COOPERSTOWN, NY — The Glimmerglass Festival has announced the roster of accomplished Resident Artists who will join the company for the 2026 Festival. Both new and returning artists comprise the 2026 studio, with members hailing from around the globe, including China, South Korea, Canada, Eswatini, and 21 states across the United States.
2025 marked the 50th anniversary of The Glimmerglass Festival – now, the Festival moves forward with a season that looks to the nation’s 250th anniversary as a uniting theme behind all mainstage productions, reflecting on the promises, contradictions, joys, and challenges of carrying forward the American Dream. The 2026 Festival will feature a new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! directed by Francesca Zambello; Puccini, Illica, and Giacosa’s Madame Butterfly; Mozart and Da Ponte’s Così; and Gregory Spears and Greg Pierce’s Fellow Travelers, as well as the youth opera Robin Hood by Ben Moore and Kelley Rourke. Special staged concerts in the Pavilion include Happy End (Brecht/Weill/Hauptmann) and Vignettes: Ellis Island (Alan Louis Smith).
Artistic & General Director Rob Ainsley shared:
“Our Resident Artists have always been a central force in making the Glimmerglass experience unique, yet every year we are amazed by the ever-increasing breadth of their abilities. In addition to their world-class voices, they act, dance, and switch between a bewildering range of musical styles with apparent ease. This surfeit of talent ensures our Glimmerglass Resident Artists stand out each summer as being among the most versatile and exciting ensembles to be found on any stage. In the hands of directors like Francesca Zambello and under the mentorship of luminaries like Kevin Burdette and Joseph Colaneri, their artistic potential is practically limitless. We cannot wait for our audiences to experience what they achieve together.”
The Resident Artists Program, established in 1988, extends performance and training opportunities to early-career artists, including performers, directors, conductors, and pianists. Distinguished in the variety and quality of opportunities it provides, the program boasts numerous alumni who have gone on to excel in their careers, including J’Nai Bridges, Troy Cook, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Christine Goerke, and Kelly Kuo. Resident Artists receive opportunities to perform and cover appropriate roles in all mainstage productions and to work with world-class directors, designers, and conductors.
“This cohort comes to Glimmerglass with an exceptional foundation in their chosen craft. Through their time here, they will continue to build on that foundation through mainstage performances, ensemble work, covering roles, and working directly with world-class artists,” shared Andrea Grant, Director of the Resident Artists Program. “I look forward to witnessing these artists shape the season ahead and carry their time at Glimmerglass forward into their careers.”
Additionally, Resident Artists will benefit from receiving mentorship and one-on-one coaching from the season’s Artist-in-Residence. Past Glimmerglass Artists-in-Residence include William Burden, John Corigliano (Composer-in-Residence), Anthony Roth Constanzo, Tara Erraught, Christine Goerke, Denyce Graves, Julie and Nathan Gunn, Isabel Leonard, Jay Hunter Morris, Luretta Bybee and Greer Grimsley, and Eric Owens. The 2026 Artist-in-Residence is acclaimed American bass Kevin Burdette, who will appear as Don Alfonso in the Festival’s new production of Così.
The 2026 Resident Artists will appear in all mainstage productions, including the youth opera Robin Hood, and the Pavilion staged concerts Happy End and Vignettes: Ellis Island.
The Festival previously announced 2026 Hupper Family Festival Artists Keely Futterer and Gregory Feldmann. Established in 2025, the Hupper Family Festival Artists Program builds on the Resident Artists Program by offering additional performance opportunities, exposure, and career support to Program alumni at a pivotal point in their professional journey. The Hupper Family Festival Artists Program is made possible through a family gift in memory of longtime Glimmerglass trustee and devoted arts advocate Joyce McC. Hupper and her husband John R. (Jack) Hupper.
All tickets for the 2026 Festival are on sale now. Call the Box Office at (607) 547-2255 to purchase, or visit glimmerglass.org/calendar.
Read the complete list of artists below.
The 2026 Resident Artists Program
Soprano
Nia Spaulding
Samantha Sosa*
Laura Santamaria
Viviana Goodwin*
Sophia Hunt
Kaileigh Riess*
Jaelyn Ricks~
Mezzo
Erin Alford*
Lauren Torey*
Kate Morton
Grace Heldridge
Xiao Xiao*
Lucy Evans
Hobbs~
Madison Manning*~
Megan Bush~
Tenor
Carlos Ahrens*
Peter Murphy*
Sam Krausz
Nick Huff
Randy Ho
Reed Gnepper*
Kevin Bowman~
Baritone
Ethan Clark Davis*~
Ben Wallace
Luke Harnish*
Erik Nordstrom*
Thandolwehtu Mamba
William Raskin*
Alex Smith*
Jordan Spena~
Bass-Baritone
Yichen Xue
Joseph Park
Jose Olivares
Bass
Woosik Nam
Noah Mond
Director
Dylan Cole*
Edward Sturm
Sable Strout
Doug Clemons
Conductor
Luke Poeppel*
Brian McCann
Pianist/Coach
Tongyao Li*
Maeve Berry
*Denotes returning artist
~Denotes musical theater/dancer
Meet the Resident Artists, show by show.
All tickets to 2026 productions are on sale now; call the Box Office at (607) 547-2255 to purchase, or visit glimmerglass.org/calendar.
Resident Artists of OKLAHOMA!
A classic Golden Age musical, OKLAHOMA! (Rodgers/Hammerstein) celebrates the dreams and complexities of settlers forging new lives on the frontier. This fresh staging by Francesca Zambello evokes the promise of America and the optimism of a territory on the cusp of statehood.
Dylan Cole: Assistant Director/Assistant Choreographer
Brian McCann: Assistant Conductor
Tongyao Li: Second Pianist/Coach
Kate Morton: Ado Annie
Peter Murphy: Will Parker
Reed Gnepper: Ali Hakim
Erik Nordstrom: Jud Fry
Samantha Sosa: Ensemble/Ellen
Viviana Goodwin: Ensemble/Virginia
Kaileigh Riess: Ensemble/Sylvie
Jaelyn Ricks: Ensemble/Skidmore twin
Erin Alford: Ensemble/Gertie
Lauren Torey: Ensemble/Kate
Grace Heldridge: Ensemble/Armina
Hobbs: Dancer/Ensemble/Skidmore twin
Madison Manning: Dancer/Ensemble/Rosie/Dream Laurey
Megan Bush: Dancer/Ensemble/Aggie
Carlos Ahrens: Ensemble/Mike
Sam Krausz: Ensemble/Joe
Nick Huff: Ensemble/Ike Skidmore
Kevin Bowman: Ensemble/Fred
Ben Wallace: Ensemble/Tom
Thandolwehtu Mamba: Ensemble/Jess
Jose Olivares: Ensemble/Cord Elam
Jordan Spena: Ensemble/ Chalmers/Dream Curly
Ethan Clark Davis: Dancer/Ensemble/Sam
William Raskin: Dancer/Ensemble/Slim
Resident Artists of MADAME BUTTERFLY
Originally directed by Francesca Zambello with revival direction by Joshua Horowitz, MADAME BUTTERFLY (Puccini/Illicia & Giacosa) returns to Glimmerglass. Featuring one of opera’s most iconic scores, Puccini’s sweeping orchestrations carry this heart-piercing examination of the cultural collision between America and Japan at the turn of the century.
Edward Sturm: Assistant Director
Luke Poeppel: Assistant Conductor
Maeve Berry: Second Pianist/Coach
Randy Ho: Goro
Joseph Park: Yamadori
Woosik Nam: The Bonze
Yichen Xue: Imperial Commissioner
Erin Alford: Kate Pinkerton
Alex Smith: Registrar
Nia Spaulding: Ensemble
Laura Santamaria: Ensemble
Viviana Goodwin: Ensemble
Sophia Hunt: Ensemble
Kate Morton: Ensemble
Grace Heldridge: Ensemble
Xiao Xiao: Ensemble
Lucy Evans: Ensemble
Megan Bush: Ensemble
Peter Murphy: Ensemble
Sam Krausz: Ensemble
Nick Huff: Ensemble
Reed Gnepper: Ensemble
Luke Harnish: Ensemble
Jordan Spena: Ensemble
Ethan Clark Davis: Ensemble
Resident Artists of COSÌ
Disguises, lovers’ quarrels, and entanglements take center stage in the Festival’s new adaptation of COSÌ (Mozart/Da Ponte). Set on an American college campus in the ‘90s, this playful romp features an English libretto by Kelley Rourke and asks the question: what are we all really like, when it comes to love?
Madison Manning: Choreographer
Sable Strout: Assistant Director
Brian McCann: Assistant Conductor
Tongyao Li: Second Pianist/Coach
Nia Spaulding: Ensemble
Samantha Sosa: Ensemble
Jaelyn Ricks: Ensemble
Lauren Torey: Ensemble
Xiao Xiao: Ensemble
Hobbs: Tumbler/Ensemble
Carlos Ahrens: Ensemble
Randy Ho: Ensemble
Kevin Bowman: Tumbler/Ensemble
Alex Smith: Ensemble
Noah Mond: Ensemble
Will Raskin: Ensemble
Resident Artists of FELLOW TRAVELERS
Forbidden love in the time of surveillance. FELLOW TRAVELERS (Spears/Pierce) comes to Glimmerglass as part of the Up Until Now Collective’s 10th anniversary tour. This renowned modern opera examines the intensity and longing of queer love during the Red Scare of the 1950s.
Doug Clemons: Assistant Director
Luke Poeppel: Assistant Conductor
Maeve Berry: Second Pianist/Coach
Kaileigh Riess: Miss Lightfoot
Luke Harnish: McCarthy/Interrogator/Estonian Frank
Laura Santamaria: Lucy
Erik Nordstrom: Tommy McIntyre
Yichen Xue: Senator Charles Potter/General Arlie/Bartender
Jose Olivares: Sen. Potter’s Assistant/Bookseller/Priest/Technician/Party Guest
Resident Artists of ROBIN HOOD
When the law of the land is corrupt, what’s an honest citizen to do? This one-hour youth opera features a daring band of adventurers fighting against the evil Sheriff trying to destroy their forest home. ROBIN HOOD (Moore/Rourke) is the perfect introduction to the art form for young operagoers.
Principal & Performance Pianist: Tongyao Li
Second Pianist/Coach: Maeve Berry
Lauren Torey: Scarlet
Noah Mond: Sheriff
Resident Artists of HAPPY END
A spirited musical comedy packed with songs you’ll want to sing along to, HAPPY END (Brecht/Weill/Hauptmann) features intrepid gangsters and Salvation Army workers in the business of saving souls. HAPPY END is presented as part of The Glimmerglass Festival’s regional tour throughout New York State.
Lauren Torey: MaryJane
Reed Gnepper: Jimmy
ABOUT THE GLIMMERGLASS FESTIVAL
The Glimmerglass Festival is a summer destination in Upstate New York where audiences from across the country and the world experience world-class opera, musical theater, and cultural events in a beautiful, relaxing setting. Attracting over 25,000 people per summer, the Festival is a professional non-profit opera company dedicated to presenting four fully staged productions each year. Special performances, cabarets, concerts, and lectures throughout the season supplement these four productions. The company has a longstanding commitment to creating an inclusive, equitable, and diverse experience for all, including a commitment to investing in the next generation of theater professionals and performers.
MISSION STATEMENT
Produce new, little-known, and familiar operas and musical theater in innovative productions; Provide professional training and performance opportunities for emerging artists and interns; Engage important artists who inspire the highest standards of achievement; Inspire dialogue around meaningful issues of the day through song and story; Collaborate with regional organizations, schools, and businesses to enhance life in Central New York.
The Glimmerglass Festival is made possible through the generosity of numerous organizations and individuals. 2026 Season Sponsors include Maurice and Carolyn Cunniffe, Elizabeth M. and Jean-Marie R. Eveillard, Ted Snowdon and Duffy Violante, New York State Council on the Arts, The Clark Foundation, The Pearce Foundation, Jacqueline B. Mars, and Denise Littlefield Sobel.Additional support is provided by the Kurt Weill Foundation, The Savada-Stevenson Family, and Eugene and Jean Stark.