Schedule
The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs | Washington National Opera (Young artist cast)
Michelle sings the role of Teacher in Mason Bates and Mark Campbell’s Grammy-award winning opera, The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs.
His products changed the world and put instant connection at our fingertips. But behind tech mogul Steve Jobs was a life shaped by triumphs, trials, and contradictions.
Step into the orbit of the Apple co-founder who rose from garage genius to tech titan. With a Grammy Award®–winning score by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence emeritus Mason Bates and libretto by Pulitzer Prize–winning librettist Mark Campbell, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs offers an operatic journey through the interior workings and spiritual journey of an innovator. Bates merges an electronic soundscape with Campbell’s classical lyricism to immerse audiences in the world of Silicon Valley in the 1980s.
Across his life, Jobs played husband, father, spiritual seeker, and industry leader. He was also protagonist and antagonist, cycling between destruction and redemption, disillusion and reality. As Jobs comes face-to-face with his mortality, audiences will see that some things can’t be programmed—including humanity.
The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings the role of Teacher in Mason Bates and Mark Campbell’s Grammy-award winning opera, The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs.
His products changed the world and put instant connection at our fingertips. But behind tech mogul Steve Jobs was a life shaped by triumphs, trials, and contradictions.
Step into the orbit of the Apple co-founder who rose from garage genius to tech titan. With a Grammy Award®–winning score by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence emeritus Mason Bates and libretto by Pulitzer Prize–winning librettist Mark Campbell, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs offers an operatic journey through the interior workings and spiritual journey of an innovator. Bates merges an electronic soundscape with Campbell’s classical lyricism to immerse audiences in the world of Silicon Valley in the 1980s.
Across his life, Jobs played husband, father, spiritual seeker, and industry leader. He was also protagonist and antagonist, cycling between destruction and redemption, disillusion and reality. As Jobs comes face-to-face with his mortality, audiences will see that some things can’t be programmed—including humanity.
Die Fledermaus | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Prince Orlofsky in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Die Fledermaus.
Prince Orlofsky is throwing the costume party of the century, and everyone is determined to be there. Dr. Falke invites his friend Eisenstein for a gentleman’s night out on the town. Little do they know that Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinde, and her maid, Adele, each have their own mischievous plans. What starts as a harmless prank soon escalates into an epic battle of the sexes, filled with disguises, flirtations, and comedic deceptions. No matter how the evening ends, one thing is for sure — you can blame it on the champagne!
George Manahan conducts and Shawna Lucey directs.
Die Fledermaus | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Prince Orlofsky in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Die Fledermaus.
Prince Orlofsky is throwing the costume party of the century, and everyone is determined to be there. Dr. Falke invites his friend Eisenstein for a gentleman’s night out on the town. Little do they know that Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinde, and her maid, Adele, each have their own mischievous plans. What starts as a harmless prank soon escalates into an epic battle of the sexes, filled with disguises, flirtations, and comedic deceptions. No matter how the evening ends, one thing is for sure — you can blame it on the champagne!
George Manahan conducts and Shawna Lucey directs.
This House | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (World premiere)
Michelle covers the role of Zoe in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Ricky Ian Gordon, Lynn Nottage, and Ruby Aiyo Gerber’s new opera, This House.
A house is more than four walls and a roof — it is a keeper of memories and a witness to legacy. The Walker family has lived in the same Harlem brownstone since the 1920s, and they have fought hard to keep what they have. When Zoe returns home after many years away, she asks her mother Ida and her brother Lindon to let her renovate the dilapidated building. But Ida and Lindon cannot let go of the past. The house is their whole world, and every room is full of ghostly voices and painful memories. As hidden truths about the family’s legacy come to light, Zoe begins to realize that the secrets harbored within these walls are deeper and more profound than she ever dared to imagine.
Daniela Candillari conducts and James Robinson directs.
Die Fledermaus | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Prince Orlofsky in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Die Fledermaus.
Prince Orlofsky is throwing the costume party of the century, and everyone is determined to be there. Dr. Falke invites his friend Eisenstein for a gentleman’s night out on the town. Little do they know that Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinde, and her maid, Adele, each have their own mischievous plans. What starts as a harmless prank soon escalates into an epic battle of the sexes, filled with disguises, flirtations, and comedic deceptions. No matter how the evening ends, one thing is for sure — you can blame it on the champagne!
George Manahan conducts and Shawna Lucey directs.
This House | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Zoe in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Ricky Ian Gordon, Lynn Nottage, and Ruby Aiyo Gerber’s new opera, This House.
A house is more than four walls and a roof — it is a keeper of memories and a witness to legacy. The Walker family has lived in the same Harlem brownstone since the 1920s, and they have fought hard to keep what they have. When Zoe returns home after many years away, she asks her mother Ida and her brother Lindon to let her renovate the dilapidated building. But Ida and Lindon cannot let go of the past. The house is their whole world, and every room is full of ghostly voices and painful memories. As hidden truths about the family’s legacy come to light, Zoe begins to realize that the secrets harbored within these walls are deeper and more profound than she ever dared to imagine.
Daniela Candillari conducts and James Robinson directs.
Die Fledermaus | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Prince Orlofsky in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Die Fledermaus.
Prince Orlofsky is throwing the costume party of the century, and everyone is determined to be there. Dr. Falke invites his friend Eisenstein for a gentleman’s night out on the town. Little do they know that Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinde, and her maid, Adele, each have their own mischievous plans. What starts as a harmless prank soon escalates into an epic battle of the sexes, filled with disguises, flirtations, and comedic deceptions. No matter how the evening ends, one thing is for sure — you can blame it on the champagne!
George Manahan conducts and Shawna Lucey directs.
This House | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Zoe in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Ricky Ian Gordon, Lynn Nottage, and Ruby Aiyo Gerber’s new opera, This House.
A house is more than four walls and a roof — it is a keeper of memories and a witness to legacy. The Walker family has lived in the same Harlem brownstone since the 1920s, and they have fought hard to keep what they have. When Zoe returns home after many years away, she asks her mother Ida and her brother Lindon to let her renovate the dilapidated building. But Ida and Lindon cannot let go of the past. The house is their whole world, and every room is full of ghostly voices and painful memories. As hidden truths about the family’s legacy come to light, Zoe begins to realize that the secrets harbored within these walls are deeper and more profound than she ever dared to imagine.
Daniela Candillari conducts and James Robinson directs.
This House | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Zoe in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Ricky Ian Gordon, Lynn Nottage, and Ruby Aiyo Gerber’s new opera, This House.
A house is more than four walls and a roof — it is a keeper of memories and a witness to legacy. The Walker family has lived in the same Harlem brownstone since the 1920s, and they have fought hard to keep what they have. When Zoe returns home after many years away, she asks her mother Ida and her brother Lindon to let her renovate the dilapidated building. But Ida and Lindon cannot let go of the past. The house is their whole world, and every room is full of ghostly voices and painful memories. As hidden truths about the family’s legacy come to light, Zoe begins to realize that the secrets harbored within these walls are deeper and more profound than she ever dared to imagine.
Daniela Candillari conducts and James Robinson directs.
A Midsummer Night's Dream | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle sings Hippolyta in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
When fairies and mortals cross paths, mayhem is sure to follow. Fairy king Oberon and his wife Tytania are locked in a quarrel when a group of unhappy young lovers wanders into their forest. Oberon dispatches the mischievous sprite Puck to resolve the young lovers’ strife with the help of a magical elixir… but when Puck applies that elixir to the wrong people, chaos erupts across the forest. The young paramours enter a dark and surreal dream world where plans of revenge go hand-in-hand with seduction. Britten’s hypnotizing score sets the perfect atmosphere for this journey into love’s absurdities.
Leonard Slatkin conducts and Tim Albery directs.
Die Fledermaus | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Prince Orlofsky in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Die Fledermaus.
Prince Orlofsky is throwing the costume party of the century, and everyone is determined to be there. Dr. Falke invites his friend Eisenstein for a gentleman’s night out on the town. Little do they know that Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinde, and her maid, Adele, each have their own mischievous plans. What starts as a harmless prank soon escalates into an epic battle of the sexes, filled with disguises, flirtations, and comedic deceptions. No matter how the evening ends, one thing is for sure — you can blame it on the champagne!
George Manahan conducts and Shawna Lucey directs.
A Midsummer Night's Dream | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle sings Hippolyta in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
When fairies and mortals cross paths, mayhem is sure to follow. Fairy king Oberon and his wife Tytania are locked in a quarrel when a group of unhappy young lovers wanders into their forest. Oberon dispatches the mischievous sprite Puck to resolve the young lovers’ strife with the help of a magical elixir… but when Puck applies that elixir to the wrong people, chaos erupts across the forest. The young paramours enter a dark and surreal dream world where plans of revenge go hand-in-hand with seduction. Britten’s hypnotizing score sets the perfect atmosphere for this journey into love’s absurdities.
Leonard Slatkin conducts and Tim Albery directs.
Die Fledermaus | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Prince Orlofsky in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Die Fledermaus.
Prince Orlofsky is throwing the costume party of the century, and everyone is determined to be there. Dr. Falke invites his friend Eisenstein for a gentleman’s night out on the town. Little do they know that Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinde, and her maid, Adele, each have their own mischievous plans. What starts as a harmless prank soon escalates into an epic battle of the sexes, filled with disguises, flirtations, and comedic deceptions. No matter how the evening ends, one thing is for sure — you can blame it on the champagne!
George Manahan conducts and Shawna Lucey directs.
A Midsummer Night's Dream | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle sings Hippolyta in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
When fairies and mortals cross paths, mayhem is sure to follow. Fairy king Oberon and his wife Tytania are locked in a quarrel when a group of unhappy young lovers wanders into their forest. Oberon dispatches the mischievous sprite Puck to resolve the young lovers’ strife with the help of a magical elixir… but when Puck applies that elixir to the wrong people, chaos erupts across the forest. The young paramours enter a dark and surreal dream world where plans of revenge go hand-in-hand with seduction. Britten’s hypnotizing score sets the perfect atmosphere for this journey into love’s absurdities.
Leonard Slatkin conducts and Tim Albery directs.
ASL Interpretation, Audio Described
This House | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Zoe in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Ricky Ian Gordon, Lynn Nottage, and Ruby Aiyo Gerber’s new opera, This House.
A house is more than four walls and a roof — it is a keeper of memories and a witness to legacy. The Walker family has lived in the same Harlem brownstone since the 1920s, and they have fought hard to keep what they have. When Zoe returns home after many years away, she asks her mother Ida and her brother Lindon to let her renovate the dilapidated building. But Ida and Lindon cannot let go of the past. The house is their whole world, and every room is full of ghostly voices and painful memories. As hidden truths about the family’s legacy come to light, Zoe begins to realize that the secrets harbored within these walls are deeper and more profound than she ever dared to imagine.
Daniela Candillari conducts and James Robinson directs.
A Midsummer Night's Dream | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle sings Hippolyta in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
When fairies and mortals cross paths, mayhem is sure to follow. Fairy king Oberon and his wife Tytania are locked in a quarrel when a group of unhappy young lovers wanders into their forest. Oberon dispatches the mischievous sprite Puck to resolve the young lovers’ strife with the help of a magical elixir… but when Puck applies that elixir to the wrong people, chaos erupts across the forest. The young paramours enter a dark and surreal dream world where plans of revenge go hand-in-hand with seduction. Britten’s hypnotizing score sets the perfect atmosphere for this journey into love’s absurdities.
Leonard Slatkin conducts and Tim Albery directs.
Center Stage Concert
Michelle sings excerpts from Rossini’s Semiramide and Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath in a concert featuring Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ festival and young artists.
This sensational event shines a spotlight on Opera Theatre’s Richard Gaddes Festival Artist and Gerdine Young Artist Programs, as these rising opera stars perform iconic melodies from opera’s greatest hits and cherished rarities. Center Stage is curated by famed soprano Patricia Racette, who has also served as Opera Theatre’s Artistic Director of Young Artist Programs since 2019. Opera Theatre is known for launching the careers of many major opera stars, including Jamie Barton, Lawrence Brownlee, Christine Goerke, Erin Morley, Paula Murrihy, Matthew Polenzani, Morris Robinson, Michael Spyres, Russell Thomas, and many more.
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra accompanies the artists under the baton of Maestro Daniela Candillari.
A Midsummer Night's Dream | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle sings Hippolyta in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
When fairies and mortals cross paths, mayhem is sure to follow. Fairy king Oberon and his wife Tytania are locked in a quarrel when a group of unhappy young lovers wanders into their forest. Oberon dispatches the mischievous sprite Puck to resolve the young lovers’ strife with the help of a magical elixir… but when Puck applies that elixir to the wrong people, chaos erupts across the forest. The young paramours enter a dark and surreal dream world where plans of revenge go hand-in-hand with seduction. Britten’s hypnotizing score sets the perfect atmosphere for this journey into love’s absurdities.
Leonard Slatkin conducts and Tim Albery directs.
A Midsummer Night's Dream | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle sings Hippolyta in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
When fairies and mortals cross paths, mayhem is sure to follow. Fairy king Oberon and his wife Tytania are locked in a quarrel when a group of unhappy young lovers wanders into their forest. Oberon dispatches the mischievous sprite Puck to resolve the young lovers’ strife with the help of a magical elixir… but when Puck applies that elixir to the wrong people, chaos erupts across the forest. The young paramours enter a dark and surreal dream world where plans of revenge go hand-in-hand with seduction. Britten’s hypnotizing score sets the perfect atmosphere for this journey into love’s absurdities.
Leonard Slatkin conducts and Tim Albery directs.
Die Fledermaus | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Prince Orlofsky in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Die Fledermaus.
Prince Orlofsky is throwing the costume party of the century, and everyone is determined to be there. Dr. Falke invites his friend Eisenstein for a gentleman’s night out on the town. Little do they know that Eisenstein’s wife, Rosalinde, and her maid, Adele, each have their own mischievous plans. What starts as a harmless prank soon escalates into an epic battle of the sexes, filled with disguises, flirtations, and comedic deceptions. No matter how the evening ends, one thing is for sure — you can blame it on the champagne!
George Manahan conducts and Shawna Lucey directs.
This House | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michelle covers the role of Zoe in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of Ricky Ian Gordon, Lynn Nottage, and Ruby Aiyo Gerber’s new opera, This House.
A house is more than four walls and a roof — it is a keeper of memories and a witness to legacy. The Walker family has lived in the same Harlem brownstone since the 1920s, and they have fought hard to keep what they have. When Zoe returns home after many years away, she asks her mother Ida and her brother Lindon to let her renovate the dilapidated building. But Ida and Lindon cannot let go of the past. The house is their whole world, and every room is full of ghostly voices and painful memories. As hidden truths about the family’s legacy come to light, Zoe begins to realize that the secrets harbored within these walls are deeper and more profound than she ever dared to imagine.
Daniela Candillari conducts and James Robinson directs.
The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings the role of Teacher in Mason Bates and Mark Campbell’s Grammy-award winning opera, The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs.
His products changed the world and put instant connection at our fingertips. But behind tech mogul Steve Jobs was a life shaped by triumphs, trials, and contradictions.
Step into the orbit of the Apple co-founder who rose from garage genius to tech titan. With a Grammy Award®–winning score by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence emeritus Mason Bates and libretto by Pulitzer Prize–winning librettist Mark Campbell, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs offers an operatic journey through the interior workings and spiritual journey of an innovator. Bates merges an electronic soundscape with Campbell’s classical lyricism to immerse audiences in the world of Silicon Valley in the 1980s.
Across his life, Jobs played husband, father, spiritual seeker, and industry leader. He was also protagonist and antagonist, cycling between destruction and redemption, disillusion and reality. As Jobs comes face-to-face with his mortality, audiences will see that some things can’t be programmed—including humanity.
The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings the role of Teacher in Mason Bates and Mark Campbell’s Grammy-award winning opera, The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs.
His products changed the world and put instant connection at our fingertips. But behind tech mogul Steve Jobs was a life shaped by triumphs, trials, and contradictions.
Step into the orbit of the Apple co-founder who rose from garage genius to tech titan. With a Grammy Award®–winning score by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence emeritus Mason Bates and libretto by Pulitzer Prize–winning librettist Mark Campbell, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs offers an operatic journey through the interior workings and spiritual journey of an innovator. Bates merges an electronic soundscape with Campbell’s classical lyricism to immerse audiences in the world of Silicon Valley in the 1980s.
Across his life, Jobs played husband, father, spiritual seeker, and industry leader. He was also protagonist and antagonist, cycling between destruction and redemption, disillusion and reality. As Jobs comes face-to-face with his mortality, audiences will see that some things can’t be programmed—including humanity.
The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings the role of Teacher in Mason Bates and Mark Campbell’s Grammy-award winning opera, The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs.
His products changed the world and put instant connection at our fingertips. But behind tech mogul Steve Jobs was a life shaped by triumphs, trials, and contradictions.
Step into the orbit of the Apple co-founder who rose from garage genius to tech titan. With a Grammy Award®–winning score by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence emeritus Mason Bates and libretto by Pulitzer Prize–winning librettist Mark Campbell, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs offers an operatic journey through the interior workings and spiritual journey of an innovator. Bates merges an electronic soundscape with Campbell’s classical lyricism to immerse audiences in the world of Silicon Valley in the 1980s.
Across his life, Jobs played husband, father, spiritual seeker, and industry leader. He was also protagonist and antagonist, cycling between destruction and redemption, disillusion and reality. As Jobs comes face-to-face with his mortality, audiences will see that some things can’t be programmed—including humanity.
American Rhapsody | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings Anita in an excerpt of Bernstein’s West Side Story, as well as in excerpts from great American opera and music theater works.
American spirit takes center stage.
Looking for the heart of America? Take a closer look at American opera—where every note captures the joys, struggles, and dreams of our nation.
Join us as soprano Renée Fleming, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, and baritone Thomas Hampson led by conductor Marin Alsop take the stage to celebrate the heart and soul of American composers and their beloved works, weaving tales of struggle, triumph, and everything in between.
With works by Samuel Barber to Leonard Bernstein to Margaret Bonds and more, this concert is a lively homage to the music that captures the American spirit. The evening also features a solo piece from WNO’s forthcoming Treemonisha, played on the piano by composer Damien Sneed.
With this concert, WNO continues its commitment to celebrating opera’s past and building its future.
The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings the role of Teacher in Mason Bates and Mark Campbell’s Grammy-award winning opera, The R(e)volution of Steve Jobs.
His products changed the world and put instant connection at our fingertips. But behind tech mogul Steve Jobs was a life shaped by triumphs, trials, and contradictions.
Step into the orbit of the Apple co-founder who rose from garage genius to tech titan. With a Grammy Award®–winning score by Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence emeritus Mason Bates and libretto by Pulitzer Prize–winning librettist Mark Campbell, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs offers an operatic journey through the interior workings and spiritual journey of an innovator. Bates merges an electronic soundscape with Campbell’s classical lyricism to immerse audiences in the world of Silicon Valley in the 1980s.
Across his life, Jobs played husband, father, spiritual seeker, and industry leader. He was also protagonist and antagonist, cycling between destruction and redemption, disillusion and reality. As Jobs comes face-to-face with his mortality, audiences will see that some things can’t be programmed—including humanity.
O'Keeffe: Kiss the Sky (Workshop)
Michelle sings the role of Georgia O’Keeffe in a workshop of a new opera-ballet, O’Keeffe: Kiss the Sky, by composer Christopher Tin, librettist Kelley Rourke, and choreographer Jessica Lang.
This opera-ballet about Georgia O'Keeffe, Alfred Stieglitz, Mabel Dodge Luhan, and their circle centers on the intertwined lives of the American painter Georgia O’Keeffe and American patron and socialite Mabel Dodge Luhan — two of the most important women to shape American Modernism in the first half of the 20th Century.
The innovative nature of Kiss the Sky, fusing opera and ballet, parallels the search for a new visual and rhetorical language to express the Modern American condition, found not only in O’Keeffe’s abstractions, but imbued into the very essence of twentieth-century American life.
This event is part of the Clifford Family Innovator-in-Residence program. Kiss the Sky was developed by Francesca Zambello '78.
American Opera Initiative | Washington National Opera
Michelle premieres Omar Najmi and Christine Evans’ Mud Girl, singing the role of Poly 2.
Talented creative teams. Powerful stories. All-original opera. WNO’s acclaimed commissioning program for contemporary American opera enters another exciting season—showing how short opera can move and inspire us! Talented composer-librettist teams will showcase three world premiere one-act operas with the Cafritz Young Artists among the casts.
This year’s talented artists include librettist Clare Fuyuko Bierman, composer Kyle Brenn, librettist Lex Brown, composer JL Marlor, librettist Christine Evans, and composer Omar Najmi.
American Opera Initiative (AOI) mentorship is led by Director Christopher Cano, Artistic Advisor Kelley Rourke, conductor George Manahan, librettist mentor Tracy K. Smith, and composer mentor Gregory Spears.
American Opera Initiative | Washington National Opera
Michelle premieres Omar Najmi and Christine Evans’ Mud Girl, singing the role of Poly 2.
Talented creative teams. Powerful stories. All-original opera. WNO’s acclaimed commissioning program for contemporary American opera enters another exciting season—showing how short opera can move and inspire us! Talented composer-librettist teams will showcase three world premiere one-act operas with the Cafritz Young Artists among the casts.
This year’s talented artists include librettist Clare Fuyuko Bierman, composer Kyle Brenn, librettist Lex Brown, composer JL Marlor, librettist Christine Evans, and composer Omar Najmi.
American Opera Initiative (AOI) mentorship is led by Director Christopher Cano, Artistic Advisor Kelley Rourke, conductor George Manahan, librettist mentor Tracy K. Smith, and composer mentor Gregory Spears.
American Opera Initiative | Washington National Opera
Michelle premieres Omar Najmi and Christine Evans’ Mud Girl, singing the role of Poly 2.
Talented creative teams. Powerful stories. All-original opera. WNO’s acclaimed commissioning program for contemporary American opera enters another exciting season—showing how short opera can move and inspire us! Talented composer-librettist teams will showcase three world premiere one-act operas with the Cafritz Young Artists among the casts.
This year’s talented artists include librettist Clare Fuyuko Bierman, composer Kyle Brenn, librettist Lex Brown, composer JL Marlor, librettist Christine Evans, and composer Omar Najmi.
American Opera Initiative (AOI) mentorship is led by Director Christopher Cano, Artistic Advisor Kelley Rourke, conductor George Manahan, librettist mentor Tracy K. Smith, and composer mentor Gregory Spears.
Jungle Book | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings the role of Raksha, the matron of the wolf pack in Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke’s Jungle Book.
Step into the jungle, where adventure awaits! Orphaned child Mowgli seeks refuge with a group of wolves deep in the jungle. Should the pack accept Mowgli as its own, even if it makes an enemy of the dangerous tiger Shere Khan?
Our holiday opera returns for all ages with a new take on the Kipling classic from Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke. The beloved story gets a contemporary twist with music from South Asian and Western music traditions and mesmerizing Bollywood dance from Indian classical dance company Taal. Join Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, and more animal characters for a heartwarming tale about friendship, compassion, and forgiveness. The jungle may be filled with dangers but there is strength in chosen family.
Get your tickets here.
Jungle Book | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings the role of Raksha, the matron of the wolf pack in Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke’s Jungle Book.
Step into the jungle, where adventure awaits! Orphaned child Mowgli seeks refuge with a group of wolves deep in the jungle. Should the pack accept Mowgli as its own, even if it makes an enemy of the dangerous tiger Shere Khan?
Our holiday opera returns for all ages with a new take on the Kipling classic from Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke. The beloved story gets a contemporary twist with music from South Asian and Western music traditions and mesmerizing Bollywood dance from Indian classical dance company Taal. Join Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, and more animal characters for a heartwarming tale about friendship, compassion, and forgiveness. The jungle may be filled with dangers but there is strength in chosen family.
Get your tickets here.
Jungle Book | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings the role of Raksha, the matron of the wolf pack in Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke’s Jungle Book.
Step into the jungle, where adventure awaits! Orphaned child Mowgli seeks refuge with a group of wolves deep in the jungle. Should the pack accept Mowgli as its own, even if it makes an enemy of the dangerous tiger Shere Khan?
Our holiday opera returns for all ages with a new take on the Kipling classic from Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke. The beloved story gets a contemporary twist with music from South Asian and Western music traditions and mesmerizing Bollywood dance from Indian classical dance company Taal. Join Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, and more animal characters for a heartwarming tale about friendship, compassion, and forgiveness. The jungle may be filled with dangers but there is strength in chosen family.
Get your tickets here.
Jungle Book | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings the role of Raksha, the matron of the wolf pack in Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke’s Jungle Book.
Step into the jungle, where adventure awaits! Orphaned child Mowgli seeks refuge with a group of wolves deep in the jungle. Should the pack accept Mowgli as its own, even if it makes an enemy of the dangerous tiger Shere Khan?
Our holiday opera returns for all ages with a new take on the Kipling classic from Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke. The beloved story gets a contemporary twist with music from South Asian and Western music traditions and mesmerizing Bollywood dance from Indian classical dance company Taal. Join Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, and more animal characters for a heartwarming tale about friendship, compassion, and forgiveness. The jungle may be filled with dangers but there is strength in chosen family.
Get your tickets here.
Jungle Book | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings the role of Raksha, the matron of the wolf pack in Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke’s Jungle Book.
Step into the jungle, where adventure awaits! Orphaned child Mowgli seeks refuge with a group of wolves deep in the jungle. Should the pack accept Mowgli as its own, even if it makes an enemy of the dangerous tiger Shere Khan?
Our holiday opera returns for all ages with a new take on the Kipling classic from Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke. The beloved story gets a contemporary twist with music from South Asian and Western music traditions and mesmerizing Bollywood dance from Indian classical dance company Taal. Join Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, and more animal characters for a heartwarming tale about friendship, compassion, and forgiveness. The jungle may be filled with dangers but there is strength in chosen family.
Get your tickets here.
Jungle Book | Washington National Opera
Michelle sings the role of Raksha, the matron of the wolf pack in Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke’s Jungle Book.
Step into the jungle, where adventure awaits! Orphaned child Mowgli seeks refuge with a group of wolves deep in the jungle. Should the pack accept Mowgli as its own, even if it makes an enemy of the dangerous tiger Shere Khan?
Our holiday opera returns for all ages with a new take on the Kipling classic from Kamala Sankaram and Kelley Rourke. The beloved story gets a contemporary twist with music from South Asian and Western music traditions and mesmerizing Bollywood dance from Indian classical dance company Taal. Join Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, and more animal characters for a heartwarming tale about friendship, compassion, and forgiveness. The jungle may be filled with dangers but there is strength in chosen family.
Get your tickets here.
Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competiton - Capital District
Michelle competes in the Capital District of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition
Gods & Mortals: A Celebration of Wagner | Washington National Opera
Michelle makes her Kennedy Center debut singing Waltraute in an excerpt from Die Walküre
Join a star-studded tribute to the maestro of musical drama.
This sweeping concert features video projections and staged selections from the likes of Tannhäuser, the Ring Cycle, The Flying Dutchman, Lohengrin, Parsifal, and more. Be there when soprano Christine Goerke, tenor Brandon Jovanovic, bass-baritone Derek Welton, bass Soloman Howard, and talented singers from WNO’s Macbeth and Fidelio take on the works of a legend who brought us everlasting stories of gods, betrayal, and love.
Get your tickets here.
