The Garsington Opera has announced a cast change for its upcoming production of “Der Rosenkavalier.”

The British festival announced that  Madison Leonard will take over the role of Sophie in “Der Rosenkavalier” this summer; Soraya Mafi, who was originally cast in the role, is expecting her first child later this year and will be unable to perform. 

Leonard is a rising star who won the 2018  Metropolitan National Council Auditions. She has performed at the Seattle Opera, Austin Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and North Carolina Opera. She is a former young artist at the Merola Opera Program and at the Des Moines Metro Opera. 

The soprano joins a cast that includes Miah Persson, Hanna Hipp, Derrick Ballard, and Richard Burkhard. Jourdan de Souza conducts the production by Bruno Ravella.

“Der Rosenkavalier” opens on June 2 and runs through July 3, 2021.