Our People
Our People
The Artists who create original new productions, together with a Board of Directors, Administrative team and Production personnel, all contribute to the calibre of our art making. We work passionately and professionally to both serve and advance the art form.
Pacific Opera is governed by a committed board of directors who advance the company’s mission through budget approval, oversight, and risk management; work on board committees and task forces; support for fundraising and donor stewardship; and ambassadorship and advocacy efforts to promote the arts, develop community collaborations, and welcome patrons and the wider community into the world of opera.
- Evan Hazell, President
- Jacques Lemay, Vice President
- René Peloquin, Secretary
- Sara Hradecky
- Kristine Kosolofski
- Margot McLaren Moore
- Gary Moser
- Paul Plater
- Heather Raven
- Karan Riarh
- Sheridan Scott
- Michael Warren
- Fiona Wilson
- Grace Wong Sneddon
- Philip Steenkamp
- Isaac Thomas
- Reeta Tremblay
Honorary Director status is granted to individuals who made extraordinary contributions to the Pacific Opera Victoria Society during their lifetime.
The Pacific Opera Victoria Foundation is a registered charitable society that exists to support Pacific Opera Victoria. The Foundation accepts current and planned gifts through bequests and estate giving or other types of future gifts to provide ongoing support for the programs and activities of POV and to develop endowment funds, reserve funds and other financial assets.
Foundation Trustees
- Aylin Akyol, Events & Sponsorship Manager
- Jayden Beaudoin, Box Office Assistant
- Rose Cory, Box Office & Patron Services Coordinator
- Sandy Grayson, Box Office Assistant
- Nicole Hannah, Venue & Events Coordinator
- Ereca Hassell, Chief Operating Officer
- Chelsea Kutyn, Senior Development Officer
- Nicole Malcolm, Director of Marketing and Communications
- Abi Omotoso, Executive Associate
- P. “Arcade” Pallot, Communications Coordinator
- Christina Patterson, Box Office Manager
- Sameer Shah, Director of Finance
- Tatiana Sytcheva, Senior Finance Officer
- Darlyn Villaflor, Development Officer
- Michael Slemon, Technical Director
- Mark Leigh, Associate Technical Director
- Monica Arthurs, Head Scenic Carpenter
- Patric Sullivan, Lead Scenic Carpenter
- Jennifer Hedge, Head Scenic Artist
- Isabelle Barlow, Lead Scenic Artist
- Kristen Sands, Head Properties
- Karina Kalvaitis, Lead Properties
- Sandra McLellan, Head Wardrobe
- Katharine Lemmon, Lead Wardrobe
- Jennifer Risk, Senior Cutter
- Jessica Pratt, Head Make-up Artist
- Cristina Woods, Head Hair and Wigs
The Victoria Symphony are key musical partners for Pacific Opera Victoria productions.
Victoria Symphony
Christian Kluxen, Music Director
Matthew White, CEO
Musicians of the VS
Violins
- Terence Tam, Concertmaster
- Kimberly Durflinger, Principal 2nd Violin
- Cory Balzer
- Müge Büyükçelen
- Michele Kwon
- Jeremy Potts
- Emily Salmon
- Julian Vitek
Violas
- Kenji Fusé, Principal
- Kay Cochran
- Mieka Michaux
- Jessica Pickersgill
Cello
- Brian Yoon, Principal
- Hannah Craig
- Joyce Ellwood
- Vinci Chen
Basses
- Malcolm Armstrong, Principal
- Darren Buhr
- Alex Olson
Flutes
- Arin Sarkissian, Principal
- Holly Venkitaswaran
Oboes
- Michelle Feng, Principal
- Russell Bajer
English Horn
- Russell Bajer
Clarinets
- David Boutin-Bourque, Principal
- Jennifer Christensen
Bassoons
- Jennifer Gunter, Principal
- Anne Marie Power
Horns
- Alana Despins, Principal
- Mike Oswald
- Sam McNally
- Dan Moses
Trumpets
- Ryan Cole, Principal
- David Michaux
Trombone
- Graham Middleton, Principal
- Riccardo Nazario del Castello
Bass Trombone
- Robert Fraser
Tuba
- Jay Uschold, Acting Principal
Timpani
- Jonas Koh, Principal
Percussion
- Jacob Valcheff, Principal
Harp
- Annabelle Stanley, Principal
Piano/Celeste
- Kimberley-Ann Bartczak
Orchestra Manager
- Eric Gallipo
Operations Manager
- Mark Sutherland
Librarians
- Misako Sotozaki, Principal Librarian
The orchestra under Timothy Vernon was superb – led with great finesse that never overshadowed the voices, and full of lovely touches, like a sopranino recorder solo as a bird, and a blistering harpsichord solo that brought the house down.
Melissa Ratcliff, Schmopera, review of Rinaldo, 2018
Never before had I realized how beautiful so much of the music is: to a degree the consequence of the transparency of the smaller orchestra and, of course, the musicianship of Maestro Vernon and his players…
The strength of the orchestra made itself apparent immediately with the magical opening to the opera, that long E flat pedal presenting primordial beginnings, with rising horn arpeggios joining in—the rise of life from the void—then the sinuous strings representing the river Rhine, the opera’s Eden. It was thrilling to watch at the same time the world take form above the stage from a pinpoint of light to the round globe itself. Despite the lack of full Wagnerian weight, the sequence had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.
Harvey De Roo, Vancouver Classical Music, review of Das Rheingold, 2014
The Pacific Opera Chorus comprises adults of all ages and includes community singers, aspiring professionals, and vocal students at the Victoria Conservatory of Music and the University of Victoria.
Over the last decade, with the support of a generous anonymous grant, Pacific Opera has offered a growing range of development opportunities for the Chorus. These include workshops on dance, movement, stage combat, and more, master classes by visiting artists, and other programs designed for members of the Chorus, as well as for other students of voice, and for practising artists working in the fields of music, theatre, stage design and direction.
Auditions for the Pacific Opera Chorus are held each year. Please check our Careers and Auditions page for future audition postings.
Soprano
- Madison Blackman
- Samantha Fullerton
- Chelsea Kutyn
- Nadia Lurie
- Cheryl Pocklington
Alto
- Margo Brody
- Heather Byford
- Rebekah Janzen
- Carol Pudwell
- Talietha Sangha
Tenor
- Tim Carter
- Graeme Linton
- Carter Martin
- Justin Swanson
- Steve Wadams
Baritone/Bass
- Steve Barker
- Naomi-Mitchell Bauer
- Louis Dillon
- Allen Reynolds
- Gerald Schieven
The Pacific Opera Chorus, too, shone bright. They looked fabulous in their roaring twenties flapper dresses and elegant suits, and sounded just as good.
Robin Miller, Opera Canada, review of La traviata, 2019
With acting skills matched by their formidable vocal performance, the Chorus conveyed the pathos of the prisoners’ lot movingly.
- Shelby Hewitt
- Jeremy Roszmann
- Allison Ward
Under the Distinguished Patronage of
Her Honour
The Honourable Wendy Cocchia, C.M., O.B.C., LL.D. (Hon)
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia