Guest Artists
Dido and Aeneas
Julia Morgan, Dido
Born and raised in Victoria, Ms. Morgan attended the University of Victoria and studied voice with Alexandra Browning until 2005. She then moved on to the University of Toronto Post Graduate Opera Diploma Program where she studied voice with Lorna MacDonald, Lois Marshall Chair and Head of Pedagogy. She performed many roles including Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro; Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, and Bianca in The Rape of Lucretia. She has been selected for many prestigious summer programs including the Franz Schubert-Institut (2003) in Baden bei Wein, Austria; Opera Nuova (2004) in Edmonton, Alberta, and TrypTych (2007) in Toronto, Ontario. In 2003, Julia won the Johann Strauss Scholarship to assist her studies in Austria. In 2007 she was supported by the Canadian Aldeburgh Foundation to study Mahler and Strauss with Dame Anne Evans at the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme in England.
In November 2007 Ms. Morgan was a semi-finalist at the Jette Parker Covent Garden Auditions. In 2008 Ms. Morgan was selected to perform the role of Rosine in Signor Deluso at the Highlands Opera Studio. Prior to the Highlands Opera Studio Julia was performing the roles of Second Woman in Dido and Aeneas and Mustardseed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Banff Centre for the Performing Arts.
In 2009 Ms. Morgan performed with the Toronto Choral Society as the alto soloist in Elgar’s The Music Makers and Opera York as Greek Chorus in the North American premiere of And the Rat Laughed, a Hebrew opera about the Holocaust.
This past year, 2010, include the role of Hansel in Saskatoon Opera’s School Tour production of Hansel and Gretel, Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen with Summer Opera Lyric Theatre, and the CD release of her debut album Seh’ dein Auge schauen this past November.
The summer of 2011 features Julia singing Dido in Dido and Aeneas with Opera on the Avalon in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Krista DeSilva, Dido
Krista de Silva, born and bred in Alberta, received her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology at the University of Calgary, where she currently resides. She earned her Masters of Music at Schulich School of Music (McGill University). As a member of the Emerging Artist Program with Calgary (2007/08), she performed Effie in The Ballad of Baby Doe. She is an alumni of Marilyn Horne’s Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, where she played Antonia in Bolcom’s A Wedding and Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier). Additionally, she has sung the roles of Mignon, Idamante, Concepcion (Highlands Opera Studio, under the direction of Val Kuinka and Richard Margison), and has performed in l’Opéra de Québec’s Gala of 2005 and 2006.
Krista recently sang the role of Flora (La Traviata) with Edmonton Opera ‘09 and prior to that sang with l’Opéra de Québec (2008) and l’Opéra de Montréal (2009) where she premiered in the opera version of Luc Plamondon’s Starmania, performing the role of Sadia. She currently studies with Canadian soprano, Wendy Nielsen.
Calvin Powell, Aeneas
Born and raised in Carbonear, Newfoundland, Calvin graduated with honours from the University of Toronto’s Opera Division and recently completed his Masters of Music (performance and pedagogy) at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Recent opera credits include 2nd prisoner in Fidelio with Vancouver Opera, Papgeno in The Magic Flute with the Vancouver Opera Touring Ensemble, the title role in Gianni Schicchi, Guglielmo in Cosi Fan Tutte at the University of Toronto and Constable Lawson in Filumena (Estacio) at the Banff Arts Center. Calvin has worked with the Canadian Opera Company, Toronto Operetta Theatre, Orchestre Symphonique de Longueuill and the North York Concert Orchestra to name a few. He has been involved in the creation of new Canadian Opera as a member of the Tapestry New Opera Works Studio and has commissioned new song cycles by David Passmore and Daryl Jameson. Calvin has appeared as a frequent soloist with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, most recently as Schaunard in La Boheme. He is currently recording a project of 21st century Canadian Art Songs. Calvin is pleased to begin teaching private voice lessons with City Stars in St. John’s and Carbonear.
James Benjamin Rogers, Aeneas
A native of New Zealand, James has performed at the Kauffman Center, Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Riverside Church, and the renowned Joe’s Pub in New York City. He has appeared with such organizations as The Ravinia Festival, Joy in Singing, Southern Opera, The Southern Sinfonia, The Little Orchestra Society of New York, The Orpheus Choir, The Merola Opera Program, The Schwabacher Recital Series, The Opera Company of Middlebury and The Japan Society of New York.
He completed his graduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music in May of 2008. While there, he was the Orvis Foundation Scholar and was awarded the Janet D. Schenck Award for his distinguished contribution to the life of the school.
James’ roles include: Pluto in Offenbach’s Orpheus and the Underworld; Sam in Kurt Weill’s Street Scene, Britten’s Albert Herring, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo; Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflote; Nadir in Bizet’s Les Pecheurs des Perles; The Baker in Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods; Billy in Weill’s Mahagonn Songspeil, Concert and Oratorio works include: Britten’s Winter Words; Schumman’s Dichterliebe; Berlioz’s L'Enfance du Christ; Handel’s Messiah and Judas Maccabeus; Haydn’s Creation and Theresa Mass; Beethoven’s 9th Symphony; Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and St John’s Passion; Vaughn Williams’ Hodie; Mozart’s Requiem; Saint-Seans’ Christmas Oratorio; Weill’s Four Songs of Walt Whitman.
James’ awards and honors include: A 2010 Arts Excellence Award from the Malvina Major Foundation, Winner of the Joy in Singing Competition (2008), Winner of the Lotte Lenya Competition (2007), Wellington Rotary Scholarship, Marie D’Albini Scholarship, Bell Gully Travel Award, Sir Henry Cooper Memorial Scholarship in Music, grants from the Lankhuyzen/Whetu Kairangi Masonic Trust and the Malvina Major Foundation.
This season James will perform with Toledo Opera, Opera on the Avalon, the Banff Center’s Opera as Theatre program as well as performing Schumann’s Dichterliebe on April 8th with pianist Jillian Zack. James will also take the role of Marco Polo in the World Premier of Christopher Cerrone’s Invisible Cities, to be staged in New York at the Italian Academy in May.
James is currently working on his debut recording with renowned pianist Kenneth Merrill. The disc, “Exiled - The extrication of Kurt Weill”, will be released in 2012.
Caroline Jang, Belinda
Soprano Caroline Jang is a member of Pre-Professional Internship Program of Vancouver Opera for their season 2010-2011. Born in South Korea, Ms Jang immigrated to Canada in 2000 and she was selected as one of the finalists at Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Competition in Montreal in 2008. Her operatic roles span from Adele (Die Fledermaus) to Pamina (Die Zauberflöte). Also in demand for solo work, she has performed Johannes Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Frigyes Hidas’ Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, J.S.Bach’s Johannes Passion, and J.S.Bach’s Magnificat. Ms Jang has participated in numerous masterclasses with renowned artists such as Graham Johnson, Malcolm Martineau, Margo Garret, Deen Larsen, and many more. She has achieved grade 10 in both Voice and Piano at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She is currently enrolled in second-year of her master’s degree specializing in Opera Performance at UBC and studies under the renowned coloratura soprano Nancy Hermiston.
Sarah Halmarson, Belinda
Soprano Sarah Halmarson has been praised as a “gifted actor” whose “clear voice spun as golden as her locks” (Opera Canada). Ms. Halmarson completed her Bachelor of Music performance at the University of Manitoba, and received further training through the University of Manitoba Opera Apprenticeship Program and the Banff Centre for the Arts. She has performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (Bastien und Bastienne, Holiday Express Tour), Royal Winnipeg Ballet (Carmina Burana, The Magic Flute), Saskatoon Opera (Giannetta in L’elisir d’Amore, Rosie in The Barber of Boomtown), Banff Opera as Theatre (Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, Carmina Burana), Winnipeg Wind Ensemble (Carmina Burana), The Little Opera Company (Dortchen in The Brothers Grimm), and Manitoba Opera Chorus (Die Fledermaus, Otello). She was a Regional Finalist in the 2008 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and won First Prize in the Doris McLellan Competition in 2008. She recently received a Manitoba Arts Council Emerging Artist Grant to continue private studies with Mary Morrison and Tracy Dahl. Upcoming engagements include her Manitoba Opera debut in April 2011 as First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, performing Belinda in Dido and Aeneas with Opera on the Avalon in June 2011 and covering Despina in Così fan tutte with Banff Opera as Theatre in August 2011.
Eve Daniell, Sorceress
Eve Daniell is a recent graduate of the University of Victoria, studying with Susan Young, where she graduated with distinction. She has both her ARCT diploma in Piano Performance and in Voice Performance - which she won the 2009 Gold Medal for.
After finishing univeristy Eve took part in Pacific Opera Victoria’s Young Artists Program where she appeared as the Witch in Hansel and Gretel. She has worked as a soloist with the Victoria Bach Ensemble, UVic Symphony and Chorus, and the Cowichan Consort.
Eve has studied with and done masterclasses with such musicians as Benjamin Butterfield, Carol Webber, Aaron St Clair Nicholson, Dr Deen Larsen and last summer had the pleasure of travelling to New Zealand where she studied at the University of Canterbury with Lois Johnston.
Eugenia Dermentzis, Sorceress
Mezzo-soprano, Eugenia Dermentzis, has been performing from a young age as a singer, dancer, and actress.Her passion for the arts manifests itself in her career, not only as a performer, but also as an educator/teacher. As a recent graduate of the Master of Music in Voice Literature and Performance programme at the University of Western Ontario, Eugenia has spent the past couple of years performing in and around Toronto and across Canada. She has been a featured soloist in Toronto Operetta Theatre’s “Gilbert and Sullivan Extravaganza,” and “Vienna Gold Gala,” and sang the role of Enrichetta di Francia in I Puritani for Opera in Concert. Other roles and performance experience include: Lapàk in The Cunning Little Vixen (Banff Opera as Theatre), Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte (Opera Nuova), Alto Soloist for Vivaldi’s Gloria (Orchestra London), La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica (UWOpera), and Nicklausse in The Tales of Hoffmann (Summer Opera Lyric Theatre). She is a recipient of the London Opera Guild Scholarship, and winner and finalist of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Student Auditions. Eugenia is delighted to be performing the role of Mariana in Toronto Operetta Theatre’s production of Luisa Fernanda (March 2011). Her upcoming engagements include singing chorus in Opera Atelier’s La Clemenza di Tito (April 2011), and Carmen (cover) in Pelligrini Opera’s Carmen (May 2011). Eugenia is absolutely enchanted to be performing the role of the Sorceress in Opera on the Avalon’s Dido and Aeneas (June 2011). She wishes to thank her family for their continued love and support.
Marriage of Figaro
Vasil Garvenliev, Figaro
Macedonian baritone, Vasil Garvanliev, began performing professionally at the age of seven as a child singer in his native country, achieving celebrated status. He moved to Toronto in 2004 and completed his music studies at the Glenn Gould School, and the University of Toronto under the tutelage of Mary Morrison. Vasil is thrilled to be a member of Calgary Opera’s Emerging Young Artist Program in the 2010/11 Season.
Vasil kicks off the 2011 Season with a debut and world premiere of The Inventor (Calgary Opera) followed by a guest appearance as the title role in Don Giovanni (U of T). As an Emerging Artist at Calgary Opera he takes the stage as Don Alfonso in Cosi fan Tutte, repeats the title role in Nozze di Figaro(Opera on the Avalon), and finishes the season off as Leporello in Don Giovanni (Opera Atelier). On the concert stage Mr. Garvanliev makes his debut with the Calgary Civic Symphony, returns to OffCentre Music salon and The Helliconian Birthdays Series in recital, and is part of Toronto Summer Music with Sir Thomas Allen and Roger Vignoles. Vasil, along with Opera Atelier, was recently awarded a
CTV BRAVO! Fact grant to make his operatic music video debut as Don Giovanni.
Winning the University’s Concerto Competition garnered Vasil the opportunity to sing Mahler’s Rückert Lieder in the 09/10 Orchestra Season. Other recent performances include Pangloss in Candide, Bonafede in Il Mondo della Luna, Ramiro in L’Heure Espagnole, and Geronimo in Il Matrimonio Segreto (University of Toronto’s Opera School); Papageno in Die Zauberflote(MacMillan Singers Opera Concert); Harasta in The Cunning Little Vixen (Banff Opera Centre); Bob in The Old Maid and the Thief, Falke in Die Fledermaus, Tobia Mill in Cambiale di Matrimonio, and title role in Signor Deluso (Highlands Opera Studio); Antonio in Marriage of Figaro and Grand Priest in Idomeneo (Opera Atelier); and the title role in Le Nozze di Figaro (Glenn Gould School). Vasil also had the opportunity to perform across the pond, playing Mesetto in Don Giovanni as a Member of the Britten-Pears Young Artists Programme.
In previous years, Mr. Garvanliev has appeared frequently as an ensemble member and soloist for Opera in Concert, Orpheus Choir, and in recital at the Glenn Gould School, Stratford Summer Music, OffCentre Music Salon, Aldeburgh Connection, The Bayfield Song Festival, and The Arts and Letters Club.
Luke Scott, Figaro
Luke received his Bachelor and Graduate degrees in voice performance from The Hartt School of Music. He also studied in training programs at the Chautauqua Institution, Aspen Opera Theater Center, Martina Arroyo Foundation, and Voice Experience Foundation. Opera and concert performances include Sam Trouble in Tahiti at The Hartt School, Papageno in Die Zauberflote with CT Lyric Opera, Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Dicapo Theater in NY with the Martina Arroyo Foundation, Spinelloccio/Amantio in Gianni Schicci at Yale Opera with New Haven Symphony, Peter in Hansel und Gretel with Opera Theater of Connecticut, Bass Soloist with the New Haven Choral in Handel's Alexander’s Feast and singer for The Archipelago Project with the El Sistema orchestra of Acarigua, Venezuela. Luke has also appeared in several productions with CT Opera and was a finalist in the Soma International Opera competition and the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera Competition at
Carnegie Hall. This past year he sang in a concert of opera excerpts with the WHSO, performed the title role in Gianni Schicci with CT Lyric Opera and appeared as Bass soloist with New Haven Chorale. This coming season he will sing a concert of broadway excerpts with the WHSO and appear as Figaro in Le
Nozze di Figaro at Opera on the Avalon in Newfoundland. Mr. Scott has performed in New York, Connecticut, Florida, New Hampshire, Colorado, Michigan, Austria, Germany and Venezuela. Other engagements include Bach Ich habe genug, Mozart Coronation Mass, CPE Magnificat, Faure Requiem, and Schubert Magnificat. Among his Broadway repertoire is Daddy Warbucks in Annie and Emile de Becce in South Pacific. As an opera singer he has received awards from the Hartt School, Chautauqua Inst., Aspen Music Festival, Martina Arroyo Foundation, and the Voice Experience Foundation. Luke is also a member of the Archipelago Project, an international ensemble performing andeducating around the world.
Alex Hajek, Count
Canadian baritone Alexander Hajek, a recent graduate of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio, debuted with the COC as Morales in CARMEN and the Third Japanese Envoy in Stravinsky’s THE NIGHTINGALE. He is a graduate of The Juilliard School of Music where, on full scholarship, studying with Daniel Ferro, he completed his Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees. He is continuing his post graduate work at the Artists Diploma in Opera Studies at The Juilliard/Metropolitan Opera Collaborative program, New York.
While studying at St. Michael’s Choir School (Toronto) and at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Mr. Hajek sang with several prestigious Toronto based ensembles including The Mendelssohn Choir, Glenn Gould Ensemble, Opera in Concert, the Palestrina Choir and several summers with The Ontario Youth Choir. With a voice of ‘velvet beauty, warm tone and eloquent phrasing’, Mr. Hajek has appeared at international venues and command performances for Presidents, Prime Ministers, Pontiffs John Paul II and Benedict (World Youth Day celebrations, Germany and the Vatican).
His selected operatic credits include title roles in GIANNI SCHICCHI and VENUS AND ADONIS, as well as Silvio in PAGLIACCI, Count Almaviva in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Musiklehrer in ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, Sylvano in LA CALISTO, Dimitri Petrovski in THE MUSIC SHOP, Pierre Lafitte in CABILDO, The Emperor in LE ROSSIGNOL,Apollo in SEMELE, Elder McLean in SUSANNAH, Vicar in ALBERT HERRING and Schaunard and Marcello in LA BOHEME.
With the Canadian Opera Company Mr. Hajek has appeared as the Flemish Deputy in DON CARLOS, the Small Convict in FROM THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD, Pasquariello in Gazzaniga’s DON GIOVANNI and understudied the roles of Count Almaviva in THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, Albiani in SIMON BOCCANEGRA and the title role in EUGENE ONEGIN and DON GIOVANNI. As well Mr. Hajek sang the roles of Prince Andrej’s Orderly and a French Officer in WAR AND PEACE, the Second Prisoner in FIDELIO, Starveling in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Guglielmo in COSÌ FAN TUTTE and Jacob in the company’s touring educational outreach production of THE BROTHERS GRIMM.
Concert highlights include OPERA’S GREATEST ( Brott Music Festival with the National Academy Orchestra of Canada) and THE MESSIAH (Brott Music Festival, Hamilton) and with the Bronx Opera (New York), Mozart’s MASS IN C MINOR, REQUIEMS of Fauré, Brahms, Mozart and Ziesl’s EBRAICO, the Duruflé REQUIEM and Stravinsky MASS (both at Carnegie Hall).· and this March, Zelenka's MISSA DEI FILII IN C MAJOR and Haydn's THERESIENMESSE with the Ottawa Choral Society as part of the Grand Prize Winner's New Discoveries Concert Series. Mr Hajek continues to give recitals in New York, Toronto and Europe.
His Awards include the top prize for a Canadian in the George London Foundation ,Eastern Region Finalist, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (2010),Grand prize in the Louis Quilico Competition (Ontario Arts Council Foundation), the Todd Duncan Legacy Award (National Opera Association), the Lyndon-Woodside Memorial (The Oratorio Society of New York), the Woodmere competition, the Liederkranz Competition(Art Song Division) and a finalist in The Licia-Albanese Puccini Foundation and Palm Beach Competitions. Mr Hajek is the recipient of the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation Grant.
Cameron McPhail, Count
Making his role debut as Il Conte in Le Nozze di Figaro and currently completing a Masters in Voice Performance at the Yale Opera Studio, Cameron McPhail has already developed significant roles in the lyric baritone repertoire such as Guglielmo in Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte (Opera NUOVA), Ford in Verdi's Falstaff (UBC Opera, Opera NUOVA), Schaunard in Puccini's La Boheme (Highlands Opera Studio), the title role in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi (UBC Opera), Escamillo in Bizet's La Tragedie de Carmen (The Banff
Arts Festival), Mercutio in Gounod's Romeo et Juliet (Opera NUOVA) and both the title role and Masetto in Mozart's Don Giovanni in Prague, CZ (European Music Academy, Yale Opera, Bard on the Beach Festival). In addition, Mr. McPhail has sung the roles of Nireno in Handel's Giulio Cesare (European Music Academy), Sir William McDougal in Somer's Louis Riel (UBC Opera) and The Postman in Lee Hoiby's The Scarf (Yale Opera).
Mr. McPhail has a Bachelor's Degree in Economic Geography and a Graduate Diploma in Opera Performance from The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C. where he studied with Bruce Pullan and Peter Barcza. As a concert soloist, he has performed Bernstein's Wonderful Town with La Sinfonica Giuseppe Verdi in Milan, as guest soloist in China in Beijing and Chengdu, and in Canada at The Westben Festival, The Clear Lake Chamber Festival (Schumann’s Dichterliebe with renowned pianist Alexander Tselyakov), The Banff Arts Festival, Bard on the Beach and The Vancouver Women's Musical Society. He has also been heard as soloist with The Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, The UBC Symphony, The Northern Czech Philharmonic, The Yale Philharmonia, The Vancouver Opera Orchestra and the CBC Brass Ensemble.
Meghan Lindsay, Countess
Hailed by critics as a singer with “lovely stage presence” a “silvery tone” and “exquisite mezza voce” Canadian soprano Meghan Lindsay begins the 2010/11 season as a member of Opera Studio Nederland. Meghan made her international debut as Euredice in Pierre Audi’s production of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and made her Concertgebouw debut in November performing excerpts as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and Contessa from Le Nozze di Figaro. In 2011, she will make her Canadian debut as Donna Anna in Opera Atelier’s Don Giovanni, will sing Contessa in Opera on the Avalon’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and will perform the role of Fiordiligi in Opera Studio Nederland’s spring production of Cosi fan Tutte. Ms. Lindsay spent the summer of 2010 at Joan Dornemann’s inaugural music festival, Viva Virginia, where she performed Richard Danielpour’s Sonnets to Orpheus under the baton of Paul Nadler.
During the 2009/10 season, Ms. Lindsay performed the title role in Massenet's Cendrillon, the premiere opera at Toronto's Koerner Hall with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra. She was one of twenty singers across Canada to be named a Laureate of the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques, from which she was the recipient of the Francis Poulenc Prize and Bourse Jeunes Ambassadeurs; was a finalist in the 2010 Czech Slovak International Music Competition; and was the recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship from The Royal
Conservatory of Music. Other recent credits include Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro, La Principessa in the Canadian premier of La Bella Dormente nel Bosco, Pamina in Fatal Song, and Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi.
As accomplished concert artist, Meghan has been featured on CTV television and CBC radio broadcast. She toured China representing the Royal Conservatory of Music in a program that was broadcast nationwide on Chinese television and radio. She has presented concerts in venues across Canada, including Barrie’s Colours of Music and the Creemore Music Festival and was a perfomer in Holland’s Uitmarkt. In 2008, Meghan organized and presented Opera for Oprea, a charity gala that raised nearly $14 000 for cancer drug research for the Robert and Maggie Bras Drug Cancer Development Program. Meghan is an alumni of the Daniel Ferro Vocal Program; of Joan Dornemann’s International Vocal
Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel; and of The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Glenn Gould School, where she completed her Bachelor of Music and participated in the Artist Diploma Program.
Sheila Carroll, Countess
After participating in Opera on the Avalon's Opera Mainstage program last summer, Sheila is back this year as Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro. She graduated in May with her Master's Degree from the Manhattan School of Music where she sang First Lady (The Magic Flute), scenes as Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) and Pallas Athena (Eccles's The Judgment of Paris), and The Queen of Hearts in Discover! Opera: Alice in Operaland, an outreach program. Other roles, covers and scenes include Lady Billows (Albert Herring), Naiade (Ariadne auf Naxos), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), and Agathe (Der Freischütz). She recently received an Honorable Mention in the Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition and is a four time winner of New Jersey NATS Auditions. Sheila is from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania.
Katherine Maysek, Cherubino
Mezzo-soprano Katherine Maysek is finishing her third year of a Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance at McGill University with Sanford Sylvan.· This summer at Opera on the Avalon Katherine will sing the role of Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figgaro by Mozart.· In March, Katherine was in a production of the Handel opera, Imeneo as Tirinto.· Last summer, Katherine made her professional debut with the Theater of Early Music in Montreal, QC as Witch One in a rousing production of Dido and Aeneas by Purcell.· In April of 2010, she covered Witch One in Britten’s reduction of Dido and Aeneas with the McGill Chamber Orchestra, directed by Daniel Taylor.· In January 2010, she performed with Opera McGill in the chorus of Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress. Katherine recently became the first recipient of the Mariana Paunova Memorial Scholarship, awarded by the Schulich School of Music to an exceptional voice student.
Lila Palmer, Cherubino
Born in the US but raised in the North of England, Lila was the youngest applicant accepted to English National Opera’s Young Artist training program, ‘The Knack’ at the age of eighteen. She then took a 1:1 in History at Cambridge University. Roles in the UK have included Cupid in Venus & Adonis (Cambridge University Opera Society, 2006) Hansel in Hansel & Gretel (CUOS 2007, Oxford Opera Society 2009), and Iseut au Blanche-Main in Le Vin Herbé (Ardente Opera 2010). In 2010 she covered the role of Cherubino in Corigliano’s Ghosts of Versailles and made her assistant directing debut with Le Nozze di Figaro at the Aspen Music Festival, followed by the role of Third Spirit in New England Conservatory’s Magic Flute. She is also design and research director at The Sounding Board, a NFP music organization dedicated to exploring social issues through music. She recently completed her MM at New England Conservatory.
Allyson Hermann, Susanna
Soprano Allyson Herman, originally from Portland, Maine, is currently a Professional Studies degree candidate at Manhattan School of Music. ·This spring, Ms. Herman will be singing in Henry’s Wife by Randall Eng, in collaboration with American Opera Projects, Opera Index, and Encompass New Opera Theatre.· In June, she will sing the role of Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro at Opera on the Avalon, in Newfoundland, Canada.· Most recently, Ms. Herman covered the role of Alma in Lee Hoiby's·Summer and Smoke, based on the Tennessee Williams play.· Previous credits include Gasparina in Haydn's·La Canterina with PORTopera’s Maine Emerging Artists, Damigella in·L'incoronazione di Poppea, and Barbarina in·Le nozze di Figaro with Purchase College Opera.· Ms. Herman is a student of Joan Patenaude-Yarnell.
Lilla Heinrich Szasz, Susanna
22 year old American-Hungarian soprano Lilla Heinrich Szász has won critical acclaim for her “appealing sound, agile coloratura and oversize wit” (The New York Times) and has given numerous solo performances across the US and Europe, including New York's Alice Tully Hall, the Japan Society, the Paul Mellon Arts Center, Salzburg, Austria, Nice, France, Rome, Italy and Tel Aviv, Israel. A senior undergraduate at the Juilliard School with merit-scholarship, she studies with Cynthia Hoffmann and her roles include Helena from Britten's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", Belinda from Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas", Drusilla from Monteverdi's "L'incoronazione di Poppea" and Laetitia from Menotti's "The Old Maid and the Thief". Outside Juilliard she has also worked with renowned artists Dalton Baldwin, Joan Dornemann, Graham Johnson, Martin Katz, Paul Nadler and was selected to participate in the Marilyn Horne Foundation Festival at Carnegie Hall “The Song Continues” this year. Previous highlights include her solo debut with the Wallingford Symphony Orchestra, with whom she has been re-invited to perform Mahler's Symphony No. 4 next season, The New Juilliard Ensemble, The Israeli Chamber Orchestra, The New York Chamber Virtuosi, The FOCUS! Festival in Lincoln Center, as well as "Liederabends" directed and coached by Brian Zeger and Margo Garrett, singing a set of Schubert lieder as well as premiering pieces from Hungarian composer, Ernő Dohnányi at Juilliard. She has won several awards including the Giulio Gari Foundation, the National Society for Arts and Letters, the Sally and Tony Amato Opera Scholarship, the Lucrezia Bori Foundation, the Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship and is also a winning recipient of the prestigious Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship, which will support her coming graduate studies at Juilliard in full. Lilla continues her pursuit of an operatic career with enthusiasm and deep passion.
