By Barb Van Atta
At a press conference today (June 18), Tri-Cities Opera’s interim general director, Judy Berry, announced that Steven M. Crawford has been named TCO conductor and music director. He will be leading the 2014-2015 productions, starting with the Oct. 24 and 26 performances of Verdi’s Rigoletto, featuring former TCO resident artist Guido Lebron in the title role. Rigoletto will be performed at The Forum in Binghamton, as will Rossini’s The Italian Girl in Algiers and Gounod’s Faust. Casting for those shows as well as for all other roles in Rigoletto is TBA, according to the TCO website. Crawford has extensive credentials on the podium, including serving on the Metropolitan Opera conducting staff from 1998 to 2007. He also is an accomplished pianist and was once named “Vocal Coach of the Year” by Classical Singer magazine.
