The Ash Lawn Opera Festival produces opera and other musical performances and performs them at the historic Paramount Theatre in Charlottesville. The Festival provides educational programs for youth, adults, and emerging artists; and seeks to enrich the cultural vitality and quality of life in Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region.

Artistic and Production Staff

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Christopher Larkin, Artistic Director

Maestro Larkin is a regular guest of opera companies throughout North America.  He has appeared on the podiums of the Santa Fe Opera ( La Traviata ), Washington Opera ( Samson et Dalila, I Puritani ), New York City Opera ( Don Giovanni, La Bohème ), Houston Grand Opera ( Tosca, Roméo et Juliette, Le nozze di Figaro ), Portland Opera ( The Turn of the Screw, La Cenerentola, Il Viaggio a Reims and Die Entführung aus dem Serail ), Opera Pacific ( Little Women ), Florentine Opera and Utah Opera ( Il barbiere di Siviglia ), Opera Carolina ( La Cenerentola ), Fort Worth Opera ( Falstaff, Little Women, Dialogues of the Carmelites, and Angels in America ), Boston Lyric Opera (East Coast premiere of Todd Machover's Resurrection ), Nashville Opera ( La Bohème ), Utah Opera ( Il barbiere di Siviglia, Le nozze di Figaro ) Lake George Opera ( L'Italiana in Algeri ), Kentucky Opera ( Dialogues of the Carmelites ), Music Academy of the West ( Il Viaggio a Reims and La Bohème ).  He has also conducted Floyd's Susannah at the Wexford Festival and has appeared at the Brevard Music Center for performances of The Mikado and Little Women . As Music Director of the New York City Opera National Company, he led national tours of Madama Butterfly and Il barbiere di Siviglia .  Prior to coming to New York, he held the position of Associate Conductor with Houston Grand Opera.  While in Houston, he led the world premieres of Little Women and Michael Daugherty's Jackie O with the Houston Opera Studio, and also conducted the highly acclaimed multi-media productions of Carmen, Madama Butterfly, and I Pagliacci . Maestro Larkin has worked as an Assistant Conductor and vocal coach with several major opera companies in North America, including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Vancouver Opera, and the Canadian Opera Company.

Michelle Krisel, General Director

Ms. Krisel's professional career in opera spans thirty years and includes broad experience in all aspects of opera production and administration. When Plácido Domingo took the leadership of Washington National Opera in 1996, he invited Ms. Krisel to join him as his Special Assistant.  In 2002, he asked her to design and lead the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, to train singers, coach/accompanists, conductors, and directors on the verge of international careers. It quickly grew to become one of the most respected and sought-after Young Artist Programs in the world.  Ms. Krisel created performance opportunities for these talented young performers by forming partnerships with local organizations such as the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery, the Mexican Cultural Institute, the Inter-American Development Bank, and many Embassies.  She took Young Artist performances to Beijing and Monte Carlo, as well as to the White House, the Senate, the Kennedy Center Honors, and many other prestigious venues.  Seeking to broaden opera audiences, she launched a program to attract first-time opera-goers, Generation O, to support an annual full-length Young Artist performance at the Kennedy Center Opera House, and which now boasts 13,000 members.  In 2001, Ms. Krisel produced Plácido Domingo's international vocal competition, Operalia , raising over a million dollars to insure its success. In 2004, Ms. Krisel was asked to lead WNO's Education and Community Programs - with its extensive school, library, and summer programs; as well as the production of four different Family operas. Before joining Washington National Opera, Ms. Krisel served for a decade as a pianist, vocal coach, accompanist and assistant conductor at opera companies in the U.S. and abroad.  She learned another aspect of building and promoting the careers of opera singers by working as an artists' manager and representative for a decade in New York, before moving to Washington, D.C. Ms. Krisel holds degrees in music from Yale University and the University of Southern California, and rounded out her musical studies in Vienna and Paris.  She is the mother of three children: a twenty-three year old daughter who lives and works in New York City, and identical twin boys who will both be freshmen at Yale University in the fall.

Christian M. DeAngelis, Lighting Designer, Don Giovanni/Brigadoon

Mr. DeAngelis is a Lighting Designer who resides in New York City. Recent Credits include Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (dir: Tracy Brigdon-City Theatre, PA.), Lizzie Borden (dir: Tim Manor-Living Theatre. Drama Desk Nomination) For The Love of Christ (dir: Holly-Anne Ruggiero-Fringe), The Brother's Size (dir: Robert O' Hara-City Theatre, PA.), Wild about Harry (dir: Elizabeth Lucas-NYMF), The King is Dead (dir: Jerry Ruiz-Abingdon Theatre), The Clean House (dir: Sam Woodhouse-San Diego Rep) A Blessing of a Broken Heart (dir: Todd Salovey-San Diego Rep), Pericles (dir: Sabin Epstein-Old Globe Theatre), Good Breeding (dir: Robert O' Hara-La Jolla Playhouse). Assistant work: Bonnie & Clyde (Michael Gilliam-La Jolla Playhouse), Guys and Dolls (Howell Binkley-Broadway), 33 Variations (David Lander-La Jolla Playhouse)

Emily DeAngelis, Costume Designer, Don Giovanni/Brigadoon

Mrs. DeAngelis is thrilled to be joining Ash Lawn Opera this summer.  Selected works include:   The Diary of a Teenage Girl- The Play (New Georges), We Declare You A Terrorist (The Public, SPF ),  The Pillowman ( APAC ), The Dome (Prospect Theatre Company), The Angel Eaters Trilogy (NYITA Nominee), The Physicists , The Labyrinth of Desire , and Election Day (UCSD, La Jolla Playhouse).  Favorite Assistant credits include:   Il Mondo Della Luna (Gotham Chamber Opera), Blasted (Soho Rep.), Dear Edwina (DR2 Theatre).  Emily holds an MFA in Theatre from The University of California, San Diego.

Virginia Freeman, Choreographer, Don Giovanni

Mrs. Freeman has choreographed opera, theatre and musical theatre with directors that include Nick Olcott, Leon Major, Louis Scheeder, Steven Stettler and Paul Newman for the Wolf Trap Summer Opera, Maryland Opera Studio, Denver Center, Weston Playhouse, Opera Theater of Northern Virginia, Arena Stage, Folger Theater, Kenyon College, Smithsonian, and the Kennedy Center. Her Broadway credits include Charlie and Algernon , Dance of Death , and Creeps . A former dancer and company director, she has reconstructed Doris Humphrey's Water Study and The Shakers for her own Washington Dance Repertory Company as well as the National, Chicago, and Houston Ballet companies.

Caleb Levengood, Scenic Design, Don Giovanni/Brigadoon

In New York, credits include: Così fan tutte – NYU, Steinhardt , Curse of The Starving Class - Hunter College, Lizzie Borden - Took An Axe Productions, We Declare You a Terrorist - SPF at the Public Theatre, The Children's Hour - APAC , The Angel Eaters Trilogy - Flux Theatre Ensemble, Kidstuff and The Main(e) Play - Partial Comfort Productions, Slavey - Clubbed Thumb, Cherry Docs - Theatre of the Expendable, Torrents - Barracuda Theatre Club. Regional: The Sound of Music – Cardinal Stage Company, Bloomington, Ind; Tough Titty - Magic Theatre, San Francisco. Associate Scenic Design: The Tempest – The Bridge Project at BAM, Oleanna on Broadway, Wonderland (Tampa, Houston, and upcoming), and Blasted at Soho Rep. Various work also seen at 2007 Prague Quadrennial, La Jolla Playhouse, and Baltimore's CenterStage. BTA; The University of Michigan. MFA ; The University of California, San Diego. Member of USA Local 829. www.caleblevengood.com

Adam Liston, Technical Director, Don Giovanni/Brigadoon

Mr. Liston is a designer, technical director and teacher from Chicago, where he designs professional, educational, and corporate events the rest the year. He and the rest of his Chicago based crew are happy to be part of Ash Lawn Opera's amazing season of growth and excellent productions.

Shelby Rhoades, Principal Coach and Accompanist

Ohio native Shelby Rhoades is currently in demand as a recitalist and coach/accompanist in the New York City area. She is most recently based at The Juilliard School as an Associate Coach since 2008 and currently is on the music staff as Principal Coach for the Ash Lawn Opera Festival. Rhoades has also been a coach fellow for the Aspen Music Festival Opera Theater during the summers of 2003-08. Other engagements have included music staff for Seattle Opera/Young Artists Program, coach/accompanist for Tacoma Opera, musical director for Pacific Lutheran University Opera Theater, musical director for the Seattle regional production of Opera America, and music staff for the Annas Bay Music Festival, WA. In the spring of 2007, she assisted in musical preparation for the world premiere in Seattle of Jake Heggie's For a Look or a Touch with baritone Morgan Smith. Ms. Rhoades has worked with maestros such as Julius Rudel, George Manahan, Gary Thor Wedow, and Anne Manson. She has also worked with renowned singers such as Jane Eaglen, Vinson Cole, and Lawrence Brownlee. Ms. Rhoades holds degrees in piano, accompanying, and vocal performance and has served as faculty for the University of Washington, Seattle, Pacific Lutheran University, Albion College, and Anderson University.

Adam Turner, Resident Conductor/Chorus Master

Mr. Turner returns for his third season with Ash Lawn Opera, where his productions have included The Marriage of Figaro , Carmen , Camelot , My Fair Lady , and Benjamin Britten's Noye's Fludde . During the 2009-10 season, Mr. Turner served as Assistant Conductor with Florida Grand Opera and Virginia Opera. Previously, he served as conductor/coach with Stadttheater Pforzheim in Germany, where he conducted over 30 performances of productions including La Bohème , Paganini , Les Misérables , and High Society .  He has previously served as Assistant Conductor for Syracuse Opera, Summer Opera Theatre (Washington, DC), and Hot Springs Music Festival, in addition to his work as vocal coach for Tulsa Opera and Washington National Opera's Institute for Young Singers.  Next season, Mr. Turner returns to Virginia Opera as Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor for productions of Così fan tutte , Madama Butterfly , and Die Walküre .

Phoebe Williams, Scottish Country Dancers of Charlottesville, Brigadoon

Phoebe Williams grew up in Charlottesville, VA and started dancing in the folk traditions of Ireland, Scotland and England, at a young age.  She started competing 1994, received her teaching certificate in Scottish Country Dance in 2007, and now focuses on teaching and performing.  She has performed in the Irish dance drama, "Drowsy Maggie" and at Lake Eden Arts Festival with John Whelan and has taught at the Frontier Culture Museum, Lake Eden Arts Festival, Augusta Heritage Center and local classes in Virginia.  Her undergraduate degree is in biology from William and Mary and she is currently a graduate student at Virginia Tech.