Ohio State Opera Theatre wins national honor
Ohio State Opera Theatre placed first in its category in The National Opera Association annual Opera Production Competition for its 2025 production of The Turn of the Screw.
The NOA competition is for all collegiate opera programs throughout the United States and Canada. Productions are submitted anonymously and reviewed by a panel of judges pooled from universities and professionals in the opera field nationwide.
The anonymous nature of the competition means production videos are submitted without identifiers of the school, conductor or director. Once feedback is received, winners are divided into eight categories or divisions based on each school’s budget, the expense of the production, and the ratio of undergraduate and graduate students in the production. Ohio State Opera Theatre qualifies as Division 5.
A dozen graduate and undergraduate students under the tutelage of the voice faculty, and an eighteen-piece student instrumental ensemble participated in the opera. The production was directed by Eric Gibson, director of Opera, and conducted by Miriam Burns, director of Orchestras. Ed Bak, associated faculty, served as the principal coach and performance pianist within the orchestra for the production.
NOA Production Competition winners are awarded certificates during NOA’s annual convention which will be held in Boston, in January 2026.
The Turn of the Screw
Benjamin Britten's chilling opera based on the Henry James story.
February 28–March 2, 2025
Eric Gibson, director and production designer
Miriam Burns, conductor
Ed Bak, vocal coach/musical preparation
Maranda DeBusk, lighting designer
Wardrobe provided by Glenn Breed, Wardrobe Witchery