Stephen Lord and Dona D. Vaughn
are back with sparkling stars from the Met!
“Puccini at his best! Music so powerful, so achingly beautiful, that it has never failed to win the hearts of audiences throughout the world!”
Stephen Lord Conductor
Maestro Stephen Lord, one of only four conductors chosen by Opera News for its “25 Most Powerful Names in U.S. Opera,” is continually praised for his shimmering interpretations of both traditional and contemporary operatic works with an enviable ear for colors, blends, balances, and dynamics.
Dona D. Vaughn
Artistic Director
As PORTopera’s artistic director, Dona D. Vaughn applies her considerable talents and experience to bringing the delicate and challenging Madama Butterfly to the Merrill Auditorium stage. Her impeccable resume in the world of performance artistry will certainly have new meaning this summer.
Inna Los as Cio-Cio San
Moldavian soprano Inna Los puts aside her
demanding Metropolitan Opera season to reprise
her role as Cio-Cio San, having wowed audiences
with Butterfly at both Finland’s Savonlinna
Opera Festival and in her American debut with Opera New Jersey. More: innalos.com
“Los’ voice measured up to her dramatic prowess, decadently rich and warm throughout its well-rounded middle and lower ranges, with a powerful silver blade of a top adding unexpected strength.”
- RONNI REICH, THE STAR-LEDGER
Adam Diegel as Lt. Pinkerton
Rapidly establishing an international notoriety for an impassioned dramatic sense, powerful voice, and his classic leading looks, tenor Adam Diegel’s engagements this season at the Met include Das Rheingold (James Levine, conducting), Madama Butterfly, and Nabucco. More: adamdiegel.com
“Adam Diegel was a dashing Cavaradossi, producing soaring high notes...”- STEVE SMITH, NEW YORK TIMES
“His powerful top notes filled the house!”- ANTHONY TOMMASINI, NEW YORK TIMES
Heather Johnson as Suzuki
Hailed by Opera News as “a dramatic singer in the truest sense” and also from the Metropolitan Opera’s 2011-12 roster, mezzo soprano Heather
Johnson has magnetically attracted critical acclaim
for her work on both the opera and concert stage. More: heatherjohnsonmezzo.com
“The production now brings more depth, more brilliance, particularly because of Heather Johnson in the title role who presents an impressive Carmen...with a beautiful voice and supple strength and thoughtfulness. Not only was she convincing with her voice but with her acting.”- OSTSEE ZEITUNG
Edward Parks as Sharpless
Charming and powerful, baritone Edward Parks debuted with the Metropolitan Opera in the
2009-2010 season as Fiorello in Il Barbiere di
Siviglia, and returns to the Met again for Rossini’s Barber and as Schaunard in La bohème this season. More: opus3artists.com/artists/edward-parks
“Edward Parks, a talented young baritone, sang like a man who had had his heart broken during a performance of Schumann’s Dichterliebe.”- VIVIAN SCHWEITZER, NEW YORK TIMES
