Hillman Opera

The official page for the Hillman Opera! Check often to find out exciting news about our annual productions and news about our wonderful students and alumni!

02/12/2026

✨Experience Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” with conductor Glen Cortese, the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, and SUNY Fredonia’s Hillman Opera Program THIS SATURDAY at 3:00pm! ✨

📍Saturday, February 14, 2026 | 3:00 PM
King Concert Hall, Rockefeller Arts Center

This concert-style performance presents one of opera’s most enduring comedies full of romance, mistaken identities, and sharp social commentary. Through its brilliant ensembles and character-driven moments, Mozart’s score explores love, power, and forgiveness over the course of a single chaotic day.

Please join us for an afternoon of exceptional music-making!

🎟️GET YOUR TICKETS BELOW:

www.fredonia.edu/tickets

This production is made possible with support from Julie Newell and E. Louise Hoag Fund.

11/12/2025

Meet our conductor, Dr. Emily Schaad, and discover the musical heartbeat behind “The Consul” — a captivating glimpse into the artistry and precision guiding Hillman Opera's 2025 production.

Tickets are selling fast! Secure your seats now at Fredonia.edu/tickets or call 716-673-3501 (M-W-F 9am-3pm).

Hillman Opera's production of Gian Carlo Menotti's “The Consul” is made possible by generous support from:

Julie Newell
Friends of the Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center
Hillman Opera Patrons

Hillman Opera dedicates this production of “The Consul” to one of SUNY Fredonia's most distinguished alumni and friends, Mrs. Helen Tinch Williams - a beloved educator and supporter of the arts who touched the lives of many. A first-generation college student, she earned her Bachelor's in Music Education from Fredonia (Class of '60), a master's degree from Manhattanville College, and did additional studies at New York University. She established the Helen Tinch Williams Scholarship, and in 2022, her family established The Helen Tinch Williams Vocal Performance Fund through the Fredonia College Foundation.

“The Consul” is presented under license from G. Schirmer
Inc., copyright owners.

This production contains depictions of police brutality, violence, infant mortality, and self-harm.

11/11/2025

Meet our director. Daniel Lendzian, and discover the vision behind “The Consul” - a compelling inside look at the creative direction shaping Hillman Opera's 2025 production.

Tickets are selling fast! Secure your seats now at Fredonia.edu/tickets or call 716-673-3501 (M-W-F
9am-3pm)

Hillman Opera's production of Gian Carlo Menotti's “The Consul” is made possible by generous support from:

Julie Newell
E. Louise Hoag Fund
Friends of the Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center
Hillman Opera Patrons

Hillman Opera dedicates this production of “The Consul” to one of SUNY Fredonia's most distinguished alumni and friends, Mrs. Helen Tinch Williams - a beloved educator and supporter of the arts who touched the lives of many. A first-generation college student, she earned her Bachelor's in Music Education from Fredonia (Class of '60), a master's degree from Manhattanville College, and did additional studies at New York University. She established the Helen Tinch Williams Scholarship, and in 2022, her family established The Helen Tinch Williams Vocal Performance Fund through the Fredonia College Foundation.

“The Consul” is presented under license from G. Schirmer
Inc., copyright owners.

This production contains depictions of police brutality, violence, infant mortality, and self-harm.

11/02/2025

Closing night with our Friday/Sunday cast of this captivating production is just two weeks away! Make sure to grab your tickets for Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Consul — a gripping opera of courage, love, and hope in the face of impossible odds.

Performances:

•Thursday, November 13, 7:30pm
•Friday, November 14, 7:30pm
•Saturday, November 15, 7:30pm
•Sunday, November 16, 2:00pm

🎟️Grab your tickets: fredonia.edu/tickets or call 716-673-3501 (M-W-F 9am–3pm)

Click below to support the Hillman Memorial Music Association through the Fredonia College Foundation! When prompted to fill in a fund name, please identify one of the following:
• Hillman Opera Fund (Supports Hillman Opera production)
• Hillman Music Association Endowment (Supports scholarships for music majors)

👉 https://give-to-fredonia.formstack.com/forms/give_now

——

Hillman Opera’s production of Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Consul is made possible by generous support from:
– E. Louise Hoag Fund
–Julie Newell
-Friends of the Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center
-Hillman Opera Patrons

——

© Photo credit: Nova Kowalski
Poster design: Gabrielle Gance & Jordan Budd

10/31/2025

Opening night with our Thursday/Saturday cast of this riveting production is just two weeks away! Make sure to grab your tickets for Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Consul — a gripping opera of courage, love, and hope in the face of impossible odds.

Performances:

•Thursday, November 13, 7:30pm
•Friday, November 14, 7:30pm
•Saturday, November 15, 7:30pm
•Sunday, November 16, 2:00pm

🎟️Grab your tickets: fredonia.edu/tickets or call 716-673-3501 (M-W-F 9am–3pm)

Click below to support the Hillman Memorial Music Association through the Fredonia College Foundation! When prompted to fill in a fund name, please identify one of the following:
• Hillman Opera Fund (Supports Hillman Opera production)
• Hillman Music Association Endowment (Supports scholarships for music majors)

👉 https://give-to-fredonia.formstack.com/forms/give_now

——

Hillman Opera’s production of Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Consul is made possible by generous support from:
• E. Louise Hoag Fund
• Julie Newell
• Friends of the Michael C. Rockefeller Arts Center
• Hillman Opera Patrons

——

© Photo credit: Nova Kowalski
Poster design: Gabrielle Gance & Jordan Budd

10/21/2025

Please join us THIS Friday, October 24th at 5:00pm in Mason Hall 1080 for a free, behind-the-scenes reception featuring a preview of Hillman Opera’s upcoming production of Gian Carlo Menotti’s Pulitzer Prize-Winning opera, "The Consul". There will be light refreshments, musical performances, and the chance to meet members of the cast and creative team. We’re so excited for you to join us! Please RSVP here: [email protected].

09/28/2025

⭐️Season Announcement⭐️

Hillman Opera is proud to present Gian Carlo Menotti’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece “The Consul” — a gripping story of love, sacrifice, and the search for freedom. Directed by Daniel Lendzian and conducted by Dr. Emily Schaad, with musical preparation by Dr. Anne Kissel, this production will feature an outstanding cast and orchestra of Fredonia School of Music students and promises to be a powerful and unforgettable experience for both seasoned opera lovers and newcomers alike. We are so excited!

Performances:
Nov. 13, 14, 15 at 7:30 PM
Nov. 16 at 2 PM
Marvel Theatre at the Rockefeller Arts Center

Tickets can be purchased through the Fredonia Campus Ticket Office in person or by calling (716) 673-3501 on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays between 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, or by visiting the Ticket Office online at www.fredonia.edu/tickets

09/18/2025

✨Hillman Opera is back! ✨ Rehearsals are in full swing with an incredible team of artists and crew. We are so excited for this season… stay tuned, the reveal is right around the corner!

05/15/2025

MEET OUR GRADUATES! 🎓👏
French soprano Mia Mandineau has been working with Hillman Opera both as a young singer and as social media manager for the past two years.
Mia will be singing the role of Mother Abbess in "The Sound of Music" tomorrow Friday, May 16th at 7:30pm in King Concert Hall at the Rockefeller Arts Center. We hope to see you all there!

05/14/2025

MEET OUR GRADUATES! 🎓👏
Lucas Cochran has made our audience laugh with his hilarious interpretation of Dr. Blind in our 2023 production of "Die Fledermaus". He is now teaching in Bemus Point, NY.
Congratulations, Lucas —we wish you all the best for the future! 🥳

05/10/2025

MEET OUR GRADUATES 🎓👏
Gabrielle Gance is graduating with a double major - a BA in Vocal Performance and a BS in Business Administration! Gabrielle's Honor Recital with pianist I-Fei Chen is tomorrow Sunday, May 11th at 2pm in Rosch Recital Hall. We hope to see you all there!
Congratulations on all of your achievements, Gabrielle - we cannot wait to work with you again next year!

05/09/2025

MEET OUR GRADUATES! 🎓👏
Kaitlyn Power is graduating with her Bachelor's in Theatre Arts with a focus on Stage Management from the SUNY Fredonia Department of Theatre and Dance.
Congratulations, Kaitlyn — it was a pleasure working with you and we wish you the very best! 🥳

Address

280 Central Ave
Fredonia, NY
14063

Website

http://home.fredonia.edu/music/hillman

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Our Story

The official site for the Hillman Opera, the annual opera production held at SUNY Fredonia through the School of Music. The Hillman Opera has a longstanding tradition of excellence and professionalism. It is a unique institution which offers undergraduate students in the School of Music the opportunity to perform in fully staged operatic productions. For over sixty years, the Hillman Opera has given students the chance to perform in full opera under the tutelage of the fine faculty of the Fredonia School of Music. Each year, a title is chosen to educate students, to delight audiences, and prove that opera as an art form is alive and well! The goal of this page is to inform Hillman Opera fans about its rich history and promote our special events. If you would like to support the Hillman Association (or other funds that support the School of Music students), please click on the “Donate” button from our main page.