When:
Wednesday May 7 @ 5:30
Rsvp: Email events@florentineopera.org to rsvp and for any questions about the event.
Celebrated worldwide, Carmen remains an unmissable opera that inspired a legend. Join us for an opportunity to hear from our stage director, conductor, and lead mezzo soprano about this production of love, obsession, and fate!
About Versed
We build operas over the course of a few years! In that time, dozens of creatives work on costuming, lighting effects, historical juxtapositions and casting. For each mainstage production, we offer a Versed experience for the Milwaukee community (and beyond). Come to hear about the work's history, stay to experience a musical demonstration featuring a lead artist and conductor!
Our Versed series takes place as an intimate gathering in our very own Lueders Opera Center in the Riverwest neighborhood. These are FREE and open to the public.
Please RSVP at events@florentineopera.org
Featuring
Francesco Milioto
Conductor
Francesco Milioto continues to establish himself in opera houses as an incredibly gifted "singer’s" conductor. His interpretation of each score is fueled by a philosophy of collaboration in service of the overall experience for artists, creators, and audience.
Maestro Milioto currently serves as Music Director of OPERA San Antonio, Music Director Designate to The Florentine Opera, and Music Director of Holy City Arts and Lyric Opera. Highlights of Mr. Milioto's most recent acclaimed performances, outside of his home companies, include at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Atlanta Opera, Arizona Opera and Tulsa Opera. He is a member of the music staff at the world-renowned Lyric Opera of Chicago and The Santa Fe Opera.
Mr. Milioto began the season leading a successful production of Romeo and Juliet at The Florentine Opera, before heading to San Antonio to conduct their performances of Pagliacci. He then made his debut with Ballet San Antonio conducting several performances of The Nutcracker in collaboration with the Classical Music Institute Orchestra. The new year began with a recital in Charleston for HALO, followed quickly by a last-minute substitution with Tulsa Opera for their gala performance of Verdi's Aida. Mr. Milioto will end the season with a return to San Antonio to lead OSA’s production of Romeo and Juliet.
This season also included his work on productions of Ernani and Hansel and Gretel at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Maestro Milioto is an avid coach and much sought after master teacher. In addition to his work with young artists at OPERA San Antonio and The Florentine Opera he recently gave masterclasses for the Detroit Opera Studio and Mexico Opera Studio in Monterrey, Mexico.
As a Music director and guest conductor Mr. Milioto has thrived in Chicago and beyond. Over his many years in Chicago, he claimed the title of Music Director to the New Millennium Orchestra, the Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Highland Park Strings, Access Contemporary Music and the Chicago Cultural Center Summer Opera. As a guest conductor he has amassed several critically acclaimed productions with Chicago Opera theater and has collaborated with many professional local orchestras. His work with the New Millennium Orchestra and Chicago Opera theater were each named to the Chicago Sun-Times list of the “10 best performances of the year.” Mr. Milioto is particularly proud of his work with the New Millennium Orchestra of Chicago, which he co-founded in 2005. The NMO had an incredible range of repertoire, playing everything from classical music and opera, to collaborations with jazz and hip-hop artists. His highly acclaimed work over ten seasons with both the Highland Park Strings and Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra ranged from early music to contemporary works and often featured world-renowned soloists. As Artistic Director/Conductor of Access Contemporary Music, Mr. Milioto led the brilliantly vibrant ensemble Palomar which has been featured on the radio and in performances throughout the city and abroad. He has also conducted successful productions with The Atlanta Opera, Arizona Opera, Tulsa Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Southwest, Elgin Opera, and Opera on the James.
Kyle Lang
Director
Kyle’s directing credits include Suor Angelica/Gianni Schcchi (San Diego Opera), The Pirates of Penzance (Virginia Opera), Becoming Santa Clause (Chicago Opera Theater), The Pirates of Penzance (Utah Opera), Le Nozze di Figaro (Virginia Opera), Die Zauberflöte (Dallas Opera), Carmen (San Diego Opera), L'elisir d'amore (Virginia Opera), Die Fledermaus (Utah Opera), Lucia di Lammermoor (Virginia Opera), The Pirates of Penzance (Intermountain Opera Bozeman), Mame (Seagle Music Colony), As One (San Diego Opera), The Pirates of Penzance (Associate - San Diego Opera), The Bear (Wexford Festival Opera), La bohème (Virginia Opera), Die Zauberflöte (Seagle Music Colony), Don Quixote and the Duchess (Central City Opera), L’enfant et les sortilège and Gianni Schicchi (Simpson College), Dead Man Walking (Opera Fayetteville), Apprentice Showcase (Santa Fe Opera), The Face on the Barroom Floor (Tulsa Opera), and Short Works (Central City Opera).
His choreographic credits include Ariadne auf Naxos (Santa Fe Opera), My Fair Lady (Teatro San Carlo), My Fair Lady (Teatro Massimo), Die Fledermaus (Utah Opera), Vanessa (Wexford Festival Opera), Turandot (Virginia Opera), The Merry Widow (Boston Lyric Opera), The Merry Widow (Utah Opera), La Traviata (Fort Worth Opera), Jenůfa (Des Moines Metro Opera), The Last Savage (Indiana University), Sweeney Todd (Virginia Opera), La Traviata (Des Moines Metro Opera), Ariadne auf Naxos (Virginia Opera), Carmen (Opera Omaha), Falstaff (Virginia Opera), Le Nozze di Figaro (Virginia Opera), Die Fledermaus (Opera Memphis), and La Traviata (Lyric Opera Baltimore).
Kyle has assistant directed for Santa Fe Opera, San Diego Opera, Virginia Opera, Utah Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Central City Opera, Opera Omaha, Tulsa Opera, Opera Memphis, and Indiana University.
His performing credits as a professional dancer include ZviDance, The Metropolitan Opera, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Washington National Opera, The Santa Fe Opera, and with Christopher K. Morgan, performing in countries across Europe, South America, and the Middle East. He pursued music studies at the University of Southern Mississippi before earning a BFA in dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. His home is currently on Maui, HI.
Lisa Marie Rogali
Soprano
Award-winning American mezzo-soprano Lisa Marie Rogali has been praised for her “warm, nuanced voice” and “spontaneity” on the stage. Ms. Rogali's powerful stage presence and vocal versatility showcase her as an artist who excels across a variety of genres, including opera, musical theatre, and concert music.
In the 2024-25 season, Ms. Rogali will make her debut as the title role of Carmen with both Virginia Opera and Florentine Opera. As part of Sarasota Opera’s Winter Festival, she will also reprise the role of Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia. Ms. Rogali looks forward to returning to the South Florida Symphony as the alto soloist in their annual Messiah, in addition to singing Paquette in their semi-staged concert production of Candide.
During the 2023-24 season, Ms. Rogali joined the Detroit Opera’s Resident Artist Program, singing the roles of Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and the Dog/Woodpecker in The Cunning Little Vixen. She also made her role debut as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia with North Carolina Opera and performed Der Trommler in Ullman’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis with Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings. Ms. Rogali was named a Finalist in the Dallas Opera National Vocal Competition and was awarded the Jonathan Pell People’s Choice Award. On the concert stage, she made her Carnegie Hall Debut as the alto soloist in Mozart’s “Coronation Mass.” This summer, she will perform the title role in The Rose Elf by David Herzberg with OrpheusPDX.
Ms. Rogali began her 2022-23 season by debuting the roles of Princess/Lucy/Fancy Doll #1 in the World Premiere of Edward Tulane with Minnesota Opera. That spring, she performed her first Hansel in Opera Birmingham’s production of Hansel & Gretel. On the concert stage, she was featured as the alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Naples Philharmonic, as well as Mozart’s Requiem with The Masterwork Chorus. That summer, she returned to The Glimmerglass Festival to sing Stéphano in Roméo et Juliette and Paquette in Candide. Throughout the season, Ms. Rogali received prestigious accolades including 3rd Place in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (Eastern Region), 2nd Place in the Opera at Florham Competition, and 4th Place in the Giulio Gari International Vocal Competition.
As a multifaceted artist, Ms. Rogali's versatility extends into the world of musical theatre, where she has performed and covered leading roles such as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Louise in Gypsy, and Maria in The Sound of Music. In the crossover competition circuit, she has placed 2nd in the American Traditions Vocal Competition and received a special award from the Lotte Lenya Competition.
Ms. Rogali has participated in several esteemed young artists programs including Minnesota Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Opera Saratoga. She is a graduate of The University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (M.M. Vocal Performance) and The Pennsylvania State University (B.M.E. in Music Education).