Organization

Singer

Mezzo-soprano

Jazmine Olwalia

Katya

Assistant Conductor

Glenn Lewis

Chorus master

Mark Trawka

Pianist

James Lesniak

Set designer

Andrew Lieberman

Costume designer

Millie Hiibel

Sound designer

Rob Kaplowitz

Baritone

Brandon Bell

Denis

Conductor

Lighting designer

Todd Nonn

Stage director

Haley Stamats

Opéra Orchestre National de Montpellier

Opera Philadelphia

Pittsburgh Opera

Music Theatre Wales

Others

Pittsburgh Opera Chorus

Orchestra

Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra

English

Russian

Denis and Katya

Pittsburgh

United States

Bitz Opera Factory

Denis and Katya Venables

Public

Approved

as BOY in Denis & Katya

After Katya's mom called the police falsely claiming that Denis had kidnapped Katya, a neighbor relates what happened when the police arrived. 

Pittsburgh Opera presents
‘Denis & Katya’
 
Music by Philip Venables 
Libretto by Ted Huffman 
By arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., o/b/o G Ricordi & Co. (London) Ltd.
 
CAST: 
Jazmine Olwalia* 
Brandon Bell* 
 
ORCHESTRA: 
Cello 
Kathleen Melucci, Principal 
Paula Tuttle 
Joseph Bishkoff, Jr. 
Katya Janpoladyan 
 
The Musicians of the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra employed in this production are members of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada
 
THE ARTISTIC TEAM: 
Original Production Ted Huffman 
Revival Stage Director Haley Stamats* 
Head of Music / Musical Preparation Glenn Lewis 
Scenery designed by Andrew Lieberman 
Costumes designed by Millie Hiibel+ 
Original Lighting designed by Andrew Lieberman 
Lighting designed by Todd Nonn 
Projections designed by Pierre Martin+ 
Sound designed by Robert Kaplowitz+ 
Stage Manager Hannah Nathan 
Director of Musical Studies Mark Trawka 
Associate Coach / Pianist James Lesniak 
 
Librarian: Eleanor Cameron
Personnel Manager: Sarah Schultz
 
Scenery and Costumes constructed by Opera Philadelphia
Production owned by Opera Philadelphia
 
+ Pittsburgh Opera debut 
* Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist
 
Denis & Katya is sponsored in part by a gift from an Anonymous Donor.
Season Sponsor: PNC
Tuesday Night Sponsor: Ambridge Regional Distribution & Manufacturing Center

Video by RLG Creations

Pittsburgh Opera: Denis & Katya - "Katya’s Mom Called the Police"

On November 14, 2016, Denis Muravyov and Katya Vlasova, fifteen-year-olds in the rural Pskov region of Russia, died after a three-day standoff with Russian Special Forces. They live-streamed their last hours onto internet sites, leaving behind a trail of devastating video footage: drinking and smoking, cuddling and crying, and preparing to die. 

Denis and Katya could have been your children, best friends, or classmates. Two teenagers who lived every moment—including their last—online. What led to their violent deaths? Why did they choose to broadcast their final moments on social media? And what does it say about the voyeuristic society that watched, liked, and objectified them in real-time, transforming two kids into clickbait? 

This visceral opera uses verbatim text to examine the vast public response to the events surrounding the tragedy of these two Russian runaways, exploring how stories are shaped and shared in our age of trolls, conspiracy theories, fake news, and 24/7 digital connection. 
 
The New York Times called Denis & Katya "an intimate, haunting triumph", and Musical America called it “ … the most brilliantly original operatic work I’ve seen in a decade."

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Co-Producer