Rob Ainsley has spent over two decades immersed in opera, working across the country as a conductor, educator, and leader while sharing his passion for the art form. An alumnus of the University of Cambridge, Mannes College of Music, and the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, he has held major roles with organizations including the Greenwich Music Festival, English National Opera, and Minnesota Opera. He is now the Artistic and General Director of the Glimmerglass Festival, where he continues to mentor emerging artists and shape the future of opera.

Mary Birnbaum is an internationally acclaimed stage director whose work has been praised by The New York Times as “viscerally overwhelming” and “genuinely insightful.” She has directed productions around the world and at leading U.S. institutions, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, and the New York Philharmonic, with her production of In a Grove named a 2025 “Best of Classical” highlight. She is currently the General and Artistic Director of Opera Saratoga and also teaches at The Juilliard School while coaching for the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Program.