Stephen Stubbs, who won the GRAMMY Award as conductor for Best Opera Recording 2015, spent a 30-year career in Europe (including a Professorship at the Hochschule fur Kunste) before returning to his native Seattle in 2006 as one of the world's most respected lutenists, conductors, and baroque opera specialists.

Music Director Antony Walker celebrates his twelfth season at Pittsburgh Opera in 2017-18. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2011 with Gluck's "Orfeo ed Euridice," and has returned to The Met since then to conduct "Il barbiere di Siviglia," "The Pearl Fishers" and "The Magic Flute."

Gayletha Nichols is the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She joined the artistic staff of the Metropolitan Opera in the fall of 2000 and has brought to the Met two decades of experience as a singer, teacher and career advisor.

American bass and breath specialist Bradley Williard is an emerging artist of exceptional vocal ability and promise. He is attracting attention for his musicianship, broad vocal range, dramatic presence, comic timing and rich, shimmering bass voice.