March 21–23, 2025
San Diego Civic Theatre
Music by Richard Strauss
Libretto by Hedwig Lachmann
Adapted from Salomé by Oscar Wilde
Conducted by Yves Abel
Directed by Jose Maria Condemi
Strauss’s provocative, intriguing Salome, adapted from Oscar Wilde’s play of the same name, tells the biblical story of Princess Salome, who becomes infatuated with John the Baptist, a prisoner in her stepfather King Herod’s court. When she is promised anything she wants by Herod, Salome demands the head of John the Baptist, which Herod delivers to her—at a price. Strauss’s audacious, groundbreaking score is one of the most thrilling and demanding in all of opera. Hearing artists of this caliber ascend its heights is a rare opportunity indeed.
Sung in German with projected translations in English and Spanish.
Season Sponsors
City of San Diego
Teresa* and Merle* Fischlowitz
Artist Sponsors
Mary Ellen Clark for Kirsten Chambers
*In memoriam
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Kirsten Chambers
Salome (Sat.)
“One of the best interpretations of Salome in decades at the Metropolitan Opera! The performance ended with a standing ovation. Much of it went to the debut of Kirsten Chambers.”
~ÓperaActual.com
Kirsten Chambers
Salome (March 22)
San Diego Opera debut
Kirsten Chambers is most known for her portrayal of the title role of Salome, which she has sung at the Metropolitan Opera, Opera Hong Kong, and with Florida Grand Opera. Her Carnegie Hall debut came on two days’ notice when she sang the fiendishly difficult role of Maria in Richard Strauss’ Friedenstag with the American Symphony Orchestra. She first joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera in 2016 as a cover of Isolde in Tristan und Isolde and rejoined the Metropolitan Opera roster for Die Walküre. Highlights for 2019-23 include a return to the Metropolitan Opera as cover for Marie in Wozzeck, a return to Odyssey Opera to sing the title role in Strauss’s Die Ägyptische Helena, making both her house and role debut with Indianapolis Opera as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and with Opera Orlando as Marchesa del Poggio in Un giorno di regno, and performing Leonore in Fidelio with St. Petersburg Opera. In concert, she performed scenes from the title role of Loreley by Catalani for Teatro Grattacielo, Götterdämmerung at the Vienna Summer Music Festival, bel canto and verismo concerts with Maestra Eve Queler, Opera at Florham, Opera Orlando, Permian Basin Opera, St. Petersburg Opera. and with the Concert Opera of Greater Chicago singing selections from Verdi operas. She returned as Guest Soloist for the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia and Shreveport Opera’s 25th Anniversary Gala. She also created a new opera with White Snake Projects in Boston and a new feature opera film Freydís and Gudrid. She performed recitals and concerts at several universities: with Orchestra Ogden at Weber State University, the University of Maryland, and the University of Houston. Upcoming for 2024 are scenes from Donizetti, Verdi, & Wagner operas with Hope and Anchor Opera and orchestral concerts with the Monterrey Summer Opera Festival. Kirsten is most excited to be debuting the role of Mrs. Poe in The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe with her favorite company, Odyssey Opera. Engagements for 2017-18 include Infantin in Der Zwerg with Odyssey Opera in Boston, the Angel in Angels in America for New York City Opera, Erwartung with The Orchestra Now, Guest Soloist for selections from Der fliegende Holländer and Die Walküre at the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia, and the title role of Salome with Florida Grand Opera. Her 2014-16 seasons began with her exciting debut in the title role of Salome at Opera Hong Kong, and also she debuted Foreign Princess in Rusalka at Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Leonore in Fidelio for New Amsterdam Opera. For Opéra de Rennes, she reprised the role of Elsa in Lohengrin. Her European debut in 2013-14 was with Savonlinna Opera Festival as Elsa in Lohengrin. She also appeared as a featured soloist in excerpts from Lohengrin with the Oulu Symphony in both Oulu and Helsinki and later at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St Petersburg in concerts for Savonlinna Opera Festival. Ms. Chambers reprised the role of Elsa in Lohengrin for the Hong Kong Arts Festival. In concert she performed Isolde’s Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde with the Hong Kong Philharmonic and Brünnhilde’s Entrance from Die Walküre with Orchestra Kentucky. Ms. Chambers 2011-12 season began with a cover of the title role of Turandot with Arizona Opera and a concert performance of the title role of Tosca with Opera Saratoga, followed by a staged performance of Tosca with the Martha Cardona Opera and a return as Santuzza in Cavalleria rusticana. At Toledo Opera she covered the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos and sang Nedda in Pagliacci with the Bronx Opera. A champion of new music, Ms. Chambers has been recorded on the Newport Classics Label and has appeared with American Lyric Theater & American Opera Projects.
Marcy Stonikas
Salome (Fri. & Sun.)
"A powerhouse! Her voice blooming in the stratosphere effortlessly throughout the night. Exciting and explosive!"
~OperaWire
Marcy Stonikas
Salome (March 21 & 23)
Company appearances – Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel (2020)
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.
During the 2023-2024 season, Ms. Stonikas joins Steven White and Opera Roanoke in concert, singing Strauss Four Last Songs and scenes from Ariadne auf Naxos, before traveling to Opera Colorado for her house debut as Senta in Der fliegende Holländer.
Last season, 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. In concert, she returned to the role of Leonore in Fidelio with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. She also recently joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera to cover the title role in their acclaimed production of Turandot.
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. Miss 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.
Kyle Albertson
Jochanaan
"Made a colossal first impression! Effortless high tones as well as powerful, resonant lows that ring out with apparent ease to the eye and a thrill to the ear."
~onStage Pittsburgh
Kyle Albertson
Jochanaan
Company appearances – Sparafucile in Rigoletto (2019)
Renowned not only for his luxurious voice, confidence, and style but also for his versatility and ability to bring a character to life on stage, bass-baritone Kyle Albertson is taking the business by storm. This season will see Albertson join Maestro Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic for Das Rheingold, The Dallas Opera for Elektra, Pittsburgh Opera for Der fliegende Holländer, and rejoin Virginia Opera for Siegfried. In 2024, Albertson will return to the Dallas Symphony for their stand-alone performances of Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, and Siegfried, as well as their full Ring Cycle, led by Maestro Fabio Luisi. Last season’s engagements included Wotan in Die Walküre for Virginia Opera, a return to the Metropolitan Opera for their new production of Don Giovanni, and the role of Prometheus in Die Vögel with Pacific Opera Victoria.
Mr. Albertson made his European début at Opera Köln in Germany as Frank Maurrant in Street Scene, and he returned to Oper Graz in Austria for their 21-22 season, performing the title role in Der fliegende Holländer in more than 12 performances, as well as Wotan in their concert performances of Loriot’s Der Ring an einem Abend. Additionally, he returned to the mainstage of the Metropolitan Opera as Angelotti in Tosca, sang Wotan in Das Rheingold for both Virginia Opera and Opera Santa Barbara, and débuted the title role in Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle with Opera Roanoke.
Kyle first joined The Metropolitan Opera roster for Don Giovanni and returned for five consecutive seasons in their productions of Le nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte, Dialogues des Carmélites, The Merry Widow, and Manon. His 2020 and 2021 Metropolitan Opera engagements were to include covering the title role in Der fliegende Holländer, Claggart in Billy Budd, and Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde. He was also slated to make his role débuts as Jochaanan in Salome and Pizarro in Fidelio.
Albertson’s first foray into Wagner’s demanding vocal universe came in his house début at Lyric Opera of Chicago for their production of Das Rheingold, in which he subsequently performed the role of Donner in Minnesota Opera’s production shortly thereafter. He then went on to cover Greer Grimsley’s Wotan in Francesca Zambello’s production of Der Ring des Nibelungen for San Francisco Opera and returned to the Lyric Opera of Chicago for their production of Siegfried.
In his début as Wotan in Wagner’s epic masterpiece Die Walküre, in Maestro Jaap van Zweden final performance with the Dallas Symphony, Theater Jones exclaimed, “the most impressive aspect of this performance came undoubtedly from Wotan…his voice masterfully brought the character to life…Albertson’s interactions throughout the performance with his most beloved daughter, Brünnhilde, were ingeniously convincing. Coupled with Albertson’s commanding, though endearing, baritone, these moments did not seem like an opera concert at all, rather a fully realized engagement of dramatic and musical interpretation.” The Dallas News called his performance “gripping… I can’t recall the opera’s final parting of father and daughter so emotionally intense…this high-intensity performance will surely rank as a legend in Dallas musical history.” This tour-de-force performance left no doubt that the next great American Wotan had arrived.
Previous engagements have included his début as Scarpia in Tosca for Virginia Opera, Lieutenant Horstmayer in Silent Night with Opera San José, Escamillo in Carmen for the Phoenicia Festival, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with New Jersey Festival Orchestra and the Northern Lights Music Festival, Zuniga in Carmen with Dallas Opera, Sacristan in Tosca with Houston Grand Opera, the Sergeant of Police in The Pirates of Penzance with The Atlanta Opera, Lescaut in Manon Lescaut with Opera Grand Rapids, DeGuiche in Cyrano with Michigan Opera Theatre and Opera Carolina, the title role in Sweeney Todd with Syracuse Opera, Sam in Trouble in Tahiti with Opera Parallel at SFJazz, and JP Morgan in the World Première of Tesla with SoBe Arts in Miami. In addition, he performed Lyndon B. Johnson in the workshop of David T. Little’s JFK and Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Fort Worth Opera; Porthos in Les Trois Mousquetaires with the Phoenicia Festival; Rucker Lattimore in Cold Sassy Tree with Sugar Creek Opera Festival; and the roles of the Prison Warden in Dead Man Walking, Hobson in Peter Grimes, and the Duke in Roméo et Juliette, all with Des Moines Metro Opera.
As a sought-after concert artist, a few recent highlights include Bruckner’s Te Deum with Houston Symphony; Verdi’s Requiem with The Handel Society of Dartmouth; Handel’s Messiah with Boise Philharmonic; Papageno in Boston Youth Symphony’s concert performance of Die Zauberflöte at Symphony Hall; a Carnegie Hall début in Rutter’s Mass of the Children and a subsequent return for Kevin Padworski’s Wanderlust; and a concert version of Der Rosenkavalier with Christoph Eschenbach and the National Symphony.
Albertson is a graduate of the Santa Fe Opera Program, Minnesota Resident Artist Program, the Glimmerglass Festival, Aspen Opera Theater Center, and Chicago Opera Theater. He appeared in a variety of productions during his training including Les contes d’Hoffmann, Le nozze di Figaro, Un ballo in maschera, Roméo et Juliette, La donna del lago, and performed the roles of Escamillo in Carmen, Harašta in The Cunning Little Vixen, Geronimo in Cimarosa’s Il matrimonio segreto, Gus O’Neill in John Musto’s Later the Same Evening, Nilakantha in Lakmé, about which critics lauded, “Kyle Albertson made an imposing Nilakantha, bringing life to a character that is barely two-dimensional,” Quince in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Henry Kissinger in Nixon in China, praised by The Chicago Sun Times and The Chicago Tribune for his “watchful” and “effective” portrayal.
Albertson has placed as a finalist in several competitions such as The Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition, the George London Foundation Competition, the Marcello Giordani Competition, the Liederkranz Competition, and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. He holds a Master of Music degree from DePaul University where he studied with world-renowned mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Northern Iowa where he studied with David Smalley. He is currently in the studio of Dr. Steven King.
Dennis Petersen
Herod
"A masterful singer! Goes for the near-impossible and (almost) makes Herod sympathetic."
~The Capital Times
Dennis Petersen
Herod
San Diego Opera debut
Hailed by The Chicago Tribune as a “Wonderfully natural singing actor”, through his innate sense of style, command of languages, and superior acting abilities, tenor Dennis Petersen is sought after for a variety of operatic roles. He has sung well over one hundred roles in his extensive career. Dennis sang for over 20 seasons with the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, and San Francisco Opera companies. He also sang often at the New York City Opera and many of Americas regional companies including Minnesota Opera. Mr. Petersen also sang regularly in Canada, Europe, and Japan. He was no stranger to the Symphonic and recital venues. Dennis Petersen has happily transitioned into a full-time voice teacher at MacPhail Center for Music and maintains a studio of around 50 students of all ages and genres. He is occasionally coaxed back onto the opera stage but primarily focuses his energy on his wonderful wife Denise, Grandsons, and Family. We also care for our goats and dogs at our country home near Northfield, MN.
MORE CAST »
Nina Warren
Herodias
Nina Warren
Herodias
Company appearances – Marie in Wozzeck (2007)
Nina Warren is an internationally acclaimed artist known for her interpretations of the most demanding dramatic soprano repertoire. This is illustrated by her recent triumphant return to the Teatro Colón as Turandot where she also had debuted Brünnhilde in Die Walküre with Charles Dutoit and starred in Konig Kandaules (recorded on the Capriccio label). Further Wagnerian roles include Brünnhilde in Götterdämmerung at the Teatro Petruzzelli, her MET debut as Gerhilde and then eight consecutive seasons there inclusive of the LePage Ring. Her career highlights include: Turandot with Los Angeles Opera, Sinaloa Festival of the Arts Mexico, Teatro Colon and Köln, Minnie in La fanciulla del West, with Los Angeles Opera and Essen Opera, Marie in Wozzeck with San Diego Opera, Leonore in Fidelio in Essen, Bonn and Nice, Tosca with Teatro Municipal in Santiago and New York City Opera, Emilia Marty in The Makropolous Case at the Janáček Festival Brno and Köln, Kostelnička in Jenufa in Sao Paolo and Essen, Jonnie Spielt Auf with Köln Opera, Chrysothemis with Baltimore Opera, Schoenberg’s Erwartung with Canadian Opera, Lavinia in Mourning Becomes Elektra with Seattle Opera, Marie/Marietta in Die Tote Stadt in Köln and Spoleto, Senta in Frankfurt and Palm Beach, Salome in such theaters as Deutsche Oper Berlin, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Dresden, Ghent, Antwerp, Trieste, Seattle Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Pacific, and Baltimore Opera. She reprised her world premiere roles in Tan Dun’s Marco Polo (recorded on Sony Classics) with the Bergen National Opera and made her Lyric Opera of Chicago debut in The Passenger. In the 23/24 season she added to her Wagnerian roles, debuts as Isolde in Tristan und Isolde with Eugene Symphony Orchestra and Ortrud in Lohengrin with Utah Opera Festival.
Ben Werley
Narraboth
Ben Werley
Narraboth
San Diego Opera debut
Benjamin Werley — praised as having a “gleaming, flexible tenor” (Opera News)—was first bitten by the opera bug while attending a performance of Tosca. He has been pursuing an operatic career ever since.
Recent career highlights include Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, and Cavaradossi in Tosca with St. Pete Opera, The Prince in Rusalka with Opera Ithaca, Cavaradossi with Anchorage Opera, Vaudémont in Iolanta with Pacific Opera Project, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, and Narraboth in Salome with Dayton Opera, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with Indianapolis Opera, Canio in Pagliacci with Salt Marsh Opera, Alfredo in La traviata with Cleveland Opera Theater, Red Whiskers in Billy Budd with Central City Opera, and Lippo Fiorentino in Street Scene with Virginia Opera.
A graduate of the Jacob’s School of Music at Indiana University, Werley participated in many prestigious young artist programs, including the Merola Opera Program, Santa Fe Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and Opera Colorado.
Karin Wilcox
Page
Karin Wilcox
Page
Company appearances: Karin is an alumna of SDO’s Young Artist Training Program (2019-2020).
Karin Wilcox, mezzo-soprano, first discovered her love of classical singing as a youth growing up in Germany, which would eventually develop into a passion for opera even as she completed a B.S. in Mathematics at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, CA.
Since making her professional debut in San Diego Opera’s Core Chorus in 2010, Karin has remained active in both the Southern California and Colorado opera communities. Most notably, she has appeared in the roles of Miss Bentson in Lakmé with Opera Theatre of the Rockies, Madame de la Haltière in Cendrillon with Boulder Opera, The Secretary in The Consul with Breaking Glass Arts, Siebel in Faust with Valley Opera and Performing Arts, and Armelinde in Viardot’s Cendrillon with Lyric Opera of Orange County.
Karin was a founding member of Point Loma Opera Theatre.
Travis Sherwood
First Nazarene / A Cappadocian
Travis Sherwood
First Nazarene / A Cappadocian
San Diego Opera debut.
American Baritone, Travis Sherwood, has received praise for his powerful voice and emotionally poignant performances around the world as an opera singer, concert artist, and recitalist, performing a wide range of musical genres and styles.
On the operatic stage, Sherwood has sung for Amarillo Opera, Mississippi Opera, Aspen Opera Theater, Opera a la Carte, Princeton Festival, Bohème Opera, Spoleto Festival USA, and Opera New Jersey. On the concert stage, Sherwood has performed with the La Jolla Symphony, Southwest Symphony, Chatter Orchestra, Hunterdon Symphony, Symphony of the Vines, Canto Bello Chamber Orchestra, Monroe Symphony Orchestra, and La Sierra Symphony Orchestra. Sherwood has also enjoyed many collaborative recitals with distinguished pianists throughout the world.
Beyond performing, Sherwood enjoys teaching the next generation of singers. He currently serves as Associate Professor of Voice, Voice Area Coordinator, and Director of SDSU Opera Theatre on the faculty of San Diego State University.
DeAndre Simmons
First Soldier
DeAndre Simmons
First Soldier
Company appearances: Sciarrone in Tosca (2023), The Bonze in Madama Butterfly (2024)
American bass, DeAndre Simmons. Notable appearances: Amonasro, Aida (Portland Opera in the Park); Oroveso, Norma (NJ Verismo Opera); Padre Guardiano, La Forza del Destino (Atlantic Opera Festival); Alidoro, Cenerentola (Opera Philadelphia); Carbon, Cyrano (Opera Philadelphia); Soloist, Mozart Requiem (Santa Barbara Symphony); soloist, Beethoven Ninth (Santa Barbara Symphony); Boatman, Sunday in the park with George (CCAE Theatricals); soloist, Verdi Requiem (London Symphony); Caiaphas, Jesus Christ Superstar (Moonlight Theatre); soloist, World Childhood Fdn for HM Queens Silvia of Sweden; Recital, Die Winterreise (Chicago, NYC, LA, Berlin, Paris, London); soloist, Handel’s Messiah (Grand Junction Symphony); Ferrando, Il Trovatore (Astoria Music Festival); soloist, Haydn’s The Creation (Bar Choral Society & London Symphony); Grand Inquisitor, Candide (LA Philharmonic); Cal, Regina (Pacific Opera Victoria); Sarastro, Die Zauberflöte (Opera Panama); Recital, (Musée Jacquemart-André, Paris)
IG: @DeAndresVoice
Joel Sorensen
First Jew
Joel Sorensen
First Jew
American tenor Joel Sorensen made his San Diego Opera debut as Curley in Of Mice and Men in 1999, returning as Camp Williams in Cold Sassy Tree in 2001, Andres in Wozzeck in 2007, Rodriguez in Don Quixote in 2009 and 2014, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet in 2010, Pang in Turandot and Valzacchi in Der Rosenkavalier in 2011, 2013 as the First Tempter/First Knight in Murder in the Cathedral and Beppe in Pagliacci, Spoletta in 2016’s Tosca, Dr. Caius in Falstaff in 2017, Pong in Turandot in 2018, the Witch in Hansel and Gretel in 2020, Spoletta in Tosca in 2023, and Goro in Madama Butterfly in 2024.
Most recently, Mr. Sorensen sang Spoletta (Tosca) with San Francisco Opera and Opera San Antonio, Goro (Madama Butterfly) with Nashville Opera and Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, Beppe (Pagliacci) with Greensboro Opera.
Other recent engagements include: his début with the Bard Music Festival as Bomeliy (The Tsar’s Bride); Pong (Turandot); Spoletta (Tosca) with the Canadian Opera Company; and Pong (Turandot), Incredible (Andrea Chénier), Vítek (Věc Makropulos), and Der Ring des Nibelungen with San Francisco Opera.
As a regular at The Metropolitan Opera, he performed in Madama Butterfly, Tosca, Samson et Dalila, Die Zauberflöte, War and Peace, Der Rosenkavalier, Salome, and Les contes d’Hoffmann.
Alexis Alfaro
Second Jew
Alexis Alfaro
Second Jew
Company appearances – All is Calm (2018, 2020)
Alexis Alfaro, the eclectic tenor, infuses every note he sings with a lifelong love of music. With over two decades of mesmerizing audiences, he has graced the stages of esteemed institutions like San Diego Opera and Lyric Opera Kansas City, leaving an indelible mark on beloved productions such as Don Giovanni, Dead Man Walking, The Pearl Fishers, Rigoletto, All is Clam, La Cenerentola and the critically acclaimed Madame Butterfly where he proudly completed his 14th season with SDO.
His performances as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet and Don Jose in Carmen with Pacific Lyric Opera stand as poignant highlights of recent seasons, showcasing his remarkable talent and versatility. In concert with Lyric Opera Orange County, Alexis effortlessly embodies characters like the charming Count Almaviva from the Barber of Seville and the lovable Nemorino from the Elixir of Love, enthralling audiences with his dynamic range and emotive delivery. Beyond the spotlight, Alexis’s passion extends to the rugby pitch, where he referees for World Rugby and Major League Rugby, showcasing a true embodiment of passion and talent as both an artist and athlete.
Bernardo Bermudez
Third Jew
Bernardo Bermudez
Third Jew
Company appearances: Chucho in El Milagro del Recuerdo (2023), The Messenger in Aida (2020), El Dancairo in Carmen (2019), All Is Calm (2019/2021), and Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly (2016).
Mexican-Venezuelan American BariTenor Bernardo Bermudez has been praised for his exceptional vocal range. His repertoire and roles have expanded to recently include General Moncada in the West coast Premier of Zorro by Hector Armienta, Pleasure in the world premiere of The Romance of The Rose by Kate Soper, both the roles of Laurentino and Mark in Cruzar la Cara De La Luna. Other notable roles include Diego Rivera in Frida, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, and Vidal in Luisa Fernanda.
He has performed in productions and concerts with esteemed companies such as Los Angeles Opera, Long Beach Opera, Anchorage Opera, Portland Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Orlando, West Edge Opera, The San Diego Symphony, The Nashville Symphony and The La Jolla Symphony.
Bernardo’s passion for music has not gone unnoticed, he has been recognized with awards including, The Opera Buffs grants, and the Music Academy of the West Alumni Enterprise Award in 2019 and 2020.
Apart from his accomplishments as an opera singer, Mr. Bermudez is a co-founder of Opera4Kids, a non-profit organization that aims to inspire young minds through live vocal and classical music performances, as well as digital programming. This organization seeks to make Classical music and Opera accessible to all, regardless of their socio-economic background. For further information, please log on to www.bernardobermudez.com and www.Opera4Kids.com
Tony Baek
Fourth Jew
Tony Baek
Fourth Jew
Company appearances: Gheraldo in Gianni Schicchi (2023), Muchacho in El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego (2023).
Tenor Dongwhi Tony Baek, originally from South Korea, was recently seen as Prince Ramiro from Cinderella with Pacific Symphony, and Messiah soloist with Long Beach Camerata Singers. In 2022, he was a finalist at Palm Spring Opera Guild Competition.
He has performed numerous major opera roles including in La Bohème, La Traviata, and The Rake’s Progress, and tenor soloist in oratorios including Elias by Mendelssohn, Bach B minor mass, and Bach cantatas. As a soloist, he was seen in Boston Pop Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, Del Mar International Composers Symposium, and Opera San Luis Obispo.
Mr. Baek holds a Professional Certificate in Opera Performance from Opera Institute Boston University, and he holds a MM from University of Cincinnati, and BM from Chapman University.
Michael Sokol
Fifth Jew
Michael Sokol
Fifth Jew
Company appearances: Sergeant of Police in The Pirates of Penzance (2017), Ensemble, All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 (2018); soloist, When I See Your Face Again (2021); Maestro Spinelloccio in Gianni Schicchi (2023), A Sacristan in Tosca (2023), Mr. Costello in Ghosts (2023).
Notable appearances: Metropolitan Opera; Philadelphia Orchestra; Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago; Frank Lloyd Wright, Shining Brow (Madison Opera); director, San Diego Summer Gilbert and Sullivan Workshop.
Joshua David Cavanaugh
Second Nazarene
Joshua David Cavanaugh
Second Nazarene
San Diego Opera debut.
Baritone Joshua David Cavanaugh is equally at home on both opera and music theater stages and is known for his “strong vocal abilities and rich timbred voice” (Encore Michigan 2014) and as a charming actor (Broadway World 2020). Opera credits include David (Hand of Bridge), Buff (The Impresario), and Matthew (La Divina). Favorite music theater roles include Georg (She Loves Me), Aaron (First Date), Prof. Bhaer (Little Women), Leonard Aster (Peter and the Starcatcher), Perchik (Fiddler on the Roof), Priest (Light in the Piazza), Frankie (Forever Plaid; Plaid Tidings), Joey (Most Happy Fella), Prof. Hickey (All the Kids Are Doing It), and Singer 1 in the national/international tour of In the Mood. Joshua holds his M.M. from NYU and B.M. from Chapman University. www.joshuadavidcavanaugh.com
Leslie Ann Leytham
A Slave
Leslie Ann Leytham
A Slave
San Diego Opera debut.
Leslie Ann Leytham is a San Diego-based mezzo-soprano who actively commissions mutli-media narrative vocal works, and collaborates with composers not only as a singer and actor, but as a director and producer as well. Ms. Leytham has premiered numerous works by composers including Laure Hiendl, Nicolas Reveles, Carolyn Chen, Marti Epstein, Andy Vores, Nicholas Deyoe, Roger Reynolds, and countless more. She has performed as a featured artist with San Diego Opera, The Industry, WildUp, Noon 2 Midnight produced by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Monday Evening Concerts, La Jolla Symphony, wasteLAnd, Bach Collegium San Diego, and Guerilla Opera. Leslie earned her D.M.A. in experimental music performance at UC San Diego, her Masters in Vocal Performance at the Boston Conservatory, and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance form the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Ms. Leytham is Artistic Director of Project [BLANK], an experimental concert series in San Diego.
Yves Abel
Conductor
“Things get better through time, especially when accompanied by Yves Abel’s consistently exceptional blend of orchestral parlance.”
~Concertonet
Yves Abel
Conductor
Maestro Yves Abel is San Diego Opera’s Principal Conductor. He made his Company debut in 2013 for performances of The Daughter of the Regiment. He returned in 2014 for Pagliacci, in 2016 for Madama Butterfly, in 2019 for Carmen, in 2022 for Roméo et Juliette, the Puccini Duo of Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi in 2023 and Don Giovanni and Madama Butterfly in 2024. He is the Chief Conductor designate of the NordwestDeutsche Philarmonie, Germany. A frequent guest with the world’s great opera companies, Yves Abel has conducted performances at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; La Scala, Milan; the Metropolitan Opera, New York; Lyric Opera of Chicago; San Francisco Opera; Seattle Opera; Glyndebourne Festival; Bayerische Staatsoper; Opéra National de Paris; Netherlands Opera; Grand Théatre de Génève; Teatro San Carlo, Naples; Teatro Communale Bologna; New National Theatre, Tokyo; Welsh National Opera and Opera North. He has conducted new productions in Liceo (The Pearl Fishers), Munich (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), Geneva (Les Vêpres Siciliennes), Barcelona (Madama Butterfly), Bilbao (Norma), Toulouse (Lalo’s Le Roi d’Ys and The Tales of Hoffmann), Lisbon (Il Turco in Italia), Naples (Gounod’s Faust), Dallas (Ermione), Seattle (Il trovatore and Heggie’s The End of Affair), Monte Carlo Opera (Il Turco in Italia) and Santa Fe (Così fan tutte), and at the festivals of Pesaro, Caramoor, the Menuhin festival in Gstaad, and the Spoleto festival in Charleston and Spoleto, Italy. As Principal Guest Conductor of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin from 2005 to 2011, he conducted new productions of Don Pasquale, Simon Boccanegra, d’Albert’s Tiefland, and Carmen, as well as performances of The Marriage of Figaro, La traviata, Dialogues des Carmélites, La bohème and Carmina Burana. He is a frequent guest at the Vienna Staatsoper where his repertoire includes The Daughter of the Regiment, The Elixir of Love, Carmen, Madama Butterfly, Simon Boccanegra, A Masked Ball, and L’italiana in Algeri. In concerts he has performed with the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra at the Tivoli Festival, the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, Dublin, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Orchèstre du Capitole de Toulouse, the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, and the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini in Parma. He has also conducted the Toronto Symphony, Montreal Symphony, Netherlands Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Orchèstre National de Lyon, Orchestra of St. Luke’s New York, the Royal Liverpool, the Haydn Orchestra in Bolzano and the orchestras of Genoa, Naples, and Palermo among others. A Franco-Canadian, he has a particular affinity with the French repertoire and has won significant critical acclaim for his achievements as founder and Music Director of L’Opéra Francais de New York, with whom he has regenerated rare French operas and also performed the world premiere of Dusapin’s To be Sung. Since 1994, the company has performed regularly to capacity audiences at the Lincoln Center. He conducts at various festivals around the world including the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro and the Glyndebourne festival, among others. His recordings include Thaïs with Renée Fleming and Werther with Andrea Bocelli (Decca), Madama Butterfly with the Philharmonia Orchestra (Chandos), and two discs of French arias, one with Susan Graham and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (Erato) and the other with Patricia Petibon and the Orchestra of the Opera National de Lyon (Decca). His most recent recording, ‘Romantique’, is a disc of romantic arias with Elīna Garanča on Deutsche Grammophon. In 2009 he was awarded the title Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government.
Jose Maria Condemi
Director
“One of the most promising and impressive directors in all opera, with staging that is contemporary, compelling, and consistently supportive of the work itself.”
~Oakland Post
Jose Maria Condemi
Director
Company appearances: Director, Madama Butterfly (2024)
Jose Maria Condemi is a director, producer, and educator in the field of opera and theater, whose work has been consistently praised for its strong conceptual approach, striking visual presentation, and remarkable dramatic truth.
Mr. Condemi’s longtime association with the San Francisco Opera has resulted in several mainstage directing engagements, including Carmen, Un Ballo in Maschera, Madama Butterfly, Faust, Tosca and Così fan Tutte. He also helmed the San Francisco Opera’s world premiere commissions of The Secret Garden and Earthrise and innovative outreach projects such as La Bohème Out of the Box.
Other noteworthy directing engagements elsewhere include Ernani and Tristan und Isolde (Lyric Opera Chicago), Aida (Houston Grand Opera), Tosca (The Dallas Opera), Luisa Miller (Canadian Opera Company), Orphee et Eurydice, La Bohème, Tosca and Il Trovatore (Seattle Opera), Ainadamar, Don Giovanni, La Traviata, Tosca and Lucia di Lammermoor (Cincinnati Opera), Don Giovanni (Portland Opera), Cosi fan tutte and Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Atlanta Opera), Cendrillon, Joan of Arc and Rigoletto (New Orleans Opera), The Elixir of Love (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis), Maria Padilla (Minnesota Opera), Florencia en el Amazonas (Opera Colorado, Utah Opera, Pittsburgh Opera), Simone Boccanegra (Teatro Colon/Buenos Aires), Il Trovatore (Austin Lyric Opera), Tosca and Maria de Buenos Aires (Florida Grand Opera), Frida (The Detroit Opera, Atlanta Opera and Florida Grand Opera).
Condemi’s theater and musical theater directing credits include Caryl Churchill’s Mad Forest, Dürrenmatt’s The Physicists, Dorfman’s Death and the Maiden, Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba, Hermann’s Hello Dolly, among others.
Mr. Condemi is also in demand as a trainer of young artists and has been a master teacher and director for the San Francisco Opera Center, Seattle Opera Young Artists Program, Houston Grand Opera Studio, University of Cincinnati, Opera Theater of Lucca and the New National Theater Young Artists Programme in Tokyo.
Condemi was the Artistic Director of Opera Santa Barbara (2010-2015), and the Carol Franc Buck Distinguished Chair at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (2015-2022)
Originally from Argentina, Mr. Condemi received an undergraduate degree in Opera Stage Direction at the Teatro Colón/Buenos Aires and completed a Master of Fine Arts in Directing at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He was a member of the Merola Opera Program, a first-time Adler Fellow in Stage Direction at the San Francisco Opera and Fulbright Fellow.
Upcoming engagements include Eugene Onegin (as both director and scenic designer, Indiana University/Jacobs School of Music), Corpus Evita (as dramaturg, West Bay Opera), a revival of his La Bohème Out of the Box for San Francisco Opera and a yet-to-be-announced title with Cincinnati Opera.
Opera Uncorked
Tuesday, February 25 at 6:00 pm
The perfect evening to whet your operatic appetite just a few weeks before the performance, featuring a presentation led by Resident Conductor Bruce Stasyna every bit as scintillating as the wine and cheese served upon your arrival. Bruce will discuss the history of Salome, what to listen for, and some of the interesting challenges and fun facts about producing opera. Opera Uncorked takes place at UCSD’s remarkable Park & Market location in East Village.
Pre-Performance Talk
March 21, 22, and 23
Beat the traffic and get the most out of the performance at a free 25-minute talk in the auditorium 50 minutes prior to each opera performance. It’s a great way to learn about the opera and note what to listen for!
Post-Opera Talk-Back
March 22 and 23
Immediately following the performance on Saturday and Sunday, join us in the Dress Circle seating section for an informative Q&A with San Diego Opera staff and cast members.
From the terrace of Herod’s palace, Narraboth, captain of the guard, gazes rapturously inside at Princess Salome, who is feasting with her stepfather and his guests. The voice of the prophet Jochanaan echoes from a deep cistern, where he is imprisoned by Herod, who fears him. Salome, fleeing Herod’s lechery, rushes out for fresh air and becomes curious when she hears Jochanaan curse her mother Herodias. When the soldiers refuse to bring Jochanaan to her, Salome convinces Narraboth, who orders that Jochanaan be summoned. Jochanaan and Salome meet as he denounces the incestuous union of Herod and Herodias. She is increasingly overcome by desire, praising his body, hair and mouth. When Salome begs for Jochanaan’s kiss, Narraboth stabs himself in horror. Jochanaan urges Salome to seek salvation in the Messiah.
Herod and Herodias appear. Herod’s thoughts turn to Salome, who spurns his attentions. He begs Salome to dance for him and offers her anything she might wish in return. Salome makes him swear he will live up to his promise, then dances. Salome demands the head of Jochanaan on a silver platter, ignoring Herod’s alternatives – jewels, rare birds, a sacred veil. Terrified, Herod finally gives in. After a tense pause, Salome has her wish: the head of Jochanaan. Salome seizes her reward, triumphantly kissing his lips. Herod orders Salome to be killed.
– Courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera
Was there really a Salome?
The New Testament never mentions her name, but she is identified as “the daughter of Herodias” in the story of Herod, the Roman-backed king of Galilee, whose imprisonment of John the Baptist is recounted in both Matthew and Mark’s gospel accounts.
We get the name Salome from the ancient Jewish historian Josephus, in Book 18 of his Antiquities of the Jews. He does not mention her dancing before Herod or asking for the head of John the Baptist.
In his account, the execution of John the Baptist takes place purely for political reasons.
Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise rebellion: (for they seemed ready to do any thing he should advise:) thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause; and not bring himself into difficulties by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late.
Read more from Josephus
Of course it’s possible that Herod’s reason for killing John was multifaceted, but in any case, the alternate story of Salome’s dance comes from the gospel accounts in the New Testament, though she is not given a name.
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodias’ daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it.” And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” And she went out, and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the baptizer.” And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” —Mark 6:21–25
Read the whole story
Why were artists crazy for Salome?
The fascination with Salome didn’t start in the 1800s. She shows up in many Renaissance paintings. Among them are works by Botticelli, Andrea Solario, Guido Reni, Bernardo Luini, and Caravaggio.
Most of the paintings of this period portray Salome as a chaste, passive figure, with the main focus on the gruesome head of John the Baptist. Salome would be reimagined as a femme fatale during the fin-de-siècle period of the late 1800s, in which sexually liberated women were often portrayed as definitionally dangerous both to men and good public order.
By the time we get to the late 19th century, artists and writers had this new lascivious Salome on the brain.
Salome as Symbolist Icon
The Symbolist movement was a reaction against naturalism that favored expressing ideas non-literally using symbols.
One of the most famous Symbolist visual artists, Gustave Moreau, painted a series of works which featured Salome, including L’Apparition (The Apparition) and Salome Dancing Before Herod.
Moreau’s paintings got a detailed description in Joris-Karl Huysmans’ novel À rebours (Against the Grain), a book greatly admired by Oscar Wilde, and one which may have inspired the beginnings of his obsession with the character of Salome.
Was Oscar Wilde obsessed with Salome?
Oscar Wilde’s play Salomé is the heart of Strauss’s opera, since the libretto by Hedwig Lachmann is essentially a German adaptation of Wilde’s play.
Oscar Wilde wrote society comedies (The Importance of Being Earnest, A Woman of No Importance), but he intended Salomé to be very different. He admired the Symbolist writers on the continent like Maurice Maeterlinck, who rebelled against the conventions of Naturalism, and Salomé (written in French in 1891) is very much a Symbolist play.
Oscar Wilde’s obsession may have begun when he encountered Flaubert’s novella Hérodias, which was a retelling of the Salome-John the Baptist story, and which contained what was considered then a provocative description of Salome’s dance before Herod.
And now the graceful dancer appeared transported with the very delirium of love and passion. She danced like the priestesses of India, like the Nubians of the cataracts, or like the Bacchantes of Lydia. She whirled about like a flower blown by the tempest. The jewels in her ears sparkled, her swift movements made the colours of her draperies appear to run into one another. Her arms, her feet, her clothing even, seemed to emit streams of magnetism, that set the spectators’ blood on fire.
Read more from Flaubert's Hérodias
Wilde also read À rebours (Against Nature) by the French novelist Joris-Karl Huysmans, whose work was a precursor to Symbolism. In it he found a detailed description of Gustave Moreau’s paintings L’Apparition and Salomé Dancing Before Herod. In fact, many believe Wilde had À rebours in mind when he writes about the “poisonous French novel” read by the title character in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
How Wilde changed the story
Josephus described a Herod who kills John the Baptist to protect his regime politically. But in Oscar Wilde’s version, it’s all about Salome and her dance.
And unlike Flaubert, who puts the blame on Salome’s mother Herodias, Wilde’s Salome becomes fixated on the Baptist. She professes her love for him and even his body parts (his hair, his mouth, etc). His rejection of her is what causes Salome to demand his death, rather than a need to win her mother’s approval.
Ironically, the German poet Heinrich Heine also portrayed a woman pining for John the Baptist, but in his epic poem Atta Troll, it’s Herodias.
Of most royal blood was she,
She the Queen of old Judea,
She great Herod's lovely wife,
She who craved the Baptist's head.
For this crimson crime was she
Banned and cursed. Now in this chase
Must she ride, a wandering spook,
Till the dawn of Judgment Day.
Still within her hands she bears
That deep charger with the head
Of the Prophet, still she kisses—
Kisses it with fiery lips.
For she loved the Prophet once,
Though the Bible naught reveals,
Yet her blood-stained love lives on
Storied in her people's hearts.
How might else a man declare
All the longing of this lady?
Would a woman crave the head
Of a man she did not love?
Heinrich Heine, Atta Troll, canto XIX
Translated by Herman Scheffauer
Why was Salome banned?
After Oscar Wilde wrote Salomé, he pitched it to Sarah Bernhardt, one of the biggest theatrical stars of the time, who agreed to play the role in London.
The company was already in rehearsal when the Lord Chamberlain informed them that Salomé would not be allowed to open, because of an English law prohibiting the depiction of biblical characters onstage.
The play would be produced in 1896 in Paris, but Wilde was unable to attend because of the prison sentence he was serving for “gross indecency” due in part to his affair with Lord Alfred Douglas (who was also the first to translate Salomé into English).
The play Salomé would not be produced in England until 1931.
The Oscar Wilde play was performed all over Europe. Strauss saw it in Berlin in the Hedwig Lachmann German translation.
The opera Salome had its premiere in Dresden in 1905. It was subsequently performed throughout Europe, except in the city of Vienna, where Richard Strauss had spent so much of his career.
Salome finally got its London showing in 1907, but only in a modified form in which the setting was changed to Greece instead of Judea, and John the Baptist’s head was not permitted to be shown onstage.
New York’s Metropolitan Opera opened Salome on January 22, 1907, but closed it immediately after an outcry from donors, including the daughter of J.P. Morgan, who served on the Met’s Board. The Manhattan Opera House run by Oscar Hammerstein I (grandfather of the famed lyricist) produced it in 1909 starring soprano Mary Garden.
Its second performance at the Met wouldn’t occur until 1934.
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