November 13, 2023 at the Embassy of Austria

MEET THE CAST

Hanna Glawari — Esther Tonea
The San Francisco Chronicle praised Romanian-American soprano Esther Tonea for her “powerful, gleaming tone, effortless precision and expressive immediacy” in her rendition of Imogene’s mad scene from Bellini’s Il pirata, where she displayed the “sublime assurance of an established diva.” Esther is a recent Adler Fellow at San Francisco Opera and Grand Finals Winner of the National Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. Among her performances this season are her European operatic and symphonic debuts with the Opéra Orchestre National de Montpellier. Esther’s roles include Iolanta in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, Leonora in Il trovatore, Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Mozart heroines such as Donna Anna, Fiordiligi, and Contessa Almaviva. Her oratorio work includes performances in Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s The Creation, Mahler’s Symphonies 2 and 4, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass, and Handel’s The Messiah. No stranger to new works, she has premiered the role of Diana in Jake Heggie’s If I Were You and workshopped his Intelligence as Callie Van Lew and performed the world premiere of Jonathan Leshnoff’s Warum hast du gelitten? She has performed with the San Francisco Opera, Atlanta Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Russian Chamber Art Society, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Washington National Opera Orchestra, Charleston Symphony, and Richmond Symphony, among other prestigious ensembles. To follow her future engagements, visit www.esthertonea.com. Esther is represented by Guy Barzilay Artists.

Count Danilo Danilovitsch — John Tibbetts
Baritone John Tibbetts has been praised for his “unexpectedly rich voice” and “reverberating tones” by the Palm Beach Post. Upcoming spring engagements include Figaro in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Mississippi, Papageno in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with Palm Springs Grand Opera, and Marco in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi with Gulfshore Opera. He recently performed Vulcano in Pacific Opera Project’s U.S. premiere of Donizetti’s Il fortunato inganno and Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof with Union Avenue Opera. Previous appearances include Masetto with Opera Tampa, Ping with Opera Grand Rapids, and engagements with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Palm Beach Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Virginia Opera, and Opera Atelier. He holds degrees from Georgia State University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and is represented by Encompass Arts. Additional upcoming engagements include Masetto in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Teatro Lirico d’Europa and the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera.

Baron Mirko Zeta — Branch Fields
Branch Fields, described by Opera America as “a bass of resonant richness,” performs in opera, musical theater, and symphony concerts throughout North America and beyond. He has sung with the Santa Fe Opera, New York City Opera, Ogunquit Playhouse, Sarasota Opera, Utah Opera, and many others. Branch’s Broadway debut was in South Pacific, in the 2008 Lincoln Center Theater production. Recent performances include King Arthur in Camelot, Robert in Bridges of Madison County, Leporello in Don Giovanni, and Oliver Warbucks in Annie, and he was Capt. Von Trapp for Charlottesville Opera’s recent production of The Sound of Music. Branch has been a solo guest artist for Colonial Williamsburg’s July 4th Independence Day Celebration at the Governor’s Palace for the past 3 years, and you can stream his album “Be Thou My Vision” on iTunes, Spotify, and other music streaming platforms.

Valencienne — Jessica Gu
Chinese-American coloratura soprano Jessica Gu, based in Alexandria, Virginia, is celebrated for her versatility and passionate artistry across opera, concert, and cross-cultural performance. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the Eastman School of Music and a Master of Music from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. Jessica made her professional debut in 2023 with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra performing Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. On the operatic stage, her roles include La Fée (Cendrillon), Nuria (Ainadamar), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice), and Ida (Die Fledermaus) with the Washington Opera Society. As an active concert soloist, she has performed in Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Schubert’s Mass No. 2 in G Major. Jessica debuted as a soloist at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C. with members of the Baltimore and National Symphony Orchestras. Beyond her solo work, she has helped organize and perform in a concert with the Embassy Series, fostering cross-cultural diplomacy through music. In February 2026, Jessica won the Nebraska District of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. She is a recurring artist with the prestigious iSING! International Young Artists Festival, having toured Guiyang, Chengdu, China, Washington, D.C., and the UK across 2025 and 2026. In August 2026, Jessica made her role debut as Adina in Donizetti’s L'elisir d'amore in Trani, Italy. In October, Jessica performed in an Opera Gala with iSING! in Wuhan, China, directed by acclaimed director Hugo de Ana under the artistic leadership of internationally renowned bass Haojiang Tian.

Camille, Count de Rosillon — Jason Karn
Possessing a vibrant tenor voice, Jason Karn consistently earns praise from critics and audiences alike for his compelling dramatic portrayals. The 2026 season saw Jason returning to NY City Opera’s Bryant Park Series as a featured soloist. Recently, he returned to NC Opera as Arcadio in Florencia en el Amazonas, and as a featured soloist at NC Opera’s Opera in the Park. Highlights include his recent portrayal of Gastone in La Traviata, punctuated by an unforgettable moment when he stepped in mid-performance to sing Alfredo from the pit. His history with NC Opera also includes critically acclaimed performances as Edmondo in the company premiere of Manon Lescaut and Jacquino in a poignant reopening production of Fidelio following the COVID-19 pandemic. Further demonstrating his versatility, Jason reprised the role of Don José in New York City Opera's Carmen in Bryant Park (2021), following his impactful NYCO debut as the Young Gypsy/Beppe in Aleko/Pagliacci. He has also distinguished himself in concert, notably with the American Symphony Orchestra in the American Premiere of Vincent D'Indy's Fervaal at Avery Fisher Hall. His noteworthy stage presence extends to his Washington National Opera debut as Scaramuccio in Ariadne auf Naxos, and compelling portrayals of Cassio in Otello (Opera Carolina, Arizona Opera), Al Joad in The Grapes of Wrath (Pittsburgh Opera), and Ferrando in Così fan tutte (Opera Carolina, Chautauqua Opera, Granite State Opera). Jason holds a bachelor’s degree in Voice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master's degree in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Olga — Victoria Isernia
Italian-American Soprano Victoria Isernia is celebrated for her rich, sultry voice, praised for her “good acting instincts” and described as “engaging to watch” (Utah Theatre Bloggers). Known for roles such as Carmen and Musetta, she brings a versatile repertoire spanning both opera and musical theatre. In the 2026–2027 season, she joins Washington Opera Society as Olga in The Merry Widow,  Teatro Lirico d’Europa and the NJ Association of Verismo Opera as Zerlina in Don Giovanni, performs as First Lady in The Magic Flute with Palm Springs Grand Opera, and makes her role debut as Charlotte in Werther with Amelia Island Opera. Isernia has appeared with Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, First Coast Opera, Gulfshore Opera, and the New York Philharmonic, among others. She is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music.

Praskowia — Erin Rosales
Praised for her “remarkably agile” (Fanfare Magazine) and “creamy-voiced” singing (Chicago Stage Standard), full lyric mezzo Erin Rosales brings “fearless intensity” (Chicago Classical Review) and “intensely valid vocalism” (Voce di Meche) to the operatic and concert stage. Described as possessing a “voice of a generation” - a lush, voluminous mezzo of recognizable and distinct color - and a personality that "simply oozes charm" (Parterre Box), Ms. Rosales is rapidly establishing herself as one of today's most compelling lyric mezzos. Equally at home on the operatic and concert stage, she has earned acclaim for her rich vocal color, dynamic stage presence, and emotionally nuanced performances in repertoire ranging from Rossini and Bizet to contemporary opera. The 2025-26 season marked several important debuts for Ms. Rosales including her role debut as La Ciesca in Puccini’s comic masterpiece Gianni Schicchi with Opera West. She made her house debut at Chicago Opera Theater in the roles of Zweiter Verkäufer and Schwester in Kurt Weill’s rarely performed opera Der Silbersee to critical acclaim. She garnered attention for her 3rd place victory in the Orchestra Sinfonica G. Rossini’s annual competition for her performance of “Non più mesta” from La Cenerentola. She advanced to the Semi-Final rounds of several prestigious competitions including the George & Nora London Foundation for Singer’s Competition and the Concurso Internacional de Canto Alfredo Kraus. She also returned in recital to New York City’s global cultural center, 92NY. She closes out the season with her much anticipated role debut as the title role in Rossini’s La Cenerentola and her South American debut with Fundación Prolírica de Antioquia in Medellín, Colombia.

Narrator — Robin Phillips
Robin K. Phillips is a playwright, producer, musician, actor, and internationally acclaimed auteur filmmaker whose career spans stage, screen, and concert narration. A triumphant success as Narrator of New York City Opera’s Opera Goes to Hollywood in Bryant Park, performed for over 8,500 audience members, Phillips brought her signature artistry, wit, and storytelling flair to one of the company’s most celebrated public performances. She previously served as Narrator for Opera Camerata of Washington for seven years, engaging audiences with her charismatic presence and refined dramatic skills. Phillips has lived, studied, and performed abroad for nearly 12 years in Munich, Sydney, London, Brussels, and Monte Carlo, experiences that continue to shape her global artistic outlook. On stage, she has written, produced, and starred in critically acclaimed original musical plays, including The Music Halls of Paris, 1900–1960 and Agatha Sings!, an imaginative portrait of mystery writer Agatha Christie, who once dreamed of becoming an opera singer. As a filmmaker, Phillips has garnered international acclaim for her documentary Shakespeare: The Truth Behind the Name, which has achieved 105 awards and 24 nominations across 88 film festivals worldwide, including 23 for Best Documentary Feature. Credited for research, sound design, production design, and concept, her work exemplifies artistry of extraordinary range and dedication.

PRODUCTION TEAM

Conductor — Julien Benichou
With natural musicality, infectious energy, and creative approach in fostering the next generation of musicians, conductor Julien Benichou is making his mark as a champion for the future of classical music. In 2022 he co-founded and became Artistic Director of the National Chamber Orchestra, in 2023 he became Music Director of the Accord Symphony in Washington, DC. Julien Benichou is also the Artistic Director of the Washington Opera Society and Music Director of the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra. Previous positions have included a 17-year tenure as Music Director of the Mid-Atlantic Symphony and 10 years as Principal Conductor of the Towson New Music Ensemble. Benichou has also guest conducted the New York City Ballet’s production of Nutcracker on multiple occasions, the Dallas Symphony, Dresden Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, the Lausanne Sinfonietta, the New York City Opera Orchestra, the Portuguese Philharmonic, the Chamber Orchestra of Toulouse, the St Petersburg State Symphony, the Siberian State Symphony, the Orchestre Pasdeloup and the Free State Symphony in South Africa among many others. He has conducted in such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Theatre des Champs Elysees and the UN General Assembly Hall. Mr. Benichou studied composition with Georges Boeuf and conducting with Gustav Meier and Jorma Panula. In 2024 he received the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres distinction from French Ambassador to the United States Laurent Bili.

Director — Dashiell Waterbury
Dashiell Waterbury directs and performs in opera all across America. His productions include original adaptations of classic works, traditionally staged operas, musicals, and Shakespeare. Recent highlights are a 150th anniversary production of Strauss’ Die Fledermaus for Stetson University, where he served as Head of Opera, Haydn’s The Creation with the Washington City Choir and the National Symphony Opera Orchestra, in which he also performed the role of Uriel, and an original work incorporating Poulenc’s songs with La voix humaine. Past credits include Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Mark Adamo’s Little Women, Mozart’s Die Zauberflӧte, Handel’s Oreste, Argento’s Postcard from Morocco, Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot, a fresh adaptation of Shakespeare’s Two Noble Kinsmen set in the Old West, and Dashiell’s own musical revue show Over There, telling the story of America’s involvement in World War 1. Dashiell holds graduate degrees in singingand directing from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and Florida State University, and is a former directing fellow at Wolf Trap Opera and an alumnus of Director’s Lab.