Today, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) announced the cast and creative team for its upcoming 2026 production of The Light in the Piazza, the Tony Award–winning musical by Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel that has captivated theatergoers since 2005.

Long celebrated for bold, English-language opera productions, Opera Theatre also embraces works that blur the traditional divide between opera and Broadway. The Light in the Piazza occupies that space, from its classically-inspired score to its deeply intimate story. Directed by Crystal Manich and conducted by Rob Berman, this company premiere will feature a mix of Broadway stars and operatic artists, accompanied by the Grammy® Award–winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

“Ever since I first saw The Light in the Piazza on Broadway, I’ve carried this piece with me,” reflected Artistic Director Patricia Racette. “It is one of the most vocally sophisticated scores in musical theater, and it demands the same kind of emotional finesse we ask of our singers in opera. Piazza expands the boundaries of what musical storytelling can be at an opera company and invites audiences to think more broadly about the form while maintaining high artistic standards. Bringing this title to our festival — in an intimate theater, with this cast, and featuring the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra — feels like exactly the way this story was meant to be experienced.”

The production’s central roles feature a cast that spans musical theater and opera, reflecting the dual traditions that make The Light in the Piazza a natural fit for OTSL’s stage. Two-time Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin (Finian’s Rainbow, Hello, Dolly!) stars as Margaret Johnson, the fiercely devoted mother at the center of the story. Internationally acclaimed baritone Paulo Szot — perhaps best known for his Tony Award-winning portrayal of Emile de Becque in the Lincoln Center Theater revival of South Pacific — appears as Signor Naccarelli, the head of the Florentine household.

In a full-circle moment, the roles of the young lovers will be performed by two alumni of OTSL’s Gerdine Young Artist and Gaddes Festival Artist Programs. Soprano Katrina Galka — a two-time prizewinner of the Lotte Lenya Competition who has recently been seen at major European houses including Teatro alla Scala, Bayerische Staatsoper, and Opernhaus Zürich — makes her role debut as Clara Johnson, Margaret’s innocent daughter. The role of Fabrizio Naccarelli will be sung by Lebanese-American tenor Roy Hage, whose credits include principal roles with the Santa Fe Opera, the Tony Award-winning Williamstown Theatre Festival, seven seasons with Opera Philadelphia, and most recently two seasons with LA Opera.

“I’m thrilled to be making my Opera Theatre of Saint Louis debut with The Light in the Piazza,” said Emmy Award-nominated director Crystal Manich, who is known for her detailed storytelling in both opera and theater. “It’s a love letter to the art and beauty of Florence, a city where I lived for a semester abroad. This musical will be satisfying for the seasoned operagoer with its lush orchestration and heightened emotion as we witness Clara finding herself in ways she never expected.”

Conductor Rob Berman — whose work includes Broadway, television, and symphonic stages — makes his company debut, shaping Guettel’s intricate score for the festival’s intimate space and the players of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

“The Light in the Piazza features arguably the greatest musical theater score of the 21st century,” said conductor Rob Berman. “Any opportunity to perform or hear Adam Guettel’s masterpiece is one that can’t be passed up. And to conduct this talented cast, led by my long-time friend Kate Baldwin, will be such a treat.”

Premiered by Lincoln Center Theater in 2005, The Light in the Piazza quickly won acclaim for its sophisticated musical language and emotional depth. The original Broadway production earned six Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations. Since then, the musical has traveled widely, with major stagings across the United States and internationally. In the opera world, it has been championed by leading companies and leading artists alike — most notably soprano Renée Fleming, who performed the role of Margaret Johnson in productions at Lyric Opera of Chicago and LA Opera.

Performances of The Light in the Piazza run May 30 through June 28 at the Loretto-Hilton Center at Webster University. Tickets and subscriptions are available now at ExperienceOpera.org or by calling the Opera Theatre Box Office at (314) 961-0644.

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