Gina Galati, General Director
Gina Galati is the recent recipient of The Historical Society of St. Louis County’s James O’Flynn Community Service award for founding New Opera Saint Louis, now called Winter Opera St. Louis, where she serves as General Director. Gina received a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Music from Washington University and later received a Masters of Opera from the University of Kansas and earned an Artist Diploma from the Academia Verdiana in Bussetto, Italy. Ms. Galati has performed Rosina in The Barber of Seville with Winter Opera, Amici Opera and the Southern Illinois Music Festival, Musetta in La Bohéme with Witchita Grand Opera, and has performed frequently with the Atlantic Coast Opera Festival, singing Nedda in I Pagliacci, Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Norina in Don Pasquale. Gina sang the role of Giorgetta in Union Avenue Opera’s production of Il Tabarro and made her Powell Symphony Hall debut in December 2008 as the soprano soloist in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the St. Louis Bach Society. Gina has performed the roles of Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Gilda in Rigoletto, Norina in Don Pasquale, Nedda in I Pagliacci, Violetta in La Traviata, Mimi in La Bohème, Baby Doe in The Ballad of Baby Doe, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor and Suzel in L’amico Fritz with Winter Opera St. Louis. In the summer of 2014, Gina sang Norina in Miami Lyric Opera’s Don Pasquale and Rosina in Opera Medellin’s Il barbiere di Siviglia.
Kelly Thomas, Administrative Director
Kelly Thomas is second-in-command at Winter Opera St. Louis. A St. Louis native, she oversees everything from box office management and donor relations to large-scale event planning and the daily business operations that keep the organization running. After previously working with Winter Opera during Seasons 8 and 9, she returned for Season 15 to take on a leadership role that blends operations management with artistic design. In addition to her operational work, Kelly is the company’s lead graphic designer, creating the posters and artwork that define the look of each season. Outside of the office, Kelly is a dedicated maker of miniatures. She builds hand-crafted, noir-inspired dioramas using unconventional materials. Her process is one of constant trial and error—finding ways to recreate gritty, detailed scenes on a tiny scale.
Jen Blum-Tatara, Costume Designer / Costume & Alterations Shop Manager
As a professional costumer who has been working in the St. Louis area for almost a decade, Jen has met and worked with many talented performers and artists throughout the years. She loves to collaborate in any way she can, from designing their costumes to parodying the show she’s running with other backstage technicians. Jen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Theater and English Literature from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and she has returned annually to her alma mater to design costumes for the Cougar Theater Camp every summer. In addition to working at Winter Opera, she also holds the position of costume designer and shop manager at Edwardsville High School, which won the Costume Design and Execution Award from the St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards in 2023. When not working, Jen prefers to spend her time at home reading alongside her husband and three pets.
Spencer Burbach, Media Manager
Spencer Burbach, a native of the Midwest, serves as Media Manager for Winter Opera St. Louis, where he manages social media and public relations, and assists with box office operations and event coordination. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Illinois Wesleyan University and was awarded the Director’s Scholarship and the David Nott Collegiate Choir Scholarship in recognition of his talent and dedication to musical study. His background as an active performer informs his work in arts administration, bringing a strong understanding of both artists and audiences to his role. Spencer is a principal tenor with the St. Louis Symphony Chorus and has performed with Winter Opera St. Louis and other regional organizations. He also maintains a private voice studio in the Metro East area, where he works with singers of all levels to develop healthy vocal technique, confidence, and expressive artistry across a wide range of repertoire.