Company :: About Us
Syracuse Opera enriches the lives of the people of upstate New York through locally produced opera, the one all-inclusive art form that celebrates the beauty of the human singing voice through the spectacle of live theater. Its core values are Artistic Excellence, Integrity, and Community Enrichment.
Syracuse Opera is the only year-round professional opera company serving upstate New York. The company produces three mainstage operas each season and provides continual outreach and educational programs through its Resident Artists Program.
For mainstage productions, Syracuse Opera engages the Syracuse Opera Chorus and the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. Performances take place in the Crouse-Hinds Concert Theater of the John H. Mulroy Civic Center. Noted for high-quality, theatrical productions that star young singing-actors, Syracuse Opera productions have been compared favorably to those of the New York City Opera and Glimmerglass Opera.
The Resident Artists Program was founded in 2008 to provide performing opportunities for emerging artists. Bernard Uzan and Diana Soviero are the program's artistic advisors. Resident Artists are selected from competitive national auditions. In addition to their work in Syracuse Opera educational programs, Resident Artists cover roles and perform supporting parts in mainstage productions.
Company :: Production History
| 1974-75 | Faust (Tri-Cities Opera tour), The Magic Flute, Cinderella (Rossini), Madama Butterfly |
| 1975-76 | Norma, La Traviata, Beauty and the Beast, (DiGiacomo�world premiere) |
| 1976-77 | Un Ballo in Maschera, The Barber of Seville, La P�richole |
| 1977-78 | A�da, Hansel and Gretel, The Marriage of Figaro, Madama Butterfly |
| 1978-79 | Tosca, Die Fledermaus, Rigoletto |
| 1979-80 | Cavalleria Rusticana/ I Pagliacci, The Old Maid and the Thief, Three penny Opera, The Merry Widow, Don Giovanni |
| 1980-81 | Lucia di Lammermoor, La Boh�me, Cosi fan tutte, The Tales of Hoffmann |
| 1981-82 | La Traviata, HMS Pinafore, The Barber of Seville, Rom�o and Juliette |
| 1982-83 | Il Trovatore, The Magic Flute, The Elixir of Love |
| 1983-84 | Die Fledermaus, Otello, Faust |
| (10th Anniversary) | |
| 1984-85 | A�da, Don Pasquale, The Marriage of Figaro, The Mikado, |
| 1985-86 | La Boh�me, Hansel and Gretel, A Waterbird Talk/ The Medium, Falstaff |
| 1986-87 | Carmen, Tosca, The Man of La Mancha, Ariadne auf Naxos |
| 1987-88 | Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly, The Tales of Hoffmann |
| 1988-89 | The Barber of Seville, La Traviata, Porgy and Bess |
| 1989-90 | Fidelio, Babes in Toyland, The Daughter of the Regiment, Gianni Schicchi/I Pagliacci |
| 1990-91 | Carousel, Turandot, The Marriage of Figaro, (NYCO National Company tour), Don Giovanni |
| 1991-92 | The Merry Widow, Tosca (NYCO National Company tour), Lucia di Lammermoor |
| 1992-93 | La Boh�me, Babes in Toyland, Carmen (NYCO National Company tour), The Abduction from the Seraglio |
| 1993-94 | A�da, Madama Butterfly (NYCO National Company tour), The Italian Girl in Algiers |
| (20th Anniversary) | |
| 1994-95 | Il Trovatore, Babes in Toyland, The Barber of Seville (NYCO National Company tour), The Magic Flute |
| 1995-96 | The Merry Wives of Windsor, La Traviata (NYCO National Company tour), The Mikado |
| 1996-97 | Otello, La Boh�me (NYCO National Company tour), Martha |
| 1997-98 | Tosca, The Daughter of the , Regiment (NYCO National Company tour), Rigoletto |
| 1998-99 | Carmen, Madama Butterfly (NYCO National Company tour), Zar und Zimmermann |
| (25th Anniversary) | |
| 1999-00 | A�da, Turandot (Teatro Lirico D�Europa tour), Die Fledermaus |
| 2000-01 | Cos� fan tutte, Nabucco (Teatro Lirico D�Europa tour), The Tales of Hoffmann |
| 2001-02 | Faust, Il Trovatore (Teatro Lirico D�Europa tour), Don Giovanni |
| 2002-03 | La Boh�me, Rigoletto (Teatro Lirico D�Europa tour), Macbeth |
| 2003-04 | La Traviata, The Pirates of Penzance, The Magic Flute (np; Open Hand Theater) |
| (30th Anniversary) | |
| 2004-05 | Otello, The Barber of Seville, Madama Butterfly |
| 2005-06 | Tosca, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Marriage of Figaro |
| 2006-07 | Carmen, Lucia di Lammermoor, The Merry Widow |
| 2007-08 | Rigoletto (np), Don Pasquale, The Medium/Pagliacci |
| 2008-09 | The Magic Flute (revival; Open Hand Theater), Romeo and Juliet, Little Women |
| 2009-10 | La Boh�me, The Flying Dutchman (np, Syracuse premiere), Hansel & Gretel |
(np; Syracuse premiere)
Company :: Leadership
Catherine Wolff became General & Artistic Director of Syracuse Opera in September 2007, having served as the company's General Director since July 1996. In 2007, she attended the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders-Arts, a joint international program of Stanford University and National Arts Strategies. A recipient of a Bravo! Career Service Award from OPERA America, she was founding president of the Arts and Culture Leadership Alliance of Central New York. She was co-chair of the 2003 music panel for the New York State Council on the Arts and was a NYSCA music panelist from 2000-2002. Formerly, she was Executive Director of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Administrator of Pittsburgh Opera. She has an A.B. in Music with an emphasis in vocal performance from Vassar College, where she was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate with honors, and an M.A. in Performing Arts Management from The American University in Washington, D.C.
Douglas Kinney Frost, Director of Music at Syracuse Opera, has conducted orchestras and opera productions throughout the world. Highlights include performances with Teatro Col�n, Russian Federal Orchestra in Moscow, National Orchestra of Korea, Orquestra Sinfonica Siciliana, Utah Symphony and Opera, Bellas Artes, Grand Teton Music Festival, Kharkov Philharmonic, Florida Grand Opera, and Virginia Symphony. A leader in the training of young opera singers and conductors, he has guest conducted and taught at many universities and conservatories, including the Boston premiere of Little Women at New England Conservatory, and he was the first guest conductor of opera in the history of the University of Michigan. He has held an eight-year affiliation with the Conductors Retreat at Medomak; and in addition to creating a resident artists program for Syracuse Opera, he has been a key participant in shaping opera young artist programs at Florida Grand Opera, Utah Opera, and Virginia Opera. His education shows are performed across the country, and have been seen for years on PBS. He has a reputation for creative audience development initiatives, and has served on national panels for OPERA America, League of American Orchestras, and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as state and local arts councils.
Board of Directors
Officers
| Chairman of the Board | David H. Panasci |
| Vice Chairman | R. Andrew Hagen |
| Treasurer | James Poole |
| Secretary | Daniel Larson |
| Chairman, Board Development | Robert D. McClure |
| Rev. John Ahern | Community Volunteer |
| James Beckman | President, Crucible Specialty Metals |
| Jeff D. Brown | Former State Assemblyman; Attorney, Mackenzie Hughes LLP |
| Stephen Byer | Vice President, Alan Byer Volvo |
| Nancy Cantor | Chancellor and President, Syracuse University |
| Joseph L. Cunningham | Sr. Vice President, Senior Banker, Commercial Banking, KeyBank |
| Sidney Dana, M.D.* | Medical Doctor |
| Sharry Doyle* | Accountant |
| John H. Fennessey | Vice President for Development, Conifer Realty LLC |
| Josephine Gregg* | Real Estate Broker |
| R. Andrew Hagen+ | Financial Consultant, AXA Advisors |
| Sandra Hurd | Associate Provost, Syracuse University |
| Corliss Kaiser | Superintendent, Fayetteville-Manlius School District |
| Norma Kelley | Community Volunteer |
| Richard D. Kroot | Composer; Retired Professor, SUNY Cortland |
| Dr. Jay Land | Clinical Psychologist |
| Daniel Larson+ | President, Cayuga Community College |
| Tarky Lombardi, Jr.* | Former State Senator; Attorney, Devorsetz, Stinziano, Gilberti & Smith, P.C. |
| Robert D. McClure+ | Chapple Family Professor of Citizenship & Democracy, Maxwell School, Syracuse University |
| David H. Panasci+ | Management Consultant |
| Patrick J. Pedro | Attorney, Bond, Schoeneck & King, LLP |
| Eleanor Peterson* | Company President, Eastern Planned Incomes, Inc. |
| James Poole+ | CFO, Raymour & Flanigan Furniture |
| Graham M. Ritchie* | Insurance Broker |
| Stephen A. Rogers* | Publisher, The Post-Standard |
| Dr. Tricia Rose | Optometrist; Owner, Traveling Eye Care |
| Barbara H. Stone | Director, Lean Manufacturing, Crucible Specialty Metals |
| Richard F. Taylor, Jr.* | Attorney |
| H. Larry Vozzo | Administrative Law Judge |
| William W. Wakefield | Dramaturg, Syracuse Opera |
| Sieglinde Wikstrom* | Community Volunteer |
* Honorary Director +Executive Committee as of January 2010
Company :: Auditions
Syracuse Opera holds auditions periodically throughout the year in New York City and Syracuse.
Mainstage Auditions
Singers and/or their managers should submit materials for consideration. Please include resume, bio, photo, and any supporting materials. Managed singers are given priority; singers without representation are highly encouraged to submit media examples of their work.
Resident Artist Auditions
The Syracuse Opera Resident Artist Program is designed to bridge the gap between an artist's academic education and professional career. Resident Artists gain valuable experience in assignments ranging from mainstage comprimari and cover roles, to leading roles in Resident Artist productions, to education and outreach peformances. Artists come to Syracuse for 10-week residencies.Interested singers and coach/accompanists should submit resume, bio, photo and any supporting materials. Media examples are highly encouraged. We have no age limit, and make casting decisions based on talent and professionalism only.
Chorus Auditions
Syracuse Opera Chorus auditions are held Syracuse in the Fall and the Spring of each year. It is the Company philosophy that great opera choristers come from a variety of vocal performance backgrounds. In addition to seeking operatically trained voices, we welcome musical theater and sacred music performers. Singers should submit a short musical resume which includes performance history
and any formal vocal or dramatic training, academic or private.
ALL artist materials should be forwarded to:
Douglas Kinney Frost, Director of Music:
P.O. Box 1223
Syracuse, NY, 13201-1223.
auditions@syracuseopera.com
Company :: Volunteer/Internships
Syracuse Opera offers many opportunities to get involved with opera in upstate New York. Through our volunteer and internship programs, we work with each individual to make sure his or her interests are matched with our needs. Whether you have a few hours a week, month, or during productions, Syracuse Opera welcomes your assistance.
If you are interested in volunteer or internship opportunities with Syracuse Opera, please e-mail volunteer@syracuseopera.com or call our administrative offices at (315) 475-5915.
