YOUR CAREER IN
THE DRIVER’S SEAT:
SELF-PRODUCING FOR THE MODERN SINGER©
THE DRIVER’S SEAT:
SELF-PRODUCING FOR THE MODERN SINGER©
NOVEMBER 17-23, 2025 | online (live/asynchronously/hybrid)
ADAM CIOFFARI
(Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Knoxville Opera, Austin Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Theatre Capitole de Toulouse, Utah Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Pensacola Opera, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Komische Oper Berlin)
ZENAIDA DES AUBRIS
(International Cultural Events, Hangzhou Grand Theater, Palau de les Arts, Neue Stimmen Competition, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Classical Singer Convention Lecturer)
REBECCA GREENSTEIN
(Opera Moderne, Hot Box Girls, Wien Noir, The National Lyric Opera, Dicapo Opera Theatre, One World Symphony, JABEN USA)
JOSHUA COLLIER
(Opera Vermont, Barn Opera, Opera Brittenica, University of Vermont, Vermont State University)
DANIELLE WRIGHT
(Opera MODO, Detroit Institute of the Arts and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra)
ANASTASIA INNISS
Opera Programs Berlin, Co-Founder & Artistic Director
(Berliner Philharmonie, Grimeborn Opera Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, New London Opera Players, Brandenburgisches Konzertorchester)
JULIE WYMA
Opera Programs Berlin, Co-Founder & Executive Director
(Deutsche Oper Berlin, DOB Tischlerei, Sinfonia Leipzig, Choriner Opernsommer, Berliner Philharmonie, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Opera North)
(Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Knoxville Opera, Austin Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Theatre Capitole de Toulouse, Utah Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Pensacola Opera, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Komische Oper Berlin)
ZENAIDA DES AUBRIS
(International Cultural Events, Hangzhou Grand Theater, Palau de les Arts, Neue Stimmen Competition, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Classical Singer Convention Lecturer)
REBECCA GREENSTEIN
(Opera Moderne, Hot Box Girls, Wien Noir, The National Lyric Opera, Dicapo Opera Theatre, One World Symphony, JABEN USA)
JOSHUA COLLIER
(Opera Vermont, Barn Opera, Opera Brittenica, University of Vermont, Vermont State University)
DANIELLE WRIGHT
(Opera MODO, Detroit Institute of the Arts and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra)
ANASTASIA INNISS
Opera Programs Berlin, Co-Founder & Artistic Director
(Berliner Philharmonie, Grimeborn Opera Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, New London Opera Players, Brandenburgisches Konzertorchester)
JULIE WYMA
Opera Programs Berlin, Co-Founder & Executive Director
(Deutsche Oper Berlin, DOB Tischlerei, Sinfonia Leipzig, Choriner Opernsommer, Berliner Philharmonie, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Opera North)
JULIE WYMA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ANASTASIA INNISS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
ANASTASIA INNISS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
For the artists who ask the question...
I want to produce a concert, an opera, or form an arts organization -
how do I get the skill set needed to do so?
We will walk you through the the process of production in various formats, including self-production,
in 5 engaging & information-packed sessions with artists who are producing – in the trenches, so to speak – day in and day out.
No vague inspiration, just real, current, lived experience.
At the end of the program you will have the opportunity to create a project proposal of your own choosing and receive specific feedback and mentorship on the project.
I want to produce a concert, an opera, or form an arts organization -
how do I get the skill set needed to do so?
We will walk you through the the process of production in various formats, including self-production,
in 5 engaging & information-packed sessions with artists who are producing – in the trenches, so to speak – day in and day out.
No vague inspiration, just real, current, lived experience.
At the end of the program you will have the opportunity to create a project proposal of your own choosing and receive specific feedback and mentorship on the project.
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FINAL PROJECT
At the end of the program, each participant will be asked to create a project proposal, including:
Project proposal will be evaluated by Opera Programs Berlin and detailed written feedback provided. The goal of the successful proposal is to serve as a blueprint for future projects!
Participants will receive a course certificate upon successful completion of the project proposal.
At the end of the program, each participant will be asked to create a project proposal, including:
- Name and description
- Budget and financial planning
- Personnel
- Funding/partnerships
- Production plan and schedule
- Marketing strategy
Project proposal will be evaluated by Opera Programs Berlin and detailed written feedback provided. The goal of the successful proposal is to serve as a blueprint for future projects!
Participants will receive a course certificate upon successful completion of the project proposal.
SESSIONS
Live online, asynchronously or a hybrid of both - your time, your choice!
NOVEMBER 17, 2025, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Company/Organization Founding & Business Plans
with
DANIELLE WRIGHT
NOVEMBER 18, 2025, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Company/Organization Founding & Longevity + Tailoring to Different Markets
with
REBECCA GREENSTEIN
NOVEMBER 20, 2025, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Self-Producing: How to Develop Your Own Project
with
ZENAIDA DES AUBRIS
NOVEMBER 21, 2025, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Production & Administration Process
with
ADAM CIOFFARI
NOVEMBER 23, 2025, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Company/Organisation Founding & Development
with
JOSHUA COLLIER
by DECEMBER 19, 2025, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Project Proposals Deadline
by JANUARY 30, 2026, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Feedback on Project Proposals
Company/Organization Founding & Business Plans
with
DANIELLE WRIGHT
NOVEMBER 18, 2025, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Company/Organization Founding & Longevity + Tailoring to Different Markets
with
REBECCA GREENSTEIN
NOVEMBER 20, 2025, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Self-Producing: How to Develop Your Own Project
with
ZENAIDA DES AUBRIS
NOVEMBER 21, 2025, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Production & Administration Process
with
ADAM CIOFFARI
NOVEMBER 23, 2025, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Company/Organisation Founding & Development
with
JOSHUA COLLIER
by DECEMBER 19, 2025, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Project Proposals Deadline
by JANUARY 30, 2026, 18:00 CET/12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific
Feedback on Project Proposals
TUITION
€380
- Five 90-minute interactive sessions
- 60-day replay of all session videos
- Detailed written evaluation of project proposal
- Certificate of course completion
SCHOLARSHIPS
We have a few partial scholarships up to 20% off tuition. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, please email us your CV/resume at [email protected]. Please include how this program will aid you in furthering your career.
If you are not applying for a partial scholarship, you can register directly following the payment links in our Registration section below.
REGISTRATION
Register via your preferred payment method following the links below:
Please note that Opera Programs Berlin does not charge administration fees for any of its programs.
Therefore, all payment transaction fees must be covered on the sender's side. Opera Programs Berlin does not cover any transaction fees.
Therefore, all payment transaction fees must be covered on the sender's side. Opera Programs Berlin does not cover any transaction fees.
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N26
Julie Wyma IBAN: DE40 1001 1001 2629 3903 16 BIC: NTSBDEB1 |
FACULTY
ADAM CIOFFARI
Adam Cioffari was named “Outstanding Stage Director” by the Tampa Bay Theater Awards for his production of The Merry Widow for St Petersburg Opera, where he also recently directed productions of Samson et Dalila, Tosca, Amahl and the Night Visitors and Così fan tutte. Other directorial credits include Die Fledermaus with Opera in Wiliamsburg, Rigoletto and Così fan tutte at Shreveport Opera and The Magic Flute at Opera North. In 2026 he will direct Le nozze di Figaro for Opera in Williamsburg. He currently serves as Artistic Administrator for San Diego Opera, after having served on the artistic staffs for Sarasota Opera and the Merola Opera Program.
As a bass-baritone, Cioffari has been praised for his evocative performances, from his “zesty” (Opera News) Elviro in Houston Grand Opera’s Xerxes to his “sneering” (Washington Classical Review) Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera with Maryland Lyric Opera. In 2022, he made his debut with New York City Opera in the world-premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's The Garden of the Finzi Continis. Recently, he played Capulet in Roméo et Juliette at Central City Opera, Fasolt in Das Rheingold with Dayton Opera and Leporello in Don Giovanni with Opera in Williamsburg. In concert, he recently performed in Handel's Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, and in Verdi's Requiem and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Arkansas Symphony.
Cioffari’s other role credits include the Commentator in the world premiere of Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg at the Castleton Festival, the Musiklehrer (Ariadne auf Naxos) at the Glimmerglass Festival, Papageno (Die Zauberflöte) at Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Colline (La bohème) with Knoxville Opera, the title role in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Columbus, Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd with Pittsburgh Festival Opera, and Masetto (Don Giovanni) with Austin Opera. He has also performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Theatre Capitole de Toulouse, Staatsoper Stuttgart, and Komische Oper Berlin.
Cioffari is an alumnus of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, the Merola Opera Program, Music Academy of the West, and Aspen Opera Theater. He is a graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Adam Cioffari was named “Outstanding Stage Director” by the Tampa Bay Theater Awards for his production of The Merry Widow for St Petersburg Opera, where he also recently directed productions of Samson et Dalila, Tosca, Amahl and the Night Visitors and Così fan tutte. Other directorial credits include Die Fledermaus with Opera in Wiliamsburg, Rigoletto and Così fan tutte at Shreveport Opera and The Magic Flute at Opera North. In 2026 he will direct Le nozze di Figaro for Opera in Williamsburg. He currently serves as Artistic Administrator for San Diego Opera, after having served on the artistic staffs for Sarasota Opera and the Merola Opera Program.
As a bass-baritone, Cioffari has been praised for his evocative performances, from his “zesty” (Opera News) Elviro in Houston Grand Opera’s Xerxes to his “sneering” (Washington Classical Review) Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera with Maryland Lyric Opera. In 2022, he made his debut with New York City Opera in the world-premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's The Garden of the Finzi Continis. Recently, he played Capulet in Roméo et Juliette at Central City Opera, Fasolt in Das Rheingold with Dayton Opera and Leporello in Don Giovanni with Opera in Williamsburg. In concert, he recently performed in Handel's Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, and in Verdi's Requiem and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Arkansas Symphony.
Cioffari’s other role credits include the Commentator in the world premiere of Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg at the Castleton Festival, the Musiklehrer (Ariadne auf Naxos) at the Glimmerglass Festival, Papageno (Die Zauberflöte) at Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Colline (La bohème) with Knoxville Opera, the title role in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Columbus, Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd with Pittsburgh Festival Opera, and Masetto (Don Giovanni) with Austin Opera. He has also performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Theatre Capitole de Toulouse, Staatsoper Stuttgart, and Komische Oper Berlin.
Cioffari is an alumnus of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, the Merola Opera Program, Music Academy of the West, and Aspen Opera Theater. He is a graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
ZENAIDA DES AUBRIS
Zenaida des Aubris is a Consultant for International Cultural Events, living in Berlin. Born in Argentina, she has over 35 years experience in management and production of opera and classical music in the United States, Europe and Asia.
After completing a Masters in Sociology, she joined the San Francisco Opera’s artistic administration department in the late 1970s. She went on to become the personal manager of the film and opera stage director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, followed by the personal management of the conductor Lorin Maazel. 1996/98 Zenaida des Aubris was General Project Director for the open-air production of Puccini's "Turandot in the Forbidden City," Beijing, China, with Zubin Mehta conducting and directed by Zhang Yimou (9 performances for 45,000 visitors). Other international entertainment projects in China followed, including being Director for International Relations for the Wu Promotion Company in Beijing and culminating with her becoming the General and Artistic Director of the newly built Hangzhou Grand Theater in China. Back in Europe, she joined the Artistic Administration for the first two seasons of the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, Spain.
Zenaida des Aubris helps young opera singers with the business aspect of an opera career. She has given seminars on “the business of singing” for the Neue Stimmen Competition, Ryan Opera Center Chicago, Lotte Lehmann Academy, Trentino Music Festival, Estonian National Music Academy, etc. https://operacareercoach.com/
Zenaida currently runs her own artist management company, Arts Enterprises GmbH out of Berlin https://www.arts-enterprises.com/
Zenaida des Aubris is a Consultant for International Cultural Events, living in Berlin. Born in Argentina, she has over 35 years experience in management and production of opera and classical music in the United States, Europe and Asia.
After completing a Masters in Sociology, she joined the San Francisco Opera’s artistic administration department in the late 1970s. She went on to become the personal manager of the film and opera stage director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, followed by the personal management of the conductor Lorin Maazel. 1996/98 Zenaida des Aubris was General Project Director for the open-air production of Puccini's "Turandot in the Forbidden City," Beijing, China, with Zubin Mehta conducting and directed by Zhang Yimou (9 performances for 45,000 visitors). Other international entertainment projects in China followed, including being Director for International Relations for the Wu Promotion Company in Beijing and culminating with her becoming the General and Artistic Director of the newly built Hangzhou Grand Theater in China. Back in Europe, she joined the Artistic Administration for the first two seasons of the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, Spain.
Zenaida des Aubris helps young opera singers with the business aspect of an opera career. She has given seminars on “the business of singing” for the Neue Stimmen Competition, Ryan Opera Center Chicago, Lotte Lehmann Academy, Trentino Music Festival, Estonian National Music Academy, etc. https://operacareercoach.com/
Zenaida currently runs her own artist management company, Arts Enterprises GmbH out of Berlin https://www.arts-enterprises.com/
REBECCA GREENSTEIN
Rebecca Greenstein is the executive director and producer of Opera Moderne, Vien.noir, and The Hot Box Girls International. She is also an artistic director, stage director, and experienced performer, originally from the great state of Texas. In 2009, Ms. Greenstein began her producing and directing career with the repertory opera company, Opera Manhattan, in New York City. She founded two international companies in 2011: Opera Moderne and the Hot Box Girls International. Ms. Greenstein’s Opera Moderne was an immediate success in the international operatic scene and received accolades from the NYTimes, Opera News, Musical America, The Huffington Post, Parterre Box, Time Out New York, Opera Pulse, the Modern Mozartian, Superconductor, Voce di Meche, Classical Source, WQXR Operavore, The One-Way Ticket Show, the European Cultural News (Austria), and der Standard (Austria).
In 2025 Vien.noir presents the world premiere of the new musical “Mata Hari: A Cabaret of Intrigue” at the historic Cabaret CasaNova, where famed Josephine Baker performed when touring Europe in the 1930s. Ms. Greenstein originated the concept of “Mata Hari” and serves as the director and primary choreographer. In February 2025 Vien.noir Varieté returns to the CasaNova stage and will have the honor of performing the Midnight show for the UN AEIA Ball at the Hofburg Imperial Palace.
Ms. Greenstein continuously refreshes her companies’ offerings. Vien.noir presented the Vien.noir Varieté, its series of variety shows, for the first time in the 2023-2024 season, which also welcomed the opening of Vien.noir’s Events sector. In 2022 she launched an interdisciplinary project: Vien.noir Classic, a stunning cabaret experience of classical music, jazz, opera, and electronic music fused with circus, burlesque, and the art of aerial acrobatics at the beautiful Calea Club in Vienna, Austria.
The 2019, 2020, and 2021 seasons featured multiple new productions, all created by and under the stage direction of Ms. Greenstein. Highlights include "The Dark Cabaret," the European Premiere of the violin concerto "Dirty Music" by Richard Pearson Thomas at the Ateliertheater in Vienna, Austria on June 28, 2019, in collaboration with the Hot Box Girls International; and "Vien.noir: Caprice Noir," a new classical and jazz music fusion series, in collaboration with The Freestyle Orchestra.
Other productions recently created or in development include: "L'Opera Burlesque" at the Ateliertheater in Vienna, Austria; and “Fantasie Macabre” in collaboration with The Freestyle Orchestra and musicologist Dr. Chanda VanderHart.
Ms. Greenstein attended Texas State University (TSU) in San Marcos, Texas where she double-majored in Musical Theatre and Operatic Vocal Performance. These extensive programs at TSU trained Ms. Greenstein in Stage Direction, Lighting, Costuming, Hair and Make-Up, Dance, Movement, Acting, Vocal Performance, and Vocal Pedagogy. She began her career as a performer in Equity and Non-Equity theatres around Texas, including Zilker Theatre, The Violet Crow Players, and Austin Musical Theatre. In May 2001, Ms. Greenstein moved to New York City and continued her musical and operatic performance career with such companies as The National Lyric Opera, Dicapo Opera Theatre, One World Symphony, and JABEN USA, and ventured into TV and Film with ORF Television, Mezzo Television, Sir Murray Productions, and Pristine Pictures, where her vocal performance was included at the Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals for the film “Hollywood Heroine” in 2008. www.RebeccaGreenstein.com
Rebecca Greenstein is the executive director and producer of Opera Moderne, Vien.noir, and The Hot Box Girls International. She is also an artistic director, stage director, and experienced performer, originally from the great state of Texas. In 2009, Ms. Greenstein began her producing and directing career with the repertory opera company, Opera Manhattan, in New York City. She founded two international companies in 2011: Opera Moderne and the Hot Box Girls International. Ms. Greenstein’s Opera Moderne was an immediate success in the international operatic scene and received accolades from the NYTimes, Opera News, Musical America, The Huffington Post, Parterre Box, Time Out New York, Opera Pulse, the Modern Mozartian, Superconductor, Voce di Meche, Classical Source, WQXR Operavore, The One-Way Ticket Show, the European Cultural News (Austria), and der Standard (Austria).
In 2025 Vien.noir presents the world premiere of the new musical “Mata Hari: A Cabaret of Intrigue” at the historic Cabaret CasaNova, where famed Josephine Baker performed when touring Europe in the 1930s. Ms. Greenstein originated the concept of “Mata Hari” and serves as the director and primary choreographer. In February 2025 Vien.noir Varieté returns to the CasaNova stage and will have the honor of performing the Midnight show for the UN AEIA Ball at the Hofburg Imperial Palace.
Ms. Greenstein continuously refreshes her companies’ offerings. Vien.noir presented the Vien.noir Varieté, its series of variety shows, for the first time in the 2023-2024 season, which also welcomed the opening of Vien.noir’s Events sector. In 2022 she launched an interdisciplinary project: Vien.noir Classic, a stunning cabaret experience of classical music, jazz, opera, and electronic music fused with circus, burlesque, and the art of aerial acrobatics at the beautiful Calea Club in Vienna, Austria.
The 2019, 2020, and 2021 seasons featured multiple new productions, all created by and under the stage direction of Ms. Greenstein. Highlights include "The Dark Cabaret," the European Premiere of the violin concerto "Dirty Music" by Richard Pearson Thomas at the Ateliertheater in Vienna, Austria on June 28, 2019, in collaboration with the Hot Box Girls International; and "Vien.noir: Caprice Noir," a new classical and jazz music fusion series, in collaboration with The Freestyle Orchestra.
Other productions recently created or in development include: "L'Opera Burlesque" at the Ateliertheater in Vienna, Austria; and “Fantasie Macabre” in collaboration with The Freestyle Orchestra and musicologist Dr. Chanda VanderHart.
Ms. Greenstein attended Texas State University (TSU) in San Marcos, Texas where she double-majored in Musical Theatre and Operatic Vocal Performance. These extensive programs at TSU trained Ms. Greenstein in Stage Direction, Lighting, Costuming, Hair and Make-Up, Dance, Movement, Acting, Vocal Performance, and Vocal Pedagogy. She began her career as a performer in Equity and Non-Equity theatres around Texas, including Zilker Theatre, The Violet Crow Players, and Austin Musical Theatre. In May 2001, Ms. Greenstein moved to New York City and continued her musical and operatic performance career with such companies as The National Lyric Opera, Dicapo Opera Theatre, One World Symphony, and JABEN USA, and ventured into TV and Film with ORF Television, Mezzo Television, Sir Murray Productions, and Pristine Pictures, where her vocal performance was included at the Cannes and Toronto Film Festivals for the film “Hollywood Heroine” in 2008. www.RebeccaGreenstein.com
JOSHUA COLLIER
American tenor, Joshua Collier, known for ”brimming with passion and sensuality” and having “delivered brilliant high notes as well as heart-wrenching tenderness” was hailed as “the quintessential Italianate tenor” and “the real thing” for his portrayal of Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca.
A graduate of The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (Bachelor in Music - Vocal Performance) and The New England Conservatory (Masters in Music - Vocal Performance), he has performed throughout New England and beyond in many of the romantic tenor roles including: Calaf (Turandot); Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly); Turiddu (Cavalleria Rusticana); Alfredo Germont (La Traviata); Cavaradossi (Tosca); Rodolfo (La Boheme); and many others (Full CV available upon request). However, performing was not the only avenue for Collier’s artistic expression.
In 2013, he founded the Bostonian opera company “Opera Brittenica” championing the works of British composer Benjamin Britten. Over the next 4 years, he produced rarely produced works of Britten, and became deeply interested in the production element of the operatic medium.
After honing skills as a producer for 4 years, Collier relocated to Brandon, Vermont, and subsequently founded an opera company in a renovated barn, aptly called BARN OPERA. BARN OPERA was a project under the Compass Music and Arts Foundation for 3 years, where it produced 3 seasons of 4 full operatic productions annually, all conceived and directed by Collier.
Each of the 12 operas that BARN OPERA did pre-pandemic were warhorses of the operatic tradition, and yet, each of them were viewed through different lenses, ranging from contemporary to traditional, but always acknowledging the historical precedent - and then actively challenging why tradition is tradition.
After 5 seasons of sold-out productions at the BARN OPERA House, even leading a capital campaign of over $700,000 to purchase and renovate another barn into the NEW BARN OPERA House, it was still not enough for the opera-hungry state of Vermont. Collier’s idea of radically changing what a state opera company is, and who it serves, brought about the current iteration of the opera company - Opera Vermont- whose motto is “All of opera, for all of Vermont”. By partnering with existing theatrical venues to bring opera into disparate parts of the state, Opera Vermont is able to reach into every corner of the state and offer a live operatic performance within a 30 minute drive for every Vermonter.
Driven not only by artistic excellence, but also the ability to share works from underrepresented artists, Opera Vermont, under Collier’s artistic leadership, is embarking upon a multi-year cycle of all of the operas of William Grant Still - with the blessing of Judith Anne Still, the composer’s daughter. This will be the first time that an opera by a black composer will be performed by a full principal cast of black artists within the state of Vermont. Along with Music Director, and one of the preeminent black conductors of our time, Cailin Marcel Manson, Collier seeks to help facilitate a place at the table for all artists.
Mr. Collier’s directorial philosophy does not encourage or support recreating the wheel for simple novelty, but rather to try glean meaning and perspective from the masterworks of the operatic tradition, and to say something about these works that have not been said. Collier’s staging has been referred to as “Innovative and witty;” “Comical and heartbreaking;” and most importantly, “Painfully true.” Without the trappings of massive theatrical trappings, Collier seeks to distill the essence of the story and the music by stripping away the superficial, leaving the theatrical treatment of the ultimate truth.
For further information about Collier’s performing or directing, please visit his personal website at www.jrctenor.com, and navigate to either the “tenor” or the “director” tab, depending on the desired information.
American tenor, Joshua Collier, known for ”brimming with passion and sensuality” and having “delivered brilliant high notes as well as heart-wrenching tenderness” was hailed as “the quintessential Italianate tenor” and “the real thing” for his portrayal of Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca.
A graduate of The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (Bachelor in Music - Vocal Performance) and The New England Conservatory (Masters in Music - Vocal Performance), he has performed throughout New England and beyond in many of the romantic tenor roles including: Calaf (Turandot); Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly); Turiddu (Cavalleria Rusticana); Alfredo Germont (La Traviata); Cavaradossi (Tosca); Rodolfo (La Boheme); and many others (Full CV available upon request). However, performing was not the only avenue for Collier’s artistic expression.
In 2013, he founded the Bostonian opera company “Opera Brittenica” championing the works of British composer Benjamin Britten. Over the next 4 years, he produced rarely produced works of Britten, and became deeply interested in the production element of the operatic medium.
After honing skills as a producer for 4 years, Collier relocated to Brandon, Vermont, and subsequently founded an opera company in a renovated barn, aptly called BARN OPERA. BARN OPERA was a project under the Compass Music and Arts Foundation for 3 years, where it produced 3 seasons of 4 full operatic productions annually, all conceived and directed by Collier.
Each of the 12 operas that BARN OPERA did pre-pandemic were warhorses of the operatic tradition, and yet, each of them were viewed through different lenses, ranging from contemporary to traditional, but always acknowledging the historical precedent - and then actively challenging why tradition is tradition.
After 5 seasons of sold-out productions at the BARN OPERA House, even leading a capital campaign of over $700,000 to purchase and renovate another barn into the NEW BARN OPERA House, it was still not enough for the opera-hungry state of Vermont. Collier’s idea of radically changing what a state opera company is, and who it serves, brought about the current iteration of the opera company - Opera Vermont- whose motto is “All of opera, for all of Vermont”. By partnering with existing theatrical venues to bring opera into disparate parts of the state, Opera Vermont is able to reach into every corner of the state and offer a live operatic performance within a 30 minute drive for every Vermonter.
Driven not only by artistic excellence, but also the ability to share works from underrepresented artists, Opera Vermont, under Collier’s artistic leadership, is embarking upon a multi-year cycle of all of the operas of William Grant Still - with the blessing of Judith Anne Still, the composer’s daughter. This will be the first time that an opera by a black composer will be performed by a full principal cast of black artists within the state of Vermont. Along with Music Director, and one of the preeminent black conductors of our time, Cailin Marcel Manson, Collier seeks to help facilitate a place at the table for all artists.
Mr. Collier’s directorial philosophy does not encourage or support recreating the wheel for simple novelty, but rather to try glean meaning and perspective from the masterworks of the operatic tradition, and to say something about these works that have not been said. Collier’s staging has been referred to as “Innovative and witty;” “Comical and heartbreaking;” and most importantly, “Painfully true.” Without the trappings of massive theatrical trappings, Collier seeks to distill the essence of the story and the music by stripping away the superficial, leaving the theatrical treatment of the ultimate truth.
For further information about Collier’s performing or directing, please visit his personal website at www.jrctenor.com, and navigate to either the “tenor” or the “director” tab, depending on the desired information.
DANIELLE WRIGHT
Danielle Wright (They/Xe), a visionary in the opera world, founded Opera MODO, a pioneering organization based in Detroit for the past 10 years, recognizing the need for a platform that nurtured emerging artists outside of institutional structures. With MODO, Danielle has led a revolution in opera performance, presenting captivating renditions of both classic and contemporary works since its establishment in 2011. An accomplished singer, Danielle has graced stages across the United States, London, and Berlin, exemplifying their commitment to maintaining an active stage career. Not content to simply perform, Danielle has championed the importance of artist-led initiatives by forging meaningful partnerships with prestigious institutions such as the Detroit Institute of the Arts and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Danielle Wright continues to shape the landscape of opera through their innovative approach to performance and dedication to supporting emerging artists in the industry. Although Opera MODO is no longer operational due to safety concerns for trans individuals in the opera medium, Danielle now channels their expertise and passion into their drag king persona, Juicci Björling.
Danielle Wright (They/Xe), a visionary in the opera world, founded Opera MODO, a pioneering organization based in Detroit for the past 10 years, recognizing the need for a platform that nurtured emerging artists outside of institutional structures. With MODO, Danielle has led a revolution in opera performance, presenting captivating renditions of both classic and contemporary works since its establishment in 2011. An accomplished singer, Danielle has graced stages across the United States, London, and Berlin, exemplifying their commitment to maintaining an active stage career. Not content to simply perform, Danielle has championed the importance of artist-led initiatives by forging meaningful partnerships with prestigious institutions such as the Detroit Institute of the Arts and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Danielle Wright continues to shape the landscape of opera through their innovative approach to performance and dedication to supporting emerging artists in the industry. Although Opera MODO is no longer operational due to safety concerns for trans individuals in the opera medium, Danielle now channels their expertise and passion into their drag king persona, Juicci Björling.
ANASTASIA INNISS
ANASTASIA INNISS
FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Anastasia Inniss is a multifaceted artist whose career bridges performance and executive leadership in the classical music. With over two decades of experience, she is internationally recognized as both a commanding performer and a visionary arts leader, celebrated for her work in education, production, and cultural advocacy across Europe and the U.S.
As a performer, Anastasia has appeared in leading roles across major festivals and opera companies, including Judith in Bartok's A kékszakállú herceg vára (Grimeborn Opera Festival London); Woglinde in Wagner's Das Rheingold (Berliner Wagner Gruppe); Elsa in Wagner's Lohengrin (Berliner Wagner Gruppe); Ariadne in Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata (Central Florida Lyric Opera; New London Opera Players, Fine Arts Chorale & Orchestra) Governess in Britten's Turn of the Screw (Opera Seria), Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni (Opera Seria, Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Nedda in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci (Central Florida Lyric Opera), Micaëla and Frasquita in Bizet's Carmen, under the directorship of late legendary soprano Licia Albanese (Central Florida Lyric Opera); Contessa in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (Central Florida Lyric Opera), Serpina in Pergolesi's La serva padrona (Berliner Philharmonie Kammermusiksaal, concertante.
She is a passionate advocate for contemporary music, premiering works by composers such as Vartan Aghababian, Michael Djupstrom, Victoria Ellis, and Eric Sawyer—many written specifically for her. In addition to numerous song cycles and solo concert works with orchestra, she also created the role of Anna von Mildenburg in the new theater piece Geboren Alma Schindler (Berliner Opern Verein); the role of Member of the Chamber in the premiere performance of Eric Sawyer's Our American Cousin (Composers in Red Sneakers); and the title role in the world premiere of Victoria Ellis's multi-media opera Darling (One of Us Foundation).
Her concert repertoire includes solo appearances at the Berliner Philharmonie and major venues throughout the U.S. and Europe, performing works such as J.S. Bach's Jauchzet Gott in alles Landen (Berliner Philharmonie), Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (Old North Concert Series), Magnificat in D (Fine Arts Chorale), Missa brevis in A (Fine Arts Chorale); Mozart's Requiem (Berliner Philharmonie, Fine Arts Chorale), Missa Brevis in F (Sommerville Choir), Exultate Jubilate (Berliner Philharmonie), Vesperae solennes de confessore (Somerville Choir); Händel's Messiah (College Park Players), L'Allego, il Pensieroso, ed il Moderato (Berliner Philharmonie); Pergolesi Stabat mater (Berliner Philharmonie); Schubert's Mass in G (Highnam Choir and Orchestra); Dubois Seven Last Words of Christ (College Park Players); Vivaldi's Gloria (Old North Concert Series); Vaughan Williams's Dona nobis pacem (Tufts University Orchestra, cover); Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream (Longy Chamber Orchestra); Berg Sieben frühe Lieder (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival); Mahler Rückert-Lieder (Berlin Song Festival); Strauss Vier letzte Lieder (Berlin Song Festival, Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival, Walbrook Music Trust, Galerieforum am Meer); Villa-Lobos's Bachianas Brasilieras No.5 (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival) among others.
She is a passionate advocate for contemporary music, premiering works by composers such as Vartan Aghababian, Michael Djupstrom, Victoria Ellis, and Eric Sawyer—many written specifically for her. In addition to numerous song cycles and solo concert works with orchestra, she also created the role of Anna von Mildenburg in the new theater piece Geboren Alma Schindler (Berliner Opern Verein); the role of Member of the Chamber in the premiere performance of Eric Sawyer's Our American Cousin (Composers in Red Sneakers); and the title role in the world premiere of Victoria Ellis's multi-media opera Darling (One of Us Foundation).
Her concert repertoire includes solo appearances at the Berliner Philharmonie and major venues throughout the U.S. and Europe, performing works such as J.S. Bach's Jauchzet Gott in alles Landen (Berliner Philharmonie), Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (Old North Concert Series), Magnificat in D (Fine Arts Chorale), Missa brevis in A (Fine Arts Chorale); Mozart's Requiem (Berliner Philharmonie, Fine Arts Chorale), Missa Brevis in F (Sommerville Choir), Exultate Jubilate (Berliner Philharmonie), Vesperae solennes de confessore (Somerville Choir); Händel's Messiah (College Park Players), L'Allego, il Pensieroso, ed il Moderato (Berliner Philharmonie); Pergolesi Stabat mater (Berliner Philharmonie); Schubert's Mass in G (Highnam Choir and Orchestra); Dubois Seven Last Words of Christ (College Park Players); Vivaldi's Gloria (Old North Concert Series); Vaughan Williams's Dona nobis pacem (Tufts University Orchestra, cover); Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream (Longy Chamber Orchestra); Berg Sieben frühe Lieder (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival); Mahler Rückert-Lieder (Berlin Song Festival); Strauss Vier letzte Lieder (Berlin Song Festival, Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival, Walbrook Music Trust, Galerieforum am Meer); Villa-Lobos's Bachianas Brasilieras No.5 (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival) among others.
In parallel, Anastasia is an accomplished executive arts leader, producer and educator with 25+ years of experience across Europe and the United States. She is the co-founder and artistic director of Opera Programs Berlin and Dramatic Voices Program Berlin. In 2024, she was awarded a grant by Centros de Arte, Cultura y Turismo Lanzarote to found and direct the Festival de Ópera & Academia Lanzarote at the UNESCO-protected Jameos del Agua Auditorium. As a founding member, she has also served as artistic director of the Berlin Song Festival, as a consultant and director of education for The Opera Stage, and as a EU Leader for Classical Singer Magazine, where she establishes and fosters relationships with EU-wide theatres, agencies and casting personnel and writes on sustainability and access in the arts. In addition to this she has worked for Gracenote and Harvard University.
Her leadership work centers on equity and innovation in opera and classical music. She has co-produced initiatives like Trans*Voices— a fully funded tuition-free series of masterclasses and concerts for transgender and non-binary artists — and led scholarship programs for underrepresented communities. Her directing credits span opera, music theatre, and concert works, and she has also worked as a casting director, producer, and costume designer.
As an educator, Anastasia has over 25 years of experience teaching voice, vocal repertoire, and vocal pedagogy. She was taught at a college level as well as privately. She has guided the voices of numerous transgender voice professionals and is particularly adept to training voices with complex landscape. She studied at the Longy School of Music at Bard College as a recipient of the Janet Irving Scholarship and holds Neue Start Kultur Grants from the Deutscher Musikrat and Dezentrale Kulturarbeit Reinickendorf.
Producing and casting work includes: Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos, Berlin, Germany; Strauss's Elektra, Berlin, Germany;(The Folk Song Project – Folk Songs for Voice and Steel Drum, Berlin, Germany; Wagner's Die Walküre (multi-media film); Gebohren Alma Schildler: theatre piece based on the Mahler’s Rückert Lieder, Berlin, Germany; Wagner's Die Walküre, Berlin, Germany; Wagner's Das Rheingold, Berlin, Germany; Trans*Voices Masterclasses & Galas, online; AIDS Quilt Songbook: German Edition, Berlin, Germany; Pathologies of the Image: Sound Installation, Berlin, Germany; Jason Robert Brown: The Last Five Years, Berlin, Germany.
Anastasia maintains strong professional relationships with Germany, United Kingdom, Spain and the United States. With a foundation in music, theatre, and the visual arts, she brings a holistic, community-centered approach to her artistic and administrative work—one that reimagines the role of the arts in today’s world.
Anastasia lives in Ireland, with her husband Jahmai Inniss. She is an avid swimmer, obsessed with cooking without recipes and learning how to maintain a sustainable vegetable garden.
ANASTASIA INNISS
FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Anastasia Inniss is a multifaceted artist whose career bridges performance and executive leadership in the classical music. With over two decades of experience, she is internationally recognized as both a commanding performer and a visionary arts leader, celebrated for her work in education, production, and cultural advocacy across Europe and the U.S.
As a performer, Anastasia has appeared in leading roles across major festivals and opera companies, including Judith in Bartok's A kékszakállú herceg vára (Grimeborn Opera Festival London); Woglinde in Wagner's Das Rheingold (Berliner Wagner Gruppe); Elsa in Wagner's Lohengrin (Berliner Wagner Gruppe); Ariadne in Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata (Central Florida Lyric Opera; New London Opera Players, Fine Arts Chorale & Orchestra) Governess in Britten's Turn of the Screw (Opera Seria), Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni (Opera Seria, Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Nedda in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci (Central Florida Lyric Opera), Micaëla and Frasquita in Bizet's Carmen, under the directorship of late legendary soprano Licia Albanese (Central Florida Lyric Opera); Contessa in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (Central Florida Lyric Opera), Serpina in Pergolesi's La serva padrona (Berliner Philharmonie Kammermusiksaal, concertante.
She is a passionate advocate for contemporary music, premiering works by composers such as Vartan Aghababian, Michael Djupstrom, Victoria Ellis, and Eric Sawyer—many written specifically for her. In addition to numerous song cycles and solo concert works with orchestra, she also created the role of Anna von Mildenburg in the new theater piece Geboren Alma Schindler (Berliner Opern Verein); the role of Member of the Chamber in the premiere performance of Eric Sawyer's Our American Cousin (Composers in Red Sneakers); and the title role in the world premiere of Victoria Ellis's multi-media opera Darling (One of Us Foundation).
Her concert repertoire includes solo appearances at the Berliner Philharmonie and major venues throughout the U.S. and Europe, performing works such as J.S. Bach's Jauchzet Gott in alles Landen (Berliner Philharmonie), Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (Old North Concert Series), Magnificat in D (Fine Arts Chorale), Missa brevis in A (Fine Arts Chorale); Mozart's Requiem (Berliner Philharmonie, Fine Arts Chorale), Missa Brevis in F (Sommerville Choir), Exultate Jubilate (Berliner Philharmonie), Vesperae solennes de confessore (Somerville Choir); Händel's Messiah (College Park Players), L'Allego, il Pensieroso, ed il Moderato (Berliner Philharmonie); Pergolesi Stabat mater (Berliner Philharmonie); Schubert's Mass in G (Highnam Choir and Orchestra); Dubois Seven Last Words of Christ (College Park Players); Vivaldi's Gloria (Old North Concert Series); Vaughan Williams's Dona nobis pacem (Tufts University Orchestra, cover); Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream (Longy Chamber Orchestra); Berg Sieben frühe Lieder (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival); Mahler Rückert-Lieder (Berlin Song Festival); Strauss Vier letzte Lieder (Berlin Song Festival, Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival, Walbrook Music Trust, Galerieforum am Meer); Villa-Lobos's Bachianas Brasilieras No.5 (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival) among others.
She is a passionate advocate for contemporary music, premiering works by composers such as Vartan Aghababian, Michael Djupstrom, Victoria Ellis, and Eric Sawyer—many written specifically for her. In addition to numerous song cycles and solo concert works with orchestra, she also created the role of Anna von Mildenburg in the new theater piece Geboren Alma Schindler (Berliner Opern Verein); the role of Member of the Chamber in the premiere performance of Eric Sawyer's Our American Cousin (Composers in Red Sneakers); and the title role in the world premiere of Victoria Ellis's multi-media opera Darling (One of Us Foundation).
Her concert repertoire includes solo appearances at the Berliner Philharmonie and major venues throughout the U.S. and Europe, performing works such as J.S. Bach's Jauchzet Gott in alles Landen (Berliner Philharmonie), Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut (Old North Concert Series), Magnificat in D (Fine Arts Chorale), Missa brevis in A (Fine Arts Chorale); Mozart's Requiem (Berliner Philharmonie, Fine Arts Chorale), Missa Brevis in F (Sommerville Choir), Exultate Jubilate (Berliner Philharmonie), Vesperae solennes de confessore (Somerville Choir); Händel's Messiah (College Park Players), L'Allego, il Pensieroso, ed il Moderato (Berliner Philharmonie); Pergolesi Stabat mater (Berliner Philharmonie); Schubert's Mass in G (Highnam Choir and Orchestra); Dubois Seven Last Words of Christ (College Park Players); Vivaldi's Gloria (Old North Concert Series); Vaughan Williams's Dona nobis pacem (Tufts University Orchestra, cover); Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream (Longy Chamber Orchestra); Berg Sieben frühe Lieder (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival); Mahler Rückert-Lieder (Berlin Song Festival); Strauss Vier letzte Lieder (Berlin Song Festival, Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival, Walbrook Music Trust, Galerieforum am Meer); Villa-Lobos's Bachianas Brasilieras No.5 (Kirchberg Chamber Music Festival) among others.
In parallel, Anastasia is an accomplished executive arts leader, producer and educator with 25+ years of experience across Europe and the United States. She is the co-founder and artistic director of Opera Programs Berlin and Dramatic Voices Program Berlin. In 2024, she was awarded a grant by Centros de Arte, Cultura y Turismo Lanzarote to found and direct the Festival de Ópera & Academia Lanzarote at the UNESCO-protected Jameos del Agua Auditorium. As a founding member, she has also served as artistic director of the Berlin Song Festival, as a consultant and director of education for The Opera Stage, and as a EU Leader for Classical Singer Magazine, where she establishes and fosters relationships with EU-wide theatres, agencies and casting personnel and writes on sustainability and access in the arts. In addition to this she has worked for Gracenote and Harvard University.
Her leadership work centers on equity and innovation in opera and classical music. She has co-produced initiatives like Trans*Voices— a fully funded tuition-free series of masterclasses and concerts for transgender and non-binary artists — and led scholarship programs for underrepresented communities. Her directing credits span opera, music theatre, and concert works, and she has also worked as a casting director, producer, and costume designer.
As an educator, Anastasia has over 25 years of experience teaching voice, vocal repertoire, and vocal pedagogy. She was taught at a college level as well as privately. She has guided the voices of numerous transgender voice professionals and is particularly adept to training voices with complex landscape. She studied at the Longy School of Music at Bard College as a recipient of the Janet Irving Scholarship and holds Neue Start Kultur Grants from the Deutscher Musikrat and Dezentrale Kulturarbeit Reinickendorf.
Producing and casting work includes: Strauss's Ariadne auf Naxos, Berlin, Germany; Strauss's Elektra, Berlin, Germany;(The Folk Song Project – Folk Songs for Voice and Steel Drum, Berlin, Germany; Wagner's Die Walküre (multi-media film); Gebohren Alma Schildler: theatre piece based on the Mahler’s Rückert Lieder, Berlin, Germany; Wagner's Die Walküre, Berlin, Germany; Wagner's Das Rheingold, Berlin, Germany; Trans*Voices Masterclasses & Galas, online; AIDS Quilt Songbook: German Edition, Berlin, Germany; Pathologies of the Image: Sound Installation, Berlin, Germany; Jason Robert Brown: The Last Five Years, Berlin, Germany.
Anastasia maintains strong professional relationships with Germany, United Kingdom, Spain and the United States. With a foundation in music, theatre, and the visual arts, she brings a holistic, community-centered approach to her artistic and administrative work—one that reimagines the role of the arts in today’s world.
Anastasia lives in Ireland, with her husband Jahmai Inniss. She is an avid swimmer, obsessed with cooking without recipes and learning how to maintain a sustainable vegetable garden.
JULIE WYMA
Julie Wyma has been described as a Renaissance Woman of opera, having worked in both Europe and the United States as a singer, director, stage manager, wig/makeup artist, costume designer, producer, and educator.
Julie has produced and directed operas including Wagner’s Lohengrin, Das Rheingold and Die Walküre (Berlin Wagner Gruppe), Wagner’s complete Ring Cycle (Opera By Request, semi-staged) Massenet’s Werther (Irrational Entertainment), Händel’s Semele (Midwest Early Opera Works), Jonathan Stinson’s The Three Bears and Ryan Oldham’s The Emperor’s Madness (University of Missouri-Kansas City), as well as Jason Robert Brown’s musical The Last Five Years (Voci Inglesi) and numerous opera scenes programs. She has assistant directed Albert Herring and Giulio Cesare at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, La Traviata at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Carmen at Opera North, and she assistant stage managed La Rondine at Indiana University. She has directed opera scenes at Opera North and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In 2019 she produced a staged performance of The AIDS Quilt Songbook: Berlin Edition in Berlin, Germany, which included two new song commissions. She regularly works as an acting and dramaturgy coach for operatic and crossover singers.
As a costume designer Julie worked for Dicapo Opera Theatre in New York for the 2011-2012 Season, which included Tosca, The Consul, Iolanta, The Most Happy Fella, La Cenerentola, Beauty and the Beast, and La Traviata. She also designed costumes for Opera On Tap Berlin’s production of Les contes d’Hoffmann in 2016 and for Literally Alive’s production of A Christmas Carol in New York in 2012. As a student she worked as a costume assistant/stitcher for the University of Arizona on Le nozze di Figaro and The Merry Wives of Windsor, and for Indiana University on Die Zauberflöte, The Nutcracker, and La Rondine. She has worked as a Wig and Makeup Assistant for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, in operas including Giulio Cesare, La Bohème, and John Brown, at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in productions including La Bohème, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, and The Man of La Mancha, and for a national tour of Hairspray. As a young artist, she was a set construction assistant at Opera in the Ozarks in 2004.
As an educator, Julie’s passion lies in helping singers make the transition from student to professional, and in guiding talented people to the places where they are needed. She has served as a vocal coach, preparing singers for auditions and talent competitions, as well as an audition panelist and advisor. With organizations such as Opera Programs Berlin, Dramatic Voices Program Berlin, Irrational Entertainment, Midwest Early Opera Works, Voci Inglesi, Berlin Wagner Gruppe and Berliner Opernverein, she has facilitated performance opportunities for singers seeking additional stage experience and the chance to hone their craft in a supportive, professional environment.
As a professional operatic soprano she has performed more than 30 roles, including die Königin der Nacht and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, the title role in Rusalka, Rosina in I barbiere di Siviglia, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Gilda in Rigoletto, Marie in Die verkaufte Braut, Musetta in La Bohème, Sophie in Werther, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, the Waldvogel in Siegfried, and Norina in Don Pasquale. Of her Norina, the Kansas City Metropolis said: “soprano Julie Wyma sparkled with a self-confident air and a strong, beautiful voice.”
An active concert performer and recitalist, her recent appearances include a concert of Bellini's music in the Deutsche Oper Berlin Tischlerei; concerts at the US Consul General in Düsseldorf and the Residence of the US Ambassador to Germany in Berlin; a song recital at the University of Pittsburg at Greensburg; and numerous operatic concerts in the Choriner Opernsommer. She is a frequent interpreter of the music of American expatriate composer Paul Bowles.
Julie Wyma has been described as a Renaissance Woman of opera, having worked in both Europe and the United States as a singer, director, stage manager, wig/makeup artist, costume designer, producer, and educator.
Julie has produced and directed operas including Wagner’s Lohengrin, Das Rheingold and Die Walküre (Berlin Wagner Gruppe), Wagner’s complete Ring Cycle (Opera By Request, semi-staged) Massenet’s Werther (Irrational Entertainment), Händel’s Semele (Midwest Early Opera Works), Jonathan Stinson’s The Three Bears and Ryan Oldham’s The Emperor’s Madness (University of Missouri-Kansas City), as well as Jason Robert Brown’s musical The Last Five Years (Voci Inglesi) and numerous opera scenes programs. She has assistant directed Albert Herring and Giulio Cesare at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, La Traviata at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Carmen at Opera North, and she assistant stage managed La Rondine at Indiana University. She has directed opera scenes at Opera North and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In 2019 she produced a staged performance of The AIDS Quilt Songbook: Berlin Edition in Berlin, Germany, which included two new song commissions. She regularly works as an acting and dramaturgy coach for operatic and crossover singers.
As a costume designer Julie worked for Dicapo Opera Theatre in New York for the 2011-2012 Season, which included Tosca, The Consul, Iolanta, The Most Happy Fella, La Cenerentola, Beauty and the Beast, and La Traviata. She also designed costumes for Opera On Tap Berlin’s production of Les contes d’Hoffmann in 2016 and for Literally Alive’s production of A Christmas Carol in New York in 2012. As a student she worked as a costume assistant/stitcher for the University of Arizona on Le nozze di Figaro and The Merry Wives of Windsor, and for Indiana University on Die Zauberflöte, The Nutcracker, and La Rondine. She has worked as a Wig and Makeup Assistant for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, in operas including Giulio Cesare, La Bohème, and John Brown, at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in productions including La Bohème, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, and The Man of La Mancha, and for a national tour of Hairspray. As a young artist, she was a set construction assistant at Opera in the Ozarks in 2004.
As an educator, Julie’s passion lies in helping singers make the transition from student to professional, and in guiding talented people to the places where they are needed. She has served as a vocal coach, preparing singers for auditions and talent competitions, as well as an audition panelist and advisor. With organizations such as Opera Programs Berlin, Dramatic Voices Program Berlin, Irrational Entertainment, Midwest Early Opera Works, Voci Inglesi, Berlin Wagner Gruppe and Berliner Opernverein, she has facilitated performance opportunities for singers seeking additional stage experience and the chance to hone their craft in a supportive, professional environment.
As a professional operatic soprano she has performed more than 30 roles, including die Königin der Nacht and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, the title role in Rusalka, Rosina in I barbiere di Siviglia, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Gilda in Rigoletto, Marie in Die verkaufte Braut, Musetta in La Bohème, Sophie in Werther, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, the Waldvogel in Siegfried, and Norina in Don Pasquale. Of her Norina, the Kansas City Metropolis said: “soprano Julie Wyma sparkled with a self-confident air and a strong, beautiful voice.”
An active concert performer and recitalist, her recent appearances include a concert of Bellini's music in the Deutsche Oper Berlin Tischlerei; concerts at the US Consul General in Düsseldorf and the Residence of the US Ambassador to Germany in Berlin; a song recital at the University of Pittsburg at Greensburg; and numerous operatic concerts in the Choriner Opernsommer. She is a frequent interpreter of the music of American expatriate composer Paul Bowles.
