Joan Arhelger

Professor Joan Arhelger, Lighting Design Area Coordinator, has an extensive professional career with a major emphasis in opera. She has been the associate lighting designer for the San Francisco Opera for 15 years where she has designed lighting for over 15 years where she has designed lighting for over 30 productions. Additionally, Joan has worked around the country designing productions for The Washington Opera, Wolftrap Opera, Seattle Opera, San Diego Opera, New Orleans Opera, Kansas City Lyric Theater, Central City Opera, Sacramento Opera to name a few. Joan designed the San Francisco premier of Bill Irwin's Regard of Flight and designer/stage manager for Harry/dance and other work by Senta Driver. Joan did her graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin under Gilbert Hemsley. She has been the assistant to the Technical Director for the Kennedy Center and has also taught lighting at North Carolina School for the Arts.