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.
- Margot McLaren Moore, President
- Evan Hazell, Vice-President
- Carey Newman, Vice-President
- Lydia Wingate, Vice-President
- Andrew Jackson, Treasurer
- Chanah Caplan, Secretary
- Grania Litwin, Past President
- Robert G. Milne, Past President
- Bernard Beck
- Elaine Calder
- Mary Collins
- Heather Fisher
- Sean Guist
- Diane Kettner
- Kristine Kosolofski
- Jacques Lemay
- Jane Logan
- Joan McNeely
- Jean McRae
- Gary Moser
- René Peloquin
- Heather Raven
- Deborah Wolstenholme
- Grace Wong Sneddon
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
- Marilyn Walker, Director of Finance
- Daina Rozitis, Director of Finance (Incoming)
- Yvette Guigueno, Director of Development
- Nicole Malcolm, Director of Marketing and Communications
- Christina Patterson, Box Office Manager
- Amy Cope, Development Officer
- Mackenzie Lawrence, Communications Coordinator
- Abi Omotoso, Executive Associate
- Moira Greenway, Box Office & Development Assistant
- Nicole Hannah, Venue & Events Coordinator
- Aylin Akyol, Events & Sponsorship Coordinator
- Ereca Hassell, Director of Production and Artistic Administration
- Rebecca Hass, Director of Engagement Programs and Partnerships
- Robert Holliston, Curator, Public Engagement
- Giuseppe Pietraroia, Chorus Master and Associate Conductor
- Kimberley-Ann Bartczak, Principal Coach and Accompanist
- Christopher Sibbald, Production and Artistic Coordinator
- Teresa Turgeon, Opera Titles
- Michael Slemon, Technical Director
- Phil Shaver, Head Carpenter
- Keith Allan, Lead Scenic Carpenter
- Jennifer Hedge, Head Scenic Artist
- Amy Frueh, Lead Scenic Artist
- Kristen Sands, Head of Properties
- Karina Kalvaitis, Lead Property Master
- Sandra McLellan, Head of Wardrobe
- Alice Hawes, Lead Wardrobe
- Pauline Stynes, Senior Cutter
- Jessica Pratt, Head Make-up Artist
- Cristina Woods, Hair and Wig Stylist
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
- Christi Meyers, Assistant Concertmaster
- Tori Gould, Principal Second Violin
- Cory Balzer
- Müge Büyükçelen-Badel
- Michele Kwon
- Phillip Manning
- Emily Salmon
- Julian Vitek
- Tyson Doknjas
Violas
- Kenji Fusé, Principal
- Stacey Boal
- Mieka Michaux
- Christine Prince
Celli
- Brian Yoon, Principal
- Hannah Craig
- Perry Foster
Basses
- Mary Rannie, Principal
- Darren Buhr
Flutes
- Arin Sarkissian, Principal
- Alberta Brown
Oboes
- Anna Betuzzi, Principal
- Russell Bajer
Clarinets
- David Boutin-Bourque, Principal
- Jennifer Christensen
Bassoons
- Jennifer Gunter, Principal
- Anne Power
Horns
- Alana Despins, Principal
- Michael Oswald
- Sam McNally
- Dan Moses
Enlgish Horn
- Russel Bajer
Trumpets
- Ryan Cole, Principal
- David Michaux
Trombone
- Brad Howland, Principal
- Marcus Hissen
Bass Trombone
- Robert Fraser
Timpani
- Aaron Mattock, Acting Principal
Percussion
- Karl Williams, Principal
- Rob Pearce
Harp
- Annabelle Stanley, Principal
Orchestra Manager
- Eric Gallipo
Operations Manager
- Liz King
Librarians
- Christopher Reiche Boucher
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
- Anna Bigland-Pritchard
- Grace Budoloski
- Abby Corpus
- Sihana Dorfsman
- Chelsea Kutyn
- Nadia Lurie
- Cheryl Pocklington
- Isolde Roberts-Welby
- Annalysa Tylor
- Alison Ward
- Grace Vermette
Alto
- Sahara Adamitz
- Margo Brody
- Heather Byford
- Amanda Chaval
- Christina Kent
- Rebekah Janzen
- Carol Pudwell
- Cassidy Stahr
Tenor
- Clayton Butler
- Tim Carter
- Alex Chen
- Stephen Cropper
- Joseph Garcia
- Brian Holgate
- Kyle McStravick
- Steve Wadhams
Bar/Bass
- Brian Andiel
- Louis Dillon
- Dale Friesen
- Jason Fisher
- David Gardiner
- Chris Hinz
- Kurt Krebs
- Jordan Rettich
- Gerald Schieven
- Ron Skelton
- William Wang
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.
Her Honour
The Honourable Janet Austin, OBC
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia