Roll Call

A Silent Night Character Map

Bass-baritone Ryan McKinny as Lt. Horstmayer, Baritone IIuri Samoilov as Lt. Audebert, and Baritone Thomas Glass as Lt. Gordon in HGO's production of Silent Night. (photo credit: Michael Bishop)

Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell’s Silent Night focuses on the parallel experiences of platoons from three nations embroiled in the First World War. With a cast of 13 principal soloists and three choruses, it’s helpful to have a cheat sheet to keep track of the officers and enlisted men in the opera. This character map features costume sketches by eight-time Tony-winning designer Catherine Zuber.

NIKOLAUS SPRINK

Miles Mykkanen, tenor

A famous operatic tenor who begins to regard his profession as useless after he’s conscripted into the German army. It is his carol-singing that serves as the catalyst for the Christmas Eve truce.

LT. HORSTMAYER

Ryan McKinny, bass-baritone

The Jewish head of the German platoon, initially hesitant about letting his men participate in
the truce.

KRONPRINZ

Chad Shelton, tenor

Crown Prince Wilhelm—the only real-life character in the opera—was the son of Kaiser Wilhelm II and a commander in the German army.

ANNA SØRENSEN

Sylvia D’Eramo, soprano

A Norwegian soprano who is Sprink’s lover and co-star. She manages to obtain a pass to spend the night with Sprink and goes with him to meet his comrades on the front.

LT. AUDEBERT

Iurii Samoilov, baritone

The leader of the French platoon, waiting for news of the birth of his child back home in Paris. Before the war, he and his wife saw Sprink and Anna perform at the Paris Opéra.

PONCHEL

Edward Nelson, baritone

Lt. Audebert’s aide-de-camp, he serves as a barber and can also make a delicious cup of coffee. Ponchel keeps an alarm clock with him that rings every day at 10 a.m. to remind him of the usual he had coffee with his mother in their village near the front.

MADELEINE AUDEBERT

Elizabeth Hanje, soprano

Audebert’s pregnant wife, enraged that her husband has to leave her to go off to war.

FRENCH GENERAL

Ziniu Zhao, bass

Lt. Audebert’s father,
disappointed with his son’s abilities as an officer and scandalized by the Christmas truce.

WILLIAM DALE

Charles Eaton, baritone

A young man who eagerly enlists in the army after war breaks out.

LT. GORDON

Thomas Glass, baritone

The good-natured head of the Scottish platoon, he proposes the ceasefire on
Christmas Eve.

JONATHAN DALE

Jack Swanson, tenor

William’s brother, who vows revenge after his sibling dies in battle.

BRITISH MAJOR

Sam Dhobhany, bass-baritone

A rigid officer who is furious with the Scottish platoon after a spy alerts him to the Christmas truce.

FATHER PALMER

Brandon Cedel,
bass-baritone

The parish priest from William and Jonathan’s village. He joined the army alongside the two young men, but his faith is tested after witnessing the horrors of war.

about the author

Joe Cadagin

Joe Cadagin is the Audience Education and Communications Manager at Houston Grand Opera.