Name: Finding Wright
Start: 2022-02-25T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2022-02-27T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Schuster Center

Organization

Stage director

Kathleen Clawson

Conductor

Susanne Sheston

Production Stage Manager

Cindy Knight

Assistant Stage Manager

Paul Smith

Jillian Stacer

Set designer

Pam Knauert Lavarnway

Lighting designer

John Rensel

Wig/Makeup Designer

Cass Brake

Tom Venditelli

Surtitle Caller

Linda Lally

Singer

Mezzo-soprano

Blythe Gaissert

Katharine Wright

Amanda Lynn Bottoms

Charlie tyler

Baritone

Sean Anderson

Harry Haskell

Tenor

Dominic Armstrong

Orville Wright

Christian Sanders

Wilbur Wright

Maya Vansuch

Kathie wright

Soprano

Grace Kahl

Isabelle Cummings Haskell

Bradley Mattingly

Mike

Ryu-Kyung Kim

Dean Gideon

Kenneth Shaw

Bishop Milton wright

Dramaturge

Artistic Advisor

Thomas Bankston

Rehearsal accompalishment/coach

Kathleen Kelly

Orchestra

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra

Dayton Opera

English

Finding Wright

Dayton

United States

Schuster Center

Finding Wright Kaminsky

Public

Approved

Thanks to a dynamic, all-female creative team, the spotlight will finally shine on Katharine Wright, sister of Wilbur and Orville Wright, through Finding Wright.

This world premiere opera started with a visit to the Dayton Woodland Cemetery. In 2014, librettist Andrea Fellows Fineberg and then stage director (now Artistic Director) Kathleen Clawson happened upon the grave of the Wright Brothers. Laid to rest between them was a relatively unknown–Katharine Wright.

Struck by the intrigue of this long-forgotten sister, Fellows Fineberg and Clawson were determined to learn more about her life. On their quest to uncover more about Katharine, they discovered that her life lent itself naturally to an operatic format. 

Not uncommon for inventors, Wilbur and Orville weren’t able to easily articulate the genius of their work so ordinary people could understand it. Katharine stepped in to champion their work and helped them become household names worldwide. Being an advocate for their work came with a cost. Katharine had to put aside her own aspirations, including finding love, on hold while she supported her brothers.

This new world premiere opera traces the parallel narratives of Katharine Wright, sister of Orville and Wilbur, and Charlotte (“Charlie”) Tyler, a 21st-century aerospace engineer grieving her stalling career and the recent loss of her husband. Through learning about Katharine’s life, Charlie finds the inspiration she needs to overcome her struggles.

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble