American baritone Norman Garrett, who has been called “scene-stealing” by the New York Times, is enjoying a varied and exciting career. In the 2025/26 season, Mr. Garrett will sing the title role in Verdi’s Macbeth with Boston Lyric Opera, Scarpia in Tosca with Des Moines Metro Opera, Jim in Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera, Crown in Porgy and Bess with Lyric Opera Kansas City, and the Marquis de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites with New Orleans Opera. In concert, he sings Carlisle Floyd’s Pilgrimage with Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and Martinů’s Epic of Gilgamesh with Bard SummerScape.

In the 2024/25 season, Norman Garrett returned to Washington National Opera as Crown in Porgy and Bess, The Reverend in Blue with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, debuted the role of Macbeth with Opera Orlando, and Abdul in Omar in concert with Quad City Symphony. Additional concert appearances included Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Phoenix Symphony and joined composer Terence Blanchard for highlights from Fire, Shut up in My Bones at Purdue University and with the Krannert Center in Urbana, Illinois.

In recent seasons, Norman Garrett has performed Conte in Le nozze di Figaro with Seattle Opera, Garby in the world premiere of The Factotum and Dr. T in the world-premiere of Proximity, both at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera and LA Opera as Abdul in Omar, Bob in William Grant Still’s Highway 1, USA with LA Opera, with Houston Grand Opera as Ríolobo in Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas, Jochanaan in Salome with Des Moines Metro Opera, Escamillo in Carmen with Austin Opera, Opera Orlando, Opera Columbus, and Lubbock Symphony, the title role in Chausson’s Le roi Arthus with Bard SummerScape, the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago as the Foreman/Adult James in Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the title role in Don Giovanni and Jochanaan, both with Dayton Opera, the title role in Delius’ Koanga with the Wexford Festival in Ireland, Larkens in La fanciulla del West with the Bayerische Staatsoper as well as Ned in a new edition of Treemonisha with Opera Theatre of St. Louis.

In Porgy and Bess, Norman Garrett has sung Crown with Theater an der Wien, Glimmerglass Festival, University of Michigan and Fort Worth Opera, Jake with Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Elbphilharmonie Orchestra on tour at the Lucerne Festival and the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival with Alan Gilbert, and Jim with the Metropolitan Opera.

As a former Cafritz Young Artist at Washington National Opera, Norman Garrett has appeared as Ríolobo in Florencia en el Amazonas, Lieutenant Gordon in Silent Night, Papageno in The Magic Flute, Masetto in Don Giovanni, the Father in Hansel and Gretel, a Steersman in Tristan und Isolde, Captain Gardiner in Jake Heggie’s Moby Dick, and the world premiere of Jeanine Tesori’s The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me.

Norman Garrett has made many important symphonic appearances, including Carmina Burana with Bramwell Tovey with the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, Donald Runnicles and the Toronto Symphony, and Orchestra of St. Lukes at Carnegie Hall; a Gershwin program conducted by Cristian Măcelaru and the Philadelphia Orchestra, a concert of American music with The Cleveland Orchestra, National Philharmonic for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Vaughan-Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carol’s with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Messiah with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, and Belshezzar’s Feast with Phoenix Symphony.

Mr. Garrett is a former winner of the George London Foundation Competition, and has received top prizes in more than a dozen international vocal competitions, including the Gerda Lissner Foundation, the William Matheus Sullivan Foundation, the Jensen Foundation, the Giulio Gari Foundation, Fort Worth Opera’s McCammon Competition, and the Licia Albanese-Puccini Competition. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Texas Tech University and the Academy of Vocal Arts, where he was a resident artist.

A graduate of Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA) and Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, soprano Marcy Stonikas is a recipient of the prestigious Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshanna Foundation, as well as a winner of the George London Foundation Vocal Competition and First Prize Winner in the Wagner Division of the Gerda Lissner Foundational Vocal Competition. She is an alumna of the Young Artist Program at Seattle Opera, where she has since returned many times as a principal guest artist.

The 2025-2026 season includes performances of Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle with the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra, Puccini’s Turandot with Orchestre Philharmonique et choeur des mélomanes in Montréal, and Verdi’s Requiem with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra. Next season features two productions of Verdi’s Macbeth: with the Metropolitan Opera, as the Lady-in-Waiting in the company’s season-opening new production, and as Lady Macbeth with Opera Colorado. She also bows as the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos with Opera Omaha.

Her most recent performances include a return to San Diego Opera as the title role in Strauss’s Salome, Senta in Der fliegende Holländer for her debut with Opera Colorado, and Strauss Four Last Songs and scenes from Ariadne auf Naxos in concert with conductor Steven White and Opera Roanoke. Ms. Stonikas returned to the Metropolitan Opera to make her company stage debut as A Convict while covering the leading role of Ekaterina in Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk during the 2022-2023 season. In concert, she returned to the role of Leonore in Fidelio with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra.

Notable operatic engagements include multiple appearances with Seattle Opera as the title roles in Turandot, Fidelio, and Ariadne auf Naxos, Miss Jessel in Turn of the Screw, Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel, Magda Sorel in The Consul, and the High Priestess in Aida; Chrysothemis in Elektra with Minnesota Opera; Senta in Der Fliegende Hölländer with Cincinnati Opera; further performances of Turandot with Atlanta Opera, Opera Naples, and Cincinnati Opera, with covers of the role at the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago; Leonore in Fidelio with Volksoper Vienna and Princeton Festival; Third Norn in Götterdämmerung and Gerhilde in Die Walküre for her debut with Washington National Opera; her role and house debut in the title role in Salome with Utah Opera; Ariadne with Berkshire Opera Festival; Tosca with Arizona Opera and Opera Santa Barbara; Gertrude with San Diego Opera; and multiple performances with Wolf Trap Opera as Antonia in Les contes d’Hoffmann, Rosaura in Wolf-Ferrari’s rarely staged Le donne cuirasse, and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, which she also performed with Opera Santa Barbara. Ms. Stonikas also had the unique opportunity to perform the roles of Irene and Mary in the American premiere of Jerry Springer: The Opera with Bailiwick Repertory Theatre in Chicago.

Orchestral highlights include performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with San Antonio Symphony and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra; Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the South Dakota Symphony; and she sang a blumenmädchen in Parsifal with the Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez.

Praised by Opera News as a tenor of “stunningly sweet tone,” Edward Graves is a graduate of the prestigious Merola Program and Adler Fellowship at San Francisco Opera. During his tenure, he performed as Stone/Eunuch in Bright Sheng’s Dreams of the Red Chamber, Gastone in La traviata, covered the roles of Alfredo in La traviata and Lensky in Eugene Onegin, sang Rodolfo in SFO’s Bohème Out of the Box, covered the title role in Omar, and performed as Ruiz in Il trovatore.

Last season, Mr. Graves made his Metropolitan Opera début as 1st Armored Man in The Magic Flute and returned to cover the roles of 1st Armored Man and 2nd Priest in Die Zauberflöte. He also sang Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera in Williamsburg, Rodolfo in La bohème with Opera Delaware and Opera Baltimore, and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Anchorage Opera. This season, he joins Houston Grand Opera as Robbins in their 50^th anniversary production of Porgy and Bess, Opera Omaha as a soloist for their Opera Outdoors concert, and Harmonia Orchestra & Chorus as the tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah. He returns to Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera as Alfredo in La traviata and tenor soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. He will also make his début with Virginia Opera as Wilson in Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s Intelligence and Berkeley Community Chorus and Orchestra as the tenor soloist in Haydn’s Theresienmesse.

Mr. Graves recently made a series of notable role and company débuts, including the Duke in Rigoletto with Opera San José, Alfredo in La traviata with Opera Tampa, and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera. He also performed with the Virginia Symphony in Messiah, the Detroit Opera as Policeman 2 in Blue, and the Berkshire Choral International as the title role in Judas Maccabaeus. He earned critical acclaim as Anatol in Barber’s Vanessa at the Spoleto Festival USA, and his appearance in the Merola Opera Program’s What the Heart Desires earned a San Francisco Chronicle rave for his “superbly bright, clarion sound.”

Edward was a 2022 San Francisco District winner of the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition, a 2024 fifth place winner in the Loren L. Zachary Competition, a 2024 second place winner in Cedar Rapids Opera’s Esther & Myron Wilson Vocal Competition, and a 2025 third Place winner in Opera Columbus’ Cooper-Bing Competition. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Towson University and a Master of Music and Performer Diploma in Voice Performance from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.

American bass Kenneth Kellogg’s 2025-26 engagements include Colline (c) La bohème at the Metropolitan Opera of New York, his role debut as Trinity Moses The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny at English National Opera in London UK, the bass soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with Opera Memphis, and a further role debut as Sulpice The Daughter of the Regiment at Boston Lyric Opera.

Recent appearances include Ramfis Aida at Daytona Opera, the role of Kourouscha in Dede’s rarely heard Morgiane also presented with Louisiana Philhamonic in New Orleans and at Opera Lafayette in Washington DC, and his debut as Crown Porgy and Bess at Washington National Opera.

Past career highlights include his recent Wagner debut as Fafner in Seattle Opera’s celebrated new production of Das Rheingold, a role he also sang at Calgary Opera. Returning to Seattle, he made his debut in the title role X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X; other recent appearances include Il Re Aida in concert at Detroit Opera, Colline La bohème with Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, Falstaff The Merry Wives of Windsor at Pocket Opera and as Logger Bulrusher at West Edge Opera—both new productions.

A significant feature of the last three seasons is the artist’s creation of the role of Father Blue, named the best new opera of 2020 by the Music Critics Association of North America, a role written for him by Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson. Kenneth sang the role in its world premiere at Glimmerglass Festival, and following at Detroit Opera, Toledo Opera, Seattle Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Washington National Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, internationally at Dutch National Opera in The Netherlands, and at London’s English National Opera.

In recent seasons, Mr. Kellogg appeared as Commendatore Don Giovanni at Seattle Opera and brought new roles into his repertoire with Basilio Il barbiere di Siviglia at San Francisco Opera, Rocco Fidelio at North Carolina Opera, Raimondo Lucia di Lammermoor and Ferrando Il trovatore at Madison Opera and Grand Inquisitor/Philip II (c) Don Carlo at Maryland Opera.

In 2020 he returned to Europe to Kraków, Poland for highly lauded performances of Rossini’s Sigismondo in the two roles of Ulderico and Zenovito with Capella Cracoviensis; back in the US he sang Monterone in Minnesota Opera’s new production of Rigoletto and revived the role of Sam Bakewell The Summer King at Michigan Opera Theatre, a role he inaugurated at Pittsburgh Opera during its world premiere. He returned to Washington National Opera for Father Palmer Silent Night and sang the role of Ashby La fanciulla del West at Maryland Opera.

Past milestones include his appearance as Mephistopheles Faust at Opera de Lausanne in a return engagement following his success as Sarastro Die Zauberflöte for the company, and at Opera de Oviedo, Spain, he also appeared Count Sam Horn Un ballo in maschera; he was Zuniga Carmen at PORTopera, and Young Emile Champion for Opera Parallel in its West Coast premiere. He also appeared as Sarastro at Virginia Opera and Opera Memphis. At Annapolis Opera, Kenneth made his debut as Don Alfonso Così fan tutte.

Born and raised in Washington, D.C, the artist began his formal musical training at the Duke Ellington School of the Performing and Visual Arts as a Vocal and Visual Arts student. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Ohio University. He continued his studies at the Academy of Vocal Arts, and at Wolf Trap Opera; he is an Alumnus of the Adler Fellowship at San Francisco Opera and the Domingo-Cafritz Emerging Artist Program at Washington National Opera.

Other roles in the artist’s repertoire include Leporello Don Giovanni, the title role Hercules, The King Ariodante, Osmin Die Entführung aus dem Serail, and Sparafucile Rigoletto.

Grammy Award-winning bass Wei Wu trained at Washington National Opera’s Cafritz Young Artist Program, the People’s University of China, Beijing, and the University of Colorado at Boulder, who recently presented him with the Kalpana Chawla Outstanding Recent Graduate Award.

The 2026-2027 season features a return to a signature role for Mr. Wu, Kōbun in The Revolution of Steve Jobs, in his debut with the Finnish National Opera, and a return to Utah Opera. He also debuts the role of Sam in Un ballo in Maschera with Pittsburgh Festival Opera, and essays Colline in La bohème with the Montgomery Symphony. Future seasons include his return to the roster of The Metropolitan Opera.

The previous season featured a mix of debut and return engagements for Wei Wu. He made his Boston Symphony Orchestra debut in Vanessa as the Major Domo/Footman under the baton of Andris Nelsons; returned to the role of Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with Opera San Antonio, and joined San Francisco Opera again for its highly successful Monkey King, covering Lord Laozi.

The 2024-2025 season included exciting returns for Mr. Wu, as he began the season with Los Angeles Opera, singing both Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette and The Bonze in Madama Butterfly. He then bowed with Austin Opera for Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, debuted with the Shanghai Symphony as Sparafucile in Rigoletto, and brought his celebrated portrayal of Kōbun in The Revolution of Steve Jobs to Washington National Opera. Mr. Wu closed the season with the North Carolina Symphony, singing performances of Mozart’s Requiem, and with Bard Summerscape, bowing as Benes in Dalibor.

Mr. Wu has made several notable house debuts in recent seasons, as Zuniga in a new production of Bizet’s Carmen with The Metropolitan Opera, as Kōbun with San Francisco Opera, and as Angelotti in Tosca with the Los Angeles Opera. Other recent engagements include: Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette at Central City Opera; Sparafucile in Rigoletto with Opera Philadelphia; Hunding in Act 1 of Die Walküre with New Orleans Opera; Marv Carson in A Thousand Acres (world premiere) and Snug the Joiner in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, both for Des Moines Metro Opera; Bard Summerscape as Benes in Dalibor and Mathisen in Meyerbeer’s Le prophète; and performances of Kōbun with Calgary Opera, Utah Opera, Austin Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

Mr. Wu created the role of Kōbun Chino Otogawa in the world premiere performances of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs at Santa Fe Opera, and appears on the live cast recording, which was released by Pentatone and won Best Opera Recording at the 2019 Grammy Awards. His notable operatic engagements include Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte), Don Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Colline (La bohème) and Lodovico (Otello) with Washington National Opera; Arnold “Chick” Gandil in the world premiere of Joel Puckett’s The Fix with Minnesota Opera; the Four Villains (Les contes d’Hoffmann), Don Basilio and the Old Hebrew (Samson et Dalila) at the NCPA Beijing, Timur (Turandot) and Father Trulove (The Rake’s Progress) with Pittsburgh Opera, the Nephew in Blood Moon with the PROTOTYPE Festival, and Phanuel (Hérodiade) as well as the Ghost of Nino (Semiramide) with Washington Concert Opera.

On the symphonic stage, he has performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony as Rocco in Fidelio, conducted by Manfred Honeck, the Kansas City Symphony, for Mozart’s Requiem led by Michael Stern, and has sung Verdi’s Requiem with The Orchestra Now and the West Virginia Symphony.

Chinese lyric mezzo-soprano Xiao Xiao is quickly gaining recognition for the warmth and brilliance of her voice, as well as her soulful artistry and compelling stage presence.

Xiao’s notable roles include the title role in La Cenerentola and L’enfant et les sortilèges, Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath, Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Contessa in I Due Figaro, Linfea and Il Destino in Cavalli’s La Calisto, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Mercédès in Carmen, Hiroko (Mama) in An American Dream, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Jim in The Gift of the Magi, and Henrietta Wong in the premiere production of Harvey Milk, among others. Her concert highlights include Handel’s Messiah and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy. Xiao has made a strong impression through engagements with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, The Glimmerglass Festival, and Opera de Metro.

Embracing both traditional and contemporary works, Xiao has participated in several world premiere and newly commissioned works, helping bring new stories to life. From the operatic stage to the recital hall, she is passionate about creating meaningful connections through music and strives to bring depth, authenticity, and emotional resonance to audiences around the world.

Xiao was a District Winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and is also a prizewinner of the Toscanini International Competition and the Orpheus Vocal Competition. She holds degrees from the China Conservatory of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and New England Conservatory, and recently earned her DMA from Michigan State University.

In the 2026-27 Season, Xiao joins Opera Colorado as a Resident Artist, performing the Lady-in-Waiting in Verdi’s Macbeth, covering Dorabella in Mozart’s The School for Lovers (Così fan tutte), and appearing as the Mother in the touring production Earth to Kenzie. She will also return as Snake/Sheep in The Big Swim, the opera commissioned by Houston Grand Opera and Asia Society Texas, celebrating the Year of the Sheep.

Mason Fontanilla O’Brien is a baritone from Memphis, Tennessee and a returning Artist in Residence with Opera Colorado for the 2026-27 Season. This season, he looks forward to performing the First Apparition in Macbeth, Daddy/Tim in The Snowy Day, Teacher/Space Kitty/Taxi Driver in the touring production of Earth to Kenzie and singing in the chorus of The School for Lovers (Così fan tutte). During the 2025-26 Season, he appeared on the Ellie Caulkins mainstage as Barone Douphol in La traviata and Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, as well as in Opera Colorado’s touring productions of Roméo et Juliette (Mercutio) and The Pirates of Penzance (Major General). Mason holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Kentucky. Favorite recent roles include Count Gil in Il segreto di Susanna with Fort Collins Opera, Leporello in Don Giovanni at Prague Summer Nights, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the title role in Gianni Schicchi at Lamont Opera, and the Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. When he’s not on stage, he can usually be found searching for good coffee, a decent gym, or the one rehearsal room where the piano is actually in tune. Mason can usually be found exploring Colorado’s mountains, thrifting for vinyl records, or convincing friends to see another Rockies game.

Emily Thompson, soprano, is originally from South Florida but comes to Denver by way of Chicago, where she received a master’s degree from Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. She attended Florida State University for her bachelor’s degree, studying voice with Marcy Stonikas. Currently, she studies with Alexandra Lobianco. Recent performances include several world premieres, such as Pale Courage by Kyong Mee Choi (Lady Jade Song), and Chicago premieres of The Last Word by Craig Carnahan (Dusty) and On Call: Covid-19 by David Shenton (Seoul Healthcare Worker). She has since sung the titular role in Suor Angelica, sang in Das Rheingold (Wellgunde), and participated in opera choruses for works by Verdi and Donizetti. In 2025, Emily received an Encouragement Award in the Indiana District Laffont Competition.

Outside of opera, Emily has found joy and success in being a part of several ensembles in the Chicagoland area. In the 2025-26 Season, she joined Consonance for their 50th season in which they performed various works including Here I Am, a multimedia symphony celebrating the centennial of the 19th amendment, by Jocelyn Hagen. She performed with Chicago-based treble ensemble La Caccina and was the Soprano Soloist in Illiana Oratorio Society’s performance of Handel’s Messiah. Emily also has experience as a crossover artist and discovered much of her lifelong love of singing through musical theatre.

Emily is excited to be a Resident Artist for Opera Colorado’s 2026-27 Season, during which she will be performing in Verdi’s Macbeth (2nd Apparition), Earth to Kenzie (Edwin/Eddie), The Snowy Day (Mama/Ensemble), and The School for Lovers (Così fan tutte) (Fiordiligi cover/Chorus). She is looking forward to building community and forging friendships as she finds a new musical home in Opera Colorado this season.

Bridget Ravenscraft is thrilled to return to Opera Colorado as a soprano Resident Artist for a second season, where she will sing the roles of Kenzie (Earth to Kenzie), Amy/Soprano 1 (The Snowy Day), Apparition 3 (Macbeth), and in the chorus of and study cover Despina in The School for Lovers (Così fan tutte). During her first year of residency, she sang the roles of Annina (La traviata), Juliet (Romeo & Juliet), and Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance). In the spring, she will make her house and role debut with Boulder Opera Company, singing the role of Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust. This past summer, she reprised the role of Mabel in Quisisana Resort’s production of The Pirates of Penzance.

In May of 2025, Bridget graduated with her Artist Diploma from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she studied with Yvonne Redman. During her two years at UIUC, she performed in Oklahoma! (Aunt Eller), Monteverdi’s Orfeo (La Musica), was awarded second prize in the Krannert Debut Artist Competition and was a recipient of the Stotler Fellowship. The University partnered with the United States Embassy and the Centro Cultural in Costa Rica, where Bridget and three classmates travelled throughout rural Costa Rica performing concerts and masterclasses as a part of their Promising Young Artists Program. She was an apprentice artist with Des Moines Metro Opera where she sang in the choruses of Sweeney Todd and Pique Dame and spent two summers as a conservatory artist at the BayView Music Festival singing in Fiddler on the Roof (Hodel), La Cenerentola (Clorinda), and Carmen (Micaëla). She is forever grateful for the support of her family to pursue her dreams.

Hailed as a “visionary director” by The Stranger, Dan Wallace Miller’s stage direction is “riveting… well executed, and relevant” (CityArts) and has been described as “a powerful gust of invigorating fresh air.” (Opera Today) His unique concepts and perceptive direction have proven that he is a force to be reckoned with.

Miller began his career championing avant-garde and innovating stagings of opera. He founded Vespertine Opera Theater which produced several site-specific productions such as The Rape of Lucretia at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle and the world premiere of Heart Mountain, an opera about the forced incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II staged in the former INS building where many of the local community leaders were held before being deported to the camps. He also staged an immersive Baroque pastiche, The Combat, with Seattle Opera which earned the following remark in a review from The Stranger: “only when I was outside again did I remember that the grief I had just been part of was not my private sorrow, but something brought forth by art.”

More recently, Miller has been dedicated to bringing grand opera to the stages of America’s most prominent theaters, including new productions of Il trovatore at Seattle Opera and Roméo et Juliette at Central City Opera. He has also made a commitment to the shaping of the next generation of opera singers by working with universities and professional training programs such as those at Wolf Trap Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Central City Opera, the University of Washington, the University of Oklahoma, the University of Memphis, and Portland State University.

Last season, he directed Candide for South Florida Symphony Orchestra, a new production of Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi for Portland State University, and returned to San Francisco Opera to assist on Idomeneo and the World Premiere of The Monkey King. This season he has assisted productions of Elektra at San Francisco Opera and Akhnaten at LA Opera.

Recently he directed Rigoletto for Opera San Jose, Apprentice Scenes for Santa Fe Opera, Pagliacci for Seattle Opera (his fourth production with the company), The Merry Widow for Portland State University, and Susanna for Wolf Trap Opera. Other credits include Washington National Opera, Opera Colorado, The Atlanta Opera, and Kentucky Opera.

Appointed in 2015 as Opera Colorado’s first-ever music director, Ari Pelto’s “breathtaking wizardry in the pit” (The Denver Post) has been widely celebrated, with Pelto in demand at opera houses and concert halls throughout the United States. At the age of 24, Pelto was appointed Assistant Conductor at the Spoleto Festival and he has since gone on to conduct worldwide. International engagements include performances with Bochumer Philharmoniker and opera productions at New National Theatre of Tokyo and the Teatro Nacional Sucre in Quito, Ecuador. In 2004 he made his highly-praised debut with New York City Opera, conducting La Traviata, after which he became a regular, returning for productions of Madama Butterfly, La bohème, and Carmen. Recent successes include Eugene Onegin at Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Lucia di Lammermoor at Virginia Opera, and La Voix Humaine at Chicago Opera Theater.

Iranian conductor and pianist, Sahar Nouri, has been Music Director of Lamont Opera Theater at University of Denver since 2019. She has also served at Opera Colorado as Chorus Master & Assistant Conductor since 2016. Ms. Nouri is the founder/director of Dandelion Opera Institute.

At the University of Denver, Ms. Nouri has conducted productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Die Zauberflöte, Alcina, Cabildo, Les mamelles de Tirésias, and The Little Prince.

Her work with Opera Colorado has included productions of Samson and Delilah, The Flying Dutchman, Don Giovanni, Turandot, Die tote Stadt, Rigoletto, Carmen, The Shining, Tosca, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, The Marriage of Figaro, La traviata, Falstaff, The Barber of Seville, La bohème, La fanciulla del West, and the world premiere of Steal a Pencil for Me (Gerald Cohen).

Previously, Ms. Nouri has been part of the music staff at San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra at Bravo! Vail, Opera Parallèle, Opera North Carolina, Glimmerglass Festival, Utah Opera, Aspen Opera Theatre, Opera Steamboat, Merola Opera, Boston Conservatory of Music, and San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

An active performer, she has given numerous recitals around the US including those alongside international stars Mane Galoyan, Heidi Melton, and Matthew Polenzani. A multi-lingual coach, she has studied in Czechia, Italy, and Austria and is frequently in demand as a language coach.

Ms. Nouri is a former violinist who has performed with Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra and has won several prizes, for both violin and piano, in national music festivals and competitions in Iran.

Joe Beumer designs for opera, theatre, and dance nationally and internationally. Recent designs include Cavalleria rusticana(Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera), La Traviata (Palm Beach Opera), and the world premiere of State of the Jews (American Opera Projects – NYC). Previous designs for Opera Colorado include Daughter of the Regiment, Don Giovanni, Rigoletto, Cavalleria rusticana, and The Barber of Seville. Other current projects include a new production of Der Schauspieldirektor & Iolanta (Göteborg Opera w/ Thomas C. Hase) and two new immersive shows for Virgin Voyages’ newest ship The Brilliant Lady. Additional credits and companies: Harmony (Broadway 2023), The Book of Mormon (Current National Tour), The Old Vic’s A Christmas Carol (First National Tour, Los Angeles), Prototype Festival, Atlanta Opera, Long Island Lyric Opera, Detroit Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Opéra de Montréal, Opéra National Bordeaux, Cincinnati Opera, Pacific Symphony, Portland Opera, Utah Opera, Playhouse on Park (CT), The Public, Atlantic Theater Company, Geva Theatre Center, Great Lakes Theatre, Syracuse Stage, BC/EFA’s Broadway Bares, New York Musical Festival (NYMF), Norwegian Cruise Lines, Cincinnati Shakespeare, Kansas City Ballet, and Dayton Ballet. Joe calls Brooklyn home, and he is a proud member of United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829.

Ronell Oliveri has been designing wigs and makeup for opera, theater, ballet, and film for the past 20 years for such companies as Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Central City Opera, and The American Repertory Theater at Harvard University. Currently she is the resident wig and makeup designer for Opera Colorado and Opera Omaha. As a wig and makeup artist her professional credits include engagements with Chicago Lyric Opera, LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theater of Saint Louis, and Boston Ballet. She was a Primetime Emmy nominee as key makeup artist for her work in television. Her work can also be seen in several Broadway shows including Wicked, All the Way, and Waitress. Recent engagements include Opera Columbus’s Eugene Onegin, Pacific Symphony’s La bohème, and Central City Opera’s 2024 summer festival. Upcoming engagements include Opera Omaha’s The Rake’s Progress and Boston Lyric Opera’s Mitridate.