Norman Garrett and Marcy Stonikas Head Opera Colorado's First 'Macbeth'

Opera Colorado will stage Verdi's "Macbeth" for the first time in its history, running November 7–15, 2026, at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver.

Baritone Norman Garrett sings the title role. Soprano Marcy Stonikas joins him as Lady Macbeth. Tenor Edward Graves makes his company debut as Macduff, and bass Kenneth Kellogg, also debuting with Opera Colorado, sings Banquo.

Patrick Summers, Music Director Emeritus of Houston Grand Opera, conducts. Dan Wallace Miller directs.

The production opens Barbara Lynne Jamison's first programmed season as Ellie Caulkins Artistic Director + CEO. Jamison framed the choice as a deliberate welcome to audiences beyond the opera house's regulars.

"Many people know the story of 'Macbeth,' which makes it a powerful way to open this season," Jamison said. "You don't need to know opera to be caught up in its story of ambition and fear, or in the way a rumor can take on a life of its own. For this production, we are bringing together artists with extensive experience on major stages and fresh relationships with Opera Colorado. This season reflects Opera Colorado's values and the kind of company we strive to be: one where great artists want to work and where lifelong operagoers and first-time guests feel equally welcome."

The casting strategy Jamison describes is visible in the lineup: Garrett and Stonikas bring leading-role credentials, while Graves and Kellogg arrive as new faces to the Denver company.

Verdi's 1847 Shakespeare adaptation compresses the play's meditation on power, guilt and prophecy into a taut musical drama. Opera Colorado has never before mounted it. The nine-day run gives Denver audiences their first local opportunity to see the company take on the work.

Performances are in Italian, with English and Spanish supertitles above the stage.

The production sets the tone for Jamison's broader program. Her stated aim — a house where established artists and newcomers alike feel at home — will be tested across the season that "Macbeth" launches in November 2026.