Board of Directors
Lori Schulman
Co-Founder/Co-Artistic Director
Lori Schulman is a native of Washington, D.C., and now lives in Santa Cruz with her son (age 5) and daughter (age 8). She holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from San Jose State University and performs throughout the Bay Area and Monterey Peninsula in operas, musicals, and as a concert soloist and recitalist. She was recently seen as Cunegonde in Candide at Cabrillo Stage in what reviewers called a “beautiful and exuberant” portrayal and “one of the show’s highlights.” Other favorite roles include Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Kathy in Company, Laurey in Oklahoma, Cosette in Les Misèrables, Papagena in The Magic Flute, Ilia in Idomeneo, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, and Amore in La Didone. Lori also has been teaching private voice lessons for more than 15 years, and she feels very lucky to connect with people through music on a daily basis.
Jordan Best
Co-Founder/Co-Artistic Director
American Soprano Jordan Elizabeth Best has been praised for her “viscerally thrilling” voice and “...vivacious and captivating...” stage presence in Opera, Musical Theater, and Theatre roles including Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Mother in Ragtime, and Guilietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Jordan holds a MM in Voice Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a BM in Voice Performance from DePaul University and has been teaching voice, music and theater in the Bay Area of California for 15 years. Jordan is passionate about creating accessible performance opportunities for local artists that allow moms, full-time breadwinners and anyone with the desire to perform the opportunity to connect with other artists and inspire audiences. A member of the voice faculty at Cabrillo College, she delights in witnessing new singers of all ages experience the power of singing classical music as they open up their voices and encounter raw emotion and vulnerability together. Ms. Best resides in the Santa Cruz mountains with her husband and 3 children and is profoundly grateful and excited to collaborate with such wonderful humans through the Santa Cruz Opera Project.
Steven Berlanga
Co-Founder/Consultant
Conductor and bass-baritone Steven Berlanga resides in Philadelphia, PA, where works as a freelance musician. He is finishing his doctorate in Choral Conducting at Indiana University, and has also studied at College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati, California State University – Long Beach, and Cabrillo College. A multifaceted artist, Mr. Berlanga has had over a decade of experience as a conductor, music director, composer and arranger, and he had his stage directing debut with Santa Cruz Opera Project in 2022. In the genres of opera, oratorio, musical theater and concert repertoire, Mr. Berlanga has sung with organizations such as West Bay Opera, New Voices Opera, Cabrillo Stage, Espressivo, Westfield State University, Santa Cruz Symphony, Arizona Philharmonic, and Ensemble Monterey. As a choral artist, he has sung with professional chamber choirs in the United States, such as The Crossing, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, The Thirteen, Kinnara, Exigence, Chorosynthesis, Brevitas, Vocal Arts Ensemble, BorderCrosSing, and the Quartz Ensemble.
Susan Leo
Board Member
The Rev. Dr. Susan Leo grew up in a music-loving, justice-conscious family. She had her mind first blown by opera when she was 17 and working as a nanny for a toddler belonging to Rita Shane, who was singing Queen of the Night in a Santa Fe Opera production of The Magic Flute. She never completely recovered. Retiring from ministry in 2011, Susan has immersed herself in natural history and is a certified California Naturalist, volunteering at Natural Bridges State Beach. She is a birder, a gardener, a sports fan, and a lover of the performing arts, particularly opera that brings the artform to new life.
Mindy Pedlar
Board Member
Mindy Pedlar, a singer/dancer/actor residing in Aptos first met SCOP co-founders Lori Schulman and Jordan Best while choreographing and singing in Cabrillo Stage’s production of Pirates of Penzance. She is proud to bring her public relations and theatrical skills to their worthy endeavor. At 18 Mindy landed her first professional singing and dancing job with Kids of the Kingdom at Disneyland. She then toured the U.S. with the folk group Serendipity Singers and played Vegas and other venues as a featured singer in Juliet Prowse’s nightclub act. She has appeared in many musicals. Favorite roles include Anna in King and I, the Dutchess in Nice Work if You Can Get It, Mother Abbess in Sound of Music and Auntie Em/Glinda in Wizard of Oz. Favorite local non-musical roles include Margarethe Bohr in Copenhagen, Alice in Rapture, Blister, Burn and Virginia Butley in Native Gardens . Mindy also had the honor of appearing in the film The CZU Fire in Their Own Words. Mindy teaches classical Ballet at Synergy in Aptos and continues to enjoy the performing arts with a new passion for Opera.
Diane Syrcle
Board Member
Diane Syrcle, soprano, is an audience favorite with Ensemble Monterey and the Cabrillo Symphonic Choir. Singing credits include the Cabrillo Symphonic Choir, Ensemble Monterey, Musical Soulmates, Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, Portland Opera, Oregon Symphony, Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, Aurora Chorus, Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Shreveport Opera, and the Amarillo Opera. Syrcle holds an MBA in Organizational Development from Marylhurst University, a Master's of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas, and a Bachelor's of Music/Music Education from West Texas A&M University. When she isn’t onstage you can find her in the garden playing her banjo or at Hospice of Santa Cruz County where she serves as the Chief Mission Officer.