Berkshire Opera Festival Debuts Resident Artist Program with Grétry's Zémire et Azor

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The Grétry opera, directed by Mo Zhou and conducted by Brian Garman, will be staged at PS21's open-air Pavilion Theater.

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Berkshire Opera Festival (BOF) has launched its inaugural Resident Artist Program, an eight-week paid residency for emerging opera performers and pianists. The program will conclude with a fully staged production of ZÉMIRE ET AZOR, André Grétry's opera based on the Beauty and the Beast story, on July 31 and August 2 at PS21: Center for Contemporary Performance in Chatham, New York.

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Conducted by BOF Co-founder and Artistic Director Brian Garman and directed by Mo Zhou, the production reimagines the opera within the world of Gilded Age America. Originally premiering in France in 1771 and presented in New York in 1787, ZÉMIRE ET AZOR was widely successful in its era but is rarely staged today.

Led by vocal coach Lynn Baker , the Resident Artist Program selected five participants from a pool of approximately 600 applicants. In addition to performing leading roles in ZÉMIRE ET AZOR, resident artists will appear in BOF's upcoming production of LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, recital performances, salon concerts, and master classes. Unlike many similar programs, the residency provides both compensation and housing for participants.

The cast features Ethel Trujillo as Zémire, Scott Rubén La Marca as Azor, Will (June Young) Kim as Sander, Christina Grohowski as Fatmé, Zachary Taylor as Ali, and Abbegael Greene as Lisbé.

The cast includes Ethel Trujillo, Scott Rubén La Marca, Will (June Young) Kim, Christina Grohowski, Zachary Taylor, and Abbegael Greene.

The creative team includes conductor Brian Garman, stage director Mo Zhou, scenic designer Cameron Anderson , Costume Designer Brooke Stanton, lighting designer Alex Jainchill , hair and makeup designer Beckie Kravetz, assistant conductor Luca Antonucci, principal coach and rehearsal pianist Dakota Perez, language coach Lynn Baker , and production stage manager Cindy Knight. The production features the Berkshire Opera Festival Orchestra.

ZÉMIRE ET AZOR will be presented July 31 at 7:30 p.m. and August 2 at 1:00 p.m. at PS21: Center for Contemporary Performance, located at 2980 NY-66 in Chatham, New York. The approximately two-hour production, including one intermission, will be sung in French with spoken English dialogue and projected English translations. Tickets start at $12.50.

Berkshire Opera Festival's season will continue with Donizetti's LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, on August 22, 25, and 28.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/boston/article/ZMIRE-ET-AZOR-to-Open-Berkshire-Opera-Festivals-Inaugural-Resident-Artist-Program-20260602)._