Speaking of artistic journeys, we just closed Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, our annual collaboration with Curtis Opera Theatre. This incredible opera demands virtuosic performances and clever staging. Each March, when we produce a work together in the Perelman Theater, I marvel at the Curtis singers and orchestra players but this year I marveled a little more than usual. The fact that a group of artists ranging in age from 15 to 26 years old could perform this work at such a high caliber, bringing so much captivating energy and delivering nuanced, refined, and moving experiences literally brought me to tears in the final 15 minutes of the opera. The Perelman, at 550 seats, was the perfect scale for this work and really let the singers connect directly with the audience. The combined vocal and instrumental sound simply enveloped you. I have said this many times: The appropriateness of the acoustic and performance space is critical to the artistry of the work and performers. Large opera houses are not built for all operas. This particular opera proves the point. The cast also had the help of a clever, imaginative, and beautifully-crafted set by David Zinn with direction by Chas Rader-Shieber that brought each character alive, making the entire effort an ensemble piece that at the same time provided jaw dropping solo moments (I’m talking to you Lauren Eberwein, Ashley Milanese, Heather Stebbins, and Jonathan McCullough).