Cynthia Stokes

Theatre and Opera Director

• Featured Reviews

  • South Pacific
    Piedmont Opera
    "Intellecutally Satisfying"
    
    "From top to bottom the Piedmont Opera’s South Pacific is entertaining and intellectually satisfying. (Stokes) asks the big questions about ethics, morality, and national identity in the face of the violent reality of war and at the same time allows the show to breathe, laugh, and percolate with the joy of performance."
    
    Chad Nance
    Camel City Dispatch
    
    
    
  • Pagliacci
    Opera San Jose
    "Supreme Vocalism, Direction"
    
    "Pagliacci, directed by Cynthia Stokes, was both funny and moving…The depiction of love and infidelity amid a troupe of traveling players was nimbly done, as was the fatal confluence of illusion and reality."
    
    Joshua Kosman
    San Francisco Chronicle Music Critic
    
    
    "Cynthia Stokes’ stage direction for Pagliacci triumphed… acutely attentive to tiny details."
    
    Scott MacClelland
    SanJose.com
    
    
    
  • Roméo et Juliette
    San Diego Opera
    
    
    "Director Cynthia Stokes keeps the suspense and romance sizzling throughout. Every element underscores the undeniable attraction of the title characters… from the tender minuet of their meeting to the hot-blooded, breathless beauty of the balcony scene, to their heartrending finale. The third-act romp in Juliet’s gossamer four-poster is blistering. If you’re an opera lover, a Shakespeare-lover – or just a lover-this stunning production is not to be missed."
    
    Pat Launer
    San Diego News Network
    
    
    "A visual and aural feast... a wealth of vocal talent and commanding stage direction… an erotic edge in Juliette’s curtained four–poster bed. Cynthia Stokes’ brisk, eminently logical stage direction kept everyone’s pulse elevated."
    
    Kenneth Herman
    San Diego Arts
    
    
    "Cynthia Stokes' thoughtful, natural direction, make this opera accessible to modern audiences… In their wedding night scene, the couple's romantic chemistry is obvious... This is an opera with truly exciting swordfights, singers who sing to each other (rather than the audience), and a haunting finale that will hang in the memory long after the final curtain. …the production is so good and so entertaining, nobody will go home early."
    
    Pam Kragen
    North County Times
    
    
    "Director Cynthia Stokes, creates a production that is graceful and pleasing which resounds with power. This is a rare opportunity to have Shakespeare’s work truly come to live in tasteful beauty, both musically and visually. Obviously, Shakespeare would be in love with THIS production."
    
    Christie Grimstad
    ConcertoNet.com
    
    
    
  • Margaret Garner
    Opera Carolina
    
    
    "Cynthia Stokes is bringing fresh ideas. She helps the cast bring the tormented but loving characters to life."
    
    Denyce Graves
    The Charlotte Observer
    
    
    "Stage director Cynthia Stokes kept things moving quickly even letting set changes overlap with action…it helped give ‘garner’ an epic scale."
    
    Steven Brown
    Charlotte Observer