Union Avenue Opera Reveals 2025 Season
Performances include My Fair Lady, Salome, and more.
By: Stephi Wild May. 01, 2025
Union Avenue Opera is preparing for its 2025 Festival Season, bringing a mix of beloved musical theater, historical drama, and grand opera to St. Louis audiences. The season, featuring My Fair Lady, a gripping double bill of Josephine and Pagliacci, and the intense drama of Salome, will run from July through August at the historic Union Avenue Christian Church. “As we continue to expand our artistic offerings, we are excited to present a season that embraces a variety of musical styles and dramatic narratives,” said Founding Artistic Director Scott Schoonover, “from a classic Broadway hit to the emotional depth of verismo opera, our 2025 season has something for everyone.” SEASON AT A GLANCE
- My Fair Lady – July 5, 6 (matinee), 11, 12
- Josephine / Pagliacci – July 25, 26, August 1, 2
- Salome – August 15, 16, 22, 23
- Performances begin at 8:00 PM, with Sunday matinee at 3:00 PM
- All productions are accompanied by a full orchestra, members of the AFM-Local 2-197
MY FAIR LADY July 5, 6 (matinee), 11, 12
- Book and Lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner
- Music: Frederick Loewe
- Conducted by: Scott Schoonover
- Directed by: Annamaria Pileggi
- My Fair Lady is presented in English with projected English supertitles
Get ready to fall in love all over again as Union Avenue Opera launches the 2025 Festival Season with a dazzling new production of My Fair Lady, the cherished musical that tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl transformed by the brilliant yet stubborn Professor Henry Higgins. As Eliza finds her own voice, she challenges societal expectations in this witty and poignant adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. Audiences will revel in classic numbers like “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “Wouldn't It Be Loverly” while experiencing a production that seamlessly bridges musical theater and opera. Audience favorite, Brooklyn Snow returns to take center stage as Eliza Doolittle, following unforgettable performances as Cinderella (Into the Woods), the Heroines (Les contes d'Hoffmann) and Cunegonde (Candide). Joining her are an exciting lineup of debut artists, including Trevor Martin as the sharp-tongued Professor Henry Higgins, St. Louis stage veteran Steve Isom as the affable Colonel Pickering, Paul Houghtaling as the larger-than-life Alfred P. Doolittle, and Charles Calotta as the earnest Freddy Eynsford-Hill. Rounding out the cast are local talents Jennifer Theby-Quinn as the ever-patient Mrs. Pearce, Donna Weinsting as the witty Mrs. Higgins, Javi Ojeda and Bradley J. Behrmann as the lively duo Harry and Jamie. A full company of 25 artists, under the masterful baton of Founding Artistic Director Scott Schoonover, will bring this sparkling classic to life. Directed by Annamaria Pileggi, with vibrant scenic design by Patrice Nelms, elegant costumes by Teresa Doggett, and atmospheric lighting by Patrick Huber, My Fair Lady promises an unforgettable evening of wit, romance, and iconic melodies. Don't miss your chance to experience this golden-age masterpiece like never before. Whether you're rediscovering its magic or experiencing it for the first time, this fresh new staging of My Fair Lady will sweep you off your feet!
DOUBLE BILL: JOSEPHINE AND PAGLIACCI July 25, 26, August 1, 2
- Josephine – Music and Libretto: Tom Cipullo
- Pagliacci – Music and Libretto: Ruggero Leoncavallo
- Conducted by: Stephen Hargreaves
- Directed by: Kathryn Frady
- Josephine is presented in English with projected English supertitles
- Pagliacci is presented in Italian with projected Italian supertitles
This compelling double bill delves into the intricate interplay between performance and reality through two contrasting yet thematically linked works. Josephine brings to life the story of legendary entertainer and civil rights icon Josephine Baker, capturing her meteoric rise from St. Louis to international stardom, alongside the personal challenges she faced offstage. With a sweeping and emotionally charged score, composer-librettist Tom Cipullo paints a vivid portrait of a trailblazing artist navigating a world that wasn't always ready for her. In contrast, Leoncavallo's Pagliacci plunges audiences into the raw emotional world of a traveling commedia troupe, where art and reality collide in a tragic tale of jealousy, betrayal, and revenge. With its unforgettable aria “Vesti la giubba” and searing verismo drama, Pagliacci remains one of opera's most enduring and explosive masterpieces. Manna K. Jones makes her UAO and role debut as the electrifying Josephine Baker in Cipullo's one-woman tour de force. In Pagliacci, UAO welcomes back audience favorite Andy Papas as Tonio, following his acclaimed turns as Don Pasquale, Dr. Bartolo (Il barbiere di Siviglia), and the Major General (The Pirates of Penzance). Meroë Khalia Adeeb returns as Nedda, having previously impressed as Micaëla (Carmen) and The Governess (The Turn of the Screw). Making their UAO debuts are Jonny Kaufman as the tormented Canio and Kenneth Stavert as Silvio, with Marc Schapman as Beppe. A chorus of 14 local artists completes the ensemble. This gripping double feature is conducted by Stephen Hargreaves and directed by Kathryn Frady in her UAO debut, with scenic design by Laura Skroska, lighting by Patrick Huber, and costumes by Teresa Doggett. Don't miss this unforgettable night at the opera — where history and heartbreak share the stage.
SALOME August 15, 16, 22, 23
- Music: Richard Strauss
- Libretto: Hedwig Lachmann (after Oscar Wilde)
- Conducted by: Scott Schoonover
- Directed by: Mark Freiman
- Presented in German with English supertitles
Closing out the season with a blaze of passion and peril is Strauss' Salome, a provocative, electrifying masterpiece based on Oscar Wilde's notorious play. In the decadent court of King Herod, the young princess Salome becomes dangerously obsessed with the imprisoned prophet Jochanaan, setting into motion a chilling spiral of desire, manipulation, and deadly consequences. Featuring the legendary "Dance of the Seven Veils" and Strauss' sumptuous, cinematic score, Salome is a fearless plunge into the darkest corners of human obsession. Under the baton of Founding Artistic Director Scott Schoonover, St. Louis native Kelly Slawson makes her highly anticipated UAO and hometown stage and role debut in the demanding title role of Salome. The cast of fifteen includes ten UAO debuts, led by Peter Drackley as the hedonistic King Herod, Daniel Scofield as the stoic Jochanaan (John the Baptist), Missouri's own Joanna Ehlers as the calculating Herodias, and Emily Geller as her devoted page. Brian Skoog appears as the ill-fated Narraboth, with Fitzgerald St. Louis as the Cappadocian. The ensemble of soldiers, Jews, and Nazarenes features David Morgans, Joel Rogier, Ian Smith, Clark Sturdevant, James Stevens, Thomas M. Taylor IV, Will Upham, and Jacob Lassetter. Stage direction is by veteran UAO collaborator Mark Freiman, whose past productions (Carmen, Nabucco, Les contes d'Hoffmann, and La bohème — winner of the St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Outstanding Production of an Opera) have captivated local audiences. The production features a stark, evocative set by Patrick Huber, dramatic lighting by Zak Metalsky, and lavish costumes by Teresa Doggett.
Prepare for an unforgettable night of seduction, prophecy, and raw power — Salome will leave you breathless.
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