The Curator (Audrey Welsh) talks about the paintings stolen from her museum while, at home, Mona (Meredith Arwady) realizes her son stole the paintings and left them in her house.

Pittsburgh Opera presents the world premiere of ‘Woman with Eyes Closed’ Music by Jennifer Higdon Libretto by Jerre Dye

CAST (in order of vocal appearance):

Curator - Audrey Welsh*

Inspector - Matthew Soibelman*

Mona - Meredith Arwady+

Thomas - Fran Daniel Laucerica*

Momma - Lauryn Davis*

THE ARTISTIC TEAM:

Conductor - Antony Walker (April 26, 29, May 2, 3); Glenn Lewis (May 4)

Stage Director - Kristine McIntyre

Props Coordinator - Johnmichael Bohach

Set and Projection Designer - Luke Cantarella

Costume Designer - Nancy Julian

Lighting Designer - Todd Nonn

Stage Manager - Tess Naval

Director of Musical Studies - Mark Trawka

Associate Coach / Pianist - James Lesniak

Resident Artist Pianist - Maeve Berry*

Assistant Stage Director - Dana Kinney*

+Pittsburgh Opera debut

*Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist

Scenery, props, and costumes constructed by Pittsburgh Opera

PITTSBURGH OPERA ORCHESTRA

VIOLIN - Rachel Stegeman, Concertmaster

VIOLA- Jennifer Gerhard Mangone, Principal

CELLO- Kathleen Melucci, Principal

BASS- Jeffrey T. Mangone, Sr., Principal

FLUTE- Barbara O’Brien, Principal

BASS CLARINET - Alix Reinhardt, Acting Principal

HORN- Sheryl Hadeka, Acting Principal

TRUMPET- Christopher Wilson, Principal

TROMBONE - John Sebastian Vera, Principal

PERCUSSION - Daniel Gostein, Acting Principal; Dylan Moffitt

PIANO- James Lesniak

LIBRARIAN- Eleanor Cameron

PERSONNEL MANAGER - Kristen Martin

The Musicians of the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra employed in this production are members of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.

Special thanks to Ellis Kozar for their appearance as young Mona.

Commissioned by Opera Philadelphia. Funded in part by The Amphion Foundation, Inc.

This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

The commissioning of Jennifer Higdon for Woman with Eyes Closed received funding from OPERA America's Opera Grants for Female Composers program, supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

These performances are sponsored in part by a generous gift from Diana Reid and Marc Chazaud in memory of Diana Jannetta – music lover, art collector, and dear friend.

Special thanks to Happenstance Café for generously sponsoring part of our Opening Night Reception, and to Labriola Winery, the official wine sponsor of Woman with Eyes Closed.

Season Sponsor: PNC

Tuesday Night Sponsor: Ambridge Regional Distribution & Manufacturing Center

Video by RLG Creations