I Was Part of the Verdi Cycle
If you are one of the singers, instrumentalists, or production staff
who was in any of the Verdi Cycle productions over the years,
please share your memories with us!
Tamara Acosta
This may sound dramatic, but I consider the Verdi Cycle and Sarasota Opera largely responsible for who I am today!...
Sean Anderson
Getting to perform one of the greatest baritone roles ever created would have been thrilling by itself. Knowing that my performance of Iago would be joining the Verdi legacy as part of...
Anthony Barrese
I was directly involved in the Verdi Cycle for my first 2 seasons at Sarasota. In 2002 as Assistant to the Music Staff, I played a couple of room rehearsals for the covers and coached some of the...
Joe Berner
How was I a part of the Verdi Cycle?
I was a retired ad man and frustrated golfer when my wife Sheila suggested that I try out as a super at Sarasota Opera...
Steve Dickman
In 2007, I was an usher at Sarasota Opera. I got an email asking for supernumeraries for the upcoming season. I had never been on stage, but decided to try out. I was cast in Attila, and...
Matt Hanscom
Simply an amazing achievement. Thousands of artists over the course of three decades have rallied around Maestro DeRenzi’s vision in celebration of opera’s greatest composer. I am truly...
Tessa Hartle
I am happy and grateful to have been there as a member of the Sarasota Opera music staff, and I am excited...
Alexander Koutelias
Many of my colleagues at school ask me what is my hobby outside of school. I always take pride in saying “I’ve been a supernumerary in 6 operas over the past 8 years”. 4 of these operas have been Verdi operas. I was...
Nathaniel Merchant
In 2004, I was proud to direct one of Verdi’s least popular operas, Il Corsaro, based on Byron’s poem of the same name. Of course, I’d rather direct mediocre Verdi than...
Stefano de Peppo
With my kind of repertory I don’t really have many chances to be in a cast of my favorite composer, Giuseppe Verdi. When Maestro DeRenzi offered me to take part to Un giorno di regno...
Richard Russell
I’m very proud to have been part of the Verdi Cycle from the beginning. I’m happy to have sung in the first three productions: Rigoletto, Aroldo and Un ballo in maschera, and I’ve seen...
John Spencer
My first season at Sarasota Opera was Winter 2012 as the Apprentice to the Music Staff. I played for chorus rehearsals, attended mainstage rehearsals, and ran supertitles for two operas...
Danielle Walker
Thank you Maestro Derenzi and Sarasota Opera for including me in such a fantastic project of “performing every note that Verdi wrote”! I feel fortunate to say that I not only...
Kevin Wetzel
It is an honor to be part of such a landmark occasion, one that has been 25 years in the making (and counting). Every artist who has lent their talent to this...