Opera Lafayette
at The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
and the Gerald W. Lynch Theater, NYC
"Erminia" Director: Richard Gammon
"La forêt enchantée" Director: Anuradha Nehru
Maestro: Ryan Brown
Scenic Design: Richard Ouellette
Costume Design: Meriem Behri
Lighting Design: Rob Siler
Stage Management: Laura Krause
January 2018
photo credit: Louis Forget
"Imagine a series of exquisitely painted Indian miniatures coming to life. The single stationary set element is an ornately-carved wooden cupola which arches up, transforming through shadows into a tangle of forest branches. Set designer Richard Quellette has created something both simple and elegant, and lighting designer Rob Siler, has made the whole world seem magical with the use of gobos and light sources that seem to travel across the forest carpet."
- DC Theatre Scene
"The action for both works was transplanted from Jerusalem to India during the Mughal and Maratha wars in order to involve the Kalanidhi Dance Company, which specializes in kuchipudi, a form of classical Indian dance. The effect was extremely successful, with Meriem Bahri’s richly textured costumes, Richard Ouellette’s flexible trellised set, and Rob Siler’s lighting shifts, which reflected the characters’ moods."
- Opera News
