Roberto Kalb A native of Mexico City, Mr. Kalb holds degrees from the University of Michigan, the New England Conservatory of Music and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He is Resident Conductor and Head of Music at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and has been hailed by Opera News for his “buoyant conducting (that) simultaneously led and followed singers.” He is quickly establishing himself as
an artist of great versatility and talent. Mr. Kalb’s 2019-2020 season includes a return to Tulsa Opera to conduct Harry Silverstein’s production of Carmen as well as a return to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to conduct the world premiere of Tobias Picker’s Awakenings, directed by James Robinson.
The 2019-2020 season also sees four house debuts for Mr. Kalb, including Rigoleto with Kentucky Opera. Il barbiere di Siviglia with Tulsa Opera, Die Sauberute with Opera Maine and Robert Xavier Rodriguez’ Frida with Florida Grand Opera. Mr. Kalb also returns to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to conduct the Bruno Ravella production of Rigoletto and the Center Stage concert, featuring the company’s young artists directed by James Robinson. Additional appearances include L’elisir d’amore with International Vocal Arts Institute’s Summer Opera Tel Aviv program.
Honors and awards include being named the winner of the American Prize for an Orchestral Composition, second place in the Washington International Composition Competition, and rst place in the Ann Arbor Symphony Sight and Sound Competition.

Dr. Nino Sanikidze has served as Head Coach for the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program at LA Opera since the program’s inception in 2006. She also serves on LAO Music staff as pianist and prompter, working closely with Placido Domingo and James Conlon. Dr Sanikidze has performed with prestigious companies such as Teatro Real in Madrid, Royal Opera House Muscat, Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Teatro Municipal di Santiago, Washington National Opera Bard Summerscape, Cleveland Opera and Wichita Grand Opera. She has been the offcial pianist for Placido Domingo’s World Opera Competition “Operalia” since 2008 and as such has performed on the stages of Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Royal Opera House in London, National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, National Theatre in Prague , Hungarian State OperaHouse in Budapest, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, Teatro Degoliado in Guadalajara, Teatro Filamornico in Verona, Grand Theatre de Quebec. Dr. Sanikidze serves on judging panels for the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, the Richard Tucker Foundation and many others. She has been a principal guest coach for the USC Thornton School of Music, and since Summer 2014 she has been on the faculty of the Vocal Institute at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, Ca.

Dr Sanikidze is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Marilyn Horne Foundation Award for Excellence in Vocal Accompanying. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Maryland, College Park and is an alumna of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program at Washington National Opera, as well as the Music Academy of the West, Aspen Opera Center, Cleveland Art Song Festival and SongFest.

Melissa Wegner joined the artistic staff of the Metropolitan Opera in 2011 and currently serves as Executive Director of the National Council Auditions (MONCA). She auditions hundreds of young singers annually and is passionate about assisting them with their career development. Ms. Wegner hears artists in stage and screening auditions at the Met and is responsible for casting workshops for the Met’s New Opera
Commissions. In addition to judging the District, Region and National rounds of MONCA, Ms. Wegner has also adjudicated the SAI Vocal Competition, the McCammon Voice Competition, and the Belvedere Competition in South Africa and Russia. She is a faculty member at Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute Program for Singers and taught the Professional Development Workshop course at Bard College. As a soprano, Ms. Wegner has performed opera, concerts and recitals in the United States and Europe. She worked at New York City Opera as a Supertitles Associate and continues this work on a freelance basis with organizations including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and BAM. Ms. Wegner is a member of Families of FANA WNY, which raises funds to support the orphanage in Colombia from which she was adopted. She is a Trustee of the Foundation Board of SUNY Potsdam, an Advisory Board Member of the Bard College Conservatory of Music and a founding member of its Vocal Arts Program Alumni Association. Ms. Wegner holds degrees from Bard College, The Manhattan School of Music, and The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.