About Madison Opera

Madison Opera is a non-profit, professional opera company based in Madison, Wisconsin. A resident organization of the Overture Center for the Arts, Madison Opera produces three operas annually in addition to Opera in the Park and a variety of educational programming.

With the 2023/24 season, Madison Opera celebrates our 63nd year of being one of only two opera companies in Wisconsin that provide the experience of fully-staged grand opera.  Our mission is to produce opera of the highest artistic standards, and our three mainstage productions draw over 10,000 audience members each year to the Overture Center to enjoy both classic operas such as Carmen and modern masterpieces such as Fellow Travelers.  Our gift to the community, Opera in the Park, attracts over 15,000 people to Madison from across Wisconsin for a free concert on a beautiful July evening.

Staff

GENERAL DIRECTOR – Kathryn Smith – Bio
PRINCIPAL CONDUCTOR – John DeMain – Bio
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE – Jennifer Fenster
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION  – Jill Krynicki
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT – Beth Tolles
PATRON SERVICES MANAGER – Chloe Agostino
COMPANY MANAGER – Samantha Garcia
MARKETING MANAGER – Taylor Renée Horne
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR / WAREHOUSE MANAGER – Billy Larimore
MUSIC ASSISTANT – Aubrie Jacobson

Board of Trustees

Officers

PRESIDENT – Peyton Engel*
CHAIRMAN – Thomas Terry*
VICE PRESIDENT – Martha Casey*
VICE PRESIDENT – Lynn Mecklenburg*
TREASURER – Brian Haltinner*
SECRETARY – Franzo Law II*

Trustees

Carla J. Alvarado
Martin Barrett*
Larry Bechler
Viki Brigham
David Flanders
Brandon Hayes
Joyce Hirsch*

Stephen Hurley*
Connie Kinsella
John Lemke*
Patti Lucas
Pete Lundberg
Barbara Merz
Sally Miley*

*Executive Committee

J. Marshall Osborn*
Cyrena Pondrom
Sharyn Stumpf
Jane Taves
Selma VanEyck
Toby Wallach
Sonja Yde

Advisors

Kennedy Gilchrist
Fran Klos
Fern Lawrence
Susan Lipp

Elaine Staley
Karen Walsh
Helen Wineke

Madison Opera Foundation

Established in 2001, the Madison Opera Foundation is an important part of Madison Opera’s financial structure. Managed by a board of directors, it oversees several funds, including the Madison Opera Endowment (for gifts given in perpetuity), the Madison Opera Reserve, and several donor-designated funds.

Board of Directors

PRESIDENT – Joyce Hirsch
Fernando Alvarado
Martin Barrett

Peyton Engel
Brian Haltinner
Sally Miley

Amy Nickles
J. Marshall Osborn
Thomas Terry

The Margaret C. Winston
Madison Opera Center

Located at 335 W. Mifflin Street, just one block from Overture Center’s stage door, the Margaret C. Winston Madison Opera Center is both our artistic home and our administrative home, with our offices, rehearsal hall, costume shop and more.  Over the course of a season, the Opera Center is home to auditions, rehearsals, meetings, previews, donor events, and so much more.

The Opera Center may be rented for rehearsals and events; the parking ramp associated is available for public parking.

More Information

The Studio Artist Program

Established in 2012, the Madison Opera Studio Artist Program is an important part of the company’s artistic and educational mission. The Studio Artists are singers in the transitional period between university and their professional careers. Over the course of a season, Studio Artists perform small roles and understudy major roles in Madison Opera’s productions, as well as serving as the company’s musical ambassadors across our region.

Brianna Murray, Soprano. In a green dress in front of a stone wall.
Brianna Murray
soprano

MM – Indiana University
BA – Oberlin Conservatory

This season at MO: Zerlina (cover), Don Giovanni

Headshot of Hailey Cohen
Hailey Cohen
mezzo-soprano

MM – Univ. of Michigan
BA – Univ. of Michigan

This season at MO: Berta, Rosina (cover), The Barber of Seville; Ensemble, María (cover), María de Buenos Aires; Donna Elvira (cover) Don Giovanni

Nash, Ryan
Ryan Nash
tenor

MM – Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
BM – Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst

This season at MO: Sergeant, Count Almaviva (cover), chorus, The Barber of Seville; Don Ottavio (cover), chorus, Don Giovanni

Deng, Lifan
Lifan Deng
baritone

MM – Northwestern Univ.
BA – Case Western Reserve Univ.

This season at MO: Fiorello, Figaro (cover), The Barber of Seville; El Payador (cover), ensemble, María de Buenos Aires; Masetto, Don Giovanni (cover), Don Giovanni

2023/24 Season

Soprano
Sachie Ueshima

Soprano
Brianna Murray

Mezzo
Hailey Cohen

Tenor
William Johnson

Baritone
Timothy Krueger

2022/23 Season

Soprano
Alannah Spencer

Mezzo
Lindsey Meekhof

Tenor
Pedro Valdez

2021/22 Season

Soprano
Anja Pustaver

Mezzo
Quinn Middleman

Tenor
Tyrese Byrd

Baritone
Jake Surzyn

2019/20 Season

Soprano
Emily Secor

Mezzo
Kirsten Larson

Tenor
Benjamin Hopkins

Baritone
Stephen Hobe

2018/19 Season

Soprano
Emily Secor

Mezzo
Kirsten Larson

Tenor
Benjamin Liupaogo

Baritone
Stephen Hobe

2017/18 Season

Soprano
Anna Polum

Mezzo
Megan Ott Romero

Tenor
Benjamin Liupaogo

2016/17 Season

Soprano
Anna Polum

Mezzo
Anna Parks

Baritone
James Held

2015/16 Season

Soprano
Marie McManama

Mezzo
Kelsey Park

Tenor
William Ottow

Baritone
Nathaniel Hill

2014/15 Season

Soprano
Chelsea Morris

Mezzo
Anna Laurenzo

Tenor
Thomas Leighton

2013/14 Season

Soprano
Gillian Hollis

Soprano
Jessie Lyons

Tenor
Scott Brunscheen

2012/13 Season

Soprano
Jeni Houser

Mezzo
Jessica Timman

Tenor
Adam Shelton

Baritone
John Arnold

Auditions

MADISON OPERA PRINCIPAL AUDITIONS

The next round of principal auditions will be held in November/December 2024. Please check in late September 2024 for an audition announcement.

MADISON OPERA CHORUS AUDITIONS

There will be no chorus auditions in 2024. The next round of Madison Opera Chorus auditions will be held in Summer 2025. Please check back in May 2025 for an audition announcement.

STUDIO ARTIST AUDITIONS

Auditions for the 2024/25 Studio Artists have been held.  Auditions for the 2025/26 Studio Artists will be held in late spring 2025; please check in April for an audition announcement.

Questions?  Please email auditions@madisonopera.org.

Production Assistant Program

The Production Assistant position offers a hands-on experience in a professional opera environment.  This paid, entry-level position is ideal for college and high school students, giving them the chance to work backstage as part of the production team and learn stage management skills.  Exact tasks are assigned based on interest and aptitude.

Full Position Description
Apply for Production Assistant Program

The History of Madison Opera

Since 1961, Madison Opera has presented over 70 different operas, composed from the 18th to the 21st century, performed in seven different languages. We have shared the magic of opera with generations of our community, as both opera and our city have evolved. Learn more about our history and details on past productions.

Madison Opera History

Job Openings

Madison Opera does not currently have any job openings.


Keely Futterer

Rosina, The Barber of Seville

Hometown: Dover, AR
Madison Opera Debut: Léontine, The Anonymous Lover (2024)

Recently: Musetta, La Bohème; Armida, Rinaldo; Charlene, Service Provider; Jazz Trio, Trouble in Tahiti (Minnesota Opera);
Armida, Rinaldo; Vanderdendur, Candide; Angostura, Tenor Overboard (Glimmerglass Festival);
Rodelinda, Rodelinda (Hudson Hall); Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte (Opera Memphis);
Marie, The Daughter of the Regiment (Opera Saratoga)

Upcoming: Anna Sørenson, Silent Night (Wolf Trap Opera); Marcellina, Leonora (Chicago Opera Theater);
Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte (Virginia Opera)


Weston Hurt

Baritone, Opera in the Park

Hometown: Spring, TX
Madison Opera Debut: Germont, La Traviata (2019)

Recently: Sharpless, Madama Butterfly (Houston Grand Opera, New Orleans Opera);
Britten's War Requiem (Opera Roanoke); Scarpia, Tosca (Arizona Opera);
Germont, La Traviata (Lyric Opera of Kansas City); Nabucco, Nabucco (Seattle Opera)

Upcoming: Rigoletto, Rigoletto (English National Opera)

Joshua Sanders

Tenor, Opera in the Park

Hometown: Plain, WI
Madison Opera Debut: Giuseppe, La Traviata (2011)
Also at MO: Tobias Ragg, Sweeney Todd; Inmate, Dead Man Walking; Ensemble, Acis and Galatea

Recently: Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville; Romeo, Romeo and Juliet (Opera San José);
Tamino, The Magic Flute (Nashville Opera); Sam Clay, The Amazing Adventures of
Kavalier & Clay workshop (Metropolitan Opera)

Upcoming:  Victorin, Die tote Stadt (Boston Symphony Orchestra)

Sachie Ueshima, wearing black in front of a stone staircase.
Sachie Ueshima

Zerlina, Don Giovanni

Hometown: Wakayama City, Japan
Madison Opera Debut
Former Madison Opera Studio Artist

Recently: Cio-Cio-San, Madama Butterfly (Virginia Opera); Violetta, La Traviata;
Krystyna Zywulska, Two Remain (UW-Madison)

Upcoming: Cio-Cio-San, Madama Butterfly (Kentucky Opera)


David Walton

Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville

Hometown: Twin Cities, MN
Madison Opera Debut: Opera in the Park 2017
Also at MO: Belmonte, The Abduction from the Seraglio

Recently: Ferrando, Così fan tutte (Princeton Festival); Ramiro, La Cenerentola (Toledo Opera);
Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville (North Carolina Opera);
Sullivan, The Pirates of Penzance (Opera San Antonio); Filippo, Deceit Outwitted (Sarasota Opera)

Upcoming: Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville (Minnesota Opera); Candide, Candide (South Florida Symphony);
Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni (Livermore Valley Opera)

Emily Fons

Mezzo-soprano, Opera in the Park
Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni

Hometown: Milwaukee, WI
Madison Opera Debut: Opera in the Park 2012
Also at MO: Rosina, The Barber of Seville

Recently: Nicklausse, The Tales of Hoffmann (Palm Beach Opera);
Rosina, The Barber of Seville (Cincinnati Opera, Santa Fe Opera);
Woman, Ghosts (San Diego Opera); Cherubino, The Marriage of Figaro (Canadian Opera Company);
Hansel, Hansel and Gretel (New Orleans Opera)

Upcoming: Princess Irene, Tamerlano (Haymarket Opera)


Ryan Nash

Madison Opera Debut
Madison Opera Studio Artist
Recently: Gherardo, Gianni Schicchi (American Gothic Performing Arts Festival); Frederic, The Pirates of Penzance (Madison Savoyards);
Mercurio, La Calisto; Gastone, La Traviata; Albert Herring, Albert Herring (UW Madison Opera);
Rinuccio, Gianni Schicchi (La Musica Lirica USA); Alfred, Die Fledermaus; Monostatos, The Magic Flute (UMass Opera)

Upcoming: Tamino, The Magic Flute (Opera for the Young)


John DeMain

Conductor: Opera in the Park, The Barber of Seville, Don Giovanni

Hometown: Youngstown, OH
Madison Opera Debut: The Magic Flute (1995)
Recently at MO: Candide, Tosca, Trouble in Tahiti / The Seven Deadly Sins, Salome


Rebecca Herman

Stage Director, The Barber of Seville

Hometown: Austin, TX
Madison Opera Debut

Recently: Carmen (Austin Opera); Don Giovanni (Opera Colorado, Cincinnati Opera);
Un Cuento de Luces y Sonmbras (LOLA); La Bohème (Glimmerglass Opera);
The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (Utah Opera, Calgary Opera)

Upcoming: The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (Washington National Opera)


Fenlon Lamb

Stage Director, Don Giovanni

Madison Opera Debut: La Traviata (2019)
Recently at MO: Lucia di Lammermoor

Recently: La Fanciulla del West (Central City Opera); The Elixir of Love, Così fan tutte (Palm Beach Opera);
The Marriage of Figaro (Portland Opera); Carmen (Opera Santa Barbara);
Charlie Parker's Yardbird (Dayton Opera); La Bohème (New Orleans Opera); Mozart and Salieri (Opera San Jose)


Kamna Gupta

Conductor, María de Buenos Aires

Hometown: St. Genis-de-Puilly, France
Madison Opera Debut

Recently: The Pearl Fishers (Vancouver Opera); In Our Daughter's Eyes (LA Opera / BMP);
Number Our Days (Perelman Performing Arts Center); Glory Denied (Cleveland Institute of Music);
Rocking Horse Winner (Tapestry Opera); The Rip Van Winkles (Glimmerglass Festival)

Upcoming: Ruinous Gods (Spoleto Festival USA)


Frances Rabalais

Stage Director, María de Buenos Aires

Hometown: New Orleans, LA
Madison Opera Debut: Tosca (2023)

Recently: Macbeth (Resonance Works); Hansel and Gretel (Opera Birmingham);
The Magic Flute (North Carolina Opera); The Barber of Seville (Pensacola Opera)


Charles Eaton

Don Giovanni, Don Giovanni

Hometown: Storrs, CT
Madison Opera Debut: Moralès, Carmen (2017)
Recently at MO: Count Malcolm, A Little Night Music

Recently: Brother, The Seven Deadly Sins (Wolf Trap Opera); Schaunard, La Bohème;
Sam, Trouble in Tahiti; Masetto, Don Giovanni; Argante, Rinaldo (Minnesota Opera);
Fedorov, The Christmas Spider (Opéra Louisiane, Marble City Opera);
English Ambassador, The Ghosts of Versailles (Royal Opera Versailles);
Marcello, La Bohème (Imperial Symphony Orchestra)

Upcoming: Ponchel, Silent Night (Wolf Trap Opera); Mercutio, Romeo & Juliet (Minnesota Opera);
Silvio, Pagliacci (Pensacola Opera)


Jeremiah Sanders

Leporello, Don Giovanni

Hometown: Marian, IN
Madison Opera Debut

Recently: Marcello, La Bohème; Beau, Service Provider; Jazz Trio, Trouble in Tahiti;
Hortensius, The Daughter of the Regiment; Mago, Rinaldo;
Abilenes's Father / Bryce's Father, Edward Tulane (Minnesota Opera);
Colline, La Bohème (Lyric Opera of the North); Lackey, Ariadne auf Naxos (Lakes Area Music Festival);
Charlie, Three Decembers (South Bend Lyric Opera); The Villains, The Tales of Hoffmann (Union Avenue Opera)


Ashraf Sewailam

The Commendatore, Don Giovanni

Hometown: Cairo, Egypt / San Francisco, CA
Madison Opera Debut: Captain, Florencia en el Amazonas (2018)

Recently: Dr. Bartolo, The Barber of Seville (Des Moines Metro Opera, Seattle Opera);
Dr. Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro (New Orleans Opera); Sparafucile, Rigoletto (Opera San Jose);
Giove, La Calisto (Opera Memphis)

Upcoming: Dr. Bartolo, The Barber of Seville (Lyric Opera of Kansas City);
Dulcamara, The Elixir of Love (New Orleans Opera)


Andrew Stenson

Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni

Hometown: Rochester, MN
Madison Opera Debut: Opera in the Park 2021

Recently: Pong, Turandot (Metropolitan Opera); Bill, Flight; The Steersman, The Flying Dutchman (Dallas Opera);
Pang, Turandot (Houston Grand Opera); Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni (Seattle Opera);
Nemorino, The Elixir of Love (Seattle Opera, Minnesota Opera, Florentine Opera);
Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville (Opera Colorado, Garsington Opera);
Nikolaus Sprink, Silent Night; Tamino, The Magic Flute (Utah Opera);
Fadinard, The Italian Straw Hat (Minnesota Opera); Danny Chen, An American Soldier (Opera Theatre of St. Louis)

Headshot of Hailey Cohen
Hailey Cohen

Berta, The Barber of Seville

Hometown: Edgemont, NY
Madison Opera Debut: Dorothée, The Anonymous Lover (2024)
Also with MO: Paquette, Candide
Madison Opera Studio Artist

Recently: Zita, Gianni Schicchi (Finger Lakes Opera); Hattie, American Gothical (Cedar Rapids Opera);
Sally, The Boy Who Wanted to be a Robot; K., Would You Eat Me? (Thompson Street Opera)


Lifan Deng

Fiorello, The Barber of Seville
Masetto, Don Giovanni

Hometown: Shenzen, China
Madison Opera Debut
Madison Opera Studio Artist

Recently: Voce 2, Il Nostro Posto nel Mondo (Thompson Street Opera Company);
The Police Agent / Mr. Kofner, The Consul (Third Eye Ensemble);
Don Alfonso, Così fan tutte; Kaiser Overall, Der Kaiser von Atlantis (Northwestern Opera Theater);
Old Adam Goodheart, Ruddigore; Carpenter's Mate, H.M.S. Pinafore (The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company);
Olin Brett, The Music Man (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre)

Upcoming: Papageno, The Magic Flute (Opera for the Young)


Laureano Quant

El Payador, María de Buenos Aires

Hometown: Barranquilla, Colombia
Madison Opera Debut

Recently: Schaunard, La Bohème (Wolf Trap Opera); Foreman, Jenufa; Dancaïre, Carmen;
Count of Lerma, Don Carlo (Lyric Opera of Chicago); Escamillo, Le tragedie de Carmen;
Guglielmo, Così fan tutte (The Opera Next Door); Betto, Gianni Schicchi (Ópera de Colombia);
Demetrius, A Midsummer Night's Dream; Captain / Ragotsky, Candide (Orquestra Filarmónica de Bogotà)

Upcoming: Belcore, The Elixir of Love (New Orleans Opera);
Bill, Aufsteig und Fall der Stadt Mahgonny (Staatsoper Stuttgart)


Kelly Guerra

María, María de Buenos Aires

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Madison Opera Debut

Recently: María, María de Buenos Aires (Kentucky Opera); Lupita, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna;
Carlotta de Obragón, Zorro (Opera Santa Barbara); Renata, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna (West Edge Opera);
Rosina, The Barber of Seville (Princeton Festival); Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Scalia/Ginsburg (Chautauqua Opera);
Luisa Fernanda, Luisa Fernanda (Opera Hispánica, Opera Williamsburg)

Upcoming: Una Niña, Ainadamar (Metropolitan Opera); Jo, Little Women (Fort Worth Opera);
Isabella, L'Italiana in Algeri (Opera in the Heights); Mrs. Fox, Fantastic Mr. Fox (Opera Omaha)


Alex Taylor

Don Basilio, The Barber of Seville

Hometown: Beloit, WI
Madison Opera Debut: Mother, The Seven Deadly Sins (2023)

Recently: Green Shirt Guy, Mel Rides the Bus Alone (Pittsburgh Opera);
Sarastro, The Magic Flute; Dr. Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro (Carnegie Mellon University)


Levi Hernandez

Dr. Bartolo, The Barber of Seville

Hometown: El Paso, TX
Madison Opera Debut: Papageno, The Magic Flute (2006)
Recent at MO: Alvaro, Florencia en el Amazonas; Opera in the Park 2018

Recently: Diego Rivera, El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego (Opera Omaha);
Tonio, Pagliacci (Hawaii Opera Theatre); Dandini, La Cenerentola (Boston Lyric Opera);
Peter, Hansel and Gretel (Opera San Antonio); Lescaut, Manon Lescaut (North Carolina Opera)

Upcoming: Benoit/Alcindoro, La Bohème (Lyric Opera of Chicago);
Alvaro, Florencia en el Amazonas (North Carolina Opera)


Benjamin Taylor

Figaro, The Barber of Seville

Madison Opera Debut: Silvio, Pagliacci (2018)

Recently: Bello, La Fanciulla del West (Bayerische Staatsoper); Moralès, Carmen (Metropolitan Opera);
Guglielmo, Così fan tutte (Princeton Symphony); Jan Nyman, Breaking the Waves (Detroit Opera);
Silvio, Pagliacci (Austin Opera)

Upcoming: Marcello, La Bohème (Arizona Opera); Jake, Porgy and Bess (Washington National Opera);
Schaunard, La Bohème (Charleston Opera Theatre)


Katerina Burton

Soprano, Opera in the Park
Donna Anna, Don Giovanni

Hometown: Ocean City, MD
Madison Opera Debut

Recently: Mimì, La Bohème (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis); JFK: The Last Speech
(National Symphony Orchestra); Britten’s War Requiem (Strathmore Music Center);
Russian Chamber Art Society; Postclassical Ensemble Concert (The Kennedy Center); Girlfriend 2, Blue;
Micaëla, Carmen (Washington National Opera); Alice Ford, Falstaff (Aspen Music Festival);
Verna/Young Lovely/Evelyn, Fire Shut Up in My Bones (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis)