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2018-2019 Production Competition Winners

The winners of the 2018-2019 Opera Production Competition have been announced. Due to the vast range of resources available to producing organizations, the entrants are first divided into Undergraduate and Graduate levels (based on predominant age group or training level of the cast) and then each level divided into four divisions according to production size and budget.  A total of 24 awards have been given by the judges.

Undergraduate Levels

Division I  
1st Place Oklahoma City University
L'amico Fritz, by Pietro Mascagni, libretto by Frederic Weatherly
     David Herendeen, Director
     Chuck Koslowske, Music Director
     Nick Villemarette, Lighting Designer
2nd Place University of Nebraska at Kearney
Captain Lovelock, by John Duke, libretto by John Duke
     Janice Fronczak, Stage Director
     Anne Foradori, Music Director
     Jayoung Hong, Pianist/Coach
     Matthew Benes, Production Designer
3rd Place Missouri State University
Il Signor Bruschino, by Gioachino Rossini, libretto by Giuseppe Maria Foppa
     Bridget Polach, Director
     Dr. Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn, Music Director
     Dr. Amy Muchnick, Conductor
Division II  
1st Place University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
One Who Says Yes, by Kurt Weill, libretto by Brecht/Potts/Zenchiku
     Marc Callahan, Director
     Evan Feldman, Conductor
     Qiao Zheng Goh, Répétiteur
     Marc Callahan, Designer
2nd Place Lawrence University Conservatory of Music
Gianni Schicchi, by Giacomo Puccini, libretto by Gioachino Forzano
     Copeland Woodruff, Director
     Andrew Crooks, Conductor & Music Director
3rd Place University of Idaho
Albert Herring, by Benjamin Britten, libretto by Eric Crozier
     Lynette and Christopher Pfund, Co-directors
     Christopher Pfund, Conductor
Division III  
1st Place Oklahoma City University
Susannah, by Carlisle Floyd, libretto by Carlisle Floyd
     David Herendeen, Director
     Jan McDaniel, Conductor
     Larry Heyman
     Aaron Mooney
2nd Place (tie) SJSU School of Music and Dance
Mass, by Leonard Bernstein, libretto by Stephen Schwartz
     Sandra Bengochea, Stage Director
     Dr Fred Cohen, Conductor
     Simona Snitkovskaya, Music Director
2nd Place (tie) Samford University, School of the Arts
The Ghosts of Gatsby, by Evan Mack, libretto by Joshua McGuire
     Kristin Kenning, Stage Director
     Brian Viliunas, Conductor
Division IV  
1st Place University of Wisconsin - Madison
Into the Woods, by Stephen Sondheim, libretto by Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine
     David Ronis, Director
     Chad Hutchinson, Conductor
     John Drescher, Scenic Designer
     Jahana Brady Azodi, Production Stage Manager
2nd Place Baldwin Wallace Conservatory
The Rake's Progress, by Igor Stravinsky, libretto by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman
     Scott Skiba, Stage Director
     Domenico Boyagian, Conductor
     Tesia Benson, Costume Design
     Matthew McCarren, Scenic Design
3rd Place Lawrence University Conservatory of Music
Mass, by Leonard Bernstein, libretto by Stephen Schwartz
     Copeland Woodruff, Director
     Andy Mast, Conductor
     Andrew Crooks, Music Director

Graduate Levels

Division V  
1st Place University of Wisconsin - Madison
L'incoronazione di Poppea, by Claudio Monteverdi, libretto by Giovanni Francesco Busenello
     David Ronis, Director
     Christa Patton & Chad Hutchinson, Music Directors
     Greg Silver, Set Designer
     Aimee Hanyzewski, Lighting Designer
2nd Place UCO Opera, University of Central Oklahoma School of Music
Così fan Tutte, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte
     Rob Glaubitz, Director
     Douglas Newell, Conductor
     Becky McGuigan, Costume Designer
     Kristy Benson, Set Designer
3rd Place Texas State Opera Theater, Texas State University
The Magic Flute, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder, Caitlin Turnage
     Dr. Marc Reynolds, Director
     Ms. Kristin Roach, Music Director
     Dr. Jacob Harrison, Conductor
     Dr. Jessica Burton, Costume Designer
Division VI  
1st Place Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam
Mayo, by Tom Cipullo, libretto by Tom Cipullo
     Dean Anthony, Stage Director
     Kirk Severtson, Music Director
     Francois Germain, Vocal Coach
2nd Place Moores Opera Center, Moores School of Music, University of Houston
Dinner at Eight, by William Bolcom, libretto by Mark Campbell
     Buck Ross, Stage Director/Producer
     Raymond Harvey, Conductor/Music Director
     Thom Guthrie, Set and Lighting Designer
     Richard Walsh, Costume Designer
3rd Place University of North Texas Opera Theater
Gianni Schicchi and Le testament de la tante Caroline, by Giacomo Puccini/Albert Roussel, libretto by Giovacchino Forzano/Michel Veber
     Jonathan Eaton, Stage Director
     Robert Frankenberry, Music Director
     Donna Marquet, Scenic Designer
     Michael Robinson/Dallas Costume Shoppe, Costumier
Division VII  
1st Place Turner-Fischer Center for Opera at LSU, Louisiana State University
Elizabeth Cree, by Kevin Puts, libretto by Mark Campbell
     Dugg McDonough, Artistic and Stage Director
     Michael Borowitz, Conductor and Music Director
2nd Place University of North Texas Opera Theater
The Cunning Little Vixen, by Leoš Janáček, libretto by Leoš Janáček
     Jonathan Eaton, Stage Director
     David Itkin, Music Director
     Donna Marquet, Scenic Designer
     Chad Jung, Lighting Designer
3rd Place Moores Opera Center, Moores School of Music, University of Houston
The Ballad of Baby Doe, by Douglas Moore, libretto by John Latouche
     Buck Ross, Stage Director/Producer
     Raymond Harvey, Conductor/Music Director
     Thom Guthrie, Set and Lighting Designer
     Richard Walsh, Costume Designer
Division VIII  
1st Place Arizona State University Music Theatre and Opera
Mass, by Leonard Bernstein, libretto by Stephen Schwartz
     David Lefkowich, Stage Director
     Jeffery Meyer, Conductor
     Brian DeMaris, Director of Music Theatre and Opera
     David Schildkret, Director of Choral Activities
2nd Place University of Missouri Kansas City
La Finta Giardiniera, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, libretto by Ranieri de' Calzabigi
     Dr. Rachel M. Harris - Stage Director
     Dr. Michelle Alexander - Conductor/Musical Director
     Jefferson Ridenour - Original Concept and Set Design
     Fenlon Lamb - Original Concept
3rd Place Eklund Opera, University of Colorado Boulder School of Music
The Turn of the Screw, by Benjamin Britten, libretto by Myfanwy Piper
     Leigh Holman, Director
     Jeremy Reger, Conductor
     Bruce Bergner, Scenic Designer
     Iain Court, Projection Designer