Kathryn Lewek Debuts as Salome in Cincinnati Opera’s 2026 Summer Festival Opener

Broadway + NYC

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Off-Off Broadway

Cabaret

Dance

Opera

Classical Music

Eastern

Central

Western

West End

WEST END

UK Regional

International

Canada

Australia / New Zealand

Europe

Asia

Latin America

Africa / Middle East

Entertainment

TV/Movies

Music

Ctrl + K to open · Esc to close

Soprano Kathryn Lewek makes her title role debut in Richard Strauss's psychological thriller.

POPULAR

Get all the top news & discounts for Opera & beyond.

On June 18 and 20 Cincinnati Opera opens its 2026 Summer Festival with Richard Strauss 's Salome.

Get all the top news & discounts for Opera & beyond.

Salome will feature a cast led by soprano Kathryn Lewek , in her title role debut. The all-star cast of Metropolitan Opera regulars also includes tenor Chad Shelton as Herod, bass-baritone Alfred Walker as Jochanaan, mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung as Herodias, and tenor Zach Borichevsky as Narraboth. Robert Spano conducts the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Jose Maria Condemi directs.

Salome, the teenage princess of Judea, becomes dangerously fixated on the imprisoned prophet John the Baptist (named “Jochanaan” in the opera). When he rejects her advances, her desire curdles into obsession. At her stepfather Herod's birthday feast, Salome dances and, at her maniacal mother's behest, demands a gruesome reward. Set to Richard Strauss 's lush score, Salome is a fever dream of obsession, power, and prophecy, where every glance is loaded, and no desire is without cost.

The cast is led by Kathryn Lewek as Salome, alongside Chad Shelton as Herod, Alfred Walker as Jochanaan (John the Baptist), and Michelle DeYoung as Herodias. The company also features Zach Borichevsky as Narraboth, Emily Cotten as the Page of Herodias, Thomas Dreeze as the First Nazarene, Donghoon Kang as the First Soldier, Sam Smith as the Second Soldier, Julius Ahn as the First Jew, Levi Capesius as the Second Jew, Mark Hockenberry as the Third Jew, M. Andrew Jones as the Fourth Jew, Ron Dukes as the Fifth Jew, Alexander Gushrowski as the Second Nazarene, Clara Reeves as a Slave, and Stephen Hanna as a Cappadocian. Dancers Sydney Caggiano and Amanda Pérez Duarte round out the company.

The production is conducted by Robert Spano and directed by Jose Maria Condemi. The creative team includes scenic and properties designer Tim Wallace, Costume Designer Anita Yavich , lighting designer Thomas C. Hase , wig and makeup designer James Geier, choreographer Erina Noda , and stage manager Jennifer Shaw. The production features the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets start at $25. For tickets and information, call 513-241-2742 or visit cincinnatiopera.org .

Get an Alert Each Time A.A. Cristi Writes

Videos

Opera SHOWS

Sign up for announcements, and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows!

© 2026 - Copyright Wisdom Digital Media , all rights reserved. Privacy Policy

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/SALOME-to-Open-Cincinnati-Operas-2026-Summer-Festival-at-Music-Hall-20260605)._