260515 OP4 Porgy and Bess

concerts and events

April

Opera Star John Holiday

April 25

Young People’s Concert: The Orchestra Swings

April 28

May

At The Still Point

May 1 & 2

Youth Orchestra Spring Concert

May 3

Chamber Music: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

May 6

The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess

May 15 & 16

Memorial Day Celebration Concert

May 24

Dayton Ballet School Concert: Enchanted Tales

May 30

June

Mahler 5 & Violinist Charles Yang

June 5 & 6

Jazz Trumpeter Byron Stripling

June 20

Dear Friends FROM THE LEADERSHIP

As we enter the final months of our 2025–2026 Season, we find ourselves in a moment of both reflection and anticipation. With many more upcoming performances, there is so much left to experience— performances that celebrate the power of live music, movement, and storytelling at their very best!

This season also marks a couple of meaningful transitions. We are nearing the conclusion of Keitaro Harada’s first season as Music & Artistic Director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, a season that has been filled with fresh perspectives, curiosity, and renewed momentum on our stages. We also honor Kathleen Clawson’s final season as Artistic Director of the Dayton Opera, lauding her extraordinary leadership and the lasting impact she has made on our organization. Her influence will continue to resonate in future seasons on our stages and in the community we’ve built together.

As we look ahead, we remain committed to bold collaboration— uniting artists, audiences, and ideas in ways that reflect the vibrancy of our community. Thank you for being part of this season, and for joining us as we continue to imagine what comes next.

Patrick J. Nugent President and CEO

Joseph Zehenny DPAA Board Chair

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Is this your first time at a DPAA event? If so, welcome! To ensure your visit is meaningful and enjoyable, we offer the following resources.

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Assistive listening devices are available for all performances. Borrow a device from the kiosk in the lobby or from a house manager.

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In addition to our standard military discount, DPAA offers a Military Appreciation Program for active-duty military members, retired veterans with ID cards, and WPAFB government civilian employees in the region. Each household may receive four free tickets annually. Contact the box office to redeem.

Local Dining

Make it a night on the town! We recommend the following options: Bistecca, Blind Bob’s, Grist, Joui, Lily’s, Lucho, Meadowlark Restaurant, Mudlick Tap House, Salar Restaurant and Lounge, Sueño, Table 33, and Wheat Penny Oven & Bar.

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Our events are recommended for age 6 and up.

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Questions?

For additional ticket questions or information, contact our Engagement & Patron Services Manager, Kate LaFollette at (937) 535-5443.

Keitaro Harada’s Inaugural Season

The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance would like to acknowledge Trustee Barbara N. O’Hara for her generosity and vision.

Barbara was the catalyst for bringing Maestro Keitaro Harada to the Dayton Community. We wish to thank her and the following donors for their generosity:

Barbara N. O’Hara

Peter & Patricia Torvik

Tim & Mary Riordan

Grismer Tire Company

Barbara & Leib Lurie

Dr. Michael & Christine Manchester

Dr. Thomas G. Olsen & Mary Boosalis

Paul & Susanne Weaver

Kathleen & Joseph Zehenny

Nirmala Abraham & Scotty Blackburn

The Mary H. Kittredge Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Artistic Directors

Kathleen Clawson,

Artistic Director, Opera; Dr. Ron Anderson and Robb Sloan-Anderson Chair

Kathleen Clawson is a distinguished director, performer, and educator whose career has been defined by her deep commitment to opera. Clawson’s extensive directing work includes over 20 productions for the Dayton Opera and a long-standing association with The Santa Fe Opera, where her credits include staging two world premieres, and staging the Apprentice Scenes for over two decades.

Clawson first came to Dayton as a soloist with the Dayton Philharmonic. Now a retired mezzo-soprano, she performed with opera companies and orchestras throughout the country, and performed in musical theatre, including the “Mother Abbess” in an international tour of The Sound of Music.

A passionate advocate for arts education, she served as the Associate Director of The Santa Fe Opera’s Apprentice Singer Program for ten years and mentors the Dayton Opera Artists in Residence.

Keitaro Harada

Music and Artistic Director, Philharmonic; Sponsored by Barbara N. O’Hara

Armed with intensity and depth, Keitaro Harada consistently provides riveting concerts and opera performances in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. As Music and Artistic Director of the Savannah Philharmonic since 2020, Harada has transformed the orchestra and energized its audiences throughout the community with his imaginative programs and charismatic presence.

In 2024, Harada was named Permanent Conductor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Partner for the Aichi Chamber Orchestra, and he begins a five-year tenure as Music and Artistic Director of the Dayton Philharmonic in the 2025–26 season. He has forged a close connection with the NHK Symphony Orchestra with whom he appears frequently and has recorded three albums. Harada is a recipient of the 2023 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award.

Brandon Ragland

Artistic Director, Ballet; Sponsored by Dr. Troy Tyner and Dr. Ingrid Brown

Brandon Ragland has more than a decade of professional experience as a dancer, choreographer, and educator. He trained in Birmingham, AL, and has a bachelor’s degree in Dance-Arts Administration from Butler University. After graduation, Ragland danced with Alabama Ballet, followed by Louisville Ballet in 2010, spending 13 years as a leading artist. A respected choreographer, Ragland choreographed works for Louisville Ballet, Alabama Ballet, Ballet Arkansas, AROVA Contemporary Ballet, Next Generation Ballet, Sedona Chamber Ballet, and The Perla Ballet. In 2017, Ragland was honored to perform with the Black Iris Project at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as part of the Kennedy Center’s Dance Across America Program. He has received numerous awards, including “Best Artist” in Louisville Magazine and The Lift a Life Foundation’s “Emerging Leader in the Arts Award” from The Fund for the Arts.

Dayton Ballet Company Dancers

Dayton Opera Artists In Residence

Dayton Ballet Studio Company

The Gershwins®’ PORGY AND BESS®

By George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin

May 15 & 16, 2026 • Schuster Center

Dayton Opera • Kathleen Clawson, Artistic Director

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra • Keitaro Harada, Music & Artistic Director

Presented in English with English surtitles.

PORGY AND BESS is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC. www.concordtheatricals.com

CAST

Porgy Lester Lynch

Bess ........................................................................................................... Kearstin Piper Brown^

Crown ....................................................................................................................... Blake Denson*

Sportin’ Life Martin Bakari

Clara .......................................................................................................................... Kayla Oderah^

Jake ........................................................................................................................ Randell McGee^

Serena Minnita Daniel-Cox

Maria ................................................................................................................ Alexis Davis-Hazell

Mingo Lou Lilite

Robbins Earl Hazell*

Peter/Honeyman .................................................................................................. Cameo Humes

Jim Stevin Crane

Nelson/Crab Man Tifton C. Graves

Lily/Strawberry Woman................................................................................... Diamond Sparks

Detective James Walker*

Coroner ................................................................................................................... Mark Mehlhope

Policeman............................................................................................................... Ethan Patterson

* Dayton Opera debut

^ Former Dayton Opera Artist in Residence

This performance is dedicated to the memory of Dayton Opera Chorus member Marc Dewitt. The Opera Series is made possible with the support of The Jesse & Caryl Philips Foundation; Paul & Dolores Anderson; Linda W. Lombard & Paul W. Marshall; and Lee Monnin. This performance is supported by Dr. Charles & Patricia Demirjian. Additional support for this performance is provided by Dr. Ron Anderson and Robb Sloan-Anderson. Lester Lynch’s performance as Porgy is supported by Frances & Thomas Bankston. Kearstin Piper Brown’s performance as Bess is supported by Janet & Vernon Fernandes. Props generously loaned by Human Race Theatre Company.

DAYTON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Keitaro Harada, Music & Artistic Director

DAYTON OPERA CHORUS

William Henry Caldwell, Chorus Director

Marcus Bedinger, Elana Ellmore*, Stevin Crane, Jonathon Cummings, Courtney Dortch Wright, Justyn R. Fry, Tifton C. Graves, Amy Herbst, Cameo Humes, Dustin Jeter*, Isaiah Jones, Maurice Kidd*, Grace Koogler, Tamika Law*, Samantha Leal, Lou Lilite, Judah Lindsey, Je’Ronte Matthews-Brown, Ronald McCall, Mark Mehlhope, Tasha Millerton*, Cameron Moore*, Johnetta Moore*, Kirsten Nordland, Trinity Peace Hines-Anthony, Cyerra Pemberton*, Lynnora Powell Stivers, Mikey Riggs Jr., Cynthia Schindler, Dr. Schneata Shyne-Turner*, Diamond Sparks, David Speed II*, Elaina Vimmerstedt, Dr. Melody J. Williams*

SOLOISTS

“Gone, Gone, Gone” Samantha Leal, Elana Ellmore, Jonathan Cummings, Johnetta Moore, Justyn R. Fry

“Overflow” Lynorra Powell Stivers, Trinity Peace Hines-Anthony, Tifton C. Graves

“Oh, De Lawd Shake De Heavens” Ronald McCall, Cynthia Schindler “Oh Doctor Jesus” Dr. Melody J. Williams, Lou Lilite, Tasha Millerton, Cyerra Pemberton, Dustin Jeter, Stevin Crane

* Dayton Opera debut

^ Former Dayton Opera Artist-in-Residence

PRODUCTION & CREATIVE TEAM

Keitaro Harada, conductor

Kathleen Clawson, stage director

William Henry Caldwell, chorus director

Daniel B. Chapman, projection designer

Steve Williams, lighting designer

Megh Jennings-Posner, production stage manager

Cory Battey, chorus rehearsal pianist

Amanda Roberts, rehearsal pianist

Katie West, surtitle caller

The worldwide copyrights in the music of George and Ira Gershwin® for this presentation are licensed by the Gershwin Family. GERSHWIN is a registered trademark and service mark of Gershwin Enterprises. PORGY AND BESS is a registered trademark and service mark of Porgy and Bess Enterprises.

Synopsis

Note: This opera contains depictions of drugs, violence, and death.

Part I

One summer evening in the courtyard of Catfish Row, Clara sings a lullaby to her child as the community rests at the end of the workday. Some of the men are playing craps, including Sportin’ Life and Clara’s husband, Jake. Porgy joins the game and when the others gossip about Crown’s woman, Bess, he defends her. When Jake accuses him of being soft on her, Porgy says he isn’t soft on any woman—he is a loner.

Crown arrives with Bess. He’s drunk and when he loses at dice, he starts to fight and accidentally kills Robbins. Crown runs to hide but tells Bess he’ll return for her. Sportin’ Life offers to take her to New York, but she refuses. No one will shelter her before the police arrive except Porgy, who takes her in. Later, Porgy and Bess attend Robbins’ funeral together, where his widow, Serena, leads the prayers. The police enter and arrest Peter as a “material witness.” Bess leads the mourners in a spiritual as they reluctantly allow her a place in their community.

A few weeks later, Jake and the fishermen work on their nets as Porgy looks on. Maria, the matriarch of Catfish Row, chases Sportin’ Life away when he tries to sell his “happy dust.” Everyone is preparing to leave for a picnic on Kittiwah Island. Sportin’ Life again urges Bess to come to New York with him and offers her drugs, which she refuses. Porgy chases him away, and he and Bess sing about their newfound happiness. All except Porgy leave for Kittiwah Island. At the picnic, Sportin’ Life sings about his own brand of religion. As everyone prepares to leave, Crown, hidden in the bushes, calls out to Bess. She tells him she’s Porgy’s woman now, but he refuses to let her go.

Part II

A few weeks later on Catfish Row, the fishermen prepare to leave for sea as Bess, still weak and delirious after Crown’s violent attack, raves with fever. Peter urges that she be taken to the hospital, but Serena insists on praying over her instead. As Bess recovers, she tells Porgy she wants to stay with him, though she fears Crown will force her to leave when he returns. Porgy reassures her that Crown no longer has any power over her. Soon, a hurricane begins to gather offshore, and Clara, terrified for her husband Jake out at sea, cries out into the storm.

Everyone gathers in Clara’s room and prays for shelter from the hurricane. There is a knock at the door. Crown enters and tries to take Bess away. He laughs at the frightened townspeople and sings a bawdy song to counteract their prayers. Clara sees Jake’s boat and runs out to find him. Bess calls for a man to go after her. After taunting Porgy and asking him why he won’t go, Crown goes.

After the storm, the women cry for their men and Sportin’ Life teases them and Bess. Crown enters; he and Porgy fight, and Porgy kills him. The coroner arrives at Catfish Row the next morning and Porgy is taken to identify Crown’s body. Sportin’ Life warns Bess that Porgy will be locked up. Sportin’ Life forces some drugs on her and then convinces her to go to New York with him. A week later Porgy returns and discovers Bess is gone. The community gathers around him and helps him on his way as he decides to leave Catfish Row and follow her.

Director’s Note: The Grandeur and Grace of Porgy and Bess

From Kathleen Clawson, Artistic Director, Dayton Opera

It is a profound honor to welcome you to Dayton Opera’s presentation of Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. Last presented by this company in 2010 during our 50th Anniversary Season, this “American Folk Opera” remains a towering achievement in the repertoire. By presenting this work in a concert setting, we have intentionally shifted the spotlight. With the Dayton Philharmonic moved out of the pit and onto the stage, you are invited to experience the full grandeur and intricate detail of Gershwin’s jazz-infused score, featuring world-class soloists, and an expansive chorus.

When Porgy and Bess premiered on Broadway in 1935, it was a radical act of artistic synthesis. Gershwin deliberately fused European operatic forms with the “melting pot” of American sound: jazz, blues, spirituals, and Gullah folk idioms. While some critics initially questioned its operatic status because it contained “song hits” like “Summertime” and “I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’,” Gershwin remained steadfast. He argued that nearly all of Verdi’s masterpieces contained popular melodies, and that for an opera to be of the theater, it must be entertaining.

Beyond its musical genius, the history of Porgy and Bess is inextricably linked to the struggle for racial equity in the arts. Writing during the Jim Crow era, Gershwin made a revolutionary stipulation: the residents of Catfish Row must be portrayed by an entirely Black cast. He sought to ensure the work’s authenticity and, crucially, to prevent the use of blackface. This requirement created unprecedented opportunities for classically trained Black singers, launching the careers of legends like Leontyne Price, Todd Duncan, and William Warfield.

However, the road to the opera house was long. Because major U.S. houses excluded Black performers in the 1930s, the work could not be staged in those venues for decades. It wasn’t until 1955 that a Black singer appeared at the Metropolitan Opera, and not until 1985—half a century after its premiere—did Porgy and Bess finally grace the Met stage.

We recognize that the work, created by an all-white creative team depicting an impoverished Black community, carries a complex legacy. Yet, as the great tenor George Shirley noted, the opera reflects a “poverty of circumstance” that dictates a mode of survival common to all humanity. At its heart, Porgy and Bess is a story of community resilience, acceptance, and redemption.

Tonight, we focus on the “folk opera” Gershwin loved. We celebrate the strength of the characters in Catfish Row and the enduring power of a score that defined the American sound. Through this music, we find a poignant reflection of our shared history and a testament to the beauty that emerges when we lift our voices together.

About the Artists

George Gershwin

George Gershwin was born in Brooklyn on September 26, 1898, and began his musical training when he was 13. At 16, he quit high school to work as a “song plugger” for a music publisher, and soon he was writing songs himself. “Swanee,” as introduced by Al Jolson, brought George his first real fame and led to his writing a succession of 22 musical comedies, most with his older brother, Ira. The Gershwins’ shows include Lady, Be Good!; Oh, Kay!; Strike Up The Band; Girl Crazy; and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Of Thee I Sing. From his early career George had ambitions to compose serious music. These ambitions were realized in some of his masterpieces, among them “Rhapsody In Blue,” “Concerto In F,” “An American In Paris” and “Second Rhapsody.” In the late ‘20s George became fascinated by the DuBose Heyward novel Porgy, recognizing it as a perfect vehicle for opera using jazz and blues idioms. George’s folk opera Porgy and Bess opened in Boston on September 30, 1935, and had its Broadway premiere two weeks later. In 1937 George was at the height of his career. In Hollywood, working on the score of The Goldwyn Follies, he collapsed and on July 11 died of a brain tumor. He was not quite 39 years old.

Ira Gershwin

Ira Gershwin, the first songwriter to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize, was born in New York City on December

6, 1896. In 1917 The Evening Sun published his first song (“You May Throw All The Rice You Desire But Please, Friends, Throw No Shoes”). Four years later, Ira enjoyed his first major stage success, Two Little Girls in Blue, written with another Broadway newcomer, Vincent Youmans. In 1924 Ira and his brother George created the smash hit Lady, Be Good! and went on to continue their remarkable collaboration through a dozen major stage scores, producing such standards as “Fascinating Rhythm,” “The Man I Love,” “‘S Wonderful,” “Embraceable You,” “I Got Rhythm,” “But Not For Me” and others far too numerous to mention. During his long career, Ira also enjoyed productive collaborations with such songwriters as Harold Arlen, Vernon Duke, Kurt Weill, Burton Lane, and Jerome Kern, with whom he created his greatest song hit of any one year, “Long Ago And Far Away.” Ira Gershwin died on August 17, 1983, in Beverly Hills, California.

Lester Lynch Porgy

Lester Lynch is an internationally acclaimed baritone celebrated for his powerful, resonant voice and commanding stage presence. A Cleveland native who began singing in church choirs, he has enjoyed a

distinguished 30-year career on major stages including Teatro alla Scala, Los Angeles Opera, San Francisco Opera, Volksoper Wien, the Lucerne Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, and with the Berlin Philharmoniker. His notable roles include Lescaut in Manon Lescaut, Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore, as well as Wotan in Das Rheingold and the title role in Macbeth.

In 2025, he stars as Sir John Falstaff in Plumpjack, an opera film by Gordon Getty to be released by Warner Brothers in 2026. An exclusive Pentatone artist, his acclaimed recordings include Porgy and Bess, La Traviata, Otello, and Il Tabarro. Lynch joined the San Francisco Conservatory of Music faculty in 2024.

Upcoming performances include Blue Beard’s Castle in New Zealand, recitals at Festival Napa Valley and SFCM, Porgy and Bess in Ohio, and The Dream of Gerontius with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Simon Rattle.

Kearstin Piper

Brown

Bess

Praised for her “thrilling singing,” Kearstin Piper

Brown has become one of the most in-demand lyric sopranos in the United States. In 2026, she debuts with the Tulsa Symphony, returns as Poppea in The Comet/Poppea at the Yale Schwarzman Center, reprises Bess with Dayton Opera, and debuts with Boston Lyric Opera in She Was There. She also returns to the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Julie in Omar

In 2025, she covered Mimì at Lyric Opera of Chicago and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera, appeared as Alice Ford with Portland Opera, sang Poppea at Lincoln

Center, and performed Wendy Torrance in The Shining with Utah Opera.

Her recent highlights include debuts with Florida Grand Opera as Nedda and the Metropolitan Opera as Evelyn in Fire Shut Up in My Bones, as well as acclaimed performances with leading companies nationwide. She earned a Theatre World Award for her title role in Intimate Apparel, later aired on PBS Great Performances.

Blake Denson, praised as a “roaring baritone,” is swiftly rising on major international stages. In 2025–26, he returns to Houston Grand Opera as Crown in Porgy and Bess, debuts with the Minnesota Orchestra in the Brahms Requiem, sings Ford in Falstaff with Pittsburgh Opera, and returns to the Opéra National de Paris as Tomaso in Un ballo in maschera.

In 2024–25, he performed Monterone in Rigoletto with the Opéra National de Paris, The Metropolitan Opera, and Los Angeles Opera, and appeared in Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins with the New World Symphony after debuting the work with Wolf Trap Opera.

Recent highlights include Fire Shut Up in My Bones and Madama Butterfly at The Metropolitan Opera, Beethoven’s Ninth with the National Symphony Orchestra, and performances with the Santa Fe Opera and New Orleans Opera.

A former member of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, he is a winner of awards from the Richard Tucker Foundation, the George London Competition, and the Tenor Viñas Competition.

Martin Bakari Sportin’ Life

Praised by Opera News as a “vocally charismatic” performer with a “golden tenor,” Martin Bakari has recently appeared in the title role of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird with Atlanta Opera, Arizona Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Dayton Opera, New Orleans Opera, and Indianapolis Opera. His concert credits include Carmina Burana and Messiah at Carnegie Hall, and Psalmus Hungaricus with the Grant Park Music Festival. Operatic highlights include Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance, Goro in Madama Butterfly (Dallas Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Utah Opera), Mime in Das Rheingold (Seattle Opera), Dr. Caius in Falstaff (Houston Grand Opera), and Don Basilio in Le nozze di Figaro at the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival.

International appearances include major venues in Munich, Hamburg, Dresden, Frankfurt, Cologne, Tel Aviv, and Bari. Upcoming engagements include all three tenor roles in L’enfant et les sortilèges (Barcelona Symphony), Ernesto in Don Pasquale, Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess, and multiple concert soloist debuts. A 2018 George London Competition award winner, Bakari’s Naxos recording Dowson Songs was named an Opera News “Critic’s Choice.” He is an alumnus of Juilliard, Boston University, and the Tanglewood Music Center.

Kayla Oderah

Clara

Kayla Oderah is an emerging soprano recognized for her warm, vibrant lyric sound. In the 2025–26 season, she makes her

role debut as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Raylynmor Opera. Recent performances include singing the soprano solos in Fauré’s Requiem with the Dayton Philharmonic and Handel’s Messiah in Detroit.

As a Dayton Opera Artist in Residence (2022–23), she performed Woglinde in Das Rheingold, appeared in the Young People’s Concert, and sang solos in Vaughan Williams’ Pastoral Symphony and Mozart’s Missa Brevis K.259.

Oderah made her professional debut in 2022 as Girlfriend 2 in Tesori’s Blue with Toledo Opera and has appeared with Finger Lakes Opera, Opera Ithaca, and internationally at the University of Cape Town, the Amalfi Coast Music Festival, and the Berlin Opera Academy. She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Michigan.

Randell McGee Jake

Randell McGee is an operatic baritone from St. Louis, MO, with a growing career in opera and concert performance. He is currently touring as Tommy McIntyre in Fellow Travelers, with performances at Seattle Opera, Portland Opera, and an upcoming engagement with San Diego Opera in 2026. A strong advocate for new music, he also collaborates with Cincinnati Song Initiative and will appear in their upcoming Virtual Concert.

McGee is a three-time Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Encouragement Award recipient (2016, 2020, 2024). His wide-ranging roles include Escamillo (A Tragedy of Carmen), King Melchior (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Hermann/Schlemil (The Tales of Hoffmann), Adult James (Fire

Shut Up in My Bones), and appearances in Rigoletto, Madame Butterfly, La bohème, Lost in the Stars, and more.

His training includes Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’s Gerdine Young Artist Program, Sarasota Opera, Dayton Opera’s Artist-in-Residence Program, and The Santa Fe Opera. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Webster University.

Minnita

Daniel-Cox

Serena

Dr. Minnita DanielCox earned her Bachelor of Music from Bowling Green State University and both her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the University of Michigan. In 2014, she founded the Dunbar Music Archive, presenting her research for national and international organizations including NATS, the National Opera Association, Society for American Music, and the International Society for Music Education. She has performed Dunbar Archive recitals across the U.S. and abroad and has secured more than $350,000 in support for this work, including two National Endowment for the Humanities grants and a Mellon Foundation grant.

Dr. Daniel-Cox frequently appears with the Dayton Philharmonic, Springfield Symphony, Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Bach Society of Dayton. Her recent operatic roles include Anna Gomez in The Consul and Sister Rose in Dead Man Walking with Dayton Opera.

She is Associate Professor of Voice at the University of Dayton, where she leads the Voice Area, directs opera and musical productions, and oversees the Dayton Opera Apprentice Program and the Vocal Performance Institute.

Alexis DavisHazell Maria

American mezzosoprano Dr. Alexis Davis-Hazell has earned praise for the power and richness of her voice and the dramatic depth she brings to her roles. A featured soloist since contributing to the GRAMMY™winning recording Gretchaninov: Passion Week with the Phoenix Chorale, she has performed major symphonic works including Alexander Nevsky, Stabat Mater, Requiem (Duruflé), Shéhérazade, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with orchestras across the U.S. and at the International Alonzo Ortiz Tirado Opera Festival in Mexico.

Her operatic credits span roles such as Dritte Dame (Die Zauberflöte), La Frugola (Il Tabarro), Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Amneris (Aida), Azucena (Il Trovatore), and Santuzza (Cavalleria Rusticana) with companies including Arizona Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Mississippi Opera, Opera Birmingham, and Cincinnati Opera.

A career highlight includes more than 130 performances of Porgy and Bess in renowned international venues such as Dresden Semperoper, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Hamburgische Staatsoper, the Polish National Opera, and San Francisco Opera.

Davis-Hazell is the current National President of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and serves as Associate Professor of Voice and Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies at The University of Alabama.

Lou Lilite

Mingo

Lou Lilite, tenor, has been hailed for his “warm tone and sensitive interpretation,” and “his clear voice [which] soars and carries.” His operatic credits include Count Belfiore in Mozart’s La finta Giardiniera, Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Prunier in Puccini’s La Rondine, Tapioca in Chabrier’s L’étoile, Brother Paul in Trinkley’s York, Samuel in Rorem’s Three Sisters Who Are Not Sisters, Aeneas in Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas, Nerone in Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea, Léon in Pasatieri’s Signor Deluso, and The Counsel in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury.

This season, he has appeared with Dayton Opera as a soldier in Carmen. Having a keen interest in the oratorio and symphonic repertoires, Lilite has performed as the tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Cedarville University Masterworks Chorus and Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Eastman-Rochester Chorus and Orchestra, the Shawnee Community Orchestra, among others. Currently serving as Professor of Music and Director of Vocal Studios at Cedarville University, Lilite earned his doctorate in 2008 at the Eastman School of Music where he was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Prize in 2007. Previous study with Jennie Wong (piano), William Lock, Jeanne Robison, Richard Kennedy, Susan Boardman, Mary Saunders Barton, and Marylène Dosse (piano), granted him his MM in voice performance and pedagogy at Penn State University in 2002, and a BM degree in 1999 at Biola University with a double emphasis in voice and piano performance.

Earl Hazell Robbins

Earl Hazell, Basso Cantante, is a native New Yorker and singing actor known for his portrayals of complex character roles in opera and musical theater. Recent highlights include the Second Man in the world premiere of Castor and Patience (Cincinnati Opera), Renty in Omar (San Francisco Opera), and The Preacher in Champion (Lyric Opera of Chicago).

Hazell has appeared frequently with the New York Philharmonic, including a centennial Carnegie Hall celebration under James Levine. He is widely recognized for his performances in Porgy and Bess, which he has performed extensively across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, including at major venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes.

He has appeared with Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Utah Festival Opera, and others in roles including Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte), Colline (La bohème), Ramfis (Aida), and Crown (Porgy and Bess). He resides in Alabama with his wife, mezzo-soprano Dr. Alexis Davis-Hazell.

Cameo

Humes

Peter / Honeyman

Tenor Cameo Humes is rapidly emerging as a sought-after artist in opera and concert repertoire, praised for a “compelling lyric tenor” (Opera News) and a “sonorous, dark-hued timbre” (theWholeNote). He has appeared with the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Richmond Symphony,

Chicago Philharmonic, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, where he is also a full-time chorus member.

Recent highlights include soloist debut at the Ear Taxi Festival in Damien Geter’s An African American Requiem, roles at Lyric Opera of Chicago in Salome and Champion, and appearances at the Lucerne Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, and Teatro alla Scala in Porgy and Bess.

Other credits include Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito, Don Giovanni, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Traviata, and multiple roles in Porgy and Bess with companies including Houston Grand Opera, Cincinnati Opera, and The Princeton Festival. He also recorded the title role in The Mask in the Mirror for Navona Records, praised by Opera News.

Humes has toured internationally with the American Spiritual Ensemble and has taught at several universities.

Stevin Crane

Jim

Stevin Crane is a talented and versatile artist with a rich musical background. He was raised in Dayton, Ohio, and was immersed in music from a young age. He grew up in a church where he began playing drums, piano, and singing. His musical influences include his mother and aunts, who were part of a gospel group called The Wright Sisters, and the many renowned national gospel artists he admired. This early exposure to gospel music and performance inspired him to pursue music passionately.

Crane studied Music Performance and Education at Wright State University,

earning his bachelor’s degree. A strong presence in opera and musical theater marks his professional career.

He has performed in notable productions with Cincinnati Opera and Dayton Opera, including iconic works like Porgy and Bess, Aida, Otello, and Carmen Additionally, he has showcased his talents in various stage productions, playing lead and supporting roles in shows like Godspell, The Wiz, and Dreamgirls (where he portrayed “Jimmy Early”).

Crane’s musical journey has also led him to collaborate with some of the biggest names in gospel music, such as Marvin Sapp, Twinkie Clark, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Jonathan McReynolds, Tonya Baker, and Jonathan Dunn. His impressive vocal ability and stage presence have earned him multiple accolades, including the prestigious Kingdom Image Awards Male Vocalist of the Year in 2018 and the Ohio Gospel Awards Male Vocalist of the Year in 2023 and 2024.

Beyond his live performances, Crane has made significant contributions as a singer, songwriter, and producer. Singles like “Amazing Grace” and “Our Father” stand out in his discography.

Tifton C.

Tifton Graves, tenor is a native of Steubenville Ohio. He attended Youngstown State University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in vocal performance. Graves went on to earn his Master’s degree in vocal performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. In his college years he performed numerous operatic roles at both institutions. Graves professional opera roles include the Parpignol in La bohème, Nelson/Crabman in Porgy and

Bess, Emperor Altoum in Turandot with Dayton Opera, and Daddy Peter with Cincinnati Opera’s production of Porgy and Bess.

Graves taught voice and directed the opera program at Wilberforce University from 2006–2014 and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Voice at the University of Dayton, voice instructor at Stivers School for the Arts and private voice instructor to the Dayton area.

Diamond Sparks

Lily / Strawberry Woman

Mezzo-soprano

Diamond Sparks has been praised for her expressive artistry and vocal power, with critics noting her ability to convey “real passion, love, disappointment, hurt and strength” in performance.

This season, she performs with Cincinnati Opera in Carmen and Lalovavi, covering the role of Zipporah. She previously appeared in productions including Tosca, Don Giovanni, La Traviata, and Fiddler on the Roof with Cincinnati Opera, and performed Presendia in Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters and Bianca in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Sparks has appeared as a chorus member with the Mobile Symphony Orchestra in works including Brahms’ Requiem and Beethoven’s Calm Seas and Prosperous Voyage. Internationally, she performed with the Vienna Summer Music Festival in roles including Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro) and Mars (Pluto).

Sparks holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of South Alabama and a Master of Music from CCM.

James Walker Detective

James Walker has been seen most recently as David in Hay Fever at the Human Race.

Other recent local appearances include The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Dial M for Murder, Parade, and Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. He spent a decade with the Theatre at Monmouth (Maine) performing Shakespeare—starting as servants and murderers and graduating to such roles as Iago and Shylock. He worked for many years in Boston at both the Lyric Stage and Merrimack Rep, performing Ayckbourn farces, more Shakespeare, and other plays including the pre-Broadway run of Monday After the Miracle. In Wisconsin he was Artistic Director of the Festival Theatre in St. Croix Falls, helped preserve their historic theater, and aided the creation of a local arts center in a historic barn. He is a graduate of MIT and the WebberDouglas Academy of Drama in London.

Mark Mehlhope Coroner

Mark Mehlhope is 29 years old. This is his seventh production with the Dayton Opera chorus. He is the student of Minnita Daniel Cox. He is also the former student of Jessica Rivera. Mehlhope is very grateful and thankful for his family and his friends for all the support, and he hopes you enjoy the show!!

William Henry Caldwell

Chorus Director

William Henry Caldwell is resident conductor for the Martin Luther King Celebration Chorus with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Classical Roots Community Chorus with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He is also an active lyric baritone, performing with ensembles including the Cleveland Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, and Bach Society of Dayton.

A retired full professor at Central State University, Caldwell served as chair of Fine and Performing Arts and conducted the GRAMMY Awardnominated CSU Chorus for 34 years. Under his leadership, the ensemble toured internationally and was named a “Center of Excellence” by the Ohio Board of Regents. He holds degrees from Stillman College and the University of Texas at Austin, with additional study at Ohio State, CCM, and in Europe.

Caldwell has prepared choruses for major orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, and Indianapolis Pops, and has appeared as soloist with leading U.S. ensembles. He currently serves on multiple arts boards in Ohio and is choir director at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Xenia.

Daniel B. Chapman

Projection Designer

Daniel B. Chapman is a freelance designer, software engineer, educator, and the author of Motion. He is a member of United Scenic Artists and has worked extensively as a production manager and technical

director. He received his MFA in Lighting Design from Carnegie Mellon and his BA from The University of New Mexico. He was an Associate Professor of Theater at University of Montana Western and has taught previously at Western Illinois University and Berea College.

Selected design credits include West Side Story, Legally Blonde, Hairspray, and Twelfth Night with Summer Theater of New Canaan; Beowulf, Troubled Water, Pedr Solis, and No Exit with Guerilla Opera; Pagliacci, Tancredi, Aida, Il Turco in Italia, La bohème, Don Giovanni, and Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Southwest; The Wizard of Oz with New Mexico Ballet Co; and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Sleeping Beauty with Ballet Repertory Theater of New Mexico.

Steve Williams

Lighting Designer

Steve Williams brings decades of technical expertise and a long history

with Dayton Opera to this production of Porgy and Bess. His journey with the company began in 1993, making his debut as the Assistant Stage Manager for The Magic Flute. He continued in that role through 1995, establishing a foundational connection to the Dayton Opera.

Since 2004, Williams has served as House Electrician for the Schuster Center, collaborating with resident and guest lighting designers to bring productions to life. His work has been a consistent thread in the company’s history, having contributed to every production directed by Kathleen Clawson.

A dedicated member of the theatrical community, Williams is a member of IATSE Local 66 and holds a BFA in Theatre Education from Miami University.

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Musicians

PERCUSSION

to come

to come

to come

TROMBONE

Pianist Garrick Ohlsson performs with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra on opening night of the 2025–2026 Masterworks Series

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Endowed Chairs

* Denotes leave of absence

1 J. Ralph Corbett Chair

2 Huffy Foundation Chair

3 Sherman Standard Register Foundation Chair

4 Jesse Philips Chair

5 F. Dean Schnacke Chair

6 Grace Counts Finch Chair

7 Edward L. Kohnle Chair in Memory of Andra Lunde Padrichelli, Principal Cellist 2003–2018

8 Gilbert and Patricia Templeton Chair

9 Paul and Susanne Weaver Chair

10 Dayton Philharmonic Volunteer Association/C. David Horine Memorial Chair

11 Dayton Philharmonic Volunteer Association Chair

12 Catharine French Bieser Chair

13 Rhea Beerman Peal Chair

14 Robert and Elaine Stein Chair

15 Frank M. Tait Memorial Chair

16 John W. Berry Family Chair

17 John Reger Memorial Chair

18 Bill and Wanda Lukens Chair

19 Zachary, Rachel and Natalie Denka Chair

20 Rosenthal Family Chair in Memory of Miriam Rosenthal, In Honor of Donald Donnett, Principal Timpani 1966–2023

21 Miriam Rosenthal Chair

22 Richard A. and Mary T. Whitney Chair

23 Daisy Talbott Green Chair

24 Demirjian Family Chair

Our Members Make the Magic!

Special thanks to all our DPAA Members who keep the classical arts thriving in Dayton with their annual donation.

VISIONARY

IMPRESARIO ($100,000+)

Anonymous

Paul & Dolores Anderson

Steve & Lou Mason

Barbara N. O’Hara

Peter & Patricia Torvik

Dr. Troy Tyner & Dr. Ingrid Brown

AFICIONADO ($50,000+)

Linda W. Lombard & Paul W. Marshall

Peggie & Mike McQuiston

Lee Monnin

Estate of Kathleen J. Turner

VIRTUOSO ($25,000+)

Kathy & John Beran

Maria & David Berry

Susan Kettering

Luke & Juanita Lovell

Raymond & Sue Merz

Dr. David H. Ponitz & Cathy Ponitz

Tim & Mary Riordan

Ann & Harry Santen

Linda & Miles Schmidt

Bill & Dianne Schneider

Larry & Abbie Trittschuh

Betsy B. Whitney

Estate of Raymond E. Wylam

LUMINARY ($10,000+)

Anonymous (2)

Nirmala Abraham & Scotty

Blackburn

Dr. Ron Anderson & Robb Sloan-Anderson

Drs. Mary & Charles Bane

Frances & Thomas Bankston

Esther & David Battle

Catherine Clark

Jim Crosset

Janice Culver & Eugene Kurtz

Allyson & John Danis

Richard M. DeLon

Dr. Charles & Patricia Demirjian

Dr. Grace L. DeVelbiss

Vernon & Janet Fernandes

Janet & Donald Grieshop

Stanley C. & Ann* Herr

Lesley & Chris Hopkins

Karen Duguid & Wally Johnson

Judith & Michael Kreutzer

Wanda & William* Lukens

Barbara & Leib Lurie

Dr. Michael & Christine Manchester

Darrell & Kenneth May

Dr. Jeffrey & Susan Mikutis

Dr. Thomas G. Olsen & Mary Boosalis

Dawn & Milt Ross

Mr. & Mrs. Jonah Sandler & Family

Matthew J. Scarr

Marcy Schade

Jane & Richard Schwartz

William* & Cynthia Uhl

Dr. Byron & Theresa Wade

Paul & Susanne Weaver

William & Carolyn* Winger

Mr. Philip G. Wise & Dr. Joe Law

Marcia & Walter Wood

Sandra & Brian Woodruff

Kathleen & Joseph Zehenny

CENTER STAGE ($5,000+)

Margy Anderson

Rebecca Appenzeller & Craig Brown

Shirley Ark

Mary Arnett

Dr. & Mrs. Thomas D. Brown

Dr. Gwen L. Brubaker

Joan & Thomas Burkhardt

Kathleen I. Clawson

Sharon J. Danosky

Linda & Daniel Deitz

Pat & Dave Diven

Mark Dlott & Dale Goldberg

Dr. Sharon D. Gratto & Thomas P. Gratto

Susan & Jonas Gruenberg

Charlie Hardwick

Kathy Harper

Kate & Steve Hone

Dr. R. Alan Kimbrough

Leora K. Kline

Karen & Dale Medford

Anna Jones Monnett

Patrick J. Nugent

Nancy & Kenneth Quinter

Dr. C. Daniel & Kathy Raisch

Colleen M. Ryan

Diane & William Schaff

Sharon Lindquist-Skelley & Thomas F. Skelley

David Strohscher

Michael Suhar

Mark Duffy & Tony Talbot

Dr. Daniel Zehringer & Justin Mohler

OVATION! ($2,500+)

Anonymous (3)

Mert Adams

Jennifer & Bill Almoney

Vicky & Dan Archibald

Amy Askins & Chris Schairbaum

Sandra & Karl Ayers

Jann H. Barr

Mr. Ronald Bernard & Dr. Judith E. Woll M.D.

Dr. Bob Brandt, Jr.

Susan & Charles Bridgman

Michelle Bryant & Alek Kohut

Janet & Joseph Burke

Sarah Burns

Barbara J. Campbell

Chris Coombs

Christina Coletta & Scott Silverstein

Martha & John Culp

Dr. Robert & Lisa Custer

Susan & Bryan Daly

William DeVenzio* & Linda Short

Charlene & David Dutton

Susan & Robert Ellefson

Sue Falter

Marilyn R. Fischer

Nancy & Thomas Gaudion

Andrea & John Gillespie

Mrs. Carol Graff

David J. & Lois Ann Gribler

Dr. David & Pamela Griffith

Keitaro Harada

Mr. Anthony L. Haugrud

Marge & Jon Hazelton

Jessica & Derek Huggett

Dr. Michael A. Jaffe M.D.

Margarete & Craig Jennings

The Mark Andrew Kreusch Memorial Fund

Carol & Paul Lamberger

Brittany Laughlin

Lisa Becker & Mark Levy

Dr. William & Kathy Lindahl

Drs. Jerry Clark & Barry McCorkle

Judy D. McCormick

Susan B. McCoy & Allen Kennedy

Deborah & James McCutcheon

Pat & David McDonald

David McElwee

William Mitchel

Mark Olson & Barbara Furyk-Olson

Dr. Gary B. Pacernick & Ms. Peggy Weller

Carmen & Bill Perry

Dr. Robert & Anita Rankin

Dominick & Margaret Rinaldi

Greg & Kimberly Robinson

June & Richard Smythe

Susan & John Spacht

Lois & Roger Sutherland

Jeri & John Tate

Fred & Chris Tokarz

Dr. Edward & Tracey Tomme

Sharon A. Tschudin

Representative Mike Turner

Michael Tyrchniewicz & Dr. Rachael Courtney

Tami & James Whalen

Sharon & Thomas Williamson

Penny & Bill Wolff

Miriam & Tim Wood

BRAVO! ($1,000+)

Anonymous (11)

Mr. Joshua E. Adams

The Albert & Nancy Freudenberger Fund

Irene & Charles Allbery

Karen & Bruce Anderson

Jo & Matt Anderson

Juanita & Richard Angel

Scott Arentsen

Karen & Michael Armstrong

The Honorable Bill & Karen Beagle

Mike & Ginny Beamish

Lois & Donald* Bigler

Janet & Steven Boehmer

Jon Blunt & Rodney Veal

Mary & Dan Bowman

Eva Buttacavoli & Patrick Martin

Musicians of the DPO & Staff of DPAA, in memory of C. Donald Compton

Rebecca & Lawrence* Corson

Karen & Gary Crim

Kelly H. Dalton

Kathleen Daly

Joyce E. Dean & Mary Ellen Batiuk

Susan DeLuca

Rosario & Helen Demers

Rebecca Dianis

Dorothy B. Dick & John C. Halpin*

Mr. C. Bruce Driver

Mrs. Sue Dugan

Dr. Margaret M. Dunn & Dr. William A. Spohn

Jane A. Dunwoodie

Mr. Joseph Flanagan

Marcia Frank* (2025 Bequest on behalf of Delta Omicron Foundation)

Mrs. Renate Frydman

Martha & Joseph Gardner

Lt. Col. Frank & Diane Gentner, USAF Ret.

Elaine Gounaris & Mark Winwood

Mindy & Garry Greene

Rita Gujadhur

Melody Goodwin & Douglas Hahn

Terri & John

Jon & April Hale

Dr. Bruce & Mayumi Hall

Thomas Hanley

Bob Hanna

Mary & Richard Harstad

Barbara A. Hayde & Ronald F. Budzik*

Lori & Don Heinrich

Susan K. Henry & Perry Nystrom

Virginia & Del Herbeck

Carol & William Herrick

The Holland Family Trust

Ellen Holroyd

Dr. Jeremy Holtgrave & Dr. Amy Magnus

Nancy Hoover

Jeffrey Huntington

Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates

Sandi Simmons & Tom Jonak

Norma Keefer

Dr. Caroline Kennebeck-Hale & Dr. Brian Hale

Dr. Brian & Linda Kent

Jennifer & Robert Kitchen

Margaret Klein

Chuck Knickerbocker

Susan & Jon Kreusch

Barb Kuhns

James Kurek & Linda Black-Kurek

Kathryn Lamme

Kathryn & James Lange

Mary Jo & Wayne Langguth

Susan J. Lauf

Hon. Peggy Lehner & Dr. James T. Lehner

Cheryl & Franklin Lewis

Wendy & Vincent Lewis

Robyn Lightcap

Mr. Joe Lutz

Kathryn MacVeigh

Amy Radachi & Tom Maher

Moni & George Malacos

Joyce McDonald

Marc & Melissa McNulty

Penni & Thom Meyer

Arthur D. Mills Jr.

Mary & Peter Moenter

Jim Nathanson

Shannon Joyce Neal &

Philip Neal

Ruth & John Neely

Susan & Shaun Nicholson

Dianne & Les Niemi

Jeaunita Ìfewándé

Château Olówè

John Phillips

Helen C. Potter

Cynthia & Robert Puskar

Rebeccah & Nicholas Raines

Ellen & James Ratti

Sarah Enterline Roch & Joshua Roch

Alice & Charles Roedersheimer

David Rohlfing

Patricia Roth

Julia & Donald Routson

Lisa & Thomas Routsong

Alice & Burt Saidel

Susan & Dan Sauer

Beth & Alan Schaeffer

Winnie Scholl

Ann & Bil Schuerman

Marie & James Seiler

Catherine Skardon

Stephanie Skelley

Dori & Tim Spaulding

Gaynelle M. Spiegel

Toni Sprinkel

Joan Stonitsch

Tawnya & Rick Stover

Phyllis Strayer

Dr. Charles Taylor & Kim E. Iconis

Ms. Ruth Templeton

Mary T. Tymeson

Sharon Vander Gheynst, D.M.E.

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Van Graas

Julie & Jud Wallner

L.N. Wasserman

Merle Wilberding & Susan Elliott

Janice Finch Willhelm

Jane & John Winch

Mary & Niels M Winther

Veronica & Jeffrey Winwood

Virginia Wood

Sarah & David Wrazen

Mary Yerina & Bob Redfield

Dr. David Zelmon & Dr. Mojgan Samardar

FELLOW° ($750+)

Dr. Charles & Barbara Cerny

Jill & Dale Courte

Elizabeth Frye

Barbara & Edward Hennessey

Sharon & Fred Hill

Patricia Horvath

Karen & Charles Kronbach

Michele & Greg Palmer

Mr. Harold Poppe & Mr. Dale Schmidt

Susan & Randy Woods

Carol J. Yegerlehner

* Deceased

° Fellow is no longer a membership level we offer. Please visit our website for more details about membership

Meet the Artists of DPAA

Go behind the scenes with the artists whose passion drives every performance.

Zulfiya (Zulya) Bashirova Concertmaster, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra

I grew up in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where my love for music began the day my father brought me my first violin at the age of six. The moment I held it, I knew that the violin would become my lifelong path. I began my musical training at the V. A. Uspensky Republican Specialized Music School in Tashkent. I went on to earn my Bachelor’s degree from the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan, followed by a Master of Music degree from the Lynn Conservatory of Music and a Specialist in Music degree from the University of Michigan. Throughout my education, I had the privilege of studying with extraordinary musicians and renowned

violinists, including Elmar Oliveira and David Halen. DPAA drew me in with its unique structure as an organization that brings together all three genres I have always dreamed of working with. Being part of a symphony and performing great masterpieces in the Masterworks series is deeply fulfilling for me as a musician. I have always admired opera—its power, its emotional depth, and the beauty of the human voice. Ballet has also been one of my passions, and having the opportunity to perform with Dayton Ballet truly feels like a dream come true. I am eager to work with Maestro Harada in his inaugural season as Music Director and to be part of this new chapter for the organization.

Corporate and Foundation Partners

We thank our corporate and foundation partners for supporting DPAA’s mission, programs, and artists.

IMPRESARIO

AES Ohio Foundation

Virginia W. Kettering Foundation

Jesse and Caryl Philips Foundation

Miriam Rosenthal Foundation for the Arts

Schiewetz Foundation

Harry A. Toulmin, Jr. and Virginia B. Toulmin Fund of The Dayton Foundation

MAESTRO

The Charles D. Berry Foundation

The Berry Family Foundation

VIRTUOSO

Dayton Freight

Bill and Jackie Lockwood Fund to Support Opera

LEGATO

Dayton Aerospace

Dayton Daily News/Cox First Media

Kettering Health

The Mary H. Kittredge Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Marriott University of Dayton

The Shubert Foundation

The Troy Foundation

The Nick and Edna Weller Charities, Inc.

CONCERTO

Bob Ross Auto Group

Cox Media Group/WHIO

Discover Classical 88.1 WDPR/89.1 WUSO/ 89.9 WDPG

Jack and Debra Edelman Foundation

Grismer Tire Company

Hotel Ardent and Bistecca

iHeartMedia

The Charles F. Kettering Foundation

Mathile Family Foundation

WYSO Public Radio

ARIA

America 250 – Ohio Commission

The Disability Foundation

Houser Asphalt and Concrete

The Iddings Foundation

LION

Lockwood Family Foundation

ThinkTV

Victory Wholesale Group and the Kantor Family

SONATA

The Allegro Fund of The Dayton Foundation

Crown Equipment Corporation

The Dayton Hydraulic Co.

The Clark J. Haines Musical Scholarship Fund

Johnson Investment Counsel

The Kuntz Foundation

Nova Creative

PNC

Premier Health

University of Dayton

INTERMEZZO

AES Ohio

Appliance Gallery Dayton

Coolidge Wall

Enterprise Roofing

Harlamert Foundation

Henny Penny

KeyBank

Knack Video + Photo

League of American Orchestras

Sam Levin Foundation

LexisNexis

McCutcheon Music

Merrill Lynch

Morris Home

Opera America

Pickrel, Schaeffer and Ebeling

Sinclair Broadcast Group/FOX/ABC

Square One Salon and Spa

The Synergy Schade Team

Taylor Corporation

OVERTURE

Requarth Lumber Company

The Rubi Girls

Taft

Thompson Hine

Voss Auto Network

ADDITIONAL MAJOR SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

Ohio Arts Council

Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District

Culture Works

The Dayton Foundation

Board of Trustees and Staff

OFFICERS

Joseph Zehenny, Chair

Patricia McDonald, Vice Chair

Rev. Joshua Ward, Secretary

Rodney Veal, Assistant Secretary

Timothy Riordan, Treasurer

Patrick Martin, Assistant Treasurer

Ed Tomme, Chair Emeritus

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Dr. Nirmala Abraham

Dr. Ron Anderson

Libby Ballengee

Dr. Zachary Beck

Ashley Bethard

Sarah Burns

Jim Butler

Christopher Coombs

Allyson Danis

Dr. Samuel Dorf

Mary-Kathryn Haddad

Kathy Harper

Michael Howard

Dr. Xavier L. Johnson

Scott Jones

Robyn Lightcap

Peggie McQuiston

Shannon Joyce Neal

Barbara N. O’Hara

Sharon Schroder

Dori Spaulding

John Tate

Rick Thie

Abbie Trittschuh

Dr. Daniel Zehringer

ARTISTIC DIRECTORS EMERITUS

Thomas Bankston, Opera

Neal Gittleman, Philharmonic

ADMINISTRATION

Patrick J. Nugent, President and CEO

Teri Warwick, Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer

Michael Sieveking, Chief Information Officer

Milena Treer, Chief of Staff

ARTISTIC

Kathleen Clawson, Artistic Director, Opera

Keitaro Harada, Music and Artistic Director, Philharmonic

Brandon Ragland, Artistic Director, Ballet

Isaac Selya, Interim Staff Conductor

Steven Hankle, Director, Philharmonic Chorus

Carolyn Sweezy, Manager, Philharmonic Chorus

Maureen Hickey Haitch, Conductor, Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and Youth Strings

Michelle Mastin, Conductor, Philharmonic Junior Strings

Sharon Neumeister, Company Teacher and Rehearsal Assistant

Rachel Cahayla Wynne, Rehearsal Director and Dayton Ballet Studio Company Manager

DEVELOPMENT

Elaine Gounaris, Vice President for Philanthropy

Allie Haines, Director of Philanthropy

Lynnette Ivey, Director of Institutional Giving

Kate LaFollette, Engagement and Patron Services Manager

Anne O’Hara, Development Operations Manager

LEARNING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Jeaunita Ìféwándé Château Olówè, Vice President for Learning and Community Engagement

Jacqueline Griffin, Learning Programs Manager

Melissa McCoy, Engagement Programs Manager

Megan Forney, Dayton Ballet School Education Manager; Co-Director of Dayton Ballet School Ensemble

Gabrielle Sharp, Co-Director of Dayton Ballet School Ensemble

Elizabeth Sabol, Ballet School Registrar

Vicky Archibald, Ballet School Receptionist

MARKETING

Brittany Laughlin, Vice President for Marketing and Audience Development

Kate LaFollette, Engagement and Patron Services Manager

Sandyna Woodward, Marketing Coordinator

OPERATIONS

Chris Brislin, General Manager

Lyn Baudendistel, Wardrobe Supervisor

Josephine Baudendistel, Costume Assistant

Kelly DeLisle, Artistic Administrator

Maureen Hickey Haitch, Librarian

Sean Vore, Orchestra Personnel Manager

Katie West, Production Coordinator/ Assistant Librarian

The stagehands of IATSE Local 66

The wardrobe members of IATSE Local 886

GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY

HARRY A. TOULMIN JR. AND VIRGINIA B. TOULMIN FUND OF THE DAYTON FOUNDATION

JESSE AND CARYL PHILIPS FOUNDATION

BILL AND JACKIE LOCKWOOD FUND TO SUPPORT OPERA

MARY H. KITTREDGE FUND OF THE DAYTON FOUNDATION

ADDITIONAL MAJOR SUPPORT PROVIDED BY