CENDRILLON
DetailsCendrillon (Massenet)
Thursday, August 6, 2026 — 7:30 PM
Saturday, August 8, 2026 — 7:30 PM
Ganz Hall
Roosevelt University
430 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605
SynopsisMassenet's rendition of the beloved and enduring Cinderella fairy tale opens in a storybook kingdom with Pandolfe, a country gentleman who bemoans his decision to marry the snobbish countess Madame de la Haltière and move into her home with his daughter, Lucette. Madame's spoiled daughters, Noémie and Dorothée, are preparing to accompany their mother to the ball and hoping to attract the attention of the Prince, who must choose a wife at the dance. Madame and her daughters treat Lucette like a servant, calling her Cendrillon since she is covered with ashes. Pandolfe recognizes this injustice but is unable to stand up to his controlling wife. He resignedly joins the three haughty women at the ball, leaving Cendrillon to finish her chores.
Cendrillon wishes she could attend the ball and laments her situation, eventually falling asleep by the fire. Her Fairy Godmother enters with attendants to magically outfit Cendrillon with a gown, glass slippers, and a coach and horses to convey her to the palace. The enchanted slippers will prevent Cendrillon's family from recognizing her, but she must leave by midnight. All goes according to plan: everyone at the ball is fascinated by the enchantingly beautiful stranger, but most of all the Prince, who declares his love for her before she must rush away at the stroke of midnight. In her haste, she leaves behind a single glass slipper.
We know how the rest of the story unfolds, but Massenet's unique additions to the classic tale create a sumptuous, dreamlike experience that is sure to captivate anyone with a fondness for fairy tales. Massenet's evocative musical writing is full of humor, stylistic flourishes, and soaring emotion. Premiering in 1899 in Paris, Cendrillon was an immediate success. The opera's finale reminds us that stories are a chance to “escape the darkness of realities” and “become children again, believing in the fabulous”.
Our Team
Jingyuan Zhang
Chinese lyric soprano Jingyuan (Mary) Zhang is an active performer in opera and ensemble settings, with a particular affinity for Romantic and 20th-century repertoire. She is dedicated to bringing the beauty of Chinese music into Western classical performance. In August 2026, she will appear as the title role in Massenet’s Cendrillon with Chicago Summer Opera.
Zhang is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Vocal Performance at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, where she studies with Barry Banks. She previously earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, with a minor in Musical Theatre, from Chapman University, where she studied with Milena Kitić.
Her operatic credits include the Queen of Hearts in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Will Todd) and the Wife in From the Towers of the Moon (Robert Moran), performed with Opera Chapman. Additional scene work includes Leonore (Fidelio), Orfeo (Orfeo ed Euridice), and Mrs. Gobineau (The Medium), among others. She has also performed extensively in choral, chamber, and early music ensembles.
Cendrillon
Noël Lewandowski
Noël Lewandowski, lyric soprano, has been noted for her rich, versatile voice praised for its "angelic hues" that connect audiences to the core of each story she tells. She brings a genuine, heartfelt connection to the characters she portrays, excelling in the emotional depth of her opera roles, the expressive musical storytelling of oratorio, and the intricate poetry found in art song across her recital performances.
She recently made her Italian debut as ‘Elisetta’ in Cimarosa’s Il matrimonio segreto at the Festival of International Opera in Urbania, Italy. This season, her performances included Suor Genovieffa in Puccini’s Suor Angelica at the historic Georgia State Repertory Theater, The Springer Opera House. Concert performances in scenes as ‘Donna Anna’ in Don Giovanni and Ännchen in Der Freischütz at the River Center for the Performing Arts. International performances role of ‘Papagena’ in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with the Berlin Opera Academy in Kandersteg, Switzerland and performance studies at the prestigious American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria as part of their opera studio program.
In 2025, she was a selected finalist in the Opera Guild for Atlanta’s voice competition. She was awarded 1st prize at the annual Georgia Chapter Auditions of the National Association of Teachers of SInging in both her musical theater and classical categories. She was also a recent classical voice prize winner this season at the Southeastern Regional NATS. She is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma studying under Dr. Joshua May at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, where she also completed her master’s degree in voice performance. She holds a bachelor’s degree in choral music education from Troy University.
Cendrillon
Sophie Hilger is a twenty-one-year-old soprano based in Rochester, New York. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s of Music at Eastman School of Music where she studies under Professor Kathryn Cowdrick. Most recently, Sophie made her Eastman Opera Theater debut as Arianna in Twenty-Four, The Cure for Love. Last summer, Sophie attended Opera Theatre of the Rockies Vocal Arts Festival, where she sang scenes as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Maria in The Sound of Music, and Suor Osmina in Suor Angelica. In the past school year, Sophie performed in a masterclass for American composer, Tom Cipullo, and recorded on Joshua Conyers' upcoming album "IN PLAIN SIGHT: The Black Anthology”. Sophie is passionate about community engagement through music, and currently works as an early childhood music teacher through the Eastman Community School.
Cendrillon CoverSophie Hilger
Kitty Strakna
Known for her uniquely-colored voice and vulnerable, emotional performances, mezzo-soprano Kitty Strakna is a versatile musical artist who seeks to connect audiences with their deepest selves. Her repertoire has ranged from early music to opera and art song repertoire. In January 2026, she made her role debut as Sesto in Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito with Carnegie Mellon University Opera. Previously in the winter of 2025, performed the role of Ruggiero in Alcina with Carnegie Mellon University Opera. She was also featured in 2024 as an alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Carnegie Mellon University Chorus and Philharmonic. A native of Baltimore, MD, she previously performed as Titania in the regional premiere of Michael Ching’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Towson University. She has also shared opera with young audiences, performing in the children’s opera Mystery on the Docks on tour throughout Baltimore City with Opera Baltimore and the Towson University Opera Outreach ensemble. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance with honors from Towson University, and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree at Carnegie Mellon University as a student of Maria Spacagna.
A proud Polish-American, Strakna was honored with a scholarship from the Kosciuszko Foundation, a prestigious organization that fosters relations between the United States and Poland, in support of her study of Polish music. She has presented vocal music in recital from Polish composers and seeks to bring awareness to Polish art song and opera in the United States.
Le Prince Charmant
Rachel Dunbar
Rachel Hurtado Dunbar is a mezzo-soprano from El Paso, Texas who enjoys performing in a variety of styles. Recent operatic engagements include Mercedes in Carmen and the Hairdresser in In the Rush. She has also performed with the Hawaii Opera Theater as a member of the Mae Z. Orvis Opera Studio in their productions of Le Nozze di Figaro, Romeo et Juliette, and Eugene Onegin. As a soloist, she performed with the Charles Ives 150 Festival, Indiana University Chamber Orchestra, University of Hawaii Wind Ensemble, and the IU Latin-X Artist Showcase. When she isn’t singing classically, she enjoys performing mariachi, gospel, rock, and pop music in venues large and small.
Dr. Dunbar is also a skilled and enthusiastic voice teacher. She is currently Assistant Professor of Voice at Brigham Young University – Hawaii where her pedagogy centers voice science to elicit measurable change. She recently presented her paper on the mariachi voice at the New Voice Educators Symposium and hopes to continue to publish works that blend ethnomusicology and voice science. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from BYU-Hawaii, a Master of Music from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and a Doctor of Music from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Le Prince Charmant
Tobi Ellis is a mezzo-soprano and cellist from the Chicagoland area and a senior at Lake Forest College, where they are double-majoring in Music and Psychology with a minor in Legal Studies. They currently study voice under Grammy Award–winning baritone Walter Aldrich and, in 2023, won the Senior Open Voice Division of the Walgreens National Concerto Competition. At Lake Forest, Ellis sings with the Concert Choir, Sylvan Singers, and the auditioned Chamber Choir, and serves as a section leader in the St. Elisabeth’s Episcopal Church Choir in Glencoe, Illinois. A cellist for 16 years, they also perform with the Evanston Symphony, cultivating a broad musicianship that bridges vocal and instrumental performance.
Their operatic experience includes singing arias such as “Deh vieni, non tardar” (Susanna), “L’ho perduta” (Barbarina), and “Voi che sapete” (Cherubino) from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, roles through which they explore character, text, and emotional nuance. Drawing on their background in psychology, Ellis approaches performance with an inquisitive, character-driven lens, seeking to understand the human stories at the heart of each work. They hope to continue their artistic and academic journey through graduate study and future young artist programs, deepening their understanding of music as both expression and connection.
Le Prince Charmant CoverTobi Ellis
Weiting Xu
Weiting Xu is a soprano from China. Her recent appearances include performing in the ensemble and covering the First Model in the American premiere of Korngold’s The Silent Serenade with Mannes Opera, as well as performing Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro with the New York Opera Forum. Her upcoming engagements include La Fée in Massenet’s Cendrillon with Chicago Summer Opera.
Her operatic repertoire includes Galatea in Acis and Galatea, Susanna (cover) in Le nozze di Figaro, Mae Jones in Street Scene, and Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte with the Hartt Opera Theatre. She has also performed roles such as Olympia, Adele, Zerlina, and Adina in concert and scenes programs.
In 2024, she presented a solo recital titled Wei Wei Dao Lai at the Henan Art Center in China. She is currently based in New York, where she continues her graduate studies at the Mannes School of Music.
La Fée
Gyuri Kim
Gyuri Kim, a Korean soprano, was featured in March 2026 at the Fisher Center at Bard as Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. She also performed in the chorus of Menotti’s Amelia al ballo. Previously, she performed the role of Königin der Nacht in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and appeared in the chorus of Verdi’s La Traviata at Hanyang University in Korea. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Voice from Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea, under Robert Lee. She is currently pursuing her Master of Music at the Bard College Conservatory, studying with Lorraine Nubar, and has worked with esteemed artists including Stephanie Blythe and Kayo Iwama.
La Fée
Emma Commisso is a soprano from Albany, NY, USA, known for bringing a “bright, buoyant presence to the stage” (Berkshire On Stage). Recent credits include serving as a local artist for Opera Saratoga, Rosa Bud in Schenectady Light Opera’s The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Flora in Opera Ithaca’s The Turn of the Screw, Stella in Ithaca College’s Le dernier sorcier, and Sister Terry Vitale in Proctors Collaborative’s Tony ‘N Tina’s Wedding. Emma completed her B.M. in Vocal Performance and Music Education in December 2024 at Ithaca College. In July 2025, she trained as a Young Artist for the International Performing Arts Institute in Kiefersfelden, Germany. She won second place in IPAI’s aria competition. This fall, Emma plans to audition for graduate school to continue her studies in opera. She’d like to thank her family, friends, and mentors for all their love and support.
La Fée CoverEmma Commisso
Audrey Nicholson
NoémieYaoqing Wang
Noémie
Vocalist Andrea Yang, 16, began her music studies at the age of 4 on the piano and later on cello when she was 6. At the age of 8, she began studying voice with Janet Campbell. In 2020, Andrea joined the San Francisco Conservatory of Music pre-college program, studying voice with Eun-Mee Ko. Andrea is currently studying voice with Manhua Gao.
2nd spirit (1st Soprano) & Noémie CoverAndrea Yang
Lyric Meredith
Lyric Meredith is a young, emerging Black mezzo soprano with a passion for opera and art song alike. She received her Bachelor's degree in 2025 from the Hartt School (University of Hartford) in Voice Performance with a Minor in Music History. She has worked with the Hartford Symphony as a soloist and performed at Carnegie Hall with an ensemble. With an eye for history, Lyric's life goal is to bring underrepresented parts of classical music to the forefront. Lyric is based in South Florida and working on new projects.
Dorothée
Kayla Nguyen
Kayla Nguyen is a junior Vocal Performance major with a minor in Arts Administration at the University of North Florida, where she studies voice with Dr. James Hall. Her recent operatic roles include Third Lady in The Magic Flute, Despina in Così fan tutte, and Sylvaine in The Merry Widow. She is a three-year member of the UNF Chamber Singers, touring internationally in Ireland, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, and Italy. Kayla currently interns with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra's Music Education Department with the goal of making classical music accessible to everyone.
Dorothée
Kate Flugstad is a coloratura mezzo-soprano from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is currently a junior at Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa, where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Music Education under the instruction of Professor Shannon Salyards-Burton.
Her recent operatic roles include her first pants role as Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II and Nella in Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini. She has also performed in the chorus of Bizet’s Carmen with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, she has performed excerpts from Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Vivaldi’s Griselda.
Her solo performances include serving as the alto soloist at the Midwestern ACDA Conference in Omaha, Nebraska; performing as the alto soloist during the Morningside University Choir’s 2024 tour of South Africa (Pretoria, Cape Town, and Johannesburg); and appearing as the soprano soloist at the premiere of Jay Giallombardo’s choral and orchestral arrangement of A Tribute to World Peace Medley at Christmas at Morningside 2025.
Kate’s recent accolades include receiving the Mustang Choral Music Grant and the Sammons Vocal Award for Excellence in Voice from Morningside University, as well as earning First Place in the classical first-year undergraduate division at the National Association of Teachers of Singing South Dakota Regional Chapter (Spring 2024).
She is thrilled to continue learning and growing at the Chicago Summer Opera program, where she will cover the roles of the First Spirit and Dorothée in Cendrillon by Jules Massenet.
1st spirit & Dorothée CoverKate Flugstad
Leah Gray
Leah Gray is a mezzo-soprano from Cincinnati, Ohio currently pursuing a Performer’s Diploma at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music under the tutelage of Alice Hopper. She’s excited to return to Chicago Summer Opera, and she performed in the 2024 production of The Consul as the Mother. Her other credits include Aunt Eller (Oklahoma!), Concepción (L’heure espagnole), Madame de la Haltière (Cendrillon), Die Dritte Dame (Die Zauberflöte), Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors), and Zita and La Ciesca (Gianni Schicchi). Leah has been a part of several opera choruses at Indiana University, including La Bohème, Carmen, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (A world premiere in collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera), and Eugene Onegin. She also holds a Master of Music from Indiana University and Bachelor of Music from Purchase College, State University of New York.
Madame de la Haltière
Juliet Telford
After a successful career in financial services, Juliet earned a postgraduate diploma from Trinity Laban Conservatoire, where she played "Madge" in the world premiere of McNeff's "Banished" and Arnalta in L'incoronazione di Poppea. Subsequent roles included Orfeo, Miss Todd (The Old Maid and the Thief) and Sorceress (Dido and Aeneas) for Handmade Opera; Suzy/Lolette (La Rondine) and Carmen for Mediterranean Opera Festival; Florence Pike (Albert Herring) for Miami Music Festival; First Norn (Götterdämmerung) and Klytemenaestra (Elektra) for New York Dramatic Voices; Zita (Gianni Schicchi) and La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica) for Varna Festival; Sorceress, Ottone (L'incoronazione di Poppea), Bradamante (Alcina), Endimione (La Calisto) and Juno (Semele) for Ensemble Orquesta; Olga, Larina and Filipyevna (Eugene Onegin) for Opera Aeterna; Hedwige (Willliam Tell) for Scheggino Festival; Maddalena (Rigoletto) for North Wales Opera Studio; and Nicklausse (Tales of Hoffman) for Tokyo Opera Studio. For Chicago Summer Opera, she has played Hermia (A Midsummer Night's Dream), Mrs. Herring, Zita and Madam Flora (The Medium). She looks forward to singing Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte at the Arcola Theatre in London in August. Film work includes an opera-singing ghost in the multi award-winning short film "Per Aspera" for the London Film School. She enjoys playing horrible old women, suspiciously small men and ladies of questionable morals, which is just as well.
Madame de la Haltière
Taiwanese baritone Ting-Yi Chen, is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance at Michigan State University under a full scholarship, studying with the renowned Verdi baritone Mark Rucker. He holds a Master of Music degree from the Mannes School of Music in New York, where he studied with Arthur Levy, and a Bachelor’s degree from National Tsing Hua University under the tutelage of Prof. Fang-Yu Chang.
Mr. Chen maintains an active performing schedule on both domestic and international opera stages. His notable roles include Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) at the Trentino Music Festival in Italy, Leporello (Don Giovanni) with Amore Opera in New York. He has also appeared as The Bonze and Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly. On the concert stage, he performed as the bass soloist in Berio’s Sinfonia with the Mannes Orchestra at Lincoln Center, and as the bass soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy at the National Taichung Theater.
In recognition of his artistry, Mr. Chen was selected as a 2022 Young Artist by the Association of Vocal Artists of R.O.C. and performed at the National Concert Hall in Taipei. He was also the second runner-up in the 14th Cross-Strait University Campus Singer Competition in Xiamen.
PandolfeTing-Yi Chen
Kyubin Moon
Baritone Kyubin Moon recently graduated with his bachelor’s degree with Professor Robin Rice at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. In the summer of 2023, he attended the Music Academy of the West as a Studio Artist, debuting as a chorus member, and covered the role of Sergeant in La bohème. He was recently an ensemble member for the Shepherd School’s production of Verdi’s Falstaff, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles. He was also featured in the school’s productions of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. Kyubin was awarded 1st Place in the Chicago Chapter NATS Classical Auditions, 3rd Place in the 2021 American Music Talent Competition, and was given an honorable mention in the 2020-2021 Discover FAA High School Talent Competition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Kyubin is originally from Lincolnshire, Illinois.
Pandolfe
Colin DeWitt
Colin DeWitt is a Lyric Baritone from Michigan with a love for both music performance and music education. He is working on his Masters degree in Music Performance, studying voice under Dr. Chuck Chandler at DePaul University in Chicago, IL. He also holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Michigan State University, directing the Holt High School and Middle School choirs in Holt, MI during his student teaching, as well as being the Assistant Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church of Lansing. He has performed internationally as a part of DePaul University's Musica Nelle Marche program, and his notable roles include Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm from Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, Betto di Signa from Giacomo Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, and both the Jailer and Angelotti (cover) from Puccini's Tosca.
Le Roi
Aidan Laidlaw is a classically trained, high, lyric baritone who is most known for his ability to express a wide range of emotion and the ability to perform numerous genres of music. Aidan has played a variety of operatic roles which include Bob in Menotti's Old Maid and the Thief, Father in Humperdink's Hansel and Gretel, and Guglielmo in Mozart's Così fan tutte. He also has performed in multiple competitions, winning the National Association of Teachers and Singing competition, the Elizabeth Gardner Voice Award, and the 2025 Oakland University Concerto Competition where he performed “O vaterland du machst bei tag” from Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow with the Oakland Symphony Orchestra. Aidan has also been a part of multiple professional ensembles in the Detroit area with the most recent being Greenfield Village’s Barbershop Quartet. Aidan recently graduated from Oakland University with a Bachelor's of Music studying with Dr. Drake Dantzler. Currently, Aidan is continuing his education to pursue a master's degree, as well as a certificate of vocology, at the Jacobs School of Music where he will study with Dr. Brian Gill and continue his training to be a professional opera vocalist as well as a future teacher.
Le Surintendant des plaisirsAidan Laidlaw
Jack Power
Jack Power is a student at the University of Iowa working toward a Bachelors of Arts studying vocal performance. Jack is currently studying under the tutelage of Dr. Keely Futterer. Jack has also previously studied in Salzburg, Austria, through the Frost School of Music Vocal Program, and hopes to work toward a future career in opera. Jack made his opera debut at the University of Iowa as Gasparo (cover) in Donizetti’s "Rita" and was recently a principal role in the University of Iowa’s 2025 Fall opera "The Classical Style" as Beethoven.
Le Surintendant des plaisirs
Patrick Tervo
Baritone Patrick Tervo has just graduated from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, with a Bachlor’s of Music in Voice Performance under the tutelage of Dr. Brian Gill. He last performed with IU Opera as Pandolfe in Cendrillon (Massenet). He also portrayed Zuniga in IU’s production of Carmen and Benoit / Alcindoro in La bohème. His appearances with IU Opera Chorus include L’Etoile, Romeo et Juliette, Eugene Onegin, Anne Frank and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Chorus/Radio Announcer). He is also an alumnus of Oregon Repertory Singers directed by Aubrey Patterson.
Le Premier Ministre
Max Kramer, baritone, is a singer of many genres from Dayton, OH. Recent productions include Gianni Schicchi (Gianni Schicchi) with Capital University, Amahl and the Night Visitors (King Melchior) with Music On Site Inc., The Crucible (Thomas Putnam) and Falstaff (Robin/Chorus) with Harrower Summer Opera and Songs for a New World (Man 2) at Capital University. Max placed 2nd in the 2025 Ohio NATS Upper-Level Musical Theatre Competition and 4th in the 2025 Ohio NATS Upper-Level Classical Competition, as well as receiving an honorable mention in the 2025 Mirabell Schloss Competition in Salzburg, Austria.
Le Premier MinistreMax Kramer
Phoebe Sperlein
3rd spirit (2nd Soprano)
Eva Tenghoff
Eva Tenghoff is a seasoned young performer from Orlando, Florida. At sixteen years old, she will begin her junior year of high school this fall. Eva delves into her passion for classical music as an Emerging Artist with Opera Orlando’s Youth Company and as a member of the Lake Highland Singers. Over the years, she has earned “Best in Show” recognition at both district and state Thespian Festivals. Most recently, Eva traveled to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall with Choirs of America. She has also had the opportunity to perform solo repertoire at distinguished venues such as LeFrak Concert Hall and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, experiences that have deeply enriched her artistry. In her time with Chicago Summer Opera, Eva hopes to further refine her craft alongside talented young artists and professionals.
5th spirit (3rd Soprano)
4th spirit (2nd Mezzo)Emilia Zayas
Emilia Zayas is a mezzo-soprano who will be an 11th grader at Northfield High School in Northfield, Minnesota, where she is deeply involved in the music program. Emilia is a section leader for Northfield High School's Uno Vox choir as well as singing with two a cappella groups, Chamber Singers and Cattywampus, and she plays violin in the orchestra. In the summer of 2025, she was a youth ensemble member in the Lakes Area Music Festival's production of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. Emilia has been singing with the Northfield Youth Choirs since kindergarten and has been a four-time selection for the Minnesota ACDA State Honor Choir.