Anastasia Winterhalt

Light and Black Photography by Ashley

Short-listed for the 2014 Lieutenant Governor's Arts Awards "Leadership" Award by the Saskatchewan Arts Board, Anastasia is passionate about making opera exciting for Saskatoon residents and is focused on creating and producing works that attract new audiences and build support for opera in the city.

Anastasia is founder and artistic director of Little Opera On the Prairie (LOOP). Its mission is to increase the demand for opera through innovative and interesting performances, with a focus on community-building and education. The company was launched in 2012, with the support of an ArtsSmarts grant from the Saskatchewan Arts Board. Working in partnership with Susan Reschny, Anastasia encouraged and supported school students as they wrote, performed and produced a 30-minute opera. The project helped to both break down classroom social barriers and inspire interest in opera and the arts among students.

Anastasia holds a master's degree in music from the University of Saskatchewan and an artist diploma in opera from the Glenn Gould Professional School. She has performed with Saskatoon Opera, Edmonton's Opera NUOVA and Toronto Operetta Theatre and LOOP.

Producer, director, performer, teacher wife and mother, Anastasia is also an avid volunteer in her community.