Posted: May 20, 2025 | Updated: May 22, 2025

Whether you’re a first timer or an in-the-know fan, this summer is a great season to dive into Opera Maine, which is celebrating its 30th season. Two marquee productions include Stephen Sondheim’s booming and bloody Sweeney Todd and the neo-baroque Paul’s Case, based on a haunting Willa Cather short story.

Leading up are concerts and lectures that invite everyone to experience the power of opera. Many events are free (as are show tickets for anyone under 21). “Opera is a gateway that invites young people to be a part of the world, through listening, language and storytelling,” said Caroline Koelker, Executive Director. “I’m passionate about giving back to the community that I grew up in and this is a beautiful job where we really fulfill our mission and touch a lot of lives across our state through our storytelling.” Opera Maine’s public-school program, Opera For All, now reaches more than 1,500 students a year, with priority programming going to schools where 70% of students qualify for free lunch.

Richard Gammon is the Studio Artist Program Director and will be directing the June show, Paul’s Case, with conductor Lance Inouye. Around 350 early career professionals applied for seven spots in this year’s Opera Maine Studio Artist Program, making it one of the most popular training programs in the country.

With music by Gregory Spears and libretto by Spears and Kathryn Walat, Paul’s Case follows a disaffected young man into New York City as he both pursues and flees his life’s possibilities. It’s romantic, it’s tragic, and the original short story is considered a significant work of Cather’s literature. Though the story was published in 1905, Gammon said that “in my work, I like to put people in jeans and leather jackets because I think that opera is very relevant.” He added that he also doesn’t want people to feel like they have to dress up to come to opera, “because the type of work that I do is like, church basement style. We can connect quite easily if the artifices come down.”

Sweeney Todd will be directed by Dona D. Vaughn, the company’s Artistic Director, with Israel Gursky conducting, his eighth show with Opera Maine. It hits Portland’s Merrill Auditorium July 24 and 27. Vaughn is based out of New York, and Opera Maine became an unexpected anchor for her after she agreed to help launch the first few seasons.

Over her career, Vaughn has worked with several legends of American theater, including Sondheim himself, who saw his dark comedy as an opera if an opera company performed it, and a musical if a theater company did it. Vaughn explains that the necessary vocal technique for opera is what gives the art form its famously microphone-free power, although performers will be mic’d up for this production, and for a surprising reason.

In 2024, Opera Maine staged “Aida” at Merrill Auditorium, its largest production in its 29 year history with over 200 people involved. This year, “Sweeney Todd” will take the big stage, as the first English-language show produced by the company

In 2024, Opera Maine staged “Aida” at Merrill Auditorium, its largest production in its 29 year history with over 200 people involved. This year, “Sweeney Todd” will take the big stage, as the first English-language show produced by the company Photo by Martha Mickles

Whether you’re a first timer or an in-the-know fan, this summer is a great season to dive into Opera Maine, which is celebrating its 30th season. Two marquee productions include Stephen Sondheim’s booming and bloody Sweeney Todd and the neo-baroque Paul’s Case, based on a haunting Willa Cather short story.

Leading up are concerts and lectures that invite everyone to experience the power of opera. Many events are free (as are show tickets for anyone under 21). “Opera is a gateway that invites young people to be a part of the world, through listening, language and storytelling,” said Caroline Koelker, Executive Director. “I’m passionate about giving back to the community that I grew up in and this is a beautiful job where we really fulfill our mission and touch a lot of lives across our state through our storytelling.” Opera Maine’s public-school program, Opera For All, now reaches more than 1,500 students a year, with priority programming going to schools where 70% of students qualify for free lunch.

Richard Gammon is the Studio Artist Program Director and will be directing the June show, Paul’s Case, with conductor Lance Inouye. Around 350 early career professionals applied for seven spots in this year’s Opera Maine Studio Artist Program, making it one of the most popular training programs in the country.

With music by Gregory Spears and libretto by Spears and Kathryn Walat, Paul’s Case follows a disaffected young man into New York City as he both pursues and flees his life’s possibilities. It’s romantic, it’s tragic, and the original short story is considered a significant work of Cather’s literature. Though the story was published in 1905, Gammon said that “in my work, I like to put people in jeans and leather jackets because I think that opera is very relevant.” He added that he also doesn’t want people to feel like they have to dress up to come to opera, “because the type of work that I do is like, church basement style. We can connect quite easily if the artifices come down.”

Sweeney Todd will be directed by Dona D. Vaughn, the company’s Artistic Director, with Israel Gursky conducting, his eighth show with Opera Maine. It hits Portland’s Merrill Auditorium July 24 and 27. Vaughn is based out of New York, and Opera Maine became an unexpected anchor for her after she agreed to help launch the first few seasons.

Bartione Michael Mayes will portray the title character in “Sweeney Todd.” Photo by Martha Mickles

Over her career, Vaughn has worked with several legends of American theater, including Sondheim himself, who saw his dark comedy as an opera if an opera company performed it, and a musical if a theater company did it. Vaughn explains that the necessary vocal technique for opera is what gives the art form its famously microphone-free power, although performers will be mic’d up for this production, and for a surprising reason.

“Merrill is my favorite theater to direct opera because you can hear a pin drop there. I often have the singers turn upstage, which is rarely done in other opera houses,” Vaughn said. This production is in English, and because Sondheim has a delicious way with words, Opera Maine will still have projected supertitles to be certain that no one misses a beat.

For anyone new to the scene, Vaughn wants everyone in Maine to be proud of their opera company.

“Opera is for passionate people,” said Vaughn. “It’s for people who are moved by music. It’s been a wonderful thing to invite people into an art form that is surprisingly open and affirming and welcoming.”