Lyric Opera 2019-2020 Issue 4 Dead Man Walking

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 25 MICHAEL BLACK | CHORUS MASTER The Australian chorus master held this position in Sydney at Opera Australia from 2001 to 2013. Black has served in this capacity for such distinguished organizations as the Edinburgh International Festival, Opera Holland Park (London), and, in Australia, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Choir, Motet Choir, Cantillation chamber choir, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Recent activities include preparing the Damnation of Faust chorus at the Grant Park Music Festival, where he has worked for two seasons. As one of Australia’s most prominent vocal accompanists, Black has regularly performed for broadcasts and recordings. He has served as chorus master on four continents, and his work has been recorded and/ or aired on ABC, BBC, PBS, for many HD productions in movie theaters, and on television. Michael Black is the Howard A. Stotler Chorus Master Endowed Chair . JOSEPHINE LEE | CHILDREN’S CHORUS MASTER Previously at Lyric: 11 productions since 2000/01, most recently La bohème (2018/19); Turandot (2017/18). The president and artistic director of Chicago Children’s Choir has revolutionized youth choral music, encompassing cutting-edge performances of diverse repertoire; ongoing partnerships with Lyric, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Ravinia; and extensive national and international tours. Among Lee’s recent projects have been two world premieres ( Long Way Home with the Q Brothers Collective, Sita Ram with David Kersnar of Lookingglass Theatre) and a collaboration with Chance the Rapper ( Coloring Book ). In 2019 she made a conducting debut with members of the National Philharmonic at Strathmore. In 2015 Lee founded a new young-people’s chorus, Vocality, heard with the CSO at Ravinia ( Porgy and Bess , Bernstein’s Mass ). Future engagements include a new theatrical work by David Kersnar, J. Nicole Brooks, and CCC composer-in-residence Mitchell Owens III, to premiere in 2020. An experienced singer herself, Lee appeared in the critically praised 2018 world premiere of Ted Hearne’s Place at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Next Wave Festival. SARAH HATTEN | WIGMASTER & MAKEUP DESIGNER Lyric’s wigmaster and makeup designer has worked in a wide repertoire at Des Moines Metro Opera and Michigan Opera Theatre, as well as Columbus Opera, Toledo Opera, the Cabrillo Music Festival, and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She has also worked at the Glimmerglass Festival and the major opera companies of Los Angeles, Omaha, Cleveland, Sarasota, and Central City, as well as Wisconsin’s American Players Theatre and, in Los Angeles, the Pantages Theatre and the Geffen Playhouse. Sarah Hatten is the Marlys Beider Wigmaster and Makeup Designer Endowed Chair . KATRINA BACHUS | ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Previously at Lyric: Associate director/ Luisa Miller (2019/20); five productions as assistant director, most recently Siegfried (2018/19). The American director, who will return to Lyric later this season for the Ring cycle, is closely associated with Houston Grand Opera. She has worked on more than 20 productions there since 2013/14, including both standard repertoire and contemporary works. The latter have included the world premieres of Tarik O’Regan’s The Phoenix , Carlisle Floyd’s The Prince of Players , and Iain Bell’s A Christmas Carol . Bachus returns to HGO this season for La favorite . After working with John Neumeier on Orphée et Eurydiceat Lyric, she was associate director for that production at LA Opera in 2018. She has also assistant-directed Bartlett Sher’s newMetropolitan Opera production of Otello . Among the other distinguished directors with whom she has collaborated are John Caird, Francesca Zambello, John Cox, Carlos Padrissa, and James Robinson. CHUCK COYL | FIGHT DIRECTOR Previously at Lyric: Five operas since 2006/07, most recently Porgy and Bess (2014/15, 2008/09); The Damnation of Faust (2009/10). A professional fight director for more than 30 years, Coyl is a three-term president and two-term vice president of the Society of American Fight Directors. Recent credits include the Broadway production and national tour of August Osage County , The Crucible and Superior Donuts at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, World of Extreme Happiness , Magnolia , The Upstairs Concierge , 2666 at the Goodman Theatre, and Private Lives at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Other notable productions include, the world premieres of Killer Joe , Bug , and The Point of Honor . He is a founding member of the Single Action Theatre Company, and is on the faculty of the Actor’s Gymnasium and Roosevelt University in Chicago. KATE D E VORE | DIALECT COACH Previously at Lyric: West Side Story (2018/19). The voice coach/speech pathologist, with 25 years experience, operates Total Voice, Inc., providing voice, speech, and presence coaching. DeVore teaches at The School at Steppenwolf, Columbia College, and Acting Studio Chicago. She frequently presents at conferences and workshops nationwide and is author of The Voice Book: Caring For, Protecting, and Improving Your Voice , and the eBook Accent Modification: Neutral American Dialect . Select Chicago coaching credits include The King’s Speech (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Sweat , A Christmas Carol , A View from the Bridge , Uncle Vanya , The Jungle Book , Sweet Bird of Youth (Goodman Theatre); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time , fml (Steppenwolf); And Then There Were None , Matilda , Mamma Mia! , Beauty and the Beast (Drury Lane); Evening at the Talk House , The Opponent , Butcher of Baraboo , Abigail’s Party (A Red Orchid Theatre).