OperaDelaware presents Verdi's Rigoletto on October 27 & 29 at The Grand. Our incredible artists have been rehearsing since late September, and they're preparing to present the opera this weekend with our coproducers at Opera Baltimore at Towson University. Before the cast, chorus, crew, and all the brilliant minds behind this production made their way down to Baltimore, we had a very important rehearsal with the full orchestra. The Sitzprobe! What's a Sitzprobe? A Sitzprobe is a chance for the cast and orchestra to perform the entire show, without costumes or set pieces. The purpose is to ..read more

OperaDelaware’s Development Associate Sarah Asmar was able to make some dreams come true for two young opera fans over the holidays! Coordinating with parents for a trip to the Metropolitan Opera, Sarah arranged a special stage door meet up with the sisters and soprano Lindsay Ohse following one of Lindsay’s performances as Papagena in The Magic Flute. We are so excited to welcome Lindsay Ohse to Delaware this March to star as Violetta in La traviata at The Grand Opera House. Read Sarah’s guest blog below. Greetings from your favorite opera singer turned Development Associate, Sarah Asmar! Sa ..read more

As we wrap up our rehearsals at the OperaDelaware Studios and prepare for tech week at The Grand and next weekend's performances, we are so grateful to these remarkable artists who poured themselves into this process over the last few weeks. Colleen Daly, Marie Engle, Amanda Sheriff, David Walton, Paul La Rosa, and Eric McKeever have been as dynamic and engaging in their acting as they are in their singing. The level of talent is out of this world. Led by Maestro Domenico Boyegian and directed by Sam Mungo, this production has come together with charm, cheek, heart, and soul. We were fortunate ..read more

Cosi fan tutte rehearsals started yesterday and the artists are all smiles after their first sing through. Singers often refer to the first day of rehearsal as “the first day of school” which is even more appropriate when we’re doing Cosi! For those who don’t know, the full title is “Così fan tutte ossia La scuola degli amanti” which means “All women are like that or The School for Lovers” - too appropriate, right? Mozart’s classic comedy lampoons relationships by introducing a cheeky bet to test the fidelity of two devoted couples. In our production, soprano Colleen Daly takes on the tour d ..read more

On Saturday, September 10, OperaDelaware and the Delaware Symphony Orchestra will join The Grand Opera House in an opening night celebration featuring Tony Award-winning Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell. Learn more about "Stokes" (as he prefers to be called) and the fabulous OD artists sharing the stage for this one-night-only event! Get your tickets  Brian Stokes Mitchell Dubbed “the last leading man” by The New York Times, Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a career that spans more than 40 years in Broadway, television, film, recordings and concert appearances with t ..read more

Hello, Delaware! My name is Kerriann Otaño, and I'm over the moon to join OperaDelaware and this fabulous team as the Vice President of Engagement. I'd like to tell you a bit about me, my career, and what makes me most excited about living and creating opera in America's first state. I'll be keeping the ODBLOG up to date throughout the season with exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes features, and fresh content twice a month. I can't wait to see you at the opera! Kerriann Otaño, Vice President of Engagement I was born and raised on Long Island, NY, with my two incredible parents and my equa ..read more

Get to know the extraordinary artists playing Figaro and friends, including two returning favorites and two singers making their company debuts. Baritone EFRAÍN SOLÍS as Figaro HOMETOWN: Santa Ana, CA RECENT ENGAGEMENTS: Golaud in “Pelléas et Mélisande” (Opera Southwest); Charlie in “Three Decembers” (Virginia Opera), and Aeneas in “Dido and Aeneas” (Opera San Jose); OD patrons will remember Efraín from Opera Uncorked: Cabernets & Cabalettas (2018). CRITICAL ACCLAIM: A former Adler Fellow and a 2013 Grand Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Efraín is hailed ..read more

Get to know the fabulous sopranos & mezzo-sopranos of The Marriage of Figaro, including a Metropolitan Opera star and two singers making their company debuts. THE SOPRANOS ROBIN STEITZ as Susanna HOMETOWN: Washington, DC ROLE CALL: A 2020 OD Young Artist and winner of the Buffalo/Toronto District 2019 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Robin is quickly establishing herself as one of opera’s most exciting stars. After her OD debut was postponed in 2020 (she was slated to appear in the canceled Festival productions of The Coronation of Poppea and The Tales of Hoffmann), s ..read more

Vibrant! Epic! And… environmentally friendly! Costume design by Kathleen Doyle & set design by Jefferson Ridenour. Barber production photos by Britt Olsen-Ecker. Figaro Rosina Count Almaviva Dr. Bartolo Berta We’re over the moon to collaborate with Papermoon Opera Productions for our new production of THE BARBER OF SEVILLE. We chatted with members of the Papermoon team to learn more about how they created glorious costumes and sets almost entirely out of paper and paired them with state-of-the-art projections and lighting. The result? A visual feast that’s as bold as Rossini’s bri ..read more

Get to know the extraordinary cast of THE BARBER OF SEVILLE (coming to The Grand Feb 25 & 27)! FIGARO - Brian James Myer OperaDelaware debut Lauded by critics for his for “buttery baritone” (New York Times) and “flawless comic timing” (Opera Today), celebrated baritone Brian James Myer has performed with New York City Opera, Atlanta Opera, American Lyric Theater, and Knoxville Opera among others. ROSINA - Mary Beth Nelson OperaDelaware debut A former Young Artist with the Glimmerglass Festival, mezzo-soprano Mary Beth Nelson was slated to star in our cancelled 2020 production of T ..read more