Margaret Ann Pent
Artistic Director/Exec. Vice President
The Founder, Artistic Director, and Executive Vice President of the Wichita Grand Opera is a soprano, stage director and designer. She holds degrees in voice from Chicago’s Roosevelt University and the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna, Austria. Winner of the Austrian Opera Competition, she made her European debut in Vienna as Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, followed by performances in the title role of Die Schöne Galatea (the Beautiful Galatea), Rosina in Barber of Seville, and Gilda in Rigoletto. Her American debut was as Matilda in Frank Corsaro’s production of Rossini’s William Tell at the San Antonio Festival, followed by Bernstein’s Candide and Rossini’s Stabat Mater. She was a featured soloist with the Florida Philharmonic, Greater Palm Beach Symphony, Austin Symphony, Bohemian Philharmonic Orchestra, Capella Istropolitana and Houston Symphony, among others. Ms. Pent served as Executive Director of Festival of the Continents and Deputy Director of the Monroe County Fine Arts Council. She served as a juror for the Ferruccio Tagliavini Vocal Competition and served as a stage director and designer for productions of the Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center, Festival of Continents, and Wichita Grand Opera. In previous seasons, Ms. Pent has directed Puccini's Tosca, starring Samuel Ramey, designed the set for Faust designed costumes for WGO's productions of Pirates of Penzance and Faust, and designed sets and costumes for The Pearl Fishers among many others. This season, she will be restaging Donizetti's Don Pasquale, as well as providing production design and concept for WGO debuts Otello and The Marriage of Figaro. |
