

Stendhal, Rossini’s devoted biographer, first experienced the syndrome that would bear his name while visiting Florence. He became so overwhelmed by beauty that he “encountered celestial sensations” and fainted. He initially felt ambiguity about Rossini’s music and resisted and resented being moved by it. As Rossini was, Stendhal was a fervent admirer of Mozart’s ability to elevate the senses to the “higher emotions of the soul” and was suspicious of Rossini’s pulsating sensuality that hit below the belt.

An anonymous reviewer in 1820 compared the enthusiasm for Rossini to a contagion: “No matter how many times we have been forced to hear these masterpieces, feeling the greatest unwillingness in the world, we were never able to leave the theatre without feeling inflamed with this delicious sentiment that secretly takes possession of the heart.”

Early composers readily connected to the celestial music of the spheres, writing music that would elevate baser human emotions. Rossini arrived at the pivotal juncture from the Age of Enlightenment to Romanticism, after Mozart had opened the door to the new century with a common servant as operatic hero in Le nozze di Figaro. With a barber and a cinder sweeper at his side, Rossini boldly walked through that door into the nineteenth century with martial, excited music written precisely to entertain the masses.

Neanderthals sang before they spoke actual words, using “song shapes” to express emotions and intentions. This is why music is so powerful—it reaches our most primordial core. Rossini distilled the meaning and emotion of words into a melodic shape, using the singers’ incredible virtuosity to paint the characters’ feelings, never for vocal display alone. These wide-ranging emotions were transferred to the audience literally through sympathetic vibration.

Rossini felt that “in rhythm lies all the power of music,” and his music pulsates with rhythmic energy, another primal impulse. Often his accompaniments have interlocking rhythmic and phrasal patterns, and he loves to repeat these. Repetition powerfully affects our brain, pulling our body into sync. It makes us comfortable, but Rossini knows too much repetition brings boredom, and he is whiplash ready to smack us in the face with a change of key, of tempo, instrumentation, or rhythm; always moving the story forward. His thrilling, carefully structured ensembles and finales, complete with the famous Rossini crescendo, are like an express train; once you enter, you are carried through with no chance of exit until the destination.

That destination in Cinderella is your heart. Just as Cinderella captures the heart of the Prince, Rossini will capture you; you will feel your pulse elevated by the exciting rhythm, faint from laughter, and euphoric from vocal beauty. Resistance is futile, surrender!

DIRECTOR’S NOTES

By Michael Shell

“Cinderella” is one of the most enduring and widely retold stories in the world, with estimates suggesting between 350 and 1,500 variations across different cultures and time periods. Its lasting appeal lies in its universal themes—hope, romance, and the triumph of justice, where goodness is ultimately rewarded. Yet to me, Rossini’s La Cenerentola is ultimately a story about transformation. Each character, not just Angelina, longs for change. In many ways, they are all misfits, each seeking a sense of belonging or renewal.

Each character in this opera is reaching for something just out of their grasp—identity, belonging, and a sense of wholeness. They are misfits because of their heartfelt desire to be seen, heard, and to matter. They are all connected by a quiet ache, or in Don Magnifico’s case, a more boisterous one—a deep longing to be truly known and understood.

Rossini’s brilliant score plays with this tension masterfully. It dances between farce and sincerity, between absurdity and emotional truth. There are moments when time seems to stand still—when characters pause to express the chaos of their hearts—only to leap right back into dizzying comic momentum. This theatrical rhythm reminded me, unexpectedly but vividly, of the films of Wes Anderson.

Anderson’s cinematic worlds are filled with whimsical ensembles, stories that teeter on the edge of stylization and deep humanity. His films—like The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Grand Budapest Hotel—explore fractured families, misunderstood outcasts, and people desperate to connect. They live in meticulously crafted visual worlds, where time bends, logic loosens, and emotions run high beneath composed surfaces.

This production takes inspiration from that aesthetic. It’s not a literal imitation of Anderson’s work, but a theatrical homage to the kind of world he creates—a world that embraces eccentricity, revels in visual storytelling, and allows comedy and tenderness to sit side by side. It felt like a natural fit for Rossini’s magical universe.

I’m so grateful to have created this production with an outstanding cast, some of the best theatrical designers I know, and the incredible artists and staff at Lyric Opera of Kansas City. It’s been a joy to explore this story together, and I hope that what you see and hear invites you to laugh, reflect, and perhaps feel a little more seen yourself.

SYNOPSIS

ACT I

Clorinda and Tisbe, daughters of Don Magnifico, are in the middle of one of their usual arguments. Their stepsister Angelina, who is called Cinderella (Cenerentola) and serves as the family maid, sings her favorite song, about a king who married a common girl. Suddenly Alidoro, tutor to the prince Don Ramiro, enters, dressed as a beggar. The stepsisters want to send him away, but Cinderella gives him bread and coffee.

Courtiers announce that Ramiro will soon pay a visit: he is looking for the most beautiful girl in the land and will hold ball to choose his bride. Magnifico hopes that it will be one of the stepsisters: marriage to a wealthy man is the only way to save the family fortune. When everybody has left, Ramiro enters alone, dressed in his servant’s clothes so he can freely observe the prospective brides. Cinderella returns, and the two are immediately attracted to each other. He asks her who she is, and Cinderella, confused, tries to explain, then runs away.

Finally, the “prince” arrives—in fact Ramiro’s valet, Dandini, in disguise. Magnifico, Clorinda, and Tisbe fall over themselves flattering him, and he invites them to the ball. Cinderella asks to be taken along but Magnifico refuses. Ramiro notes how badly Cinderella is treated. Alidoro says there should be a third daughter in the house but Magnifico claims she has died. Left alone with Cinderella, Alidoro tells her he will take her to the ball and explains that God will reward her for her good heart.

Dandini shares his negative opinion of the two sisters with the prince. But both men are confused, since Alidoro has spoken well of one of Magnifico’s daughters. Clorinda and Tisbe appear again, following Dandini, who still pretends to be the prince. When he offers Ramiro as a husband to the sister the prince does not marry, they are outraged at the idea of marrying a servant. Alidoro enters with a beautiful unknown lady who, strangely, resembles Cinderella. Unable to make sense of the situation, they all sit down to supper, feeling as if in a dream.

ACT II

Magnifico fears that the arrival of the stranger could ruin his daughters’ chances of marrying the prince. Cinderella, tired of being pursued by Dandini, tells him that she is in love with his servant. Overhearing this, Ramiro is overjoyed and steps forward. Cinderella, however, tells him that she will return home and does not want him to follow her. If he really cares for her, she says, he will find her. The prince resolves to win the mysterious girl.

Meanwhile Magnifico, who still thinks that Dandini is the prince, confronts him, insisting that he decide which of his daughters he will marry. When Dandini reveals that he is in fact the prince’s servant, Magnifico is furious.

Magnifico and the sisters return home in a bad mood and order Cinderella, again in rags, to prepare supper. During a thunderstorm, Alidoro arranges for Ramiro’s car to break down in front of Magnifico’s mansion so that the prince must take refuge inside. Cinderella and Ramiro recognize each other, as everybody comments on the situation. Ramiro threatens Magnifico and his daughters, who are unwilling to accept defeat, but Cinderella asks him to forgive them.

At the prince’s palace, Ramiro and Cinderella celebrate their wedding. Magnifico tries to win the favor of the new princess, but she asks only to be acknowledged at last as his daughter. Born to misfortune, she has seen her life change and declares that the days of sitting by the fire are over.

ARTISTS

SIPHOKAZI MOLTENO ANGELINA (Mezzo-Soprano)

Recent

Rosina, The Barber of Seville, Teatro Regio di Torino Maddalena, Rigoletto, Teatro Regio di Torino Mezzo-Soprano Soloist, Don Giovanni’s Inferno, Royal Danish Opera

Upcoming

Bersi, Andrea Chénier, The Metropolitan Opera Rosina, The Barber of Seville, Calgary Opera Rossweisse, DieWalküre, Los Angeles Philharmonic

JACK SWANSON

DON RAMIRO (Tenor)

Recent

Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville, The Metropolitan Opera Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville, Wiener Staatsoper

Don Ramiro, La Cenerentola, Houston Grand Opera Ferrando, Così fan tutte, Den Norske Opera & Ballet

Upcoming

Ernesto, Don Pasquale, Teatro Massimo Bellini Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville, San Francisco Opera

IAN RUCKER DANDINI (Baritone)

Recent Billy Budd, The Story of Billy Budd, Sailor, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence Schaunard, La bohème, Lyric Opera of Chicago Moralès, Carmen, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Upcoming

Baritone Soloist, Orff Carmina Burana, Lyric Opera of Chicago Guglielmo, Così fan tutte, Lyric Opera of Chicago Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro, Scottish Opera

MATT BURNS

DON MAGNIFICO (Bass-Baritone)

Recent Colline, La bohème, Opera Colorado Don Pasquale, Don Pasquale, Napa Valley Festival Father Trulove, The Rake’s Progress, Opera Memphis Richard (Cover), The Hours, The Metropolitan Opera Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, Utah Opera Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, Portland Opera

COLIN RAMSEY ALIDORO (Bass)

Recent

Escamillo, Carmen, Amarillo Opera

Upcoming

Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, Opera Las Vegas

Dumas (cover), Andrea Chénier, The Metropolitan Opera

Giulio Cesare, Giulio Cesare, Opera Santa Barbara

Timur, Turandot, Pacific Opera Project

Timur, Turandot, Orchestre Philharmonique des Mélomanes

MIKAYLA LYNN HATFIELD

CLORINDA (Soprano)

Recent

Alice Ford, Falstaff, Shenandoah Conservatory

Galatea, Acis and Galatea, Shenandoah Conservatory

Lidochka, Moscow, Cheryomushki, Shenandoah Conservatory

Upcoming

Querulous String, The Haberdasher Prince, Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Strawberry Woman, The Gershwins®’ Porgy and Bess, Lyric Opera of Kansas City

CHRISTINA GROHOWSKI TISBE (Mezzo-Soprano)

Recent

Clarina, La cambiale di matrimonio, Yale Opera

Marta, Iolanta, Yale Opera

Noble Orphan 3, Der Rosenkavalier, Santa Fe Opera

Upcoming

Kate Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Clear String, The Haberdasher Prince, Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Set design@ Steven C. Kemp

CREATIVE TEAM

GARY THOR WEDOW CONDUCTOR

Recent

Conductor, The Marriage of Figaro, Palm Beach Opera Conductor, Carmen, Opera Southwest Conductor, The Barber of Seville, Des Moines Metro Opera

Upcoming Faculty, The Juilliard School

Conductor, The Barber of Seville, Opera Omaha Conductor, La Cenerentola, Arizona Opera

MICHAEL SHELL DIRECTOR

Recent

Director, La bohème, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Director, The Turn of the Screw, Jacobs School of Music Director, Suor Angelica/Trouble inTahiti, Jacobs School of Music

Upcoming

Director, La bohème, Jacobs School of Music Director, Mansfield Park, Jacobs School of Music

STEVEN C. KEMP SET DESIGNER

Recent

Set Designer, Macbeth, The Atlanta Opera

Set Designer, The Flying Dutchman, Des Moines Metro Opera

Set Designer, The Elixir of Love, New Orleans Opera

Upcoming

Set Designer, Intelligence, Virginia Opera

Set Designer, The MerryWidow, Sarasota Opera

Set Designer, La bohème, Vancouver Opera

AMANDA SEYMOUR COSTUME DESIGNER

Recent

Costume Designer, Die Fledermaus, Valley Light Opera

Costume Designer, The Barber of Seville, The Atlanta Opera

Costume Designer, Così fan tutte, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Costume Designer, Elizabeth Cree, The Glimmerglass Festival

Costume Designer, La bohème, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

DRISCOLL OTTO LIGHTING DESIGNER

Recent

Lighting & Projection Designer, Macbeth, The Atlanta Opera

Lighting Designer, Orpheus and Eurydice, The Dallas Opera

Lighting Designer, The Anonymous Lover, Opera Philadelphia

Upcoming

Lighting Designer, Benvenuto Cellini, La Monnaie / De Munt

Projection Designer, Don Carlo, The Dallas Opera

Lighting Designer, Tosca, Oper im Steinbruch

JOHN STORY SOUND DESIGNER

Recent

Sound Designer, BigTrouble at LittleYalta, Central Standard Theatre Sound Designer, The Brightness of Light, Lyric Opera Kansas City

Sound Designer, LittleWomen, Music Theatre Heritage

Sound Designer, The Adventures of Don Quixote, Bach Aria Soloists

Sound Designer, Elegy For A Lady, Central Standard Theatre

Sound Designer, Bloody, Bloody Kansas, Camden Fringe Festival

DAVID ZIMMERMAN

WIG AND MAKE-UP DESIGNER

Recent Wig and Make-Up Designer, Turandot, Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Wig and Make-Up Designer, La bohème, Santa Fe Opera

Wig and Make-Up Designer, The Turn of the Screw, Santa Fe Opera

Upcoming

Wig and Make-Up Designer, Carmen, The Dallas Opera

Wig and Make-Up Designer, Madame Butterfly, Lyric Opera of Kansas City

MATTHEW J. SCHULZ ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Recent

Director, Trouble in Tahiti, Annapolis Opera Director, OPERA Iowa Tour, Des Moines Metro Opera Assistant Director, The Rake’s Progress, Des Moines Metro Opera

Upcoming Director, La traviata, Fargo-Moorhead Opera Assistant Director, Fidelio, Utah Opera Director, Die Fledermaus, University of Northern Iowa Opera

PIOTR WIŚNIEWSKI

CHORUS MASTER

Recent

Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor, Roméo et Juliette, The Barber of Seville, Turandot, Lyric Opera of Kansas City Conductor, Maya and the Magic Ring, Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Upcoming

Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor, Madame Butterfly, The Gershwins®’ Porgy and Bess, Of Mice and Men, Lyric Opera of

Kansas City

INDIVIDUAL GIVING

Lyric Opera of Kansas City extends its deepest appreciation to the individual contributors who help support the Company’s productions and programs. We recognize annual giving to the Company and Lyric Opera Ball of $250 or more received between August 1, 2024—July 31, 2025.

*Includes contributions to Lyric Opera Ball +Includes giving to the Special Gifts Campaign

RICHARD J. STERN SOCIETY

($50,000+)

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Bruening

Shirley & Barnett Helzberg Foundation* +

Joan Horan*

Ingram Family Foundation*

Mr. Edward P. Milbank*

Mr. Michael Waterford

MAESTRO'S CIRCLE

($25,000–$49,999)

Ann Baum, G. Kenneth and Ann Baum Philanthropic Fund*

Mr. & Mrs. A. Joseph Brandmeyer*

James & Diana Cusser*

Dr. Gary Grunewald Charitable Fund

Ken & Marilyn Hager*

Paul & Elizabeth Uhlmann+

Ms. Connie Walker*+

BEL CANTO

($10,000–$24,999)

Mrs. Raymond Backstrom

Mr. & Mrs. Lee Baty*

Mark T. Benedict & Dr. Kim Mongeau

Ann and Gary Dickinson Family Charitable Foundation

Tony & Meredith Durone*+

Richard & Lauren English*+

Dr. Melinda Estes & Dr. Harold Morris

Joyce G. Holland

Charlie Huggard

Kirk Foundation

Jill Ingram Reynolds*

Walter & Gayle Richardson

James & Laurie Rote

Stephen & Dolores Schroff

John & Marny Sherman*

Mr. J. Michael Sigler*

IMPRESARIO

($5,000–$9,999)

M. Wayne Alexander & John W. Braum

Drs. Iván & Karla Batlle*

Peggy & Andy Beal*

Scott & Joyce Blakesley

Robert & Pamela Bruce*

Christopher & Lisa Cella

Nan Chapman*

Casey Claps

Rita M. Cortés

Mrs. Una Creditor

Elsberry Family Foundation*

Michael D. Fields*

Richard Gutknecht

Christina Hager & Neil Darling

Mr. & Mrs. John Hale

Yong Y. Han, M.D.

Ellen & Irv Hockaday

Charlie Huggard

Beverly & Craig Kemp

Judy Kirk

Mary Leonida

Tom & Kathy Nanney

Don & Pamela Raffurty

Andrew & Brittany Robb

Jug & Rachael Stanovcic*

H. Wayne & Melanie Thompson

LYRIC OPERA ANGEL

($3,000–$4,999)

Andy & Kathy Anderson* Anonymous

Craig Armstrong

Gary & Suzy Bennett

George & Dara Bock*

Jerry & Meghan Carpenter*

Robert Claassen

Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Craig, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. B.J. Craig

Michael & Karen Douglas

Marilyn A. W. and Norman E Gaar, Esq.*

Trudy & Jack Gabriel*

Kurt & Linnell Gretzinger*

Donald J. Hall Jr.*

John and Sharon Hoffman

Mr. & Mrs. B. Caleb Jackson

Mary Lou James & Jim Taylor

Dr. Robert E. and Dr. Rebecca Johnson

Graham & Helen Marcott

Donald & Linda Milligan

Drs. Margaret & Barry Nickell

Edward & Chris Null

George & Suzy Pagels

Dr. Ronald & Donna Patton*

Ms. Lisa Flynn Pruch*

Dennis & Palle Rilinger

Michelle & Chuck Ritter*

Carmen M. Sabates and Doug Peavey

Deborah Sandler & Crosby Kemper*

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Schellhorn*

Megan C. Toal

Fr. Paul Turner

Dr. Linda E. Voigts & Mr. Gene Voigts

Lynne & Carl Weilert*

Dr. Edward A. Wortham, Jr.

Dr. Michael J. & Cindy S. Wurm*

Jack F. and Glenna Y. Wylie Charitable Foundation/Midwest Trust/Thomas*

ARIA SOCIETY

($1,500–$2,999)

Ann & Terry Bender*

Ms. Sharon A. Barry*

Ron & Kathy Bremer

Mr. & Mrs. Peter Brown*

Richard & Nicole Browne*

Gerard and Judy Bukowski

Wendy Burrell*

Mr. & Mrs. Forrest Chumley

Patricia E. Cleary Miller, PhD

Dr. Suzanne C. Crandall

Mr. William J. Dickinson

Tim & Deanna Diebolt*

Randy & Edie Downing*

Peggy & Terry Dunn*

William & Eileen Everett*

Rev. & Mrs. William J. Fasel*

Ms. Ellen Feldhausen

Darold & Melinda Frenzen*

Dr. & Mrs. James K. Gentry*

George and Frances Gerritz*

Ellen & John Goheen

Bruce & Kathryn Gordon

John Scheinman & Anita Toby Grow

Gary & Liddell Hobin

Steve Joss

Ms. Dana M. Koehn

Sherry Love & Michael J. Hunter, Sr.*

Julia & Greg Malter*

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Mayer

Mr. & Mrs. John Middelkamp*

Ursula Terrasi & Jim Miller*

Barbara Nelson*

Debra & Allen Parmet

Dr. and Mrs. Joshua & Elizabeth Petrikin

Katie & Ron Petrikin

Joseph & Kelly Privitera*

Erik Bergrud & Kimberlee N. Ried*

Dr. & Mrs. Nelson R. Sabates*

Glen & Susan Sands*

Betty C. Scott*

Dr. Christopher and Lisa Sirridge*

Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Slaughter*

Ms. Suzanne Shank*

Barbara Spilker*

Juliette Singer & Ian Spinks*

Mrs. Carol Tinsman

Howard & Irene Weiner

Jeff & Danielle Whitman*

Dr. & Mrs. John Yungmeyer*

Sophia C. Zetmeir

VIRTUOUSO

($1,000–$1,499)

Roger Bond and Victoria Hermes-Bond

Joyce Castle

Mrs. CJ Charbonneau

Mr. C. L. Cocke

Donna Gould Cohen

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Copaken

Pat & Don Dagenais

John & Julia Duty

Anne & Howard Elsberry Family Foundation*

Steven & Carolyn Faenger*

Dr. Karen L. Florio

Mr. & Mrs. Lafayette J. Ford III

Mr. Mark Gilman

Robert Haas

Ms. Lisa Merrill Hickok*

Harold & Vicki James

Bruce and Cynda Johnson

Greg & Sue Chamberlain Klein

Mr. & Mrs. William Kort

Bev Leonard*

Nanci Regan & Robert Lunn

Mr. Andrew McDonald

Heidi McIntyre

Anne Petrie

Vernon & Trish Church Podlasek*

Ms. Lucinda Rice-Petrie*

Kelton W. H. Smith

Jackie Spears & Dean Zollman

Linda Stevens*

Mr. and Mrs. Terrence P. Sullivan

Jeffrey & Alisha Walker*

Karl & Beth Zobrist

COMPRIMARIO

($500–$999)

Bob and Ruth Abbott

Anonymous (3)

Andrea Norris & Thomas Beisecker

Christopher & Sharon Bradford

Dr. Rita M. Burnett

Arden & Mary Ann Carr

Dr. Akin & Ayca Aktas Cil*

Craig D. Coen & Jeffrey Alan Bellamy

Mr. H. Hurst Coffman

Jolle Kirpensteijn

Dr. & Mrs. Steve Crouch

Pat and Liz Daniels

Dr. & Mrs. John M. Davis

Roger Dirks & Cynthia Capellari

Mr. & Mrs. David Embry*

Warren & Jenny Erdman*

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Fenske*

Ms. Barbara Fessler*

Genee Figuieras

Connie & Antoni Firner

Mrs. Alexandra Phillip Fontana

Tresia Ann Franklin*

Dr. John & Hilary Fried*

Drs. Alexandra Golik & Alfredo Garcia

Michael & Judy Graf

Carol Grantham

Roberta Gumbel

Dr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Hall III

Christine Hands

Charles & Barbara Haviland*

Dr. & Mrs. Edward Higgins

Bill & Margo Humenczuk

Jonathan & Nancy Lee Kemper*

Ms. Kristina L Klug*

Jon D. Kowing

Ms. Margaret L. Lesher*

Jenny Manka*

Kevin Martinez

Ms. Ann McCray

P. Alan McDermott

Ms. Madeleine M. McDonough

Douglas & Nina McKenna

Kathy & Bill Migneron

Karen Mische *

Ron & Jane Nesemeyer*

Dr. Sieglinde Othmer*

Bill Pallucca

James Ralstin

Gigi & Gary Rose*

Thomas & Patty Ruehle

Bruce & Nancy Schall*

Mrs. Patricia Scott*

Lora Smith*

Greg & Ann Smith

Timothy Todd and Katherine

Daniel L. Turner & Carol Dziadik Turner

Mrs. Barbara Weary

William & Judith Webb

Joy Wheeler*

Deborah Wilkinson

Marcus Williams

Jean Wise

Mr. Steven L. York

Mr. Mansour Zarinkia*

CHORUS

($250–$499)

Mary & Gary Adams

Ellen & John Aisenbrey

Richard & Emily Ballentine

John & Janet Bennett

Philip & Janet Broaddus

Mike Brown

Jeffrey & Diane Buczkowski

James R. Cook

Dennis & Ellen Cooley

Doug & Terri Curran

Cathy Daicoff

Jerry & Frances Daniels

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew DeCocq

Joi Dickmann*

Jo Anne & Bill Dondlinger*

Laurie C. Eck

Mr. Kenneth Eiler

Jon & Avis Erickson

Mrs. Linda Ferguson

Olga Ganzen*

Richard and Winifred Gill

Charles & Barbara Gorodetzky

Judge Jon R. Gray and Dr. Valerie E. Chow

Michael & Carol Grimaldi

Mr. & Mrs. George E. Handley

Roger Hiatt & Patricia Haegelin-Hiatt

Mr. & Mrs. William Hirsch

Mr. Arthur A. Benson II

Drs. John & Ann Kenney*

Jessica & Wade Kerrigan*

W. Russell King & Susan M. Clevenger

Jerry Knoll

Mr. Jim David Koger

Mrs. Petra Kralickova*

Rodney & Margaret LaMothe

Drs. Douglas Law and Patricia Cox

Mr. David E. Martin

Michael and Marcy Mazzarella

Robert Wilshire and Anne McDonald

Ms. Patricia Meads

Ms. Ann M Nigro*

Mark & Lynne O’Connell

Floyd Pentlin

Mr. John Pepper*

Ms. Maggie Presson

Ms. Carolyn J. Price*

Scott & Jeanne Redick*

Edward & Charlotte Ronan

Richard and Beverly Rush*

Mr. Jim Schraeder

John Schreiman*

Michael and Anne Shaw

Mr. William Smith

Deirdre Squires*

Ms. Melissa Stanfield*

James Staples*

Mr. Steven E. and Dr. Evelina Swartzman

Steve & Linda Taylor*

Fredrick & Abigail Woods Tempel

Ms. Beverly Thomas

Ms. Suzanne Tipton*

Mrs. John D. Turner*

Mrs. Sandra Vogel

Hal L. vonBohnhoff

Dr. Stephen and Diana Whitney

Dick & Margaret Wieland

Ms. Janis L. Yarnevich

Mr. John Younger

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank our valued community partners whose generous contribution of time, resources, and talents have been essential to our success. We deeply appreciate your dedication to bringing opera to life throughout the Kansas City region. Thank you!

Asian American Chamber of Commerce

Kansas City

ArtsTech

Chicano Center for the Arts

Church of the Resurrection

Classical KC

The Consulate of Mexico in Kansas City

Heart of America Japan-America Society

Hella Good Deeds

Kansas City Chinese American Association

Kansas City Chinese Association

Kansas City Public Library

Kansas City Public Schools

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools

Kauffman Foundation Conference Center

Kansas City Young Audiences

Kansas State School for the Blind

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

Kirk Family YMCA

Lawrence Arts Center

Latinx Education Collaborative

Lyric Opera Community Advisory Council

Mid-Continent Public Library

Midwest Trust Center

Moreno Denton Language Services

The Museum of Kansas City

newEar Contemporary Chamber

Ensemble

No Divide KC

Notre Dame de Sion Schools of Kansas City

Rainy Day Books

RC Williams Company

Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist

Church

St. Mary Episcopal Church

The Russell Restaurant & Catering

Turn the Page KC

University of Kansas Medical Center

Victory Hills Baptist Church

Drs. Roger and Everlyn Williams

Yukari KC

Thank you to all of our school partners and Teaching Artists this season!

IN-KIND, MATCHING GIFT, & CORPORATE SHARE PARTNERS

A. Zahner Company

Baird Foundation, Inc.

Colgate-Palmolive Company

Cupini’s

Hallmark Cards, Inc.

Helzberg Diamonds

High Touch Technologies*

Husch Blackwell

Merrill Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Mr. Edward P. Milbank

Sanofi-Aventis*

The Sosland Foundation

Splunk LLC

Swoon Cookie Crafters

Wandering Vine at the Castle

LIFETIME GIVING

Lyric Opera of Kansas City is proud to honor the leadership and extraordinary support of the following individuals and institutions that have given generously to the Lyric over many years. Their cumulative gifts of $100,000 or more help bring our mission to life by making transformational opera experiences possible in our city. We are grateful for their investment and unwavering belief in the power of opera.

*Deceased

Anonymous

Ann & Gary Dickinson Family

Charitable Foundation

Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation

Ann Baum, G. Kenneth & Ann Baum

Philanthropic Fund

ArtsKC Regional Arts Council

Arvin Gottlieb Charitable Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

Sydney Backstrom & Raymond* Backstrom

Bank of America Charitable Foundation

Barnett and Shirley Helzberg Foundation

Drs. Iván & Karla Batlle

Mr. & Mrs. A. Joseph Brandmeyer

The Breidenthal-Snyder Foundation, Inc.

Drs. Doug & Mary* Brothers

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Bruening

City of Kansas City, Missouri Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund

Virginia & Charles Clark

Columbian Bank and Trust Company

Courtney S. Turner Charitable Trust, Bank of America, Trustee

Mrs. Una & Dr. Morton* Creditor

Cyr Family Charitable Fund

Pat & Don Dagenais

David T. Beals III Charitable Trust, Bank of America, Trustee

Mrs. Ann Dickinson*

DST Systems, Inc.

Mr. Richard & Mrs. Maureen*

Durwood

E. Kemper Carter & Anna Curry Carter Community Memorial Trust, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

Anne & Howard Elsberry

Elsberry Family Foundation

Enid & Crosby Kemper Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

Estelle S. & Robert A. Long Ellis Foundation

Dr. Melinda Estes & Dr. Harold Morris

Craig & Dawn Evans

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

Francis Family Foundation

Dr. Michael and Ginger Frost

Trudy & Jack Gabriel

H & R Block Foundation

Ken & Marilyn Hager

Hall Family Foundation

Hallmark Corporate Foundation

Helen & Sam Kaplan Charitable Foundation

Shirley & Barnett Helzberg, Jr.

Richard Hill*

Joyce G. Holland

Joan Horan

Husch Blackwell LLP

Mrs. Beth Ingram

Ingram Family Foundation

Jack & Glenna Wylie Charitable Foundation

J.B. Reynolds Foundation

John W. & Effie E. Speas Memorial Trust, Bank of America, Trustee

John Kander

Mr. Elvin B. Klein

Lyric Opera Circle

Lyric Opera Guild

Lyric Opera of Kansas City Endowment Fund

Lyric Opera of Kansas City - William

Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund

Lyric Opera of Kansas City - Our Next Act Endowment

Lyric Opera of Kansas City - Polsky Fund

Mabee Foundation

Marion & Henry Bloch Family Foundation

Master Craftsmen Foundation

Mrs. Sandra & Mr. Albert* Mauro

Caroline French McBride*

Carl & Lee* McCaffree

McCownGordon Construction

Thomas & Jean McDonnell

Metropolitan Performing Arts Fund

Mr. Edward P. Milbank

Missouri Arts Council/Missouri Arts Council Trust Fund

Muriel I. Kauffman Fund for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Muriel McBrien Kauffman Family Foundation

Oppenstein Brothers Foundation, Commerce Bank, Trustee Pemberton Family Charitable Foundation

R.C. Kemper Charitable Trust, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

R.C. Kemper, Jr. Charitable Trust, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

Walter & Gayle Richardson

Michelle & Chuck Ritter

Mrs. Sarah & Mr. Landon* Rowland

Kenneth & Roswitha Schaffer

Vera & Mike* Seeley

Sherman Family Foundation

Mr. J. Michael Sigler

Rheta Sosland

The Sosland Foundation

Sprint Foundation

Richard J. Stern*

Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts

Stilwell Financial, Inc.

The Sunderland Foundation

Steve & Linda Taylor

Theater League

Thomas & Sally Wood Family Foundation

Mrs. Jody & Mr. Jack* Tillotson

Mrs. Carol & Mr. C. Humbert* Tinsman

Mr. Michael Waterford

The William Randolph Hearst Foundation

William T. Kemper Charitable Trust, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

William T. Kemper FoundationCommerce Bank Trust

Photo@ Andrew Schwartz

INSTITUTIONAL GIVING

Lyric Opera of Kansas City extends its deepest appreciation to the foundations, corporations, organizations, and government entities that help support the Company’s productions and programs. We recognize annual giving to the Company and Lyric Opera Ball of $250 or more received between August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025.

*Includes contributions to Lyric Opera Ball

+Includes giving to the Special Gifts Campaign

OPERA PRESENTING SPONSORS:

LYRIC OPERA UNDERWRITERS

($100,000+)

Lyric Opera Circle

Lyric Opera of Kansas City Endowment Fund

Lyric Opera of Kansas CityOur Next Act Endowment

Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation

Muriel I. Kauffman Fund for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Sherman Family Foundation

The State of Missouri

The Sunderland Foundation

William T. Kemper Charitable Trust, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

MAESTRO’S CIRCLE

($25,000–$49,999)

Arvin Gottlieb Charitable Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee

City of Kansas City, MO Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund

Hallmark Corporate Foundation

J.B. Reynolds Foundation*

Lyric Opera of Kansas CityWilliam Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund

Mark Edelman Theater Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City

Pemberton Family Charitable Foundation

William T. Kemper FoundationCommerce Bank Trust

BEL

CANTO ($10,000–$24,999)

Cyr Family Charitable Remainder Trust

Estelle S. and Robert A. Long Ellis Foundation

Lyric Opera of Kansas City - Polsky Fund

Mdivani Corporate Immigration Law Firm

Northern Trust

The Sosland Foundation

IMPRESARIO

($5,000–$9,999)

The DeBruce Foundation*

High Touch Inc*

Jack and Glenna Wylie Charitable Foundation - Midwest Trust*

Orpheus KC*

CORPORATE & COMMUNITY COUNCIL ($3,000–$4,999)

Arvest Bank

Commerce Bank, n.a.*

Halls KC*

Husch Blackwell LLP*

JE Dunn Construction Company

R.A. Long Foundation

RubinBrown LLP*

CORPORATE & COMMUNITY SPONSORS ($250–$2,999)

Aristocrat Motors*

JoAnn Meierhoff Charitable Foundation

John & Bernice Hamra Foundation*

Kansas City Museum*

Louis and Frances Swinken Supporting Foundation, Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City

Missouri Humanities, Missouri Humanities Trust

The Martha Lee Cain Tranby Music Enrichment Fund

TruPay

Uncover KC

OCT 14-NOV 2

Copaken Stage

When the lines between predator and prey blur, the power of women’s strength rises from the shadows in this fearless adaptation of Bram Stoker’s iconic Dracula.

Follow the yellow brick road to magic adventure!and MAY 5-24

Spencer Theatre

SEP 2-21

Spencer Theatre

Indulge in a world of soul-stirring music and unyielding hope with this award-winning stage musical based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize- winning novel.

FEB 17-MAR 8

Copaken Stage

The ultimate family showdown is on in this new comedy hailed as “genuinely funny, topical, and heartfelt” by Entertainment Weekly.

SPECIAL EVENT! NOV 22-DEC 27

Spencer Theatre

Celebrating Gary Neal Johnson, as he prepares to take his final bow as Ebenezer Scrooge.

MEMORIAL GIFTS

In Memory of Donna Carper

Scott & Jeanne Redick

Jill Ingram Reynolds

Lyric Opera Circle

In Honor of Rita Cortés

Ann Baum, G. Kenneth and Ann Baum Philanthropic Fund

In Memory of Ann Dickinson

Ann and Gary Dickinson Family

Charitable Foundation

made August 1, 2024–July 31, 2025

In Honor of Floyd Pentlin

Phyllis Klocek

In Memory of Carmen Celia Sabates

Carmen M. Sabates & Doug Peavey

In Memory of Mary Lou Sauer

Ms. Sarah Anderson

Suzanne Baker

Philip & Janet Broaddus

Marie Cook

Joan Huchthausen

Marsha Laner

Mary Obrien

Elisabeth Sauer

In Memory of Peter Sherrow

Lyric Opera Circle

BECOME A PART OF THE MAGIC

GIVE TO LYRIC OPERA OF KANSAS CITY

You can help bring the magic of opera to all of Kansas City! Your generosity allows us to:

• CREATE high-quality artistic experiences, through world-class opera, curated right here in Kansas City

• TRANSFORM the lives of more than 26,000 people every year with extraordinary music, artistry, and performances

• CAPTIVATE new audiences by introducing children (and adults!) to their first opera experience

• DEVELOP the next generation of opera performers through our nationally recognized Apprentice and Resident Artist Programs

EVERY GIFT IS MEANINGFUL

For more information about giving and the exciting benefits available, please scan the QR code below, or contact our Development Team at (816) 802-6056, or giving@kcopera.org.

GIVE NOW!

Photo@ Don Ipock

Founded in 1987, the Lyric Opera Circle is a group of community women whose purpose is to support Lyric Opera of Kansas City through advocacy in our community and by hosting the annual Lyric Opera Ball. Throughout its history, this philanthropic event has raised over $18 million to help underwrite world-class Lyric Opera productions.

LEARN MORE

Photo @ Rita Clark for The Independent

CREATE YOUR OWN SUBSCRIPTION!

Chart your own opera path with Lyric Opera’s 2025–2026 Create Your Own Packages. Scan the QR code on the left to purchase your subscription.

LYRIC OPERA STAFF

LEADERSHIP

Deborah Sandler Kemper, General Director and CEO

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Jeffrey Walker, Chief Financial Officer

Danny Boteler, Controller

Amy Tungol, HR & Payroll Specialist

Keri Fox, Staff Accountant

Melissa Roberts, Executive Assistant & Board Liaison

ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATION

Brad Trexell, Director of Artistic Administration

Piotr Wiśniewski, Head of Music Staff & Chorus Master

Michaela Martens, Resident Artist Voice Teacher

LEARNING

Neal Long, Director of Learning

Emily Bridges, Manager of School Programs

Laura Blankenship, Manager of Community Programs

PRODUCTION

Tracy Davis-Singh, Director of Production

Rafael Toribio, Technical Director

Sarah Zsohar, Artist Services Manager

Selena Gonzalez-Lopez, Assistant Technical Director/Lighting Supervisor

DEVELOPMENT

Ashley Parks, Chief Development Officer

Rebecca Ballinger Clark, Major Gifts Officer

Laurie Eck, Manager of Individual Giving & Circle Liaison

Elinore Noyes, Institutional Giving Manager

Melissa Trierweiler, Manager of Development Operations

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Gregory Campbell, Director of Marketing & Communications

Amanda Schuster, Senior Manager of Ticketing & Patron Services

Emily Stott, Manager of Marketing Operations

Mason McBride, Manager of Digital Communications

Enrique Zabala, Graphic Designer

Gabriella Swoboda, Assistant Manager of Ticketing and Patron Services

Ellen McDonald, Publicity Consultant

Ticketing & Patron Services Representatives: Catherine Cone, Jocalyn Clardy, Baylee Dolph, Rowan Frazier, Josephine Meyers, Dennis Pearson, and Brianna Volkmann

LEGAL COUNSEL

Wade Kerrigan, Husch Blackwell, LLP, General Counsel

LYRIC OPERA PATRON SERVICES

Phone: (816) 471-7344

E-mail: patronservices@kcopera.org

Mail: Lyric Opera Patron Services, 1725 Holmes St., KCMO 64108

Regular Business Hours: Monday–Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Weekend Performance Day Hours (mainstage only): For performance weekend hours, please visit kcopera.org.

Ticketing & Patron Services representatives are available at the Kauffman Center box office beginning ninety minutes before every performance and through the first intermission.

GROUP TICKETS

BRING A GROUP TO THE OPERA!

Group orders of ten or more seats receive up to a 25% off discount, subject to standard facility fees. To book your group today and learn about options to amplify the experience, call Ticketing & Patron Services at (816) 471-7344 or visit kcopera.org/groups.

Photo@ Andrew Schwartz

Emergency Evacuation Procedures

The Kauffman Center is equipped with advanced life-safety early alert systems. Each performance hall is designed with emergency exits in case of an evacuation. In the event of severe weather, shelter in place inside the hall, not in a lobby area, and await further instructions.

In the event of an emergency, the performance will be interrupted. Horns and strobes will sound. Emergency instructions will be delivered from the stage.

Please remain seated as staff use an appropriate amount of investigational time to verify the source of the alarm.* Should an evacuation be necessary, lighted red (Muriel Kauffman Theatre) and green (Helzberg Hall) exit signs will lead patrons to one of eight emergency exit paths.

Patrons with mobility limitations and/or those who are not able to navigate stairs should remain in the venue near one of the marked “Emergency Evacuation Assistance” areas. First responders will evacuate those requiring assistance immediately upon their arrival.

Elevators, primary entrances and the Brandmeyer Great Hall staircase are NOT used in the case of an emergency evacuation.

For more information on emergency evacuation procedures, visit kauffmancenter.org/policies