Palm Beach Opera Welcomes 2025 Season & New Program Director

Palm Beach Opera has unveiled its 2025 season, featuring some fantastic productions and showcasing 15 exceptional resident artists selected from over 1,000 applicants from across the country and beyond. 

These talented individuals will embark on a transformative five-month journey — they will take the stage in supporting roles, participate in community outreach activities, and earn mentorship from the distinguished faculty comprising industry leaders. This commitment to nurturing emerging talent reinforces Palm Beach Opera’s reputation as a premier training center for the next generation of opera stars.

In an exciting new chapter, Joanna Latini, a former “Young Artist” with PBO, steps into the role of Director of Resident Artist Programs. As a past participant in the program herself, Joanna brings a wealth of experience in both performance and arts administration. Her firsthand understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by emerging artists promises to enhance the training and support provided to these talented individuals.

Throughout their residency, the Young Artists and Bailey Apprentice Artists will engage in a rigorous curriculum that includes —but is not limited to — frequent concert performances, daily coaching, and masterclasses with guest faculty.

This new hire comes following the appointment in May of James Barbato as Palm Beach Opera’s newest General Director.

The 2025 season will feature a rich array of performances that blend artistry and education, including collaborations with local museums and intimate showcases. Notably “Opera Up-Close: Unveiling the Dramatic Process,” which offers a behind-the-scenes look at operatic storytelling, and the popular Lunch & Learn series, where audiences can enjoy highlights from each of the season’s mainstage productions, including Roméo et Juliette in January, Verdi’s La Traviata in February and Mozart’s witty The Marriage of Figaro in April — all playing at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach (701 Okeechobee Boulevard).

The season kicks off with the Bailey Apprentice Artists participating in two special collaborations that highlight Spanish-language repertoire, performing at the Boca Raton Museum of Art’s Music in the Museum series and the Norton Museum’s Art After Dark series.

Later, residents will showcase their talents in “Opera Up-Close,” featuring some of opera’s most riveting scenes, and other concerts focusing on the Great American Songbook.

For details on performances and ticket information, visit pbopera.org.