August 24–30, 2025

The Barber of Seville

By Gioachino Rossini

Theater scene with six actors, five men and one woman, in colorful costumes, performing a dramatic scene on stage with painted backdrop.
A group of musicians, including a man in a black shirt playing a piano and conducting with a baton, with several women in the background playing violins, in a dark concert setting.
Two actors performing on stage, one with a serious expression and the other laughing, in front of brightly colored set pieces.
Actors performing on stage with colorful set pieces, including large gift boxes, during a theatrical play.
A man in vintage attire playing a guitar on stage during an orchestra performance, with other musicians in the foreground.

Thank you for being part of the magic of the first staged opera in Park City in 20 years!

Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) is a comic masterpiece, known for its catchy melodies (think: “Figaro, Figaro, Figaroooo"), mischievous characters, and infectious humor that transcends time.

Expect laughter, stunning voices, and a thrilling performance that will introduce you to the timeless characters of Figaro, Rosina, and Count Almaviva in all their glory.

Performed in Italian with English supertitles.

“In this ski town, the first full opera to be performed in over 20 years is getting ready for curtain call. The organizers behind it are hoping to make the classical art form cool, fun and accessible for everyone — especially for young people.”

Read more in The Salt Lake Tribune here.

People participating in a rehearsal or discussion in front of a large set resembling parts of a building in orange. One person is standing on the left with a briefcase, two others are seated or sitting on the right and in front, one of whom is holding a stick or pointer. The setting appears to be a stage or studio with a focus on creating a theatrical scene.

“The Park Record caught up with the main cast earlier this week during rehearsals at Temple Har Shalom, and the artists, all of whom live in different parts of the country, expressed their love for the production, Park City and Park City Opera.”

Read more in The Park Record here.

Rehearsal for 'The Barber of Seville' with five actors on stage, one woman directing, and stage set decorated with green and gold patterns.
Actors performing a theatrical play on stage, with a set that suggests a courtroom or village scene, featuring multiple actors in period costumes, some in police uniforms and others in civilian clothing, engaged in an expressive scene.
An audience seated in a dimly lit theater or event space, facing a stage or performance area.
Two men performing on stage, one in a gray striped suit with red pants looking surprised, the other in a vest and striped shirt laughing and raising his arms. The stage has colorful abstract scenery.
A man giving a presentation to an audience seated in a conference room with wood-paneled walls and large windows, while another person is recording or photographing from the side.
Audience seated in a dimly lit theater or comedy club with banners on the left side and a red curtain stage at the front.
A man in theatrical costume with arms outstretched, singing passionately on stage.

A look behind the curtain:

Digital Program:

Inside of the rehearsal process:

Photos of a community event showing rehearsals and performances at Temple Har Shalom, including a Q&A session with panelists, with an audience present. One photo shows two men sharing a moment during rehearsals, another depicts a panel discussion on stage, and another features a group of singers during a musical rehearsal, with a man animatedly speaking or acting.

Two thrilling venues. Three unforgettable (and sold-out!) performances.

Sunday, August 24 at 2:00 PM at the Santy Auditorium, Park City Library

The Library is a gathering spot. Join us for a pre-concert talk, concessions, and activities in the Community Room before, during, and after the show!

Guests of all ages are welcome.

Tickets starting at $55. A select number of free tickets are available through the Library.

Friday, August 29 & Saturday, August 30
at 7:00 PM at Premiere (268 Main St.)

Premiere Park City is a speakeasy lounge and live music venue on historic Main Street. Join us for cocktails and light bites starting at 6:00 PM.

Guests 21+ only please.

Tickets starting at $75.

Meet the Cast and Creative Team

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Jake Stamatis

  • Born and raised in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, Jake Stamatis has performed a variety of roles on the operatic stage. He has charmed audiences in such roles as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Il conte in Le nozze di Figaro, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, and Marcello in La Bohème. His varied repertoire also includes Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Zurga in Les pêcheurs de perles, La Bête in La belle et la bête (Glass), and The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance. Jake has been a studio artist at Sarasota Opera, a fellow at the Music Academy of the West, an emerging artist at Seagle Music Festival, and an artist in residence with Tri-Cities Opera and Opera Memphis. Jake received his Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance from Susquehanna University, and his Masters Degree in Opera from Binghamton University.

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Sarah Neal

  • Lauded as a “musical and theatrical delight” on stage (Colorado Gazette), Sarah Neal is a mezzo-soprano from South Bend, Indiana with a passion for accessible, interdisciplinary performing arts. Sarah is a Resident Young Artist for the 2024-25 Season with Opera Memphis, performing as Mercédès in Bizet’s Carmen (Carmen cover), in Gregg Kallor’s new solo chamber opera The Tell-Tale Heart, and finally as Endimione in La Calisto. This coming summer, Sarah will join Charlottesville Opera to both cover and perform the title role of Carmen. Sarah has received awards from competitions including the Dallas Opera Lone Star Competition, the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, and the American Council for Polish Culture’s Sembrich Vocal Competition. In previous years, Sarah has sung as an Apprentice Artist with Central City Opera and appeared with multiple chamber groups, including Ars Lyrica Houston and Mercury Chamber Orchestra. Sarah received their Master of Music from the University of Houston where they performed notable roles, including the title role in La Cenerentola, Dinah (Trouble in Tahiti), Nancy (Albert Herring), and Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro). Outside of the rehearsal room, Sarah can be found tending to their houseplants as if they were children, knitting for hours on end, and reading on their porch swing.

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Jordan Costa

  • Italian-American tenor Jordan Costa is an alumnus of the Yale and Eastman Schools of Music and young artist programs including Music Academy of the West, Glimmerglass, Sarasota Opera, Central City Opera, Virginia Opera, and Nashville Opera. In 2021 Jordan made his professional debut as Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’amore with Opera in Williamsburg. Jordan later reprised the role of Nemorino with Yale Opera. While a Studio Artist with Sarasota Opera, Jordan covered Paolino in Cimarosa’s Il matrimonio segreto, Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Armand in Massenet’s Thérèse. Jordan also sang his first title role as a returning guest artist in Yale Opera’s production of Rossini’s Le Comte Ory. He covered Tamino, and performed as Monostatos, in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte as a Nashville Opera Mary Ragland Emerging Artist. This season, Jordan returned to Virginia Opera as a principal artist to perform Don Ottavio in their production of Don Giovanni. Park City Opera’s production of The Barber of Seville marks Jordan’s fourth production singing Count Almaviva, having performed the role recently with Virginia Opera, Opera in the Pines, and as a Gerdine Young Artist at Opera Theatre of St. Louis.

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Mark Covey-Barrera

  • Mark Covey Barrera, bass-baritone, has performed on stages in America, Germany, France, and Italy. His recent roles include Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Dulcamara in Elisir d'amore, Escamillo in Carmen, Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro, and Rambaldo in La Rondine. He has appeared at venues such as Festival Napa Valley, Opera Company of Middlebury, and Opera San Antonio, among others. Mark was a finalist in the Shreveport Opera Singer of the Year competition. In addition to his performing career, Mark is an accomplished stage director. He has directed productions of Die Zauberflöte, Dido and Aeneas, and various operatic scene concerts. Mark is also an accomplished classical guitarist, having studied with the renowned Christopher Parkening. Currently, he serves as Assistant Professor of Voice and Opera at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, where he mentors and trains the next generation of opera singers.

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Joseph Park

  • Bass-baritone Yoseph Park is rapidly gaining national recognition as a rising talent and versatile singer. In the 2022-2023 season, he joined the Lyric Opera of Kansas City as a Resident Artist, where he performed the roles of Marchese in La Traviata, Dancaïre in Carmen, Dad in Sketchbook for Ollie, Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Ranger Nat in Listen, Wilhelmina. Following his successful season at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, he was selected as a Gerdine Young Artist at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where he portrayed Angelotti in Tosca and Elder Ott in Susannah. In the summer of 2023, he was featured at the Aspen Music Festival, most notably performing in concert as General Benjamin in Jimmy Bellido López’s opera Bel Canto and as the bass soloist in Haydn’s oratorio The Creation. Additional roles in Yoseph’s repertoire include Friar Laurence in Roméo et Juliette, Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Samuel in Un ballo in maschera, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, and Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly. He has received prizes from competitions including those sponsored by Annapolis Opera, Birmingham Opera, the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition, and the SIYAO Competition.

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Lena Goldstein

  • Lena Goldstein is an American soprano who has made recent appearances with Vox Opera, San Francisco Conservatory, Songfest, Chicago Summer Opera, Opera Theatre of Yale, Yale Baroque Opera, Yale Symphony Orchestra, and Yale Chamber Orchestra. Her recent roles include The Governess (The Turn of the Screw), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), La Fée (Cendrillon), Eurinda (Doriclea), Nora (Riders to the Sea), Maggie (The Gift of the Magi), Serpina (La serva padrona), and Lady Angela (Patience). Her concert performances include Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, Mozart’s Requiem, Ravel’s Trois poèmes de Mallarmé, Muhly’s The Beauty of the Day, and premieres of Carlson’s The Disguise and Beckman’s Hartley Songs. She is pursuing a master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory as the recipient of the Samuel Clark Scholarship, and recently graduated cum laude from Yale University with a Bachelor’s in molecular biology. 

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Sam Plumb

  • Sam Plumb is a tenor at the transition point between conservatory training and professional artistry. In 2025, he received his Master’s of Music Diploma in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Utah. He was the Grand Prize winner of the 2024-25 Concerto Competition (Graduate Level), performing Gerald Finzi’s Dies Natalis. He is fresh off of his first professional contract as a Resident Artist at Teatro Nuovo, a Young Artist Program in New Jersey that focuses heavily on mastering the Italian language and immersion into 19th-century vocal technique. In addition to performing, Sam is building a thriving private studio for voice and piano students, based in Downtown Salt Lake City. When he’s not making music, Sam enjoys the outdoors, cooking, reading, and video games.

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Jacob Kenison

  • Tenor Jacob Kenison has been studying with Lawrence Gee, former assistant conductor of the New York City Opera, for nearly a decade. Recently, Jacob achieved first place in the Advanced Classical category at the Cal-Western Region NATS Conference. His recent performances include appearing in Lyrical Opera Theater's production of Die Fledermaus earlier this year, and presenting the role of Mr. Erlanson while understudying Henrik in A Little Night Music with the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. Later this fall, he will perform the role of Fenton in Lyrical Opera Theater's production of Falstaff.

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Christopher Holmes

  • Christopher Holmes returned to his home Provo after obtaining degrees in opera at the Oberlin College Conservatory (B.M., M.M.), Temple University (M.M.), teaching voice at Texas State University, and performing throughout the States. With over 40 operatic roles to his credit, Christopher has been featured by companies such as Austin Opera, Central City Opera, Eugene Opera, Opera Idaho, Phoenix Opera, and San Antonio Opera. Recent projects include Jesus in Robert Cundick's The Redeemer with the Temple Square Chorale, Giorgio Germont from La traviata with Bellevue Opera, the title role of Don Giovanni at Painted Sky Opera, and Escamillo at Western Plains Opera. He has been seen as Barone Douphol at Utah Symphony & Opera, Conte Almaviva at Utah Festival Opera, Belcore at Opera Company of Middlebury, Rossini’s Bartolo at Western Plains Opera, and Escamillo at the Pine Mountain Music Festival. Christopher developed a love for the Italian people and culture having lived in the central area of Italy for two years. He is currently an adjunct professor of voice at Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University.

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Benjamin Beckman

  • Benjamin Beckman is a conductor, composer, and pianist based in Los Angeles. Compositional career highlights include performances on the BBC Proms, Tanglewood Music Festival, and Royal Concertgebouw Summer Concerts, and by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra, and Yale Symphony Orchestra. His 70-minute chamber opera Passage won the Beekman Cannon Friends Prize for the best-submitted thesis in the music major at Yale, from which he recently matriculated. As a pianist, assistant conductor, and vocal coach, Benjamin has worked for the Sarasota Opera, Pacific Opera Project, Opera Guild of Palm Springs, Opera Company of Middlebury, Chicago Summer Opera, and Classic Lyric Arts France and Italy. While a student at Yale, Beckman was the Artistic Director of both the Opera Theater of Yale College and the Yale Undergraduate Chamber Orchestra, through which he facilitated the premieres of 21 student compositions. He is currently pursuing graduate studies in composition on full fellowship at the USC Thornton School of Music, where he manages the conservatory’s new music ensemble, the Thornton Edge.

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Lisl Wangermann

  • Winner of the 2021 Louis Sudler Prize in the Performing and Creative Arts from Yale University, Lisl Wangermann is a director and soprano from Dallas, Texas. She has performed with the CIM Opera Theater, Opera Western Reserve, the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Opera Theatre of Yale College, and the Yale Baroque Opera Project. Her previous directing projects include Menotti’s The Telephone and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience, both with the Opera Theatre of Yale College. In 2023, Lisl was a semifinalist for the Dallas Opera’s Lone Star Vocal Competition, and in 2024, Lisl was a finalist for the Gerda Lissner Art Song and Lieder Competition and received an encouragement award. Lisl graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 2021 and completed her Master of Music in 2023 and Artist Diploma in 2025 at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

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Akshay Ghiya

  • Akshay Ghiya is a lyric baritone currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Utah. With a warm and captivating voice, he has brought to life many roles on stage, including Marcello in Puccini's La bohème, King Melchior in Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors, Sergeant Belcore in Donizetti's L’elisir d’amore, and many more. Akshay also teaches voice lessons at the U and enjoys working with his students and his colleagues on and off the stage. When he is not working, he enjoys playing chess, reading books, and writing music of his own.

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Joel Thompson

  • Joel Thompson is ecstatic to be joining the Park City Opera team for his first professional production as a post-graduate stage manager. His love and ambition for theatre sparked while growing up in Seattle, Washington. The stepping stones of high school theatre led him to earn a BFA in Stage Management at the University of Utah. During his time at the University of Utah, Joel was able to expand his love for theatre as well as his stage management resume by writing an original two act play, and sound designing multiple shows. Some of Joel’s most memorable productions in recent years include Spring Awakening (Stage Manager), and Gianni Schicchi / Suor Angelica (1st ASM). Joel is grateful for every opportunity he has been given, and recognizes what a rare privilege it is to do what he loves. He’d like to thank his friends, family and his wife, Emma, for their continuing support through his professional theatre journey.

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Dalloway Smith

  • Dalloway Smith is an emerging young cellist who is an active member of the arts community in Utah. She uses her talents as a way to connect with others, most evidently in her work as a chamber musician. Dalloway’s grandmother, Ariel Bybee, sang as a mezzo-soprano at the Metropolitan Opera for 18 years; Ariel’s passion for opera continues to grow in Dalloway. Her most recent musical endeavors include attending Ascent Cello and Chamber Music Festival, winning the American Fork Concerto Competition, and winning first prize with her string quartet at the American String Teachers Association Biannual Competition. Dalloway also serves as Park City Opera’s Marketing and Publicity Intern.

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Mac Merchant

  • Mac Merchant is a pianist and coach based in Sandy, Utah, where he plays for lessons and works with singers at the University of Utah. Mac has extensive experience playing for singers, instrumentalists, and choral ensembles, as well as productions of musical theater and opera. His studies include a master’s in collaborative piano from University of Colorado-Boulder and a master’s in piano performance from Washington State University. Mac's playing is featured in Naxos's album "Sing Wearing the Sky," a collection of Jake Runestad's choral music performed by the Denver-based choir, Kantorei.

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Kang Kang

  • Featured in Rolling Stones Korea, eLe Magazine, and the Journal of Singing, Kang Kang is a South Korea–based graphic designer and illustrator known for her playful artistic voice and intuitive sense of color. In addition to editorial illustration, she works on branding and visual design projects for a range of independent clients. Currently a Junior Graphic Designer at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Kang Kang brings youthful imagination, expressive compositions, and thoughtful color combinations to every creative challenge she takes on.

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Hayley E. Wallenfeldt

  • Hayley E. Wallenfeldt is a Chicago-born, New York-based scenic designer and artist. They have a passion for collaborative storytelling, new work, and creating worlds just on the edge of the fantastical. She is the set designer for Teatro Grattacielo’s upcoming world premiere of The Tin Angel. Their recent credits include The Receptionist (Centenary Stage Company); 13 Suits and Haven (Outer Loop Theater); Make Way for Ducklings and Pete the Cat  (Hangar Theatre); Waitress and Matilda (Quincy Community Theatre); Love and War (The Glimmerglass Festival); and Be Mean to Me and The Snowy Day (Northwestern University). They were the resident scenic design assistant for the 2023 Glimmerglass Festival season. She is the 2025 recipient of the USITT Scenic Design Award & a recipient of the 2025 Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Prize. Hayley received their degree in design and archaeology from Northwestern University.

Meet the Orchestra

Strings

  • Hugh Palmer has been a member of the violin section in the Utah Symphony since 2016 and is currently serving as Acting 2nd Associate Concertmaster. Previously, he was a fellow with the New World Symphony, serving as concertmaster under the batons of Michael Tilson-Thomas, Roberto Abbado, and others. He has also appeared as guest concertmaster with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and formerly served as concertmaster of the Colburn Orchestra, National Repertory Orchestra, and the Young Musician’s Foundation Debut Orchestra. Originally from Minnesota, Hugh began his violin studies at the age of 5, studying with Mary West and then Sally O’Reilly. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Northwestern University, studying with Almita Vamos, and was a prize winner in the Thaviu Endowed Scholarship competition. He subsequently received his Artist’s Diploma from the Colburn Conservatory under the tutelage of Robert Lipsett.

  • Violinist Hannah Linz began playing violin at age of 3. She is currently a member of the Utah Symphony and has performed with other ensembles including the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Dallas Symphony. As the first prize winner of various competitions including the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music’s Violin Concerto Competition, the Marquette Symphony Young Artist Competition, and the Lansing Symphony Concerto Competition, among others, she has performed as a soloist with the Lansing Symphony, Birmingham-Bloomfield Symphony, Marquette Symphony, and the Ypsilanti Symphony. Hannah has been a participant in many summer festivals including Breckenridge Music Festival, The Quartet Program, and Schleswig-Holstein. Hannah's principal teachers include Ik-Hwan Bae, Alexander Kerr and Jorja Fleezanis.

  • Violinist Natalie Boberg is a versatile soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician. She is a first violinist with the Boise Philharmonic, made her debut as a soloist with the Utah Symphony in 2018, and has attended Music Academy of the West and Aspen Music Festival, among others. She is Executive Director of the Magari Ensemble and holds a B.M. from New England Conservatory and a M.M. from San Francisco Conservatory. Read more at natalieboberg.com.

  • Melissa Draper has been playing and loving the violin since she was four years old. At 15, she was thrown into the world of viola as she performed throughout Europe with the Rocky Mountain Youth Camerata. As a young musician, Melissa won numerous competitions, including the Music Teachers National Association, the American String Teachers Association, the Utah State Fair, and the Stillman-Kelly competition. At 19, she soloed with the Utah Symphony, playing Vieuxtemps’s Concerto No. 4. Melissa studied violin performance, first at Brigham Young University, and then later pursued her Master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music. Currently, she works as both a teacher and a freelance musician. She is violin/viola faculty at Snow College, maintains her own private studio, and is a prolific recording artist who performs regularly. Additionally, Melissa has taught at The Gifted Music School and The Waterford School. She also served as the Artistic Director for the Stradivarius International Violin Competition in 2007 and 2010. Melissa feels immensely grateful to all her past mentors and for the opportunities she has had to work with many acclaimed performers. Outside of music, she enjoys time with her husband and four children.

  • Emily Barrett Brown completed both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Viola Performance at Brigham Young University under the tutelage of Dr. David Dalton. While at the Music Academy of the West, she studied with Donald McInnes and later enjoyed summer studies with Robert Vernon and members of the Cleveland Orchestra. She performed as a soloist throughout the Middle East with the BYU Chamber Orchestra and was a 1st place winner at the National level of the MTNA Chamber Music Competition in 1994. Professionally, she has worked in a variety of settings including the Dallas Opera Orchestra, and the Richardson Symphony. She was also co-principal violist of the Plano Chamber Orchestra from 1996-1998, and a founding member/co-principal violist of the Orchestra at Temple Square. Ms. Brown performs frequently as a recording artist and with several local ensembles, including Utah Chamber Artists, Sinfonia Salt Lake, Ballet West, and the Utah Symphony.

  • Violist Madison Marshall has performed in venues such as Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and the St. Thomaskirche in Leipzig, soloed with the Utah and American West symphonies, and made festival appearances at the Perlman Music Program, Gstaad Menuhin Festival, IMS Prussia Cove, Brecon Baroque Festival, Dresdner Musikfestspiele, Thy Kammermusikfestival, Ecoles d’Art Américaines de Fontainebleau, and Heifetz International Music Institute.

    She grew up in Utah, where she was the final student of noted pedagogue David Dalton. After completing undergraduate studies at the Colburn School, she graduated magna cum laude from Yale University, and is currently enrolled in the PhD program at the Royal Academy of Music.

    Madison received Colburn’s Ida Levin award for excellence in chamber music, Yale’s Broadus Earle string quartet prize, first prize at the 2022 Prix de Ravel, and the Royal Academy of Music’s Mica Comberti Prize for solo Bach performance.

    Recent and upcoming highlights include performing Antonio Draghi's L'humanita Redenta (heard for the first time since its premiere in 1669) with Musica Antica Rotherhithe, and recording an album of cantatas by seventeenth-century Danish composer Nikolai Bruhns with Masaaki Suzuki. Madison also serves as the artistic director of the Florestan Festival, an Utah-based chamber music series she founded in 2019.

  • As a native Utahn, Hannah enjoys playing in a variety of ensembles in Salt Lake and across the country. She is a core member of the Beehive Quartet, the Ballet West Orchestra, and a substitute member of the Utah Symphony. Hannah has enjoyed performing nationally and internationally. Recent highlights include a Christmas Tour with Kaskade, concerts with Kurt Bestor and David Archuletta, Andrea Bocelli, Trans Siberian Orchestra, US and Canada tours with Air Supply, and serving as principal cellist for the National Live in Concert Tours of Our Planet, Avatar the Last Airbender, and Naruto. Upcoming performance engagements include concerts at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as a member of The Orchestra Now. Hannah is a graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder where she studied with David Requiro. When Hannah isn’t jamming out on her cello, she enjoys traveling, learning languages, and playing games with her partner, Adam, and family.

  • Megan Richards is a cellist and music teacher in Utah. Megan regularly performs with the Ballet West Orchestra. She has also been performing in the orchestra for Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre since 2010. She performs regularly with Music Theatre West and The American Festival Chorus and Orchestra. Megan played on the Our Planet National Tour in 2023. Megan regularly plays for recording sessions, including music for film, TV, video games, albums, and other projects. She has a large cello studio and loves working with her students. Megan holds a Master of Arts from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where she studied with Alison Wells and David Watkin and a Bachelor of Music from Utah State University where she studied with Anne Francis Bayless.

  • Edward Merritt, a Pittsburgh native, joined the Utah Symphony’s bass section in January 2014. Prior to this, he held principal bass positions with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony, and Civic Orchestra of Chicago. He has also appeared as guest principal with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, CityMusic Cleveland, and served as a substitute with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

    Edward's festival appearances include the Aspen Music Festival, Le Domaine Forget, the New York String Orchestra Seminar, and Tanglewood Music Center. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Rice University, where he studied with Paul Ellison. He has also briefly studied at Northwestern University with Peter Lloyd and Carnegie Mellon University with Micah Howard. Edward is especially grateful for his early bass training under Jeffrey Turner, former principal bass of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

    In addition to performing in the bass section, Edward also takes center stage playing bass guitar in the rhythm section for the symphony’s pops series, including the popular summer concerts at the Deer Valley Music Festival. His passion for a wide range of musical genres extends beyond the symphony, as he regularly brings that versatility into studio recording sessions.

Winds

  • Arin Goldstein is a flutist and piccoloist originally from Annapolis, Maryland. Now a sophomore at Amherst College, majoring in Geology and Statistics, he is the principal flutist of the Amherst Symphony Orchestra and founder of Amherst’s Wind Quintet and Flute Trio. In high school, he attended Interlochen Arts Academy as a classical flute performance major, where he performed with the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, and was featured in a side-by-side performance of the Sleeping Beauty ballet with the Traverse City Symphony Orchestra, and as a piccolo soloist with the Interlochen Jazz Orchestra. Past summer opportunities include the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Wind Quintet Workshop and Young Artists Orchestra program, Interlochen Arts Camp as a Junior, Intermediate, and High School camper, Brevard Music Center, Luzerne Music Center, and Kinhaven Music School. Previously, Arin was the assistant principal flutist of the Orion Symphony Orchestra in the Annapolis Symphony Academy. In Utah, he attended the Gifted Music School in Salt Lake City. Arin is very excited to be making his professional debut with the Park City Opera this summer.

  • From Detroit, Michigan, Luca de la Florin is currently the principal oboist of The Missouri Symphony, Aspen Winds Quintet, and is on faculty at Utah Valley University as Lecturer of Oboe and Music Studies. Additionally, Florin often plays with the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera, Utah Chamber Artists, Salt Lake Choral Artists, and NOVA Chamber Music Series. Florin also teaches as the adjunct professor of oboe at Snow College and presents the Finishing Touches lectures for the Utah Symphony through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at The University of Utah. As a reed-maker, Florin has sold his reeds across the world and maintains a private oboe studio in downtown Salt Lake City. Florin has recorded with the Naxos and Bridge record labels and has appeared with the Detroit, Jackson, Great Falls, and Battle Creek Symphonies as well as with the Grand Teton Music Festival and the Chicago Summer Opera.

  • Erin Svoboda-Scott is the Associate Principal and E-flat Clarinetist of the Utah Symphony, a position she has held since 2013. A versatile and accomplished performer, she is a frequent collaborator with the NOVA Chamber Music Series and has appeared at renowned festivals including the Grand Teton Music Festival and the Sun Valley Music Festival.

    Erin has performed with several of the world’s leading orchestras, including appearances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the Metropolitan Opera. Her festival experience includes prestigious residencies at the Marlboro Music Festival, Tanglewood Music Center, Pacific Music Festival, and Aspen Music Festival. As a soloist, she has been featured with the Melrose Symphony and the Quincy Symphony.

    She holds degrees from the New England Conservatory, Temple University, and the Manhattan School of Music, and her principal teachers include Thomas Martin, Ricardo Morales, and Mark Nuccio.

    Outside of music, Erin enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time outdoors with her children. She lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and their two kids.

  • Erin Voellinger was born and raised Denver, Colorado. She is currently the Principal Clarinetist of the Ballet West Orchestra. In addition to her work with the ballet, she plays freelance with the Utah Symphony, Utah Opera, recording studios, and many other organizations in the Salt Lake area. Before coming to Utah she was the Principal Clarinetist for the Boise Philharmonic and performed as a soloist for the Boise Philharmonic and Boise Baroque orchestras. She manages, plays clarinet, and arranges music for the Park City Polka Players, an oompah band she started which plays for many Oktoberfest festivals and private parties and is currently the house band for Snowbasin's SnoWeisn fall festival. She is the adjunct clarinet professor at Westminster University and teaches private clarinet lessons in Park City, where she lives with her husband and son. She received a Bachelors in music performance at the University of Northern Colorado, and a Masters in Music at Florida State University.

  • Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, bassoonist Fabio Valery Villanova began his musical training through El Sistema. Since moving to the U.S. in 2018, he has performed side-by-side with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, and The Cleveland Orchestra. He was a finalist in the Palm Beach Symphony’s Mary Hilem Taylor Competition and served as principal bassoon under Gustavo Dudamel with the YOLA National Festival Orchestra. He has also performed with the UC Berkeley Summer Symphony, San Francisco Youth Orchestra, and Bolívar Philharmonic, and has participated in masterclasses with renowned bassoonists including Whitney Crockett, William Short, and Glenn Einschlag. A passionate advocate for cultural connection through music, Fabio is a fellow with Quinteto Latino, promoting Latino-composed classical music in diverse communities, and was selected as a Sphinx Connect Fellow for the Sphinx Ignite Conference 2025. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the New World School of the Arts/University of Florida, and earned both a Master’s degree and Professional Studies Certificate from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with Stephen Paulson.

Brass and Percussion

  • Jessica Danz, from Spanish Fort, Alabama, joined the Utah Symphony as Principal Horn in 2021. She received a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School in 2020 studying with Jennifer Montone, and she holds a Bachelor of Music degree with a minor in Social and Emotional Development as well as a Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. Jessica has held fellowships with the New World Symphony, National Repertory Orchestra, Music Academy of the West, Texas Music Festival, and Pacific Music Festival. Jessica was selected as a winner of the 2019 National Repertory Orchestra concerto competition, won first prize at the 2016 Northeast Horn Solo Competition, and was the recipient of the 2018 International Horn Society Jon Hawkins award.

  • Nathan Basinger is a Utah-based hornist. He is on faculty at the University of Utah and regularly plays with the Utah Symphony.

  • Aidan Smith is a percussionist and drummer based in Salt Lake City, and currently serves as the principal percussionist for the Salt Lake Symphony. He received his Bachelor's in Music Performance from the University of Utah, studying under Dr. Michael Sammons and Keith Carrick, and is an award-winning competitor at state-wide and international competitions with the Percussive Arts Society.

    Aidan has provided his skills to University of Utah productions of Puccini's Gianni Schicchi and Suor Angelica, Strauss' Die Fledermaus, and has played for the Salt Lake Symphony-collaborative Amahl and the Night Visitors. He has worked extensively in concert literature of band, orchestra, choir, and jazz, and has volunteered with Cottonwood Heights Arts Guild in their summer musical theatre stagings since 2018.