Pagliacci
Saturday, April 24 @ 7:30pm
Leoncavallo's Pagliacci (“The Clowns”) gave the world its original image of the tragic (and killer) clown — a story of jealousy and heartbreak inside a traveling troupe of players so enduring that, decades later, it inspired Smokey Robinson to write the words to one of Motown's most beloved hits, “The Tears of a Clown”. That connection is the whole point of this production: two of the most powerful storytelling traditions to come out of the twentieth century, opera and Motown, both built on the ache behind the performance and the smile that hides it.
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Cast & Creative
Errin Duane Brooks / Canio
Praised for his “rich, well-metaled quality of instrument” (Parterre Box) and “powerful dramatic tenor” (Operawire), two-time Grammy winner Errin Duane Brooks is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after voices in the world. Celebrated for possessing a voice like warm steel, tremendous volume and vocal stability, he brings world-class artistry with unrelenting power and precision to the dramatic/helden repertoire.
The 2026/27 season builds on a milestone year including his company and American role debut as Calaf in Turandot with Pacific Symphony Orchestra under Carl St. Clair and his role debut as Cavaradossi in Tosca with Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra under Johnathan Pasternak; performances which helped solidify his place in the dramatic repertoire. This season, Brooks will be involved in the title character of Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Omar and Jean de Baptiste in Herodiade, both at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Canio in Pagliacci at Detroit Music Hall, with future appearances scheduled at the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Brooks is also becoming distinguished on the concert stage, performing in such works as Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde with Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra, Brahm's Liebeslieder Waltzes with The National Chorale at David Geffen Hall, Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, Vaughn-Williams Serenade to Music and Bernstein's Chichester Psalms at Carnegie Hall, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with Toledo Choral Society, Mozart’s Symphony No. 23 in D Major with Orchestra Society New Jersey, and Verdi’s Requiem with the American Festival Chorus under Dr. Craig Jessop.
Maria Natale / Nedda
Praised by The New York Times for her “plummy, penetrating voice,” Italian-American soprano Maria Natale is establishing herself as a rising star in the Italian verismo repertoire.
In the summer of 2025, Ms. Natale made her European debut at the Immling Festival in the title role in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. She returned to Immling Festival in the summer of 2026 to sing the title role of Tosca in Puccini’s Tosca, and appeared as soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Verdi’s Requiem. Recent engagements have included Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana and the title role of Tosca with Opera San Jose and Cedar Rapids, as well as acclaimed performances at Tulsa Opera as Cio-Cio San in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
At Opera San José, she has also sung Nedda in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly, and Rosalinde in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. Her portrayal of Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata with Opera Maine garnered rave reviews, with Opera News applauding her “powerful soprano that effortlessly filled the house.” Her Sarasota Opera debut as Liù in Puccini’s Turandot was similarly praised for her “unequivocal Italian sound” (New Outpost).
Her upcoming 2026–27 season includes Tosca with Calgary Opera and Vero Beach Opera.
As a concert soloist, Ms. Natale has performed at Carnegie Hall in Fauré’s Requiem and Mozart’s Missa Solemnis with MidAmerica Productions, and has appeared as soprano soloist with the New York City Master Chorale in Dvořák’s Te Deum and Mozart’s Requiem. Her concert repertoire also includes Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Verdi’s Requiem.
Paulo Szot / Tonio
Paulo Szot, is one of the most celebrated names in international opera and musical theater. He began his journey at the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo in 1997 as Figaro in The Barber of Seville. His international career took off with remarkable debuts at the New York City Opera (2003) and the Marseille Opera (2004).
Szot made history by becoming the first Brazilian male soloist to debut at The Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2010, in the opera The Nose (Shostakovich)—a stage where he performed for 10 seasons. The artist was also the pioneer from Brazil to conquer Broadway: for his debut in South Pacific (2008) at the Lincoln Center Theater, he won the prestigious Tony Awards, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theater World awards for Best Actor in a Musical. For the same role, he was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Awards in London in 2011. His presence is constant on the world's main stages, including the Alla Scala in Milan, Paris Opera, Monte Carlo, Real de Madrid, Liceu de Barcelona, San Francisco Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, and the Rome Opera.
He sings regularly with the New York Philharmonic, Osesp, and the symphonies of Chicago, Philadelphia, Barcelona, and Warsaw, performing in iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall. In 2020, he released the album Jardim Noturno, featuring works by Cláudio Santoro. His recent works include major Broadway productions, Cosi Fan Tutte at Paris Opera, Hadestown, as well as Here We Are (Stephen Sondheim) at the National Theatre in London and Mass (Bernstein) at the TMSP.
In 2026, the highlights of his schedule include Don Carlo (Rodrigo) in São Paulo, the recording of the opera Iphigenia in Poland and the show “Paulo Szot in Concert” at the historic Teatro Niccolino, in Florence.
JACOB Surzyn / Silvio
Born and raised near Detroit, baritone Jacob Surzyn has performed with many of Michigan’s opera companies including Detroit Opera and Opera MODO. With Detroit Opera he covered the role of Councilman in Mazzoli’s Breaking the Waves and performed as Avram in Fiddler on the Roof, Antonio in Ragnar Kjartansson’s Bliss, and Mr. Rockefeller in Rodríguez’s Frida. Throughout Michigan he has sung the roles of Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Mandarin in Turandot, Der Lautsprecher in Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Marquis de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites, Doctor Gregg in Gallantry, Dandini in La Cenerentola, Crespel in Les contes d’Hoffmann, King Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance, and covered Guglielmo in a virtual Così fan tutte.
An avid performer of oratorio, Jake has been a soloist in works ranging from the Baroque to the contemporary. These engagements include Mendelssohn's Elijah, J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion, Haydn’s The Creation, Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem, and Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle. In April 2024 Jake covered the baritone soloist in University Musical Society’s performance of Brahms Requiem with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
Jake serves as executive director for Opera de Metro, an opera company based in southeastern Michigan created in 2024. In their first two seasons they produced David Conte’s The Gift of the Magi, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, a voice competition, and a Community Sing-Along Handel’s Messiah.
Suzanne Mallare Acton / Conductor
Suzanne Mallare Acton takes the podium for Pagliacci! Known for her versatility and energy on the podium, Acton has more than 160 production credits covering seven languages as Chorus Master for Detroit Opera. In addition to her chorus work, she has conducted over 35 productions for the company, including West Side Story, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Carmen, The Music Man, The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, Die Fledermaus, La traviata, A Little Night Music, a staged version of Carmina Burana with members of Cirque du Soleil, The Medium, A View from the Bridge, Les pêcheurs de perles, and Frida.
She has conducted Dayton Opera, Artpark, Augusta Opera, Verdi Opera Theatre, El Paso Opera, Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, Birmingham-Bloomfield Symphony Orchestra, Lexington Bach Festival, Rochester Symphony Orchestra, Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra, and Dearborn Symphony Orchestra. For 25 years, Suzanne was artistic director of Detroit’s Rackham Choir. She premiered Too Hot to Handel at the Detroit Opera House, Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre, and the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis.