Biographies

PASQUALE VALERIO

Pasquale Valerio is the creator, nurturer, mentor, and guiding light for The Villages® Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorale. Pasquale was born in Naples, Italy and began his music studies at the age of 9. He began studying Trumpet Performance at The N. Puccinni Conservatory of Music graduating in 1985. His studies were not limited to trumpet, but included Applied Complementary Piano Studies, Harmony, and Lectures from Maestro Filippo Veniero, who was his guide and mentor from 1967 to 1989. His adult musical career began during his national service as a member of the Carabinieri (Italian Military Police). Fortunately for his musical development, most of this was with the Band. After his discharge, he began studying conducting. Pasquale Valerio served as an apprentice under Sir Antonio Pappano for 6 years. Pasquale followed him all around the world from 2006-2011 and learned directly from the Conductor of the Royal Opera House in London. To that end, Pasquale believes fully in the magic of education through music, and that children are never too young to start discovering to power of harmony. In 1996, Pasquale relocated to the United States continuing his conducting studies with J. Whitney and Günter Schmidt. In 2004, he became the Founder and Music Director of The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra where he continues to serve today. Maestro Valerio was also the founder of Lake Sumter Chamber Orchestra as well as co-founder and conductor of The Florida Lakes Symphony from 20052006. Pasquale has been regularly invited as a guest conductor at the Orchestra Filarmonica 900', Teatro Regio, and the Viotti International Music Festival.

DEVIN M. EATMON

Devin M. Eatmon is a full lyric operatic tenor from Ocala, FL. His performance history includes working with the Central Florida Lyric Opera, Chelsea Opera, Opera in the Ozarks, Aspen Music Festival, most recently Opera Colorado, and soon to be Opera Orlando. With both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Voice Performance from Florida State University; Devin studied under the tutelage of former San Francisco Opera staring baritone, David Okerlund. Some of Devin’s most notable collegiate roles include, George Villiers in the Scholastic Premier of Carlisle Floyd’s, Prince of Players, Rodolfo in Giacomo Puccini's, La bohème, Curley in Floyd's, Of Mice and Men, and Edgar Aubrey in Heinrich Marschner’s German Romantic opera, Der Vampyr. Mr. Eatmon accepted a contract offer to be a member of the Apprentice Singer Program at The Santa Fe Opera in the summer of 2020 however, it was postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. While at Opera Colorado, he was to cover the role of Don José in their production of Georges Bizet’s, Carmen however, the season was

postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, Mr. Eatmon is a member of the new operatic/pop fusion trio, The Serenad3, with America’s Got Talent finalist, Fernando Varela as well as internationally acclaimed OperaNews baritone, Craig Irvin. The group has already received critical acclaim having collaborated with some legendary artists, such as David Foster, Gloria Estefan, American Idol’s, Pia Toscano, and the A Capella sensation, Voctave. Devin is currently living in Orlando, FL and is looking forward to future endeavors with The Serenad3 as well as Opera Orlando.

FRANCESCO MALAPENO

Born in Naples, Italy in 1972, Francesco Malapeno, tread the boards very early, already as a small child, and having regard to his superb music talent; he first studied violin at the Conservatory of San Pietro a Majella in Naples and later mandolin and opera singing. Winner of the “E. Caruso” prize in 2004 (competition only for tenors), critics wrote about him: “Born exactly one hundred years after the great Neapolitan tenor, Francesco is the potential heir of the legendary Enrico Caruso, being gifted with an ‘argentine’ vocal timbre and a very rare ability to interpret. His vocal style perfectly blends with his ability of multi-instrumentalist musician.” He has performed at the Metropolitan Theatre in New York, at the St. Patrick Cathedral and in several theatres in Broadway. In the same year he won the audition at the San Carlo Theatre in Naples. In 2006, he reached the second place of the international competition of opera singing "Ritorna Vincitor".

In 2007, he took part to the traditional Christmas Concert in Italy, together with several international stars.

In 2008, he played the role of Alfredo in La Traviata for the Ravenna Festival, under the direction of Cristina Mazzavillani Muti at the Dante Alighieri Theatre in Ravenna. He performed in several concerts abroad: Germany, France, Switzerland (Saint Moritz in Concert), Japan, Bulgaria, Serbia Montenegro, United Kingdom (at the Royal Albert Hall), United States of America (at the Columbus Day in New York, in the presence of the former President Bill Clinton and in Chicago). He has taken part to several television shows such as Domenica in, conducted by Pippo Baudo in videoconference with Placido Domingo and Maurizio Costanzo Show. He was Guest of Honour at the conference held in Rome by Accademia Italia-Tunisia (on Development and Mediterranean Culture) and Special guest at the Musica e Amore show, brought by UTET on the Adriatic coast.

He has taken part to the Gran Gala della Voce held at the Dante Alighieri Theatre in Ravenna, together with great artists like Fiorenza Cedolins, Andrea Bocelli and Roberto Servile.

In 2009, he performed in Rigoletto (Duca di Mantova), La Traviata (Alfredo) at the Auditorium della RAI in Naples with the Nuova Orchestra Scarlatti, Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton), L'elisir d'amore (Nemorino), Bohème (Rodolfo) and Messa da Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi. In 2009, he performed in Poland gaining a huge success. Invited in Moscow by famous opera singer Yelena Obraztsova, he performed in two important concerts at the Bolshoi theatre (Gran Gala).

In 2010, he sang for the Gran Concerto di Capodanno (New Year’s Concert) in Piazza del Plebiscito (Naples) accompanied by the Nuova Orchestra Scarlatti. He took part in to several concerts in Tunisia, Morocco accompanied by a prestigious and reknown ensemble, named I Solisti del San Carlo. He took part to the International Festival of El Jem in Tunis, sings in several concerts in Romania and for the Gran Gala Lirico in Dubai.

In 2011, he perfomed in La Traviata at the Opera festival of Casalbordino, again in La Traviata and performed Gran Gala finale at the Opera festival of Casamari (abbey) and other concerts in Copacabana, Budapest, Tirana. In 2012, he sang for several concerts in Poland and Germany; Madama Butterfly in Naples (Museo Diocesano) and La Finta Parigina (opera buffa in three acts by Domenico Cimarosa), the Christmas concert (Casamari abbey) and a concert with the Nuova Orchestra Scarlatti in Naples. In 2013, he sang for the Gran Concerto di Capodanno (Giuseppe Verdi Theatre, Salerno), later he was in tour in Canada (The Great Italian Tenors), during the Italian summer tour he sings for La Traviata, Opera Festival in Casamari and The Great Italian Tenors Gran Gala. Concert tour in Brazil, Poland, Ukraine, Australia. Great Christmas Concert at Casamari abbey with Messa di Gloria by Giacomo Puccini.

In 2014, he performed in a concert tour in Australia, Sydney (Opera House) and several concerts in Italy and abroad. In 2015, Opera and Operetta: La Traviata, Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, La Vedova allegra. Several concerts (Bucarest, Frankfurt, Berlin). Opera Festival in Casamari, Opera and concerts in Russia: Itzevsk and Kamsko-Votkinsk (town where Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born) in the theatre dedicated to the famous Russian composer with the Philarmonia Tchaikovsky Orchestra. In 2016, several concerts in Germany (Berlin Opera Theatre) and other venues

in Italy and abroad. Winner of the precious Sebetia-ter award (Naples) as best musician

SEAN CHRISTOPHER STORK

Sean Christopher Stork, lyric baritone, has been singing across the state of Florida since graduating from Florida State University in 2007, including regular engagements with Opera Tampa as well as First Coast Opera in St. Augustine, The Florida Lyric Opera in Tampa, and The Villages Philharmonic, Imperial Symphony, and Orlando Philharmonic Orchestras. A strong supporter of modern music, his original works have been recorded on two CDs by the Basilica Choir of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe. Mr Stork is currently performing across the country with Diversita Opera Arts Company, Opera Tampa, The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra; Orlando Philharmonic; The Hudson Valley Chorale; Orlando Harmony; Orlando Exchange; the Dickens Carolers; and the Basilica Choir of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe.