ROMÉO ET JULIETTE
COMPOSED BY: CHARLES GOUNOD
LIBRETTO BY: JULES BARBIER, MICHEL CARRÉ
Experience the timeless passion of Shakespeare’s most popular love story through the beautiful music of Charles Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. With soaring melodies and heart-stopping drama, Opera Maine’s 2026 production of this renowned classic will celebrate the power of young love and the price of destiny.
Join us for Roméo et Juliette on Thursday, July 23 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, July 26, at 2:30 PM in Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St, Portland, ME 04101.
Pre-performance talk with dramaturg Calien Lewis one hour before curtain (included in the price of tickets).
JULY 23 & JULY 26
$35 – $175 | Free for 21 and under
Sung in FRENCH
with PROJECTED ENGLISH TRANSLATION
ESTIMATED RUNTIME:
2 HRS 50 MIN
1 INTERMISSION
Israel Gursky, Conductor
Conductor Israel Gursky has been making a name for himself both in Europe and in the US. Currently a full-time assistant conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, he has made his professional conducting debut in 2007, leading critically-acclaimed performances of Don Giovanni at the Washington National Opera. Since then, he has guest-conducted with Los Angeles Opera (Le Nozze di Figaro, The Fly), Teatro de Bellas Artes and the Cervantino Festival (Catán’s Il Postino), Wolf Trap Opera (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Opera Maine (La Bohème, Hänsel und Gretel, Roméo et Juliette), Opera Birmingham (Faust, Madama Butterfly, Die Zauberflöte), Manhattan School of Music (Così fan tutte), University of Michigan (Albert Herring), Yale School of Music (Die Zauberflöte) and returned to the Washington National Opera for performances of Tosca, Don Pasquale, Falstaff and Così fan tutte.
Between 2014 and 2017 he was Kapellmeister of Theater Regensburg in Germany, where he has conducted over 120 performances of operas including Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly, Martha, Hans Heiling, Cosi fan tutte, Iphigénie en Tauride and Die Zauberflöte among many others.
Between 2017 and 2019 he has been Kapellmeister and Studienleiter (Head of Music Staff) of Theater Bremen where he conducted performances of Un ballo in maschera, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, L’étoile, Lucia di Lammermoor, Hänsel und Gretel and Die Zauberflöte, in addition to concerts.
A frequent collaborator with Plácido Domingo, he has since 2009 conducted many of Mr. Domingo’s concerts throughout the world. Since 2003 he has worked closely with the Operalia Competition as cover-conductor, official accompanist and pre-selection judge.
Maestro Gursky began his association as principal conductor of NYC’s Teatro Grattacielo in 2012 with Montemezzi’s La Nave, followed by Alfano’s Sakùntala, Giordano’s Siberia and Fedora, Gnecchi’s Cassandra, Zandonai’s Il grillo del focolare, Cilea’s Gloria and the 20th and 25th Anniversary galas of the company.
Since 2019, Israel Gursky is on the music staff of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he has also coached members of the Lindemann Young Artists Development Program. He has been on the coaching faculty of the Salzburg Festival’s prestigious Young Singers Program since 2017.
Born in Tel-Aviv, He is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music, Stony Brook University and the Rubin Academy of Music, and has trained at the Tanglewood Music Center, Merola Opera Program and the Verbier Festival. He has studied conducting with Otto-Werner Müller, Kenneth Kiesler and David Gilbert, piano with Arie Vardi and Gilbert Kalish, and accompanying with Thomas Muraco and Dalton Baldwin.
CONDUCTOR
Israel Gursky
Dona D. Vaughn, Director
Dona D. Vaughn is Artistic Director of Opera Maine. From 1998 to 2010, she was Stage Director/Acting Coach for The Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. From 2008 – 2020 she served as Artistic Director of Opera Programs at Manhattan School of Music. She began her career as a performer in the original Broadway productions of Company, Jesus Christ Superstar and Seesaw. She was Assistant to Producer Kermit Bloomgarden for the Broadway productions of Equus and Hot l Baltimore, and Associate Producer for Pavel Kohout’s Poor Murderer, as well as ABC’s daytime drama All My Children. Directing credits include New York City Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Wolf Trap Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Opera Birmingham, Lincoln Center Playwrights’ Festival, Kennedy Center, and DiVivreVoix (Vivonne, France). Among the operas she has directed at Manhattan School of Music are Susa’s The Dangerous Liaisons, Transformations, Bloch’s Macbeth, The Mother of Us All, Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny, Summer and Smoke, Così fan tutte, Le nozze di Figaro, Die Fledermaus, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Formerly a member of the voice faculty at SUNY Plattsburgh and Marymount Manhattan College, Ms. Vaughn often conducts master classes across the U.S., Europe and China, and serves as an adjudicator for vocal competitions, including The Metropolitan Opera National Council, The Richard Tucker Foundation, Denver Lyric Opera, The Jenson Foundation, The Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Artist in Training Program, and Premio Spiros Argiris International Competition (Italy). A graduate of Brevard College, where she currently serves on the board of trustees, she earned a B.A. in vocal performance from Wesleyan, and has received that institution’s Outstanding Alumni Award. She holds an M.A. in theater directing from Hunter College, and an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the University of Southern Maine. She studied acting with Lee Strasberg and Uta Hagen, and dance with Martha Graham. Ms. Vaughn has written for Opera News and Italy’s Musical!
DIRECTOR
Dona D. Vaughn
CAST
THE CAPULETS
Denis Velez, soprano
The Third Coast Review has praised Soprano Denis Vélez ́ “otherworldly” voice, and her
“breakout performance” with “the poise and confidence to match her silky soprano” in her 2025
Chicago Opera debut in Salieri ́s Falstaff .
This 2026 Denis Vélez makes her rol and company debut as -Juliette in Gounod ́s Roméo et
Juliette with Opera Maine.
Her 2024-2025 season included performances with the Orquesta Filarmónica de Chihuahua, the
Orquesta Sinfónica de Mineria, the Orquesta Camerata Metropolitana and she was featured
with the Joffrey Ballet as the singer soloist in the ballet Broken Wings by Annabelle Ochoa.
She made her mainstage debut with Opera de Bellas Artes as Rosalba from Florencia en el
Amazonas. Denis sang Zerlina in Don Giovanni at Wolftrap Opera, covered La Catrina in El
Último sueño de Frida y Diego at the premier of San Francisco Opera with Roberto Kalb
conducting and Papagena in The Magic Flute at Des Moines Opera.
While at the Lyric Opera of Chicago ́s prestigious Ryan Opera Center, she sang Frasquita
(covering Micaela), Sandmad and Dew Fary (covering Gretel) at Hänsel und Gretel with Sr.
Andrew Davis conducting and the stage director Eric Einhorn, the pants role of Thibault in Don
Carlos, Alice (Covered) at Le Comte Ory, Papagena (covering) First Lady in The Magic Flute with
conductor Karen Kamensek at the Kosky ́s production directed by Tobias Ribitzki, Rosalba
(Covered) in Florencia en el Amazonas and Gianetta in L ́elisir d ́amore with Enrique Mazola
conducting and Daniel Slater as Stage Director.
Soprano Vélez is a Classical Voice Fellow of the LuminArts Foundation. She made history by
becoming the first Méxican opera singer to win The Metropolitan ́s Laffont Competition in
New York; and She earned First Prize Winner, Special Price of the French Repertoire and Special
Price Francisco Araiza at Carlo Morelli competition in México.
JULIETTE
Denis Velez
Christopher Job, bass-baritone
Praised for his “commanding sonority,” Bass-Baritone Christopher Job is a “rising star on the American opera scene.” A house favorite at The Metropolitan Opera, he has appeared in numerous productions such as Tosca, Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, Don Carlos, Der Rosenkavalier, Medea, Roberto Devereux, Werther, Macbeth, Un ballo in maschera, La Forza del Destino, Roméo et Juliette, La Rondine, The Magic Flute, Dead Man Walking, and The Nose; among others.
Job recently continued his tenure at The Met, opening their 2024-2025 season with Grounded, followed by Tosca, Rigoletto, The Magic Flute, Die Zauberflöte, Fidelio, Le nozze di Figaro, Salome, and The Queen of Spades. On the concert stage, Mr. Job returned to Carnegie Hall to sing Handel’s Messiah and Freihold in Strauss’ Guntram. This season, he returns to The Metropolitan Opera to sing Fouquier-Tinville in Andrea Chénier, Marquis d’Obigny in La traviata, and First Priest in The Magic Flute.
COUNT CAPULET
Christopher Job
Maxwell Levy, tenor
Maxwell Levy, tenor, is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, London’s Royal Academy Opera course and M.A. in Musical Theatre course, and previously studied in the M.A. in Vocal Arts course at The Juilliard School under the esteemed, late Marlena Malas.
Previous performance highlights include Hermann in The Queen of Spades at The Glimmerglass Festival, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte with Royal Academy Opera, Emmanuel in the European premier of Blitzstein’s No For an Answer Off-West End at The Arcola Theatre and the Opera Box Ghost in Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles at the Opéra Royal du Château de Versailles. For his performances as Hermann, Opera Today wrote, “Mr. Levy is that rare, somewhat dark voiced tenor who not only has the stentorian delivery needed to fill any hall, but also the ability to scale it back with gorgeous results, as he imbues his vocalization with immense heart and feeling…I can predict you will hear much, much, more of tenor Maxwell Levy…I think the response is: More, please.”
Maxwell holds his undergraduate B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in Politics, Philosophy and Economics and is currently the Assistant Manager of Payroll at The Metropolitan Opera. He continues freelance performing on operatic, musical theater and concert stages around the world.
TYBALT
Maxwell Levy
Michelle Blauman, mezzo-soprano
Described as possessing a “…sultry mezzo tone…” (Opera News), American mezzo-soprano
Michelle Blauman is gaining recognition as a versatile and compelling performer. Recent highlights include Jezibaba (Rusalka) with New Jersey Opera Theatre and the title role in Carmen with Opera Palisades.
A frequent Principal Artist with New York Opera Forum, she has appeared as Dalila (Samson et
Dalila), Waltraute (Götterdämmerung), Principessa (Adriana Lecouvreur), and Ulrica (Un ballo in maschera). With Opera Steamboat, she performed Marjorie Perry in the world premiere of
Welcome to the Madness (Leanna Kirchoff) and Zita (Gianni Schicchi).
Ms. Blauman was a Studio Artist with Sarasota Opera, where she appeared as Giovanna (Rigoletto) and covered multiple roles. She holds a Master of Music from Manhattan School of Music and a degree from Pacific Lutheran University, and is based in New York City.
GERTRUDE
Michelle Blauman
Ricardo Lugo, bass
Praised for his “resonant, full-voiced basso,” Puerto Rican bass Ricardo Lugo is a versatile international artist in demand on the operatic and concert scene. Having made his Metropolitan Opera début as Un Barnabotto in La Gioconda, Mr. Lugo has since been involved in multiple productions with the company including The Nose, Pelléas et Mélisande, Otello, Tannhäuser, Tosca, Turandot, Manon Lescaut, Madama Butterfly, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Ariadne auf Naxos, Khovanshchina, Billy Budd, La fanciulla del West, Adriana Lecouvreur, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, The Gambler, Die Zauberflöte and Salome.
In the 2025-26 season, Mr. Lugo makes exciting returns to Virginia Opera as Ramphis in Aida and North Carolina Opera as Ferrando in Il trovatore. Last season, he reprised his Captain in Florencia en el Amazonas with North Carolina Opera, and he returned to Virginia Opera as the Commendatore in Don Giovanni and to the Metropolitan Opera for their production of Salome.
Mr. Lugo currently serves on the voice faculty at the New England Conservatory.
FRÈRE LAURENT
Ricardo Lugo
Tyler Putnam, bass-baritone
Possessing a voice described as “robust and resonant” by TheatreMania and deemed a “standout” by Opera Magazine, bass-baritone Tyler Putnam is in demand in a variety of repertoire. In the 2025-2026 season, Tyler makes his role debut as Escamillo in Carmen with Gulfshore Opera and returns to St Petersburg Opera as Achilla in Handel’s Giulio Cesare. Recent performances include Oroveso in Norma with Opera på Skäret in Sweden, Vodnik in Rusalka with Gulfshore Opera, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte with Opera Ithaca and Cura Viejo in the world premiere of Behold the Man with Opera Las Vegas. An apprentice at The Santa Fe Opera for two seasons, Tyler debuted the role of Kobun in a workshop performance of Mark Campbell and Mason Bates’ The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs and originated the role of Thomas in the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain. Originally from Chebeague Island, Maine, Tyler Putnam is a graduate of Dartmouth College.
THE DUKE
Tyler Putnam
THE MONTAGUES
Kameron Lopreore, tenor
Kameron Lopreore is a distinguished lyric tenor hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana. Recently celebrated for his “powerful ringing top and baritenor weight,” he has made significant strides in the operatic world.
The 2025-2026 season brings an exciting house and role debut with Florida Grand Opera as Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin Puts and Mark Campell’s Silent Night, as well as his South American debut with the Municipal de Santiago (Chile) as Rodolfo in La bohème. In concert, he bows as a soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Knoxville Symphony, and in Carmina Burana with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. He also travels to Mexico for a studio recording of Salome with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Minaria, singing the Fourth Jew. Future seasons include a return to The Atlanta Opera in a leading role.
The 2024-2025 season featured debuts with Austin Opera as B.F. Pinkerton in a performance of Madama Butterfly; The Prince in Rusalka with Pacific Northwest Opera, and Prince Claus in Adamo’s Becoming Santa Claus at Opera Louisiane. Elsewhere, he performed Rodolfo in La bohème with The Atlanta Opera as well as the Charleston Opera Theater. In concert, Kameron appeared as the tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. During the summer of 2025, he returned to Santa Fe Opera covering Rodolfo in La bohème and Duca di Mantua in Rigoletto, and received the company’s Award of Excellence.
In prior seasons with The Atlanta Opera, Kameron portrayed multiple roles, notably performing the role of Rodolfo in The Atlanta Opera’s immersive Bohème Project, across nine performances. Highlights include performances of Bill Watson and Lloyd the Bartender in Moravec’s, The Shining; the tenor soloist in Shapiro’s Frankenstein: The Movie Score; Mattea Borsa in Verdi’s Rigoletto; and Lysander in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Also at The Atlanta Opera, he covered the role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and Froh in Tomer Zvulun’s production of Wagner’s Das Rheingold. His talent was further honed during his participation in the prestigious Santa Fe Opera’s young artist program during the 2021-2022 season.
Kameron has also made multiple appearances at The Glimmerglass Festival, as Tamino in The Magic Flute, Léon in The Ghost of Versailles, Gastone in La traviata, and Panatellas in the World Premiere of a new adaptation of Offenbach’s Songbird. A career highlight was traveling with The Glimmerglass Festival to perform the role of the Marquis in the co-production of Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles with the Château de Versailles Spectacles in Versailles, France. In addition to his performances on stage, Kameron is an avid competitor in The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, leaving as a District Winner in both 2019 and 2020.
In previous seasons, he has performed with Pensacola Opera, taking on roles such as Le Remendado in Bizet’s Carmen and Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. A regular performer with New Orleans Opera, Kameron bowed as Raimond in The Maid of Orleans; Don Curzio in Le nozze di Figaro; and Blind Man 1 in the Regional Premiere of The Blind. Familiar to Shreveport Opera, Kameron sang the roles of Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte; Tamino in The Magic Flute. With the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, he has performed major works including Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Christmas and Easter Oratorios, and Rossini’s Stabat Mater.
His versatility extends to television, where he portrayed the Woeful Tenor in AMC’s hit series Interview with the Vampire.
ROMÉO
Kameron Lopreore
Laureano Quant, baritone
Laureano Quant is lauded for a voice that is “robust and full of swagger” (San Francisco Chronicle). In the 2025-26 season, he returns to Madison Opera (Guglielmo in Così fan tutte) and Chicago Opera Theater (Slender in Salieri’s Falstaff and joins Opera Maine (Mercutio in Romeo et Juliette), Dallas Opera (Zuniga in Carmen), and Opera Edwardsville for a concert of opera favorites. Recent engagements include Bill in Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Staatsoper Stuttgart), El Payador in Maria de Buenos Aires (Madison Opera), Escamillo in Carmen and Schaunard in La bohème (Wolf Trap Opera), Dancaïre in Carmen and Comte de Lerma in Don Carlos (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Betto in Gianni Schicchi (Ópera de Colombia), Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Captain and Prince Ragonsky in Candide (Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotà). Concert performances include Handel’s Messiah (Apollo Orchestra of Chicago) and Fauré’s Requiem and Bacalov’s Missa Tango Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotà).
MERCUTIO
Laureano Quant
Get a Taste of Roméo et Juliette
Familiarize yourself with the music of Charles Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette ahead of our upcoming performances.
“Ah! Je veux vivre” – Metropolitan Opera, 2024
Performed by Nadine Sierra
Listen on Spotify:
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