About Us
UNION AVENUE OPERA HISTORY
Union Avenue Opera grew out of one man’s vision for an opera company that would offer professional opportunities for gifted, emerging artists. In the summer of 1995, Scott Schoonover, with the support of the Arts Group of Union Avenue and on a shoestring budget, mounted a production of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, and the rest is history. In 2007 a new orchestra pit and expanded stage were constructed successfully completing UAO’s first capital campaign. Over the last sixteen years, Union Avenue Opera’s repertoire, audience, reputation and funding have grown as it has pursued its mission with excellence and integrity, offering professional opera in original languages at reasonable prices. Union Avenue Opera has become an integral part of the St. Louis arts community.
SCOTT SCHOONOVER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR
Scott Schoonover founded UAO in 1994. After studying Italian and opera conducting at the Accademia Filarmonica in Rome and Bologna, Italy, he returned to St. Louis and served as a guest conductor with many local and regional organizations including: Muddy River Opera, Winter Opera St. Louis, LyriCo., The Bel Canto Chorus of St. Louis, The Gateway Men’s Chorus and The Saint Louis Brass Band.
Schoonover continues to direct UAO with his unique musical insights and dedication to providing performances that are true to the intentions of the composer, leading UAO to critical acclaim for the past eleven seasons. In addition to his role as conductor and artistic director of UAO, Schoonover serves as music director for Union Avenue Christian Church and is the artistic director of The Saint Louis Women’s Chorale.
DANA HUDSON STONE, ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR
Dana Stone, Union Avenue Opera’s Administrative Director, began with the organization as the Box Office Manager for the 2006 Festival Season. During the 2007 Festival Season, she served as the volunteer coordinator for the season and house manager for Porgy and Bess. Previously Ms. Stone worked in Immigrant Outreach for the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library. Ms. Stone also works in an administrative capacity for the Saint Louis Women’s Chorale and teaches private voice lessons at Wildwood Dance and Arts.
Ms. Stone has a Bachelor of Music with a double major in Vocal Performance and Spanish from DePauw University, 2005 and a Master of Music from Washington University in St. Louis, 2007.
JOLLY STEWART, PRINCIPAL STAGE DIRECTOR
Ms. Stewart sang professionally as Julia Emoed-Wallace. On her 24th birthday, she debuted with the Salzburg Camerata singing Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Così fan tutte. Ms. Stewart has a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin Conservatory and has three masters degrees from Akademie Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.
In 1990, she and her husband, John Stewart, moved to St. Louis where she directs the Washington University Opera. Ms. Stewart is also coordinator for Opera Theatre St. Louis’ Spring Training Program for talented high school singers. Ms. Stewart has directed our productions of Puccini’s La Bohème, Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, Puccini’s Tosca, Bizet’s Carmen, and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin.
UNION AVENUE OPERA PRODUCTIONS
2010
Sullivan – Pirates of Penzance
Donizetti – La fille du régiment
Tchaikovsky – Pikovaya Dama (Queen of Spades)*
Menotti – Amahl and the Night Visitors
2009
Verdi – Il Trovatore*
Lehár – Die lustige Witwe
Delibes – Lakmé*
Menotti – Amahl and the Night Visitors
2008
Donizetti – L’elisir d’amore
Verdi – Otello*
Bizet – Carmen
Puccini – Il tabarro**
2007
Mozart – Die Zauberflöte
Puccini – Suor Angelica/ Gianni Schicchi
Gershwin – Porgy and Bess
Gilbert and Sullivan – The Gondoliers**
2006
Mozart – Le Nozze di Figaro
Bellini – Norma*
Puccini – La Bohème
Britten – The Turn of the Screw**
Gilbert and Sullivan – HMS Pinafore**
2005
Menotti – The Medium**
Verdi – Falstaff
Strauss – Ariadne auf Naxos
Donizetti – Lucia di Lammermoor
2004
Puccini – Turandot
Gounod – Faust
Purcell – Dido and Aeneas
2003
Tchaikovsky – Eugene Onegin
Puccini – Madama Butterfly
Lehár – The Merry Widow**
2002
Puccini – Tosca
Verdi – La Traviata
Gilbert and Sullivan – The Pirates of Penzance**
2001
Bizet – Carmen
Rossini – Il Barbiere di Siviglia
2000
Puccini – La Bohème
Mozart – Così fan tutte
1999
Floyd – Susannah
1998
Mozart – Le Nozze di Figaro
1997
Gilbert and Sullivan – Yeoman of the Guard
1996
Britten – The Little Sweep
Blow – Venus and Adonis
Monteverdi – Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda
1995
Purcell – Dido and Aeneas
* Indicates a local premiere
**Indicates a concert performance
