Versatile, joyful, multi-talented Susan Lane Stokes brings enthusiasm and expertise to her studio and stage directing.
As a director, her knowledge of what is demanded to create worlds and their moments arises from the body of works she has helped create.
As a singer, Susan’s appearances in over 40 opera, operetta, musical theater and orchestral works across the US have garnered critical acclaim.
She brings this extensive experience to her voice studio and workshops, imparting solid vocal technique, dramatic ability, languages, and musical skills. Susan works with students of all levels.
Susan’s direction of a double bill featuring Menotti’s The Telephone and Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor challenged her to explore comic performance with students and create a unifying theme between the two works.
Pop art and the classic story of Cinderella are delightful partners in the University of Arizona’s Fall 2025 production of Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon. Susan traded the opera’s traditional setting for 1950s Paris and explored with her students the history of Pop Art and how to build a story around finding new identity.
Susan reflects on directing Ragtime at Arts Express, a musically demanding production that explores race, class, and the American dream.
Opera Guild of Southern Arizona Board Member
University of Arizona Director
Susan Lane Stokes 