(Lewiston, NY) – As part of Artpark’s rich history of delivering Opera to the region, The Flying Dutchman will be performed on the Artpark Mainstage Theater, on Saturday, September 13, 2025 at 7:00PM.
Richard Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman will be performed in its original German with a cast of six, with English supertitles at the Artpark Mainstage.
Rather than traditional pre-constructed sets, this production will use striking projections and evocative imagery to bring the story to life. The costumed cast will appear onstage alongside the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, with Grammy Award-winning conductor Gil Rose leading the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra from the pit.
This beloved opera tells the haunting tale of a sea captain cursed to roam the oceans for eternity. His only hope of salvation lies in the selfless love of a woman willing to sacrifice herself for him. Once every seven years, the Dutchman is allowed to come ashore in search of such a bride. His path crosses with Senta, a woman who seems to understand—and perhaps even share in—his tragic fate.
Performed in three acts with two intermissions.
This opera is presented by Artpark and is supported in part by M&T Bank, Cullen Foundation & Stenclik Family Charitable Fund.
Tickets go on sale Friday, April 18 at 10AM.
Tickets will be available for purchase online at ticketmaster.com and the Artpark box office. The Artpark Box office, located via South 4th Street, is now open Tuesday-Friday 10AM- 4PM and Saturday 10am-2pm.
Please visit artpark.net for more information.
Dutchman (Michael Chioldi)
Michael returns to Artpark this season after his stellar 2024 performance in Puccini’s Greatest: A Gala Opera Concert. The American baritone has quickly gained the reputation as one of the most sought-after dramatic baritones of his generation having received acclaim from critics and audiences for his portrayals of the dramatic baritone roles of Verdi, Puccini, and Strauss. His many roles include the title roles in Der fliegende Holländer, Rigoletto, Nabucco, Macbeth, and Nixon in China; Rodrigo in Don Carlo, Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore, Germont in La Traviata, Gerard in Andrea Chenier, Scarpia in Tosca, and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. A frequent performer of American and English works, he premiered the role of Man in Anthony Brandt’s The Birth of Something in 2008, and has also appeared as John Proctor in The Crucible and John Sorel in The Consul.
Senta (Marjorie Owens)
A former member of the Sächsische Staatsoper in Dresden and a Grand Finals Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, soprano Marjorie Owens is receiving a great deal of acclaim as one of the most exciting dramatic sopranos to have recently come to the public’s attention.
This season Marjorie Owens joins the Theater Erfurt for a new role: Santuzza in a new production of Cavalleria Rusticana. Recently she made debuts with the Dallas Opera as the title role in Elektra, with the Pittsburgh Opera as Senta in Der fliegende Holländer and with the Washington Opera as the title role in Turandot. She also returned to the Canadian Opera Company in one of her signature roles, Senta in Der fliegende Holländer, a role she also sang for the Vancouver Opera.
In recent seasons, Ms. Owens made her Canadian Opera Company and role debuts as the title role in Turandot; she also made her Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra debut as Aida. Last season she also appeared in a concert with Pittsburgh Concert Opera.
Daland (Morris Robinson)
Morris Robinson is considered one the most interesting and sought-after basses performing today. Mr. Robinson regularly appears at the Metropolitan Opera where he debuted in a production of Fidelio and has since appeared as Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte (both in the original production and in the children’s English version), Ferrando in Il Trovatore, the King in Aida, and in roles in Nabucco, Tannhäuser, and the new productions of Les Troyens and Salome. He has also appeared at the San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Seattle Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Volksoper Wien, Opera Australia, and the Aix-en-Provence Festival. His many roles include the title role in Porgy and Bess, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Ramfis in Aida, Zaccaria in Nabucco, Sparafucile in Rigoletto, Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlos, Timur in Turandot, the Bonze in Madama Butterfly, Padre Guardiano in La Forza del Destino, Ferrando in Il Trovatore, Fasolt in Das Rheingold, Landgraf in Tannhäuser, Daland in Der fliegende Holländer, and King Marke in Tristan und Isolde. He also created the role of The Commander in the world premiere of Jeanine Tesori’s Grounded at the Washington National Opera
Erik (Robert Stahley)
Rising tenor Robert Stahley, described as “a prodigiously talented performer” (ReviewSTL), continues to thrill audiences with “his impassioned, soaring tenor” (Broadway World) and by breathing life to roles on stage, where “he tirelessly exudes gravitas and individuality” (Parterre). In the 2024/25 season he made his Metropolitan Opera debut as First Armored Man in Julie Taymor’s celebrated production of The Magic Flute and covered roles in Aida, Salome, and Die Frau ohne Schatten with the company.
Mary (Emily Skilling)
Mezzo-soprano Emily Skilling has been praised for her “dark amaretto-flavored voice” (Brooklyn Discovery) and her “eloquence” and “tonal beauty” (San Francisco Chronicle). She is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at Eastman School of Music (diploma expected May 2025), where she most recently appeared as the soloist in Edward Elgar’s The Music Makers with Eastman Philharmonia and performed the role of Madame de Croissy in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites with the Eastman Opera Theatre.
Emily’s professional opera credits include Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (Music in the Somerset Hills and The Sebastians), Countess Ceprano in Verdi’s Rigoletto (Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra), Dame Quickly in Verdi’s Falstaff (Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance), and Ulrica in Un ballo in maschera (Boheme Opera New Jersey), among others. She has performed as a soloist in major concert works such as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Chattanooga Symphony & Opera), Bach’s Mass in B Minor (American Bach Soloists Academy), Handel’s Messiah (Messiah University), and Mendelssohn’s Elijah (Berkeley Orchestra). Georgia State University’s recent recording of Duruflé’s Requiem features Emily as the soloist.
Steersman (Jason Garcia-Kakuk)
Jason Garcia-Kakuk is a tenor from Queenstown, MD and currently based in Rochester, NY. Recent credits include his position as a 2025 Studio Artist with Finger Lakes Opera, where he performed the role of Matteo Borsa and Duke of Mantua (cover) in Rigoletto (Verdi) and Colin in The Anonymous Lover (Joseph Bologne). Jason is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Voice Performance & Literature at the Eastman School of Music under the guidance of Anthony Dean Griffey. During Eastman Opera Theatre’s 2024-2025 season, Jason performed as H in H&G (Allen Shawn) and covered the role of Ruiz Alonso in Ainadamar (Golijov). Jason also appeared as a finalist in the 2025 Friends of Eastman Opera Competition and in the Jessie Kneisel Lieder Competition. Previous engagements include Triquet and Lensky (Cover) in Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky) and Mr. Angel in Mozart’s The Impresario with Opera Baltimore. In Spring 2023, Jason was invited to perform the role of Odoardo in Ariodante (Händel) with Curtis Opera Theatre. He is a 2022 graduate of Temple University where he received his B.M. in Voice Performance. Roles at Temple included Pellèas in Impressions de Pellèas (Debussy) and Don Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart).
Conductor of Opera at Artpark – Gil Rose
Often referred to as “a musician helping to shape the future of classical music”, Gil Rose is acknowledged for his “sense of style and sophistication” by Opera News, noted as “an amazingly versatile conductor” by The Boston Globe, and praised for conducting with “admiral
command” by The New York Times and has been called “one of the most adventurous conductors in the world” by KUSC Radio. Over the past two decades he has built
a reputation as one of the country’s most inventive and versatile conductors. His dynamic performances on both the symphonic and operatic stages as well as over 100 recordings have garnered international critical praise.
Additional 2025 events and programs at Artpark currently on sale include:
Wine & Wheels (multiple dates in June & July); The Driver Era (June 6); The String Cheese Incident (June 18); Gary Clark Jr. (June 24); Artcamps (three sessions in July); George Thorogood and The Destroyers & 38 Special (July 1); Todd Rundgren (July 3); Rick Springfield: I Want My 80’s Tour with John Waite, Wang Chung & Paul Young (July 5); Juanes (July 10); Artpark Fairy House Festival (July 12); Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue (July 17); Rainbow Kitten Surprise (July 29); Lucy Dacus (July 30); Blackberry Smoke and Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs (July 31); Slightly Stoopid (August 1); Chicago (August 8); Fitz and The Tantrums (August 12); Yacht Rock Revue (August 13); Toad The Wet Sprocket (August 15); Gregory Alan Isakov with Ocie Elliott (August 24); “Wicked Sing-Along” Movie Night (August 26);The Australian Pink Floyd: 50th Anniversary Wish You Were Here Tour (August 27); UB40 (8/29); Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood: Asking for Trouble Tour (August 30); Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas (September 21) and Vance Joy (September 26
Please visit artpark.net for additional events and information.