Leadership Team
Jason Stein
OUR FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jason Stein is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of OperaBend. A graduate of NYU with degrees in both acting and management, Stein combines his artistic flair and organizational expertise to bring opera to Central Oregon. Renowned for his tenor prowess, Stein has graced the stage in various iconic roles, showcasing his versatility and vocal finesse. His repertoire includes memorable performances as Don Jose in "Carmen," Herr Eisenstein in "Die Fledermaus," and Tamino in "The Magic Flute." Stein's talent has resonated across prestigious opera companies, as he has taken on principal roles with acclaimed institutions such as Emerald City Opera, Rogue Valley Opera, Obsidian Opera, Family Opera of New Jersey, and of course, OperaBend. Through his dedication and artistry, Jason Stein continues to contribute significantly to the vibrant and diverse world of opera.
Michael Gesme
CONDUCTOR
Michael Gesme is a Professor of Music at Central Oregon Community College and Chair of the Department of Fine Arts and Communication. In this wonderfully diverse position, in addition to his duties with the Central Oregon Symphony, conducts the Cascade Winds Symphonic Band and has taught various and sundry music courses, including music theory, ear training, music history, and conducting, as part of a small, but flourishing music department. Michael also serves as conductor of the Central Oregon Chamber Orchestra and is the music director and conductor of orchestras of the Young Musicians and Artists (YMA) summer camp held in Salem, Oregon. He is also an active clinician and adjudicator in the region.
Jacalyn Kreitzer
BOARD MEMBER & MUSICAL ADVISER
Jacalyn Kreitzer, an acclaimed mezzo-soprano, has graced prestigious opera houses and symphonies globally, including the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Théâtre du Chatelet, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Collaborating with luminaries like Zubin Mehta and Lorin Maazel, she has performed at Carnegie Hall and recorded with labels such as Chandos and Deutsche Grammophon. Founder of Cal Poly's Student Opera Theatre, Kreitzer received the College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Lecturer award in 2002. Recognized for her outstanding contributions to the performing arts by ARTS Obispo in 2015, she continues to be a driving force, also serving as an Opera America Panelist. Jackie retired to Bend in 2019 and her dedication to opera and the arts continues to inspire both on and off the stage.
Jocelyn Claire Thomas
BOARD MEMBER & ARTISTIC ADVISOR
Praised for her “staggeringly brilliant…ethereal soprano” (The Source) Jocelyn Claire Thomas has engaged audiences with her haunting sound, musical intelligence, and unusual versatility. She has sung more than 40 operatic roles with Portland Opera, Tacoma Opera, Eugene Opera, Inland Northwest Opera, Opera Theater Oregon, OperaBend, Brava Opera Theater, Cascadia Chamber Opera, and many others. Originally from Columbia, MO, Jocelyn holds a B.M. from the Oberlin Conservatory, and both an M.M. and Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory. Currently based in Portland, OR, Jocelyn maintains a private studio in voice, piano, and flute. She also serves as Artistic Director for Ping & Woof Opera, which is dedicated to bringing intimate and accessible opera experiences to the Portland-area community, and making opera available to everyone through donation based admission.
Zachary Lenox
BOARD MEMBER & DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Viewed as “a broad, resonant baritone that is exquisitely controlled throughout his entire range,” Zachary Lenox has performed leading roles across North America. Notable roles include “Silvio” in Pagliacci, “Marcello” in La Bohème, “Papageno” in Die Zauberflöte, “Count Almaviva” in Le nozze di Figaro, “El Dancaïro” in Carmen, and “Marullo” in Rigoletto. Mr. Lenox has appeared with Portland Opera, Oregon Symphony, Eugene Opera, Orpheus PDX, Tacoma Opera, Opera Parallèle, Opera Bend, Pacific Music Works, Harmonia Seattle, Cascadia Chamber Opera, and Eugene Concert Choir. Zachary is a past winner of the Pacific Northwest Sings competition as well as the MONC Idaho/Montana District Auditions. He received his B.M. and M.M. from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.
Kelly Pence
BOARD MEMBER & VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Kelly Pence has been a regular chorus member with OperaBend since her debut in 2017 during La Boheme. Kelly has been in choirs and musical theater since the age of five. She first stepped into a backstage position with OperaBend during the 2023 production of Paggliacci. She has sung with Cascade Chorale, her church choir, and just recently returned from France where she sang with forty other choir members from around the United States during D-Day celebrations. In her free time, she enjoys floating the river, spending time with friends and reading and writing fanfiction.
Samantha Winter
BOARD MEMBER
Samantha Winter is thrilled to be a part of Opera Bend. Originally from the east coast, Sam relocated to Bend with her husband, Andrew, in 2020 and has become a mainstay in the Central Oregon music scene. In addition to singing in numerous ensembles, cantoring for a local synagogue, and studying with the brilliant Jackie Kreitzer, Sam's recent solo highlights include “Annina” in Verdi’s La Traviata, soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah and in Fauré’s Requiem with the Central Oregon Mastersingers, "Hodel" in Fiddler on the Roof and "Angie" in The Prom with Cascade Theatrical Company. Sam holds undergraduate degrees in vocal performance and neuroscience from University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Drexel University. For her day job, Sam is a Senior Director of Product and Product Design at a brain-computer interface company.
Mandy Coffee
BOARD MEMBER & DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
MM Music Education/Vocal Performance & Director Cantare Youth Choirs
Liz Kohl
BOARD MEMBER
Liz Kohl is a classically trained mezzo-soprano who earned her B.M. in Opera Performance from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She performed for 10+ years with the MN Opera Chorus, and with various MN based organizations as a featured soloist, followed by a hiatus to focus on her parallel career in software and cloud computing. Liz relocated from the Bay Area to Bend in 2020, and has recently performed with the Central Oregon Mastersingers as a featured soloist at the Tower Theatre.
RICK HARRELL
BOARD MEMBER
Rick Harrell is the Director of Heroes’ Voices, a service organization that brings the healing power of music to veterans. He is also Associate Director of the Orfeo Foundation, an Amsterdam based organization that promotes the careers of young opera professionals.
Previously, he was the Director of the Juilliard Voice and Opera Programs, the Director of the San Francisco Opera Center, Artistic Advisor and Head of Faculty for the Training Program of the New National Theatre in Tokyo, Director of the Opera Program for the San Francisco Conservatory and faculty for the Opera Studio of the Netherlands.
Rick has been a stage director for more than 80 productions for companies In Europe, Asia and North America. He annually adjudicates for international vocal competitions including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
He has been a stage director, voice teacher, and guest Master Class instructor at universities and training programs including Yale, Indiana University, Polish National Opera, Chautauqua Institution, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Loyola University, University of Richmond, Mannes School of Music, and the University of Florida.
Mr. Harrell performed as a baritone soloist with such companies as the La Scala, Vienna State Opera, Washington Opera, Baltimore Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Lincoln Center Theatre Company, Opera Omaha, New Jersey Symphony, Richmond Symphony and National Symphony. His recordings include the role of Bernardo on the album of West Side Story conducted by Leonard Bernstein.