Sarasota Opera Winter Open House

Take me out to the ball game!

Tenor Joshua Kohl

Joshua Kohl always wanted to become a baseball player. He became an opera singer instead. On March 1 he’ll have the opportunity to combine his two loves when he sings the National Anthem at the Baltimore Orioles’ first Spring Training game of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays at the newly renovated Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.
Mr. Kohl, a tenor, is currently singing the principal role of Don Ottavio in Sarasota Opera’s production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. A huge Chicago White Sox fan, he played ball throughout his youth and was a varsity player in high school. He loves it so much that he decided to forego the high school musical in his senior year to play on the team.
Baseball and opera are family activities in Kohl’s household. His wife, soprano and Boston Red Sox fan Sarah Asmar, is a Studio Artist at Sarasota Opera this season and has sung the National Anthem at Fenway Park. There will surely be plenty of friends and family there to cheer Kohl on as his parents are locals — they live in Parrish.
The game is set for 1:05 p.m., Tuesday, March 1. Ed Smith Stadium is at 12th Street and Tuttle Avenue, Sarasota.

So who is this love 'em and leave 'em opera character?

Our audience review Don Giovanni

La bohème — Why the story has lasted so long!

Get ready for I Lombardi!

Our beautiful soprano Abla Lynn Hamza as Giselda and handsome tenor Rafael Dávila as Oronte get ready to perform Verdi's epic opera I Lombardi.

All Photos by Patricia G. Horwell

La bohème reviews from audience members

Don Giovanni at Sarasota Opera

Mozart's Don Giovanni playing now through March 18 at Sarasota Opera.


Photos by Rod Millington

Donna Elvira (Danielle Walker) and Don Giovanni (Lee Poulis)



Leporello (Andrew Gangestad), Don Giovanni (Lee Poulis), Zerlina (Sarah Asmar) and Masetto (Patrick McNally) are joined by chorus members



Don Giovanni (Lee Poulis) and his faithful servant Leporello (Andrew Gangestad)




Donna Anna (Christina Pier), Don Ottavio (Joshua Kohl), and Don Giovanni (Lee Poulis)



Come and Meet the Maestro

Have you seen our new video, "Meet the Maestro?" Here you'll be introduced to Victor DeRenzi, the Artistic Director of Sarasota Opera.

Have you seen our new TV commercial?

We just released a brand-new television commercial — currently running on ABC7 TV. See the folks on the stage and behind the scenes at Sarasota Opera getting ready for the season.

Watch it here:

The final dress rehearsal for La bohème is here!

Tonight is the final dress rehearsal before La bohème opens at Sarasota Opera on Saturday night! Everyone - cast, orchestra, and crew - have really been cranking it up and are ready! La bohème is an opera for all time. Don't miss this sweet story of young love and tragedy, set in 19th-century Paris. Our production is directed by Stephanie Sundine and conducted by our artistic director, Victor DeRenzi. See you there!

Photo by Rod Millington
Cast members Matthew Hanscom, Grant Clarke, Harold Meers, and Young-Bok Kim
on the set of La bohème at Sarasota Opera.

Our 'Don Giovanni' on TV tonight!

Lee Poulis, the very hot baritone who will sing the title role in our upcoming production of Don Giovanni, will be on Scene Magazine's TV show SCENE Up Close, tonight at 8 p.m on Sarasota’s local Channel 189. The production opens Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Patricia G Horwell
Christina Pier as Donna Anna and Lee Poulis as Don Giovanni