RUTH KNIGHT DIRECTOR
Ruth Knight is a British Opera director from the South West of England. This season’ s directing credits include the Welsh National Opera residency for the National Opera Studio and the concert version of Così fan tutte for English National Opera( ENO). Her critically acclaimed 2025 production of Rodelinda for Garsington Opera is currently available on Opera Vision. Other directing credits for ENO include Gloriana, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk,( in partnership with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra at the BBC Proms), and La traviata( as revival director). For the Royal Opera she has recently directed The Magic Flute( as revival director), and for the Youth Opera Company, The Sandman and the Dew Fairy, and Spinning Yarns. She is Artistic Director of Outland Opera, a small grassroots opera company based in the South West, specializing in site-specific work with a community focus.
AMITH CHANDRASHAKER LIGHTING DESIGNER
Amith Chandrashaker is a Tony-Nominated Lighting Designer who works in theater, dance, opera, television, concerts, and events. His Broadway credits include Prayer for the French Republic( Tony-Nominated) and Merrily We Roll Along. Amith has worked in off-Broadway and regional theaters, as well as The Glimmerglass Festival, Houston Grand Opera, and the Washington National Opera. He has also worked internationally at The National Dance Co. Of Wales, Staatstheater Nürnberg, Aalto Theater Essen, Lyon Opera Ballet, and the Royal New Zealand Ballet. He is the recipient of The Drama Desk Award and the Henry Hewes Design Award.
He sits on the executive board of his union, United Scenic Artists Local 829, and is a faculty member of The University of Maryland School for Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies. He was an adjunct professor at Pace University and New York University’ s graduate program, Design for Stage and Film. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts, and a Master of Fine Arts from New York University’ s Design for Stage and Film.
ASHLEY POLLARD STAGE MANAGER
Ashley Pollard is a seasoned stage manager and production professional with over two decades of experience in opera, musical theatre, and theatre management. She is currently the Managing Director of the Maryland Opera Studio( graduate opera performance ensemble) at the University of Maryland School of Music, where she oversees the studio’ s productions, commissions, and day-to-day operations.
Ashley’ s previous Baltimore Symphony Orchestra engagements include Verdi’ s Aida( 2025), Prokofiev’ s Romeo and Juliet( 2015), and Mendelssohn’ s A Midsummer Night’ s Dream( 2014).
Her favorite productions include Orgullo! at The Public Theatre, The Falling and The Rising with the U. S. Army Field Band and Soldier’ s Chorus & Nickel City Opera; Le nozze di figaro, Wolf Trap Opera; La traviata, Out of The Box Opera; Tosca, La Cenerentola, Annapolis Opera; Tosca, Eugene Opera; Il Trittico, Porgy and Bess, The Pirates of Penzance, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, West Side Story at Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre; Aida, Samson et Dalila, Manon Lescault at Florida Grand Opera; Our Town, Miss Lonelyhearts, Die Zauberflöte, A Midsummer Night’ s Dream at The Juilliard School; The Beggar’ s Opera with The Castleton Festival.
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