JMU Opera Theatre

Thank you to everyone who joined us for “Cinderella” this weekend! We loved seeing all your costumes and sharing this story with you. 💙

Stay tuned for updates on what JMU Opera Theatre is planning for our 2026-2027 season!

You have one more chance to see “Cinderella!” Join us today at 2 pm in the Recital Hall for our final JMU Opera Theatre performance of the year! ✨

“Cinderella” opens tonight at 6:30 pm! 🪄✨

Join us for Opera Scenes TONIGHT at 7 pm in the Recital Hall! 🎵

PC📸 Emma Leudesdorff

Tomorrow JMU Opera Theatre will present our Opera Scenes: “Something Old/Something New” program—make sure to get your tickets now! 🎭

In the meantime, enjoy these photos from our staging rehearsals for “Cinderella: A Classic Fairytale Opera!” We open this weekend! 🪄

Tickets for both productions can be purchased at the links in our bio.

Opera Scenes: “Something Old/Something New”
🗓️ Wednesday, April 8 @ 7 pm
“Cinderella: A Classic Fairytale Opera”
🗓️ Saturday, April 11 @ 6:30 pm
🗓️ Sunday, April 12 @ 2 pm

We are having a blast staging our scenes program with Guest Director Nora Winsler! Yesterday, we staged Act I of “Dido and Aeneas”—and yes, there will be choreography! 🎶

As we move into staging rehearsals for our spring opera scenes program, we're still reflecting on "Dialogues of the Carmelites" and admiring these photos from our final dress rehearsal!

Photo Credit: Richard Finkelstein

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the opera for “Dialogues of the Carmelites” this weekend! We were honored to share this beautiful story with such wonderful audiences in each of our three performances.

After our final show yesterday afternoon, the cast and crew participated in strike (the process of clearing the theater of a show’s set, costumes, and other elements of production). 🔨

Next up—our Opera Scenes program on April 8! 🎭

Tonight is our second performance of "Dialogues of the Carmelites" at 7:30pm in the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts! Audiences were profoundly moved last night, and we cannot wait to do it again.

Photo credit Richard Finkelstein (taken at final dress rehearsal). JMU School of Music James Madison University

Poulenc's masterpiece "Dialogues of the Carmelites" opens tonight! We cannot wait to share this powerful, transformative story with our audiences. Tickets are still available!

Here are the first images from our final dress rehearsal with more on the way. Photo credit Richard Finkelstein.

Cast:
The Marquis de la Force/2nd Commissioner: Ian Amos
The Chevalier de la Force/Chaplain: Ye Lynn Han
Blanche de la Force: Sydney Murrell
Theirry/M. Jovelinot/Officer: Habib Jaafar
Madame de Croissy (Old Prioress): Ziqi Guo
Sister Constance: Augusta Nafziger
Cover: Katy Lange
Mother Marie: Olive Poole
Madame Lidoine (New Prioress): Tanya Corcuera
Cover: Uche Agulor
Sister Mathilde: Madeleine Parr
1st Commissioner: Miles Morley-Massado
Mother Jeanne: Ciara Theisz
The Jailer: Ivan Godoy
Sister Anne of the Cross: Emma Jones
Mother Gerald: Emma Corrao
Sister Antoine: Uche Agulor
Sister Felicity: Helen Albiston
Sister Gertrude: Katy Lange
Sister Valentine: Bella Baptiste
Sister Martha: Annea Phillips
Sister St. Charles: Katie Blackwell
Sister Alice: Sydney Ashworth
Revolutionary Chorus: Emma Leudesdorff, Yasmine Akoum, Sarah Damon, Marin March, Abigail Smith, Nina Chen

Music Staff:
Director of Orchestras: Dr. Kira Omelchenko
Conductor: Noelle Singleton
Pianist/Musical Coach: Steven Brancaleone

Production Staff:
Stage Director: Prof. Joshua Borths
Stage Manager: Ainsley Jones
Production Coordinator: Michael Giovinco
Lighting Designer: Dr. Emily Becher-McKeever
Associate Lighting Designer: Aaron Hobbs
Scenic Designer: James Ogden
Costume Designer: Catherine Mason
Wig & Make-Up Designer: Karman Boisset
Production Assistant: Lindsey Hart
Dramaturg/Surtitles: Marlow Lewis