Michael Baumgarten has been the Director of Production and Residence Lighting Designer for Chautauqua Opera since 1999, and for Opera Carolina in Charlette since 2005. Michael has designed lighting for over 450 productions at regional and international opera companies, including New York City Opera, Teatro del Giglio/Lucca, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Arizona Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Lyric Opera Kansas City, Palm Beach Opera, Toledo Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, and Manitoba Opera during his thirty-plus year deign career. A graduate of Yale School of Drama and member of United Artists-Local 829, he assisted on Broadway during the 1980’, working with such designers as Craig Miller, Tom Skelton, Beverly Emmons, Jim Ingalls and Richard Nelson.