COMING SOON: Editorial commentary on Turandot by Pacific Opera Project at the Aratani Theatre will be added in the near future. For now, this entry documents my attendance (3/22/2026) and basic information.
Full Cast & Context
The cast included:
- Shannon Jennings: Turandot
- Clay Hilley: Calàf
- Sara Duchovnay: Liù
- Colin Ramsey: Timur
- Manfred Anaya: Emperor
- Spencer Hamlin: Pang
- James Callon: Pong
- Jeffrey Goldberg: Mandarin
- Sergio Manzo: Ping
- Brooke Iva Lohmann: Handmaid 1 / Chorus
- Grace Stewart: Handmaid 2 / Chorus
- Andrew Potter: Executioner
- Caleb Potter: Prince of Persia
The orchestra included:
- Boryana Popova: Violin I (and Orchestra Manager)
- Cole Perez: Violin I
- Isaac Visoutsy: Violin I
- Xenia Deviatkina-Loh: Violin II
- Elizabeth Dickenson: Violin II
- Hui-Ping Lee: Violin II
- Yu-Ting Hsu: Viola
- Emma Antonides: Viola
- Oliver Walton: Cello
- Olivia Hunt: Cello
- Scott Worthington: Bass
- Sarah Robinson: Flute / Piccolo
- Phil Popham: Oboe / English Horn
- Virginia Figueiredo: Clarinet
- Sumner Arano: Bassoon
- Preston Shepard: Horn
- Jessica Vicente: Horn
- Cameron Wilkins: Trumpet
- Matt Evans: Trombone
- Michael Basak: Percussion / Timpani
- Benjamin Beckman: Keyboard / Chorus Master / Rehearsal Pianist
The chorus:
- Elaine Huang (Liù cover)
- Ivanna Valdespino
- Mary Palmer
- Lauryn Jessup
- Julia Sapeta
- Juana Trujillo
- Melody Sparks
- Devi Bhatti
- Frank Watnick (Pang cover)
- William Lyons
- John Nguyen
- Raul Valdez-Perea
- Ethan Eliafan
- Steven Moritsugu
- Zach Mascarinas (Ping cover)
- William Malone
- Calvin Hsu
- Kelvin Li
The youth chorus:
- Alexandria Dominguez
- Blake Eli Ziegelman
- Chelle Mendivil
- Eleanor Ontiveros
- Emiliano Lara-Aguilar
- Emmanuel Dominguez
- Lauren Ahn
- Liam Ahn
- Maggie Jonsdottir-Pei
- Octavio Lara-Aguilar
- Vera Ontiveros
- Rose Tadmor
The artistic team included:
- Josh Shaw: Director / Designer
- Benjamin Makino: Conductor
- Zane Alcorn: Assistant Director
- David Conley: Youth Chorus Director
- Valerie Stern: Youth Chorus Rehearsal Pianist
- Maria Oliveira: Stage Manager
- Andrew Fisher: Lighting Designer
- Hailey Springer: Costumer
- Meredith Brown: Costume Assistant
- Ashley Hernandez: Hair and Makeup Designer
- David Handler: Master Carpenter
- Sarah Sturdevant: Supertitle Operator (and POP Engagement Coordinator)
- Charlotte Osborn: Front of House (and POP Operations Manager)
- Janie Dusenberry: Front of House
