Friday, February 13 │ 7:30pm | Get tickets
Sunday, February 15│ 2:00pm | Get tickets
Audio Description, Touch Tour, and Braille Programs are available at the Sunday performance.
The Anonymous Lover (1780), known in French as L’Amant Anonyme, this charming two-act romantic comedy chamber opera by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges is adapted from a comedic play by Stéphanie Félicité de Genlis (Madame de Genlis). It centers on Léontine, a wealthy widow who begins receiving ardent letters and gifts from a secret admirer. Unbeknownst to her, the devoted suitor is actually her close friend Valcour, who conceals his identity out of fear of rejection. Through spirited misunderstandings and heartfelt revelations, Léontine learns the truth, culminating in a joyful resolution that celebrates the power of genuine devotion and trust. Will love win? Joseph Bologne’s stirring music is complemented by a fresh book adaptation from the pen of Obie Award-winning Boston playwright Kirsten Greenidge, mixing English dialogue with the original French singing. The third of Bologne’s six operas, The Anonymous Lover was his most successful opera, and the only one that has survived to this day. The work holds a significant place in the annals of music history, standing as one of the first known operas composed by a Black artist.
#AnonymousLoverOC
This production will be performed in French and English with English captions.
What’s Interesting About This Opera…
- The Anonymous Lover is based on the play of the same name by Stéphanie Félicité.
- Chevalier (2022) on Hulu and Disney+ is about composer Joseph Bologne.
- This is the perfect show if you love Romantic Comedies and Comedic Operas (like The Marriage of Figaro!)
- Bridgerton vibes
Synopsis
ACT I
Valcour is hopelessly in love with his close friend Léontine, a wealthy young widow. He believes she will never reciprocate his feelings, since her late husband betrayed her, and the experience soured her on the idea of romantic love. To protect his secret, Valcour tells Léontine that he, too, has no interest in romance. For the past four years, he has contented himself with sending her various gifts and love notes anonymously. With a village wedding approaching, Valcour’s most recent gift to Léontine is a bouquet of flowers and a letter. The message tells her that if she chooses to carry the bouquet to the wedding, it will mean that she accepts the Anonymous Lover’s affections; if she does not, then the secret admirer will take it as a sign to leave her in peace.
Valcour and his friend, Ophémon, discuss the bouquet he sent to Léontine. Ophémon urges Valcour to express his affections openly, believing that Léontine is likely to return them. Valcour is less certain, however, and he remains hesitant to reveal his true feelings to her. Elsewhere, Léontine and her friend Dorothée are arguing about the bouquet. Dorothée thinks Léontine should accept the gesture. Torn, Léontine turns to Valcour for his opinion, saying that while she does not want to hurt her devoted admirer by rejecting him, she doesn’t want to lead him on, either. She decides to carry the bouquet at the wedding.
During the ceremony, Jeannette and Colin — the bride and groom — sing a duet in praise of love. The joyous atmosphere is infectious. A little later, Léontine contemplates how joyless her previous arranged marriage was and how Valcour’s friendship has been a constant support and comfort in her life.
As the festivities begin inside Léontine’s villa, Léontine, Valcour, Dorothée, and Ophémon linger in the garden, discussing who Léontine’s secret admirer might be. Valcour suggests that he could be hiding nearby at this very moment. As a joke, he hides behind a tree and jumps out, declaring himself the Anonymous Lover, to the general amusement of the group. However, during his over-the-top declaration, he and Léontine share a moment of true understanding that gives them pause. Léontine is overwhelmed, and Valcour and Ophémon try to persuade her that it was all in good fun. But her heart remains troubled.
ACT II
Léontine tries to convince herself that she isn’t in love and doesn’t want to be in love, but she cannot talk herself out of her deep affection for Valcour. The matter of her anonymous admirer makes her even more conflicted. She wants to confide in Valcour, but fears that he wouldn’t understand her muddled feelings. She wishes for either the courage to commit to love, or for her feelings to fade so she doesn’t have to grapple with them.
Valcour, encouraged by Ophémon, has decided that he is ready to tell Léontine the truth, but he wants to be sure not to hurt her or frighten her off. Ophémon goes to Léontine and tells her that he has spoken to the “Anonymous One.” Once he is convinced that she wants to learn her admirer’s identity, he tells her that the Anonymous One loves her desperately, is willing to risk her rejection, and wants to meet her that very evening. Léontine hesitantly agrees to the meeting, and her reluctance convinces Ophémon that although she is intrigued by her admirer, she is really in love with Valcour.
As she nervously anticipates the arrival of her anonymous lover, Léontine finally admits to herself that her heart is full of passion, a feeling she never expected to experience. Valcour arrives, expressing his concern for her and offering his support as her dear friend. Léontine tries to get him to leave, as she doesn’t want her friend and her admirer crossing paths at this crucial juncture. Valcour finally summons the courage to reveal his true feelings. Léontine immediately reciprocates, but now worries that the “Anonymous One” will interrupt them. Valcour quickly clears up the misunderstanding and confesses that he has been her anonymous lover all along.
Jeannette and Colin’s wedding celebrations have overtaken Léontine’s villa. In the meantime, Ophémon and Dorothée have been eavesdropping on the lovers. All is revealed, much to everyone’s joy. Léontine and Valcour decide to wed at that very moment, making it a double wedding, and everyone sings and dances the night away.
Synopsis Credit: Opera Philadelphia
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I Wear?
There is no dress code for the opera! Some patrons choose to dress for a special occasion and others prefer to keep it casual.
When Should I Arrive?
Plan on arriving about 30-40 minutes early. This gives you plenty of time to park, get your tickets from will call if you need to and find your seats without feeling rushed. Latecomers are seated (or stand) in the rear of the theatre until ushers take them to their seats at an appropriate point in the production.
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CAST
With a voice praised for its warmth, clarity, and expressive depth, soprano Symone Harcum enters the 2025–26 season with exciting debuts and anticipated returns. This season marks her first appearance in the title role of Verdi’s Aïda, a milestone in her expanding dramatic repertoire. She also revisits some of her most beloved roles in concert and opera performances across the country. In the 2024–25 season, Symone returned to one of her signature roles, Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Virginia Opera, and made her house debut at Opera Philadelphia as Léontine in Chevalier de Saint-Georges’ L’Amant Anonyme. The previous year saw her acclaimed role debut as Mimí in Puccini’s La Bohème at Minnesota Opera. In recent seasons, she has enjoyed a string of notable role and house debuts, including performances at the Glimmerglass Festival as Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen; at Minnesota Opera as Almirena in Handel’s Rinaldo, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Léontine in The Anonymous Lover, and Micaëla in Carmen; and at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in the world premiere of Will Liverman’s Factotum, singing the role of Sandra. Her growing body of recital work has included appearances at universities nationwide and at the National Gallery of Art. Inspired by her work with The Denyce Graves Foundation, this work tends to focus on community, accessibility, and sharing the beauty in the diversity of voices, influences, and artistic perspectives that make up the classical music cannon. Symone’s additional repertoire includes La Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro and Clorinda in La Cenerentola with Virginia Opera, Mascha and cover for Lisa in Pique Dame (Des Moines Metro Opera), Bea in Three Decembers (Opera Maine), Krystyna Zywulska in Out of Darkness: Two Remain (Peabody Opera), Gertrude in Hansel und Gretel, and La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi. Her competition accolades include first place in the Opera Ithaca Competition, the National Society of Arts and Letters–DC Dorothy Lincoln-Smith Voice Competition, and the Sylvia Green Voice Competition, as well as finalist distinctions in the Tri-Cities Opera Competition and the New York International Opera + Premiere Opera Vocal Competition. Before embarking on her full-time performance career, Symone worked as a choral director in Norfolk Public Schools. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Norfolk State University and a Master of Music from the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University, where she continues her vocal studies with Denyce Graves and Margaret Baroody. She currently serves on the voice faculty at Norfolk State University and as the Artistic Engagement Coordinator for The Denyce Graves Foundation.
Symone Harcum
With his mellifluous “honey-voice,” Tenor Jonathan Pierce Rhodes has emerged as an exciting young presence in the world of opera, drawing attention and admiration from audiences and critics alike. In the current season, Mr. Rhodes makes his role debut as Timothy Laughlin in Fellow Travelers by Gregory Spears with Opera Parallele. Shortly after, he makes his highly anticipated house debut with The Lyric Opera Chicago, where he is set to reprise his role as Policeman 2, as well as cover The Son, in Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson’s critically acclaimed opera, Blue. Additional appearances this season include concerts with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony, Apollo’s Fire, as well as his Carnegie Hall debut with the Oratorio Society of New York, where he will appear as the soloist in the world premiere of Moravec’s All Shall Rise and Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang. Mr. Rhodes is a recent graduate of the Washington National Opera’s Cafritz Young Artist program. During his residency there, he frequented several roles including Pong in a brand-new production of Turandot directed by Francesca Zambello. Additional roles at Washington National Opera include The Hippo in The Lion, The Unicorn and Me, A Priest/Piquillo cover* in Songbird, and Frank in The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, a character he first brought to life at The Glimmerglass Festival in 2019. Mr. Rhodes has been honored to spend the past three summers as a young artist at The Glimmerglass Festival. In his final season there, he covered the title role in Leonard Bernstein’s Candide and portrayed Cacambo, receiving praise as a “big-voiced standout” by the Wall Street Journal. Previous years have seen him as the Man in Armor and Priest #1 in The Magic Flute and Cherubiel in the world premiere of Holy Ground. In 2022, the Houston District of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition recognized Mr. Rhodes as an encouragement award winner. In 2019, he received the 1st place Neva Pilgrim Award in the Civic Morning Musicals Competition and had the distinction of being named a recipient of Eastman’s William Warfield Scholarship Award. Rhodes holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from The Eastman School of Music/University of Rochester. In addition, he recently graduated from Rice University, where he received his Masters in Opera Performance. Known for his stage savvy, Robert Kerr’s foundation in opera began in musical theater. Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times wrote of his Falstaff: “He made words matter and conveyed the self-delusion of this likable laughingstock… “. Known to Opera Columbus audiences, Robert Kerr returns this season in Tosca and Fellow Travelers. His past performances with the company include the King in Aida; the world première of The Flood by Korine Fujiwara with libretto by Stephen Wadsworth; the title role of Gianni Schicchi; and, Tonio in Pagliacci. Notable credits include a return to Rose Theater with Atsushi Yamada conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra of New York in an all-Verdi concert; he was Pooh-Bah in The Mikado with Performance Santa Fe!; the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Projects Columbus in addition to the title role in Gianni Schicchi with the company. He has been heard as Germont in La traviata with the Philharmonia Orchestra of New York at Lincoln Center and as soloist in Mozart’s Requiem; and, has appeared with the local symphonies on numerous occasions. In prior seasons, Mr. Kerr returned to Japan for engagements in performances of Requiem by Minoru Miki in Natori and reprising the work at Rose Theater at Lincoln Center; he has covered the role of the King in El Gato con Botas with Gotham Chamber Opera; and, was soloist with the New York City Opera Orchestra in a Japan tour of Carmina Burana. Other engagements include his appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors with Sondra Radvanovsky and Joseph Calleja in an Aida tribute to honoree, Martina Arroyo. Equally at home in musical theater, Mr. Kerr has sung King Hildebrand in Princess Ida with So. Ohio Light Opera; the role of Peachum in The Threepenny Opera with Amarillo Opera; and Pooh-Bah in The Mikado.
Jonathan Pierce Rhodes
Robert Kerr
Hailing from Lexington.KY, tenor Matthew Pearce is praised for his “confidence, brightness and high level of control” (Operawire). In the 2024-2025 season, he makes company debuts as Don Pizzarro in the North American premiere of Ferdinando Paer’s Leonora with Chicago Opera Theatre and the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto with Pacific Opera Victoria. Last season, Matthew made a debut as Lennie Small in Of Mice and Men with Livermore Valley Opera and Simon Tam in Slanted: An American Rock Opera with Opera Theatre St. Louis. He sang the role of the Ground Controller in the Metropolitan Opera’s workshop of Grounded, and performed as a soloist in Das Buch mit Sieben Siegeln with Dallas Symphony and in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Chattanooga Symphony. He has performed the role of Don José in Carmen at The Glimmerglass Festival, Portland Opera, Washington National Opera and the Chautauqua Institution. During his tenure as a Cafritz Young Artist with Washington National Opera, he participated in the Kennedy Center Honors in a tribute for Justino Diaz, and sang Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte, First Philistine in Samson et Dalila, Rodolfo in La bohème, Boyar in Boris Godunov, and Frst Prisoner in Fidelio. Mr. Pearce also had the honor of performing The Magician in a reduced version of The Consul at the U.S. Supreme Court for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Other highlights include the Guard in the world premiere of David Lang’s prisoner of the state with the New York Philharmonic, performances of John Corigliano’s Poem in October with the Juilliard Orchestra and Juilliard’s AXIOM ensemble, his David Geffen Hall debut in the New York premiere of Angela Rice’s Easter Oratorio Thy Will be Done with the National Chorale, and Tebaldo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi with the Chautauqua Institution. Matthew has received training from institutions including the Washington National Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Chautauqua Voice Program, and the Aspen Music Festival, and holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Music in Voice from the Juilliard School. Outside of performing, Matthew is an accomplished teacher, teaching masterclasses and seminars at universities across the country and serves on the board of OperaLex, an organization dedicated to supporting students of opera at the University of Kentucky.
Matthew Pearce
Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, Hannah Marie Bullock is an exciting artist making her footprint in the opera world. In the 2024-25, Ms. Bullock made three exciting debuts: LucyBrown in The Threepenny Opera (Opera Columbus), Rosalia in West Side Story (Opera Columbus), and a Featured Artist position with the Havana Biennial festival. The 2023-2024 season brought Ms. Bullock’s debuts as Second Lady in The Magic Flute (Opera Columbus) and the Soprano Soloist in Faure’s Requiem. She also reprised the role of Micaela in Opera Columbus’ new production of Carmen. During this season, Ms. Bullock was also a finalist in the James Toland Foundation Elizabeth Greenfield Award Competition. In the 2022-2023 season, Ms. Bullock made her debut performance of Micaela (Carmen) in a co-production between Camerata Bardi and Teatro Grattacielo in Heraklion, Crete. She also performed the role of Countess Ceprano in Opera Columbus’ Rigoletto. Previous season engagements include a young artist position with the inaugural Opera for Peace Academy in Rome, Italy in Summer 2022. Spring 2022 also brought Ms. Bullock’s debut in contemporary opera with the role of Moremi in Vanqui (Opera Columbus). In Summer 2021 Ms. Bullock had the pleasure of performing Contessa Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro) with the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia. Ms. Bullock is a graduate of Capital University with a Bachelor of Music in Music Technology and of Ohio University with a Master of Music in Vocal Performance. In addition to performing, Ms. Bullock is the founder and Creative Director of SimplySing Studios, whose mission is to support the young artist community by providing recording services with a specialty in recording the operatic voice. Mezzo-soprano Lauren Cook continues to garner acclaim for her captivating stage presence, “full bodied” (Indie Opera), and “nuanced voice” (Boston Musical Intelligencer). In 2023, Cook returned to Arizona Opera to perform Sister Berthe in Francesca Zambello’s The Sound of Music as well as Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte. Following, Cook made her company and role debuts performing Ava in Rocking Horse Winner with Opera Maine. She then made her Academy of Music debut stepping in as Ancella in Simon Boccanegra with Opera Philadelphia. While there, she also covered the roles of Nurse/Matron in the World Premiere of Rene Orth’s 10 Days in a Madhouse. Cook closed out 2023 with a return to Virginia Opera for her role debut of Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, followed by a concert at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2024, Cook returned to Arizona Opera to debut Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia, as well as Stéphano in Roméo et Juliette. She continued the season as a featured soloist with the Philadelphia Ballet in their production of The Dream. Afterwards, Cook headed to Omaha to perform as a soloist in the recital series It’s About Time with Salt Creek Song Festival. She then spent the summer on the east coast performing in concerts with OperaDelaware, Opera Philadelphia, and ePOP. Starting the 24/25 season, Cook returned to the Academy of Music to perform Lee Ann and cover Theresa Alvarez in the US Premiere of The Listeners by Missy Mazzoli with Opera Philadelphia. 
Hannah Bullock
Lauren Cook
Marcus Charleston
LauraLee Jingo
CREATIVES
Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799), was born on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, the son of an enslaved woman of Senegalese origin and a French plantation owner. From the age of eight, he was educated in France. In 1757, his father was named Gentleman of the King’s Chamber, serving as a personal assistant to King Louis XV. At the age of 17, Joseph was made an officer of the king’s guard and given the title “Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges.” He first came to fame as the best fencer in France. He is only known to have lost one match. Little is known of his training as a violinist or as a composer. He began his professional career as a musician with Les Concerts des Amateurs. He made a sensational debut as a soloist with that orchestra in 1772, playing two violin concertos of his own composition. In 1773, he was named the conductor of the orchestra. Under his leadership, it became regarded as the finest orchestra in Paris and one of the finest in all of Europe. In 1781, finances forced the orchestra to disband, and Bologne became director of the newly formed orchestra Le Concert Olympique. Queen Marie Antoinette, an accomplished musician herself, frequently attended its concerts. Under Bologne’s baton, the orchestra notably premiered Haydn’s six “Paris Symphonies” in 1786 with the queen in attendance. Throughout this decade, he composed string quartets, violin concertos, symphonies concertantes, and other works. During his tenure with Les Concerts des Amateurs, the music directorship of the Paris Opera became vacant, and Bologne submitted a bid for the position. But after three of the company’s leading sopranos wrote to the queen, stating their unwillingness to work for a man of mixed race, Bologne withdrew his application. Despite the setback, he turned his attention to composing operas. His first opera, Ernestine, premiered at the Comédie-Italienne in 1777. Bologne’s score was praised, but the libretto by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, author of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, was not, and the opera was only given one performance. His second opera, La Partie de Chasse (The Hunting Party), premiered in 1778 at the same theater and met with greater success than his first. His third opera, L’Amant Anonyme (The Anonymous Lover), premiered in 1780 in the private theater of the Marquise de Montesson, wife of the Duke of Orléans, who appointed him music director of her theater and gave him a residence in the ducal palace. (Bologne also served as the Duke’s Lieutenant of the Hunt.) The libretto was adapted from a play by the celebrated writer Madame de Genlis, who was governess and tutor to the duke’s children. It is the only one of his operas that survives in complete form. When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, he joined the National Guard in Lille. In 1791, he was appointed the colonel of the newly created Légion Franche de Cavalerie des Américains (American Free Legion of Cavalry), which was comprised mostly of men of color; it soon became known as the Légion Saint-Georges. Bologne served on the front lines, successfully driving back an attack by Austrian forces. Even though he was a war hero, his close ties to the aristocracy made him the object of suspicion. He was jailed without a trial in 1793, on false charges of misusing public funds, for nearly a year. After his release, having unsuccessfully attempted to return to his command, he is believed to have traveled to Saint-Dominingue (present-day Haiti). In 1797, after returning to Paris, he became director of a new orchestra, Le Cercle de l’Harmonie, which performed in the former residence of the Duke of Orléans. He died in 1799, at the age of 53.
Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges
François-Georges Fouques Deshayes, Desfontaines
Kenneth Overton is lauded for blending his opulent baritone with magnetic, varied portrayals that seemingly “emanate from deep within body and soul.” Kenneth Overton’s symphonious baritone voice has sent him around the globe, making him one of the most sought-after opera singers of his generation. Kenneth is a 2020 GRAMMY AWARD WINNER for Best Choral Performance in the title role of Richard Danielpour’s The Passion of Yeshua with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by JoAnn Falletta. This season, Overton will lead two productions for the Welsh National Opera’s new season. The new work Migrations, and in the world premiere of The Shoemaker. Overton will reprise his most celebrated role in Porgy and Bess as Porgy, co-produced by Opera Carolina and North Carolina Opera. Concert engagements will include Handel’s Messiah at the University of Chicago’s Rockefeller Chapel, a concert staging of Porgy and Bess with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in Hamburg, a solo recital for the African American Music Festival at Pennsylvania State University, a solo recital with the Howland Chamber Music Circle, Mahler’sLieder eines fahrenden Gesellen for the Spartanburg Philharmonic, and a return to The Kennedy Center with The Washington Chorus as the soloist for Duruflé’s Requiem and Undine Smith Moore’s Scenes from the Life of a Martyr Last season’s operatic engagements included Kenneth’s Metropolitan Opera debut in the fall of 2021 as Lawyer Frazier in Porgy and Bess, a reprisal of the role of Ralph Abernathy in I Dreamwith Opera Carolina and Charlottesville Opera, The Homecoming Soldier in Zach Redler’s The Falling and The Rising with Opera Carolina, Germont in La Traviata for Fort Worth Opera, and Boston Lyric Opera’s production of Terence Blanchard’s Champion. In concert, Overton appeared with the National Philharmonic as a soloist for Mozart’sRequiem and Hailstork’s A Knee on the Neck, Nathaniel Dett’s The Ordering of Moses with the Harlem Chamber Players, Handel’s Messiah with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Mozart’sRequiem with the National Chorale, as a soloist in “Deep River: Black Currents in Classical Music” with the American Composer’s Orchestra, a solo recital with The Quick Center for the Arts at St. Bonaventure University, George Crumb’s American Songbook II with Chamber Music Northwest, and the premiere of Damien Geter’s An African American Requiem with the Oregon Symphony – with subsequent performances at the Kennedy Center with Choral Arts Society of Washington. Most recently, Overton appeared in On Site Opera’s The Road We Came, an immersive and site-specific experience that explores the composers, musicians and places that define the rich Black history of New York City through a series of self-guided, musical walking tours. He also sang the title role in Porgy and Bess for New Orleans Opera as well as A Night of Black Excellence with Fort Worth Opera and this past summer, Nadia Boulanger and Her World with the Bard Music Festival. Previously, Kenneth made a triumphant role début of Friar Lawrence in Roméo et Juliette with Oregon Bach Festival; performing on the 150th anniversary of Berlioz’s death and conducted by the irreverent John Nelson, critics deemed the production “too beautiful, too musical” not to be performed. Whilst at the festival, he also performed Mozart’s Requiem and Bach’s Magnificat. In addition, he returned to San Francisco Opera for Billy Budd, performed in Porgy and Bess with Harrisburg Symphony, and performed in Union Avenue Opera’s 25th Anniversary Gala. In concert, he appeared at Carnegie Hall for Angela Rice’s Thy Will be Done and Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem, Mechem’s Songs of the Slave with Symphony of the Mountains, and with the Oregon Bach Festival for Richard Danielpour’s Passion of Yeshua which he also sang at UCLA’s Royce Hall as well as the Buffalo Philharmonic which was recorded for release on Naxos. Mr. Overton is quickly becoming a champion of new works, returning to San Francisco Opera in “the most eagerly anticipated new opera of the season”; the World Premiere of John Adams’ Girls of the Golden West. He also created the role of Ralph Abernathy in the World Premiere of the Rhythm & Blues opera I Dream by Douglas Tappin for Opera Grand Rapids, Toledo Opera, and Opera Carolina and performed the role of Stephen Kumalo in Kurt Weill’s Lost in the Stars for Union Avenue Opera. Previous engagements also include Amonasro in Aida with Boheme Opera, a return to The New York City Opera performing the role of Jake Wallace in Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly for Opera Idaho. Additionally, Kenneth thrived in his Hungarian debut as the title role in Porgy and Bess in the Margaret Island Open Air Theatre’s production where he was heralded as one of “America’s most renowned Opera singers.” Alongside the New England Symphonic Ensemble, Kenneth took Carnegie Hall by storm in his soloist performances of Faure’s Requiemand the New York Premier of Michael John Trotta’s Seven Last Words of Christ with Mid America Productions. In addition, he returned to David Geffen Hall with the National Chorale in Mozart’s Requiem, and Vesperae Solennes de Confessore. He also starred in the significant World Premiere of Upon This Handful of Earth by Norwegian Composer Gisle Kverndokk, commissioned by the New York Opera Society.
Kenneth Overton
Everett McCorvey, Principal Guest Conductor, is a native of Montgomery, Alabama. He received his degrees from the University of Alabama, including a Doctorate of Musical Arts. He has performed in many cities around the world and theaters across the country, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Kennedy Center, Aspen Music Festival, Radio City Music Hall, Birmingham Opera Theater, Teatro Comunale in Florence, Italy, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, England, as well as performances throughout Spain, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Austria, Japan, China, Brazil, Ireland, Poland, Portugal and Hungary, Mexico, Peru and France. He joined the Tony Award winning Sherwin Goldman Production of PORGY AND BESS at Radio City Music Hall in 1982 and was also part of the Metropolitan Opera’s Debut Production of Porgy and Bess in 1985. McCorvey’s career has spanned all areas of the performing arts business from performer to musical director, stage director, voice teacher, producer, impresario, orchestra conductor, union representative, administrator and mentor. McCorvey recently conducted the World Premiere of Stella Sung’s Opera THE SECRET RIVER with Opera Orlando in December of 2021. The Librettist for the opera was Pulitzer Prize Winner Mark Campbell. He was also featured in Taromina, Sicily conducting the Grand Finale Opera Gala at the Mythos Opera Festival 2018 and in December of 2019, he conducted the Dvořák Symphony #9 in Prague’s Smetana Hall with the North Czech Philharmonic. Upcoming concerts includes Musikverein Golden Hall in Vienna conducting the Boshualave Martinu Philharmonic and in Haydn Hall Vienna with the Euro sinfonietta as well as an upcoming Word Premiere with the Santa Fe Opera’s Opera for All Voices in performances of THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE by Chandler Carter with the libretto by Diana Solomon Glover. Later in 2022, McCorvey will serve as Chorus Master with the Santa Fe Opera production THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE and Music Director and Conductor for the Kentucky Opera performances of the same work. McCorvey served as the Music Director and Conductor of the World Premier of BOUNCE, The Basketball Opera, conceived and directed by Gretha Holby with the lead composer Glen Roven and author and librettist Charles R. Smith, Jr. Additional music for BOUNCE was written by Tomas Doncker and West Side Story Film Star Ansel Elgort. https://bouncethebasketballopera.org This past September 11, 2021 on the 20th Anniversary of the attacks, he conducted the National Chorale and the US Army Field Band in New Jersey’s 9/11 Commemoration at Liberty State Park. He has also appeared in television movies and feature films including The Long Walk Home. Dr. McCorvey’s operatic roles include Don Jose in Carmen, Ferrando in Cosi Fan Tutte, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Fenton in Falstaff, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Puck in La Grande Duchess de Gerolstein, and many others. Orchestra and Oratorio works include the Beethoven Symphony #9, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mozart’s Requiem, Verdi’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Mass in B Minor and the St. Matthew Passion, among others. Vocal Excellence is a hallmark of Dr. McCorvey’s work. As a teacher he has given masterclasses and vocal workshops throughout the United States, Europe, South America, China, Japan, and Poland. Dr. McCorvey is the founder and Music Director of the American Spiritual Ensemble, www.americanspiritualensemble.com a group of 24 professional singers performing spirituals and other compositions of African-American composers dedicated to keeping the American Negro Spiritual alive. In its 27-year history, the group has presented over 600 concerts including 20 tours of the United States and 17 tours of Spain. Presently the American Spiritual Ensemble is the only professional ensemble of its kind dedicated solely to the American Negro Spiritual. The Ensemble has released twelve CD’s: On My Journey Now – The American Spiritual Ensemble on Tour, Ol’ Time Religion, Lily of the Valley, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; The Spirituals; The Spirit of the Holidays; The Duke Returns; Duke Ellington Sacred Concerts; Mosaic, featuring Metropolitan Opera Star Angela Brown; Stand the Storm, Featuring American Soprano Jeryl Cunningham; Been in the Storm Too Long featuring American Baritone Kenneth Overton as well as two CD’s featuring the music of John Jacob Niles produced by McCorvey featuring American Soprano Hope Koehler. McCorvey recently produced a CD Anchored in the Lord featuring singers from the Bay View Music Festival’s American Negro Spirituals Intensive program, where McCorvey serves as Director. The US Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) has produced six Documentaries featuring McCorvey’s work, including It’s a Grand Night for Singing: 10th Anniversary (1992); Impresario (2002); A Tribute and a Toast to Opera (2005); The Spirituals (2007); The American Spiritual Ensemble in Concert (2017); and It’s a Grand Night for Singing 25th Anniversary (2017). Dr. McCorvey is also in his seventh season as the Artistic Director of the National Chorale of New York City www.nationalchorale.org. Celebrating 54 years of great choral singing, the National Chorale is a symphonic choir which performs at Lincoln Center in New York City. The National Chorale is well-known in New York and around the region for its performances of the great choral titans as well as for the popular New York Messiah Sing-In at Lincoln Center! The Sing-In is one of the oldest sing-in’s in the country. Dr. McCorvey has served on the faculty of the New York State Summer School of the Arts in Saratoga Springs, New York where he was Artist-in-Residence and Associate Conductor and is also a frequent advisory panelist and on-site reviewer for the National Endowment for the Arts Opera/Musical Theatre program in Washington, D.C. He also served on the faculty of the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria. He is on the opera faculty in the summers at the Bay View Music Festival in Petoskey, MI, www.bayviewassociation.org/performingarts/musicfestival, and is co-director of the Bay View Music Festival’s American Negro Spirituals Intensive program, a program dedicated to helping young singers learn about the American Negro Spirituals. Dr. McCorvey is a teacher and vocal advisor to many singers in the profession. Dr. McCorvey has been the recipient of several awards highlighting his teaching, research and service. Recent awards include the SEC (South Eastern Conference) Faculty Achievement Award, given to a faculty member from each of the 14 SEC Athletic Conference schools. He was also the recipient of the UK Libraries Medallion for Intellectual Achievement in 2018. This award is one of UK’s most prestigious awards given to one Kentuckian, it recognizes high intellectual achievement by a Kentuckian who has made a contribution of lasting value to the Commonwealth. The award also promotes education and creative thought. Other awards include the Lexington Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award (2020); two Regional Emmy Awards for UK Opera Theatre’s summer production of “It’s A Grand Night for Singing” (2018); the Notable African-Americans in Lexington Award given by the Lima drive Seventh-Day Adventist Church (2018); the Central Music Academy Lifetime Achievement Award (2015), the Alabama Governor’s Artists Award, the highest arts award given to an artist from Alabama (2015), the Salvation Army Community Service Award (2014) and the Camp Horsin’ Around Community Service Award (2014). In 1998 he was the Acorn Award Recipient given by the Kentucky Advocates for Higher Education. This prestigious Award goes to only one Professor in the state of Kentucky who exemplifies excellence, innovation and creativity in teaching and research. Dr. McCorvey was also the recipient of an outstanding faculty award from the University of Kentucky Lyman T. Johnson Alumni Association for 1998 and was selected to receive the Outstanding Alumni Award in the Arts from the Society for the Fine Arts at the University of Alabama, his Alma Mater, in February of 1999. Dr. McCorvey produced only the second full-length recording of The Tender Land by Aaron Copland with the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre recorded in Zlin, Czech Republic and released January 2002, featuring singers from the University of Kentucky Opera Program with Kirk Trevor conducting the Boshuslave Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra. Two other CD’s released in 2008, were a world premiere of a new opera, The Hotel Casablanca, by Thomas Pasatieri, produced by Dr. McCorvey and performed by the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre and a collection of songs by John Jacob Niles, performed by soprano Hope Koehler and produced by McCorvey. Both recording were released by Albany Records. In the spring of 2010 UK Opera released a new CD of Die Fledermaus with Maestro John Nardolillo conducting and in December of 2010 a World Premiere CD of Thomas Pasatieri’s new opera God Bless Us Everyone which premiered in New York at DiCapo Opera with students from UK Opera and which received a rave New York Times Review. Dr. McCorvey is of the belief that every citizen in the country should find ways to give back to his or her community, city or country. He has been very active in his volunteer activities working to keep the arts as a part of the civic conversation and currently serves on many local, regional and national boards. In his home state of Kentucky, he is Chairman of the Kentucky Arts Council Board and nationally he is on the Sullivan Foundation Board of Trustees, www.sullivanfoundation.org, an organization dedicated to supporting young professional singers with career grants and study awards for continuing development. He holds an Endowed Chair in Opera Studies/Director of Opera and Professor of Voice at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. www.ukoperatheatre.org. In September of 2010, Dr. McCorvey served as the Executive Producer of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Alltech 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games held in Lexington, Kentucky. The Opening Ceremony was broadcasted on NBC Sports and was viewed by over 500 million people worldwide. The Alltech 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games was the largest equestrian event to ever be held in the United States. He is married to soprano Alicia Helm. They have three children. Vanessa is a director for new and contemporary theatre and opera. Through a maximalist aesthetic and cross-disciplinary collaboration, Vanessa pushes everyday stories to mythic proportions. Past projects include an immersive take on “Fefu and her Friends” at Sweet Briar College, and assistant directing Heartbeat Opera’s “Lady M”, which the NYT called “Flat-out brilliant.” University direction includes “Orlando” (Boston University) and Metamorphoses (Villanova). Vanessa is a proud alum of the Drama League and holds a Graduate Certificate in Devised Performance from Pig Iron/University of the Arts.
Dr. Everett McCorvey
Vanessa Ogbuehi
Alan Tyson is a Columbus, Ohio native whose journey into the arts began at age nine with Columbus Children’s Theatre. By ten, he signed with CAM Talent, quickly building a resume of commercials, print ads, and educational videos. He honed his craft in high school with The Black Box Theatre Company and later earned his BFA in Drama from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. After a decade in New York City, Alan returned home to reconnect with his roots, rediscover his passion, and find deeper meaning in his work. He co-founded Inspire2Teach1, whose mission is to ensure that vulnerable and at-risk student populations have access to critical information and resources that could increase their opportunities in the fields of education, the arts, finance, health and wellness. Now represented by Docherty Talent Agency, Alan continues to act, write, film, and teach. For him, creativity is spiritual—a way to grow, connect, and give back. Each role is a chance to learn more about others, and more about himself.
Alan Tyson
Krista Lively Stauffer is a Columbus-based performer, actor, acting coach, teacher, speaker and producer. Growing up in Denver and then Columbus, Krista has been on the stage since age six when she originated the role of “Townsperson 2” in “PIRATES OF PENZANCE”. Neil is a graduate of Boston University with an MFA in Costume Production, and additionally holds a Bachelors degree in History from Providence College. Fortin is returning to Opera Columbus after designing Tosca in December of 2021. He has most recently designed Opera Omaha’s production of Eugene Onegin in April of 2022 and has constructed historical millinery for a variety of West end Shows in England as well as the BBC’s Sanditon. As an ongoing project Fortin has collaborated with his husband and formed Thomas Fortin Menswear an English silk accessories company. Fortin has also worked with the American Repertory Theater, the Huntington Theater Company, The Boston Conservatory Pegasus Early Music Festival, Commonwealth Shakespeare, Actors Shakespeare Project, The Walnut Hill School, and the Metro Stage Company. 
Krista Stauffer
Krista attended Otterbein University where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. Her professional career started in 2008 in Evolution Theatre’s “The Little Dog Laughed”, which earned her Best Actress in the Columbus Theatre Critics Circle.
During Covid, she began a journey with acting on screen. This has led to talent representation with Heyman Talent, The Talent Group and Wink Talent.
Krista is working toward her Intimacy Coordinator/Choreographer certification for live performance.
She began teaching in 2013 at Columbus Children’s Theatre and found a passion in teaching students from youth to adult. She is thrilled to have coached hundreds of students over the decades.
Neil Fortin
Kelsey Gallagher
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 Prime Time 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 Boston Lyric Opera’s Cavalleria Rusticana, Opera Omaha’s Don Pasquale, and Central City Opera’s 2023 summer festival. Upcoming engagements include Opera Omaha’s The Last Dream of Frida and Diego, Pacific Symphony’s La Bohème, and Opera Colorado’s Sampson and Deliah. Lonelle Yoder has been working in the Columbus theatre scene for years and is happy to join the Opera Columbus team again. Recent props credits: Witch (Available Light Theatre), Indecent, 9 to 5: The Musical, and But You Could’ve Held My Hand (CATCO). When not building props, Lonelle does wildlife rehab, tends her garden, and makes jam out of foraged wild fruits.
Ronell Oliveri
Lonelle Yoder
