the artists Matthew Opitz
a herald; an apparition
A native of Arizona, baritone Matthew Opitz recently graduated from the Indiana University School of Music with a master’s degree in voice, where he later sang Eddie Carbone as a guest artist in A View from the Bridge. Other iu Opera credits include Professor Bhaer in Little Women, Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette, the Priest in The Light in the Piazza and Farfarello in The Love for Three Oranges. He also appeared as a soloist in Szymanowski’s Stabat mater, Britten’s Cantata Misericordium and Don Freund’s Passion with Tropes. Mr. Opitz completed his undergraduate degree at Northern Arizona University, where his roles included Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Count Carl-Magnus Malcom in A Little Night Music, Bob in The Old Maid and the Thief and Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus. Most recently, he appeared as the Imperial Commissioner in Madame Butterfly for Arizona Opera and was a Central City Opera Young Artist, singing Dr. Bartolo in a family performance of The Barber of Seville. For Minnesota Opera, Mr. Opitz sang the First Gravedigger in Hamlet, Ping in Turandot, Lescaut in Manon Lescaut and Dominik in Arabella. He returns as the Second Armored Man in The Magic Flute.
Shannon Prickett lady-in-waiting
Hailed as a soprano with “a vocalism that is rich and unforced, equally capable of a sudden drop to a sustained whisper or being ratcheted up to a thrilling forte without a hint of strain” by Madison Magazine, Shannon Prickett is becoming a well-known performer in the Madison area. She recently completed her Master of Music degree in opera, singing the title role in Médée and Suzel in L’amico Fritz. During the summer of 2012, Shannon performed the title role of Suor Angelica in Siena, Italy. In the spring of 2012, she won first place at the Iowa District Metropolitan National Council Opera Auditions, advancing to the regional competition, in which she received third place. This past year, at the University of Wisconsin, Shannon was the soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem as well as Mimì in La bohème and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. In 2010, she made her debut at the Des Moines Metro Opera, singing the role of the Lady-inwaiting in Verdi’s Macbeth. For Minnesota Opera this season, she also appears as the Fortune Teller in Arabella, the Woman in Red in Valentino and the Second Lady in The Magic Flute.
Alfred Walker Gaining rapid international and national acclaim for his commanding performances, Alfred Walker returns to the title role of Der fliegende Holländer at the Wagner Geneva Festival in the 2013–2014 season. He also returns to Seattle Opera for the Four Villains in Les contes d’Hoffmann, New Orleans Opera for Colline in La bohème and the American Symphony Orchestra for Kunrad in Feuersnot. He also joins the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as Porgy in Porgy and Bess. His engagements in future seasons include further performances of the Four Villains in Les contes d’Hoffmann with Den Norske Opera and the title role of Der fliegende Holländer with Théâtre de Caen and Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg. Last season, he sang his first American performances of the title role of Der fliegende Holländer with Boston Lyric Opera and also in Italy at the Teatro alla Scala. He returned to the Boston Symphony Orchestra to reprise Porgy in Porgy and Bess and to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for Verdi’s Requiem in addition to the Metropolitan Opera for Il trovatore and Don Giovanni. He was last seen at Minnesota Opera in The Magic Flute.
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