ROBERT ASHENS (music director & conductor) San Francisco-based musician Robert Ashens, whose distinguished career as conductor and pianist has brought him to many world capitals, is Artistic Director/co-founder, West Coast Opera (Opera Oregon), is past General and Artistic Director of Anchorage Opera and past Artistic Director of both Eugene Opera and Opera San Luis Obispo. With a repertoire of nearly one hundred-twenty operas, he has conducted to great acclaim for regional opera companies throughout the United States and in many major cities of Europe, especially in Italy. He has also accompanied many opera luminaries in concert over the past 30 years. Ashens is in constant demand as a lecturer, accompanist and program director for concerts and recitals nationwide. Maestro Ashens toured nationally as conductor with the Broadway companies of A Chorus Line, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Sugar Babies (with Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller) and has premiered many new works of both Broadway and Opera. This is Ashens’ eleventh production with The Shedd Institute a music director & conductor. He is a Eugene Emerald Valley Rotarian, a member of Phi Beta, and is listed in Who’s Who in American Music.