| SHOW TIMES November 04, 2011 7:30 PM
November 06, 2011 3:00 PM  by Giuseppe Verdi Based on the novel La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils Sung in Italian with English surtitles Verdi\'s immortal telling of the story of the Lady of the Camellias is an opera lovers\' dream, full of passion, sacrifice, love, death, and redemption. The glamorous courtesan Violetta has finally found real love in the embrace of Alfredo. She must give him up for the sake of honor, and unknowing, he heartlessly denounces her in a scene of public humiliation. They reunite on her death bed and she passes into eternity knowing that she at last knew true love. STARRING:
Elizabeth Futral (Violetta)
Eric Margiore(Alfredo)
Jason Stearns (Germont)
Colleen Daly(Flora)
Suzanne Chadwick (Annina)
Rolando Sanz(Gastone)
Kenneth Mattice (Baron)
Jimi James(Marquis d\'Obigny)
Brendan Cooke (Grenvil)
Steven White Conductor
Crystal Manich Stage Director FEATURING:
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra(BSO) conducted by Steven White. The production will be directed by Crystal Manich with opulent sets and costumes from Lyric Opera Chicago.
 GERMONT Jason Stearns
Jason Stearns has steadily built a reputation as a distinguished interpreter of the most unique and challenging roles in the dramatic baritone repertoire. Over the past two years, Mr. Stearns has made impressive appearances with the Metropolitan Opera (Barnaba in La Gioconda, where he appeared on less than one hour’s notice), the Lyric Opera of Chicago (Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde), the Savonlinna Festival (title role in Der fliegende Holländer), and the Los Angeles Opera (Biterolf in Tannhäuser and the title role in Britten’s Noye’s Fludde, both under James Conlon). In the summer of 2009, Jason Stearns sang the title role in Macbeth at Palacio das Artes in Belo Horizante, Brazil, followed by Monterone in Rigoletto under Maestro Conlon at the Ravinia Festival. The baritone opened the 2009-2010 season covering Scarpia in Luc Bondy’s new production of Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera, before his debut at Den Norske Opera in Oslo, as Jack Rance in La fanciulla del West. He later appeared as the High Priest in Samson et Dalila with Bob Jones University and returned to the Metropolitan Opera to cover the title role in Der fliegende Holländer and Stankar in Stiffelio. Jason Stearns Website
 FLORA Colleen Daly
Soprano Colleen Daly is rapidly emerging as a “dramatically powerful” (The Washington Post) singer in today’s operatic arena. Miss Daly’s wide range of roles includes Violetta in Opera Delaware’s production of La Traviata, the title roles in The Academy of Vocal Arts’ productions of Lucia di Lammermoor, La Traviata, Kát’a Kabanová, and Manon, the title role in Opera Vivente’s production of Alcina, Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, Miss Jessel in The Turn of the Screw and Berta in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with the Maryland Opera Studio, Micaëla in La Tragédie de Carmen with Olney Theatre Center for the Arts, Die Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte with Opera New Jersey, the Annapolis Opera and Symphony Orchestra, and the In Series, Madame Herz in Der Schauspieldirektor at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, and Cunegonde in Candide at the Merle Reskin Theatre in Chicago. Miss Daly’s “glistening soprano” (The Washington Post) is also becoming well-known to concert and recital audiences, performing as a soloist in such works as the Mozart, Brahms, Fauré, and Rutter Requiem Masses, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Händel’s Messiah and Haydn’s Creation and Missa Solemnis, and appearing in concerts with the Master Chorale of Washington (Kennedy Center debut), Washington Concert Opera, the Cathedral Choral Society (National Cathedral debut), the New Dominion Chorale, Maryland Philharmonic Orchestra, Annapolis Opera, Opera Lafayette, Concert Operetta Theater of Philadelphia, the Ocean City Pops Orchestra, Ovation Artists, the Washington Arts Club, and the In Series. Miss Daly’s “superb vocalism and gorgeous tone” (The Capitol) have been recognized by numerous foundations and institutions, including the Washington International Competition, the Gerda Lissner Foundation, the Palm Beach Opera Guild, the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Annapolis Opera, the Bel Canto Foundation, Long Leaf Opera, the Kennett Square Symphony, the Howard County Arts Council, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She has had the opportunity to study and work with such distinguished performers and conductors as François Loup, Catherine Malfitano, Susanne Mentzer, Ashley Putnam, and Maestros Harry Bickett and Julius Rudel. Colleen Daly received a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance at the University of Maryland in College Park, and an Artist Diploma from the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has participated in the Lyric Opera Studio of Weimar in Germany, the Opera Company of Philadelphia’s program in Treviso, Italy, been a Festival Artist for Opera New Jersey, a Young Artist at the Oberlin in Italy Scenes Program in Urbania, and a New Horizon Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and School. She is currently a professor of voice at St. Mary\'s College of Maryland. Upcoming engagements include the Countess in Annapolis Opera\'s production of Le Nozze di Figaro in March 2011, the soprano soloist for the Bach Consort and the Post-Classical Ensemble’s joint presentation of Stravinsky’s Les Noces at Strathmore Hall in April 2011, a Mostly Mahler concert with the Washington Chorus in May 2011 at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Musetta in Des Moines Metro Opera\'s 2011 mainstage production of La Bohème. Colleen Daly Website
Suzanne Chadwick
Suzanne Chadwick’s active career features opera, oratorio and other solo engagements. Her recent New York debut with Opera Moderne received glowing reviews. The New York Times mentions George Crumb’s “Ancient Voices of Children” as the concert’s highlight. It further stated “The work’s mezzo-soprano (here the focused, … Suzanne Chadwick) moves from keening vocalise to ghostly lyricism.” Thousand Fold Echo.com wrote “a gorgeous performance ... Chadwick’s technique appeared to be made of nothing but musicianship, with meaning behind each eery vocalise and declamation.” Other enthusiastic reviews from The Washington Post, Austin American Statesman, and The Sun have described her performing as: “brighter than the rest, her expressive tones adding just the right touch”; “ ‘dynamic voice and effective characterization’; “well colored”; “fine”; and “handled with insight”. She appeared as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Verdi’s Messa da Requiem with the Austin Symphony; and has been featured with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Landon Symphonette, Frederick Orchestra, as well as The Baltimore Opera Company.
The Baltimore Opera Company kept her busy with several roles including: Jade Boucher in Jake Heggie’s “Dead Man Walking, Dritte Magd in Elektra, Hata in Prodaná nevĕsta , Queen Enrichetta in I Puritani, Giovanna in Rigoletto, Rose in Lakmé, Wowkle in La Fanciulla del West, Handmaiden in Turandot and Jenny Carr in Stephen Paulus’ The Village Singer. She has been fortunate to perform opposite Elizabeth Futral, Diana Soviero, Frank Poretta, Youngok Shin, Giovanna Casolla, Theodora Hanslowe, John Packard, and Gregory Kunde with conductors Patrick Summers, Oliver von Dohnanyi, Alberto Veronesi, Christian Badea, Andrea Licata, Steven White, Peter Bay and Daniel Hege.
Lyric Opera of Baltimore (LOB), the new grand opera company of Baltimore, will feature Ms. Chadwick in the upcoming inaugural season and production this November, in the role of Annina for “La Traviata”. She was recently a featured performer in a concert with Lyric Opera of Baltimore visiting Havre de Grace, MD. She was also featured with LOB in “Women in Love” at Artscape 2010
Ms. Chadwick’s symphonic engagements include the Austin Symphony Orchestra as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Verdi’s Messa da Requiem under the baton of Peter Bay. She appeared with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as alto soloist in J. S. Bach’s Cantata No. 60 with conductor Daniel Hege; and with Baltimore’s Bach Society as alto soloist in J. S. Bach’s Magnificat and Cantata No. 11. She most recently was a featured soloist with the Landon Symphonette in concert and was the alto soloist for their performance of Händel’s Messiah. She has also been a guest soloist with The Frederick Orchestra.
Ms. Chadwick has also been the concert-ending soloist in two other concerts: one, billed as a “Celebration Concert” hosted and later broadcast by classical radio station WSCL; and the other of the Washington National Opera Chorus featuring Ms. Chadwick as Santuzza in the Ineggiamo Chorus of “Cavalleria Rusticana”. Ms. Chadwick made her Philadelphia operatic debut as Agnese in Bellini’s Beatrice di Tenda with Amici Opera . Other organizations she has been featured with are: Annapolis Opera; the Potomac Valley Opera; Maryland Lyric Opera; Baltimore’s Bach Society, Young Victorian Theater Company; and Baltimore Actors’ Theater. Ms. Chadwick has also appeared in recital at the Academy Art Music (Easton, MD).
https://www.facebook.com/suzanneschadwick
 ANNINA
Classical Singer active in opera, oratorio & other solo engagements. She was recently featured with the Landon Symphonette (Jan. 2011) and as alto soloist in Handel\'s Messiah (Dec. 2010). She performed 10 roles with the Baltimore Opera Company. Also, Suzanne has been singing with the new Lyric Opera of Baltimore in their start-up process in gathering board members and new audiences, like at Artscape 2010. She regularly performs with the Washington National Opera in the chorus. She has been a featured soloist with the Austin Symphony (Verdi\'s Messa de Requiem), Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and Frederick Orchestra. She was also the concert-ending performer in WSCL\'s Celebration Concert which was broadcast. Other companies she\'s has been a featured performer with are Maryland Lyric Opera, Annapolis Opera (in concert), Amici Opera, Potomac Valley Opera, Baltimore Actor\'s Theater and Young Victorian Theater Company. She received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. no website; email her for photo
 BARON Kenneth Mattice
Award-winning lyric baritone Kenneth Mattice is earning praise for his compelling singing and expressive acting. He has recently been called ‘outstanding’ by the Chicago Tribune and ‘charismatic and robust-toned’ by the San Francisco Chronicle. A Wisconsin native and former Resident Artist with Opera San José, Mr. Mattice received rave reviews for his recent debuts as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. Other recent performances include Escamillo in Carmen at the Ravinia Festival, Schaunard in La Bohème with Baltimore Opera, Guglielmo in Così fan Tutte with Shreveport Opera, Malatesta in Don Pasquale with the Newton Symphony (Boston) and the title role in Don Giovanni for the Opera Institute at Boston University.
As Figaro with Opera San José, the San Francisco Chronicle described Mr. Mattice as “charismatic and robust-toned. Mattice roamed the stage nimbly and rattled through Largo al factotum with aplomb.” Keith Kreitman of the Oakland Tribune said, “(Mattice) gives meaning to the name Mercutio.” The San José Mercury News added, “…Not only a confident singer with rounded, bell-like projection, but also an exciting actor who kept raising the energy level on stage.” Using his knowledge of fencing and stage combat, “his fights with the Montagues were nasty stuff.”
As Enrico, Michael J. Vaughn of TheOperaCritic.com wrote, “Mattice plays the part with his usual power, but lends our disastrous matchmaker occasional vulnerabilities - hints of softer feelings for his sister that lend him a human complexity.” Another said he “sang with muscular authority” and “plenty of robust tone.” In his run of Papageno with Opera San José, the San Francisco Classical Voice hailed that, “Kenneth Mattice’s Papageno was charming and animated. … a well-grounded baritone voice. His comedic timing and physical comedy... ...spot-on and got unanimous laughs out of the audience.” A different reviewer added, “(Mattice is) …a talented and athletic comic. He was in excellent voice and proved able to sing in any number of positions.”
In 2006 Mr. Mattice returned to Baltimore Opera as a principle artist (Schaunard, La Bohème) after being a studio artist in 2005. As a studio artist he sang Belcore (L\'Elisir d\'Amore) and Silvio (I Pagliacci) in studio productions and Antonio (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Hermann (Les Contes d\'Hoffmann) for the mainstage. He has also performed with Chicago Opera Theater, Opera Idaho, Chautauqua Opera, the Pine Mountain Music Festival, Opera Theater North and Quad Cities Opera. Additional credits include Count Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Ford (Falstaff), Aeneas (Dido and Aeneas), Count Robinson
(The Secret Marriage), Germont (La Traviata), Frank (Die Fledermaus), Sam (Trouble in Tahiti) and the title role in Gianni Schicchi, among others.
In 2006, Mr. Mattice was a semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, New England Region and a national finalist in the Liederkranz Competition. He was also a winner in the Palm Beach Opera Competition, the Bel Canto Italian Opera Competition, the Friends of Austria Competition, the Quad Cities Opera Competition and was awarded a Chautauqua Studio Artist Award.
Mr. Mattice is a Wisconsin native and has studied at Boston University’s Opera Institute, Northwestern University and Luther College. Kenneth Mattice Website
 MARQUIS D\'OBIGNY Jimi James
Jimi is excited to add another Baltimore area company to his performance venues; Baltimore Concert Opera in the roles of Tonio and Alfio. The busy baritone has maintained a steady performance schedule, appearing again as Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia, a reprise of his 9 foot tall stilt-walking Papageno in The Magic Flute, Germont in La Traviata, Messiah, Capulet in Romeo et Juliette, the Requiem of Verdi, The Pirate King, and a recital of John Ireland songs and soloist in Rutter’s 2003 Mass of the Children.
These performances were with Mercury Opera, Syracuse Opera, Granite State Opera, Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Young Victorian Theatre, Canandaigua Music Festival and Nashua Symphony Orchestra. Last season marked the artist’s directorial debut with Music Arts Alive, in which capacity he not only directed Amahl and the Night Visitors, but also performed the role of King Melchior, and acted as set designer, builder and decorator.
Having leaped at a professional performance career just six years ago, Jimi is considered a performer of unusual versatility and equally unusual pedigree. In this brief time, the artist has amassed a varied and extensive repertoire, now counting 20 staged roles: Escamillo, Dr. Bartolo, Tonio, Figaro, Papageno, Schaunard, Gianni Schicchi, Giuseppe, Thomas Garret, Masetto, Enrico Ashton, Mustafa, Rigoletto, Germont, Plunkett, Billy Bigelow, Emile de Becque, Monterone, Capulet and The Pirate King.
Born in Hawaii, raised on Cape Cod, and settled in Syracuse, Jimi’s repertoire is as varied as his travels. The baritone’s concert credits include Carmina Burana, the requiem settings of Brahms, Fauré, Mozart and Verdi, Bach cantatas 211, 145, 78 and 68, Songs of Love and War (Moravec), Mefistofele in Boito’s prelude and conclusion, Elijah, Pizzaro, Schubert Mass in G, Messiah, Polar Express and The Wolf in Peter vs. the Wolf and Songs of Travel. The artist’s performance venues include Syracuse Opera, Opera Memphis, Opera Vivente, West Virginia Symphony, Annapolis Opera, Mercury Opera, Granite State Opera, Annapolis Chorale, Finger Lakes Chorale, Tri-Cities Opera, Connecticut Concert Opera, Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.
Jimi is particularly fond of his outreach performances, in which he has appeared in over 900! These include The Three Little Pigs, Jack and the Beanstalk, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, Little Red’s Most Unusual Day, Never Tickle a Mule and Love Cabaret – Love Songs of the Gershwin Brothers. The baritone was a finalist in the Chester Ludgin Verdi Competition, winner of the JDAF Vocal Competition and recipient of the Manfred Meyer Artist of the Year award. Jimi’s upcoming performances include Messiah and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and The Creation.
Jimi James Website
GRENVILLE Brendan Cook
 Brendan Cooke holds a Master of Music Degree from the Peabody Conservatory, where he was a student of the renowned British Bass-Baritone, John Shirley-Quirk. Mr. Cooke has sung over thirty operatic roles, ranging from Bottom in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to the title role in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Colline in La Bohème, and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia to name a few. Locally, Brendan has performed numerous roles with the Baltimore Opera (Crespel in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Alessio in La Sonnombula, Dancairo in Carmen) as well as with Opera Vivente, Opera AACC, and the Young Victorian Theatre.
Brendan has performed with opera companies and orchestras all over the United States including Sarasota Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Opera North, Center City Opera, Opera Southwest, Portland Opera Repertory, New Orleans Opera, the Louisiana Philharmonic and the Connecticut Master Chorale.
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 VIOLET Elizabeth Futral
Elizabeth Futral has established herself as one of the major coloratura sopranos in the world today. With her stunning vocalism and vast dramatic range, she has embraced a diverse repertoire that includes Vivaldi, Handel, Mozart, Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, Verdi, Glass, and Previn. Of her spectacular debut at the Metropolitan Opera in Lucia di Lammermoor, The New York Times wrote: "Her singing was sure, virtuoso and yet still lighted by humanity . . . " This season Elizabeth is singing the title role in Thaïs with Teatro Municipal de Santiago, the four heroines in Les Contes d’Hoffmann with Florida Grand Opera, and Violetta in La traviata with Minnesota Opera. She will sing recitals with the George London Foundation as well as Handel’s Messiah with Music of the Baroque. Elizabeth Futral Website
 ALFREDO Eric Margiore Lyric tenor, Eric Margiore who was praised by Opera News for "ripping into his role with brilliance and style, brio and high-octane vocalism," is establishing himself as an international contender in the principal Italian bel-canto and romantic tenor repertoire. The tenor is quickly becoming known for his uniquely Italianate timbre and his "American Idol looks," with a "real presence, intelligence, and level-10 intensity." 2011 is a very busy season for the young tenor including his official European debut and role debut as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Dusseldorf, Germany. Mr. Margiore then reprises a role he has done often, Alfredo in La Traviata, this time with the Hawaii Opera Theatre. He will then sing Edgar Linton in Herrmann’s Wuthering Heights for his debut at the Minnesota Opera followed by travels to London, UK for a debut in the role of Fritz Kobus in Mascagni’s rarely heard, L’amico Fritz, with Opera Holland Park. Eric will sing his first Don Jose in Carmen with the Crested Butted Opera Festival in Colorado and then finish his season by opening the new Baltimore Opera (Lyric Opera Baltimore) as Alfredo in La Traviata with Elizabeth Futral as Violetta and Metropolitan Opera conductor, Maestro Steven White at the podium. Earlier in the season Eric will have performed on a gala concert benefiting the re-grand opening of Lyric Opera Baltimore again with Ms. Futral and Mo. White. Furthermore, in 2012, Eric will be singing eleven performances of Rodolfo in La Boheme with the Central City Opera in Colorado. 2010 and 2009 were important seasons for Eric. He sang Alfredo in La Traviata, and the tenor soloist in Verdi\'s Reqiuem, with the Utah Festival Opera. He also performed as a soloist in concert with Marcello Giordani, for the Marcello and Friends encore series, as the soloist in a Holiday Pops Concert with the Stockton Symphony Orchestra, and as a featured soloist in a gala concert for the Mississippi Opera, Passion and Fireworks. He reprised the role of Il Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto with Opera Naples and was then again commended by Opera News, in his return to the Opera Theatre of St. Louis for his official company debut and role debut as Narraboth in Salome under the baton of Maestro Stephen Lord. He also sang gala concerts with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis as well as with the Virginia Opera and Eric made his debut in Asia with Opera Hong Kong in performances of Tamino in Die Zauberflote in Hong Kong and Beijing, China, with Paul Curran directing and Maestro Jari Hamalainen conducting. The 2008 season saw Eric Margiore making his stage debut with the role of Gerald in Lakmé at Tulsa Opera. He then made his role and house debut of Il Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto with the Palm Beach Opera and sang with the Sarasota Opera. Other notable appearances included his role debut of Alfredo in La Traviata at the Shreveport Opera, Cassio in Otello with the Vero Beach Opera under the baton of Maestro Steven Crawford; and concert appearances including a musical revue at Radio City Music Hall, Mozart\'s Coronation Mass in his third appearance at Carnegie Hall, The World of Opera: Concert of Arias and Duets for the Vero Beach Opera, followed by a Sicilian-themed holiday concert with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra in Louisiana. During the 2007 season, Eric joined the New York City Opera to make his State Theater debut in a gala concert Opera for All led by principal conductor Maestro George Manahan. As well in his debut season he was assigned to cover Le Prince Charmant in Massenet’s Cendrillon. 2007 also saw Mr. Margiore\'s collaboration begin with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis where he covered both Arturo and Riccardo, in the Malibran version of I Puritani. While in residence, he was selected as a soloist for the Colin Graham Memorial Concert and had his unofficial debut with the company when he stepped in last minute to sing, Arturo in two important performances of I Puritani that were praised by Opera News. Mr. Margiore then joined the Charleston Symphony Orchestra for a concert performance of West Side Story in which he was praised for his singing of Tony. Eric then sang his role debut of Rodolfo in La Boheme with the Opera Ischia Festival in Italy, while also performing several concerts in southern Italy. Further projects included a gala concert Tutti in Piazza in Stockton, California as well as the CD recording of Thomas Pasatieri’s La Divina as the Young Conductor on Albany Records with the Opera Company of Brooklyn. In 2006, after his transition from baritone, Eric sang Azael in Debussy’s L’Enfant Prodigue for his debut with Opera Naples, a concert of Neapolitan songs and opera arias, Festa Italiana, with the Stockton Symphony Orchestra as well as Alfredo in La Traviata, Rodolfo in La Boheme, and Il Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto with the New Opera Festival di Roma, in Rome, Italy. In addition to his performing, Eric has been recognized by many important vocal competitions and foundations. He was the winner of a grant from the William Matheus Sullivan Foundation, the Licia Albanese/Puccini Foundation, and was an international quarterfinalist in Placido Domingo’s Operalia, in two separate years. He was also a two-time winner in the Connecticut Opera Guild Competition, a finalist in the Lyric Opera of Chicago\'s Young Artist Auditions and a Metropolitan Opera National Semi-Finalist. Eric hails from Long Island, New York, USA, and he is a proud Italian-American coming from a Sicilian and Neapolitan family heritage. Eric finished his professional training at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Glimmerglass Opera, and Chautuaqua Opera\'s young artist programs and holds degrees from New York University and the Mannes College of Music. Eric Margiore Website
 GASTONE Rolando Sanz
Tenor Rolando Sanz is quickly gaining recognition for his “sensitive” and “luminous” portrayals of the romantic, lyric tenor repertoire. While he specializes in such standard roles as Rodolfo, Tamino, Nemorino, Alfredo, Pinkerton and the Duca di Mantua, Rolando has also debuted many opera premieres including: Peter Doyle in Miss Lonelyhearts, for which the Los Angeles Times reported: “Rolando Sanz, as Doyle, gave the best hint of the score\'s expressive possibilities” and covering Stiva in Anna Karenina. Most recently, he made his Carnegie Hall debut singing the role of Kostik in the world premiere of Prokofiev’s lost opera Dalëkie Morja (Distant Seas.) In the 2008-2009 season, Rolando debuted with Palm Beach Opera as Rodolfo in La boheme and Flavio in Norma, as well as covering Duca di Mantua in Rigoletto. Recent engagements include a debut with Baltimore Concert Opera in A Flight of Verdi, and later in 2011 he will make debuts with Syracuse Opera, Baltimore Opera and Opera Costa Rica. Mr. Sanz will also return to Carnegie Hall to debut a world premiere song cycle by renowned composer Ezra Laderman and former US poet-laureate Robert Pinsky as well as a debut at The Music Center at Strathmore performing the Tenor Soloist in Les Noces. The 2007-2008 season included a debut with Opera Idaho as Nemorino in L’elisir d’Amore, and a return to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to sing Nathaniel in The Tales of Hoffmann under Stephen Lord as well as to cover Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly. He was also a finalist for the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Other recent engagements include Alfredo in La traviata, conducted by Julius Rudel and L’Aumônier in Dialogues des Carmélites under the baton of James Conlon with the Aspen Music Festival. In 2005, Rolando was a resident artist at the Music Academy of the West under the tutelage of Marilyn Horne and Warren Jones. He also made his hometown of Washington, DC debut as Le Prince Charmant in Summer Opera Theatre Company’s production of Massenet’s Cendrillon. Mr. Sanz has also distinguished himself as a gifted concert performer and recitalist. He recently sang his first Beethoven Ninth Symphony with the American Youth Symphony in Los Angeles and Handel’s Messiah with the New Jersey Philharmonic. Rolando was also featured as tenor soloist in Stravinsky’s Les Noces with the Yale Camerata as well as at the Aspen Music Fesitval under the baton of Michael Stern. He made his Yale Philharmonia debut as the winner of the Woolsey Hall Concerto Competition, performing Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings. Additional soloist engagements include the Mozart C-minor Mass and Requiem, Saint-Saëns Christmas Oratorio, Randall Thompson\'s Nativity according to St. Luke, Honegger’s Le Roi David and Handel Ode to St. Cecilia, as well as the Washington, DC premiere of the Donizetti Requiem. Rolando has been a prize winner in numerous international competitions including the Florida Grand Opera/Young Patronesses of the Opera Voice Competition, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the Aspen Music Festival Vocal Concerto Competition, and the XIII International Voice Competition in Trujillo, Peru. Most recently, he was awarded First Place at the Florida Suncoast Opera Guild Competition, the Grand Prize as well as the Conductor Award and the Audience Choice Award at the Annapolis Opera Vocal Competition, and First Prize at the Marie E. Crump Vocal Competition. He has appeared as a resident artist with the Songfest program, collaborating with such esteemed artists as Martin Katz, Graham Johnson and composer John Harbison. Mr. Sanz also served as assistant conductor for Long Beach Opera’s production of Die Schweigsame Frau under Andreas Mitisek. Rolando is a graduate of the Yale University School of Music. Rolando Sanz Website
 CONDUCTOR Steven White
Widely acclaimed for his inspirational leadership and musical integrity, Steven White is one of North America’s premiere opera conductors. In 2010 he made his highly successful Metropolitan Opera debut conducting two performances of Verdi’s La traviata, starring Angela Gheorghiu, Thomas Hampson and James Valenti. These performances came in the midst of Mr. White’s ongoing relationship with the Metropolitan Opera where, since 2009, he has served as cover conductor for La sonnambula, starring Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez, La fille du régiment, La traviata, and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Grand Finals Concert.
Mr. White has returned to the Metropolitan Opera for the 2010-2011 season to participate in productions of Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride, starring Placido Domingo and Susan Graham, Mozart’s Così fan tutte, and Verdi’s Don Carlo. That same season Mr. White has also conducted Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in concert with the Naples Philharmonic. In the spring of 2011 he will conduct Angela Gheorghiu in a concert at Roy Thomson in Toronto.
Additional highlights of the 2008 through 2010 seasons include performances with L’Opéra de Montréal (Lucia di Lammermoor), Kentucky Opera (Hänsel und Gretel), Nashville Opera (Tosca), Opera Roanoke (Falstaff, Otello, Lucia di Lammermoor, Das Lied von der Erde and an all-Wagner program) and the Naples Philharmonic (Carmen and Rigoletto).
In the 2007-2008 season Mr. White presided over performances of Roméo et Juliette with Baltimore Opera, L’elisir d’amore with Pittsburgh Opera, Lucia di Lammermoor with Fort Worth Opera, Fidelio and Hansel and Gretel with Opera Roanoke, and La bohème and Tosca with the Naples Philharmonic.
In November 2006 he was widely praised for his conducting of Rolando Villazon and the Greek National Radio Symphony Orchestra in internationally televised concerts from the United Nations and Alice Tully Hall. Also garnering worldwide attention and critical esteem were his performances of L’assedio di Corinto with Baltimore Opera in October 2006. Other highlights of the 2006-2007 season included appearances with Vancouver Opera (I puritani), Michigan Opera Theater (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Spoleto Festival USA (Festival Finale Concert), Syracuse Opera (Lucia di Lammermoor), the Naples Philharmonic (Le nozze di Figaro) and Opera Roanoke (La bohème and Macbeth).
Steven White is Artistic Director of Opera Roanoke. He has conducted nearly all of that company’s productions since 1999 (Fidelio, Falstaff, Otello, Macbeth, Aida, Rigoletto, La traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, Carmen, Roméo et Juliette, La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Le nozze di Figaro, Hänsel und Gretel and Acis and Galatea.) Before his appointment in Roanoke he served for two seasons as Principal Conductor for Opera Birmingham (Madama Butterfly, Le nozze di Figaro, and gala concerts with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.) From 1993 to 1997 he was Chorus Master and Associate Conductor of Florida Grand Opera.
Mr. White has conducted at New York City Opera (Don Giovanni, Carmen, La bohème), Baltimore Opera (L’assedio di Corinto, I puritani, La sonnambula , Roméo et Juliette) Opera Colorado (La traviata), Arizona Opera (The Merry Widow, Tosca, Don Pasquale), Vancouver Opera (Lucia di Lammermoor, La fille du régiment, I puritani), Sarasota Opera (Werther), Syracuse Opera (Don Giovanni, Les contes d’Hoffmann, Macbeth, Lucia di Lammermoor), New Orleans Opera (Lucia di Lammermoor), Wichita Grand Opera (Lucia di Lammermoor), Nashville Opera (Pagliacci), Opera North Carolina (Madama Butterfly), Wolf Trap Opera (L’elisir d’amore), Madison Opera (outdoor Gala Concerts) and Indiana University Opera Theater (La traviata).
Mr. White has conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra for a CHANDOS recording of arias featuring soprano Elizabeth Futral. He has also conducted the New World Symphony Orchestra, the Spoleto Festival Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony, the Syracuse Symphony, the Charleston Symphony, the Florida Philharmonic, the Fort Worth Symphony, the North Carolina Symphony, the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Naples Philharmonic and many other orchestras.
Steven White Website
 STAGE DIRECTOR Crystal Manich Crystal Manich holds an MFA in Drama-Directing from Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama with a double major in European Studies. She also holds a Masters in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University\'s Heinz College for Public Policy and Management. Crystal started her professional career as an assistant director in her hometown of Pittsburgh and has assisted with various companies including Washington National Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Long Beach Opera, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, Virginia Opera and Central City Opera. She has directed several productions of her own for Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Omnia and Utah Opera, and made her international directing debut last year with Madama Butterfly for Buenos Aires Lírica in Argentina. Forthcoming engagements include La traviata for Pittsburgh Opera and Lyric Opera of Baltimore. Crystal Manich Website Baltimore Symphony Orchestra |
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