Conservatory of Music

 The opera program at Baldwin Wallace includes a fall operettta production, a full mainstage opera production each spring as well as scenes programs staged as part of the opera workshop classes each semester.  Benjamin Wayne Smith was appointed Director of the opera program in the fall of 2010.  Operas have been directed by guest artists from throughout the United States including Gary Briggle, Rebecca Fischer, Michael McConnell, Dean Southern and Ben Spierman. Guest music directors / conductors are also often invited to participate in the mainstage productions; recent guest music directors / conductors have included Constantine Kitsopoulos, Lucy Arner and JoAnn Kulesza.  The opera workshop scenes programs are shared on-campus and often tour to local elementary, middle and high schools.  Students of all majors are invited and encouraged to participate in BW's opera productions.  Opera productions are produced by Assistant Director of the Conservatory for External Affairs Bryan Bowser.  In 2011, the Baldwin Wallace University Opera Program, Music Theatre Program and Department of Theatre and Dance collaboratively presented the first-ever, in-repertory productions of La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini and Rent by Jonathan Larson.  Both productions were directed by Victoria Bussert; guest conductor for Boheme was Constantine Kitsopoulos who recently conducted the Baz Lurhmann production of La Boheme on Broadway.  The fall 2011 production of the Mikado was well received and the program is preparing for a February mainstage production of Mozart's Don Giovanni.  The production will be directed by BW opera program director Benjamin Wayne Smith with guest conductor and music director Dean Williamson.