INSIDE OPERA

La Traviata

Meet The Rtists A

EMILY JARRELL URBANEK, Conductor

Emily Jarrell Urbanek enters her 16th season as Opera Carolina’s Director of Music Preparation, serving as chief coach, pianist, and chorus director. She is also an extra keyboardist with the Charlotte Symphony and frequently performs chamber music with Chamber Music for All and instrumentalists throughout the region.

A graduate of Furman University, her recent performances as pianist include Franz Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet and Fanny Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio Op. 11 with the Bechtler Ensemble, Dvorak’s Piano Quintet in A Major, Op.81, with the principal strings of the Charlotte Symphony in collaboration with the Charlotte Ballet entitled “Ibsen’s House”, and Shostakovich’s Seven Romances with Chamber Music for All. Emily prepared and conducted Opera Carolina’s co-production of Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg in February 2020, and in Michigan for Opera Grand Rapids for an innovative live stream performance during the pandemic.

Last season, she led Opera Carolina’s March 2022 performances of Zach Redler and Jerre Dye’s new opera, The Falling and the Rising. Since 2007 she has been on the music staff of Chautauqua Opera and has served as principal pianist and repetiteur for New York City Opera, San Diego Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, the Fort Worth Opera Festival, New Orleans Opera, and Kentucky Opera.

SAM MUNGO, Director

Dr. Samuel Mungo has been involved in opera as singer, director and producer for over 30 years. He recently collaborated with conductor Marin Alsop on a critically acclaimed production of Bernstein’s Mass, with over 540 participants. Other recent shows include L’elisir d’amore for Peabody Opera and the World Premiere of Kirke Mechem’s Pride and Prejudice, which won Best of Baltimore. Committed to fostering new, socially conscious opera, he has led Errolyn Wallen’s ANON, Béla Pintér’s A Bajnok, and Laura Kaminsky’s As One.

Professional directing credits include Die Entführung aus dem Serail for Florida Grand Opera, Il Trovatore for San Antonio Opera, and Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi for Stara Zagora and Plovdiv Operas, respectively. Honors include Classical Performance of the Year for Rigoletto in San Antonio, twice Opera Production of the Year from the National Opera Association, and the Silver Medal in the Charles Nelson Reilly Prize for Opera Direction from The American Prize.

Recognized as an expert in actor training for the young singer, Dr. Mungo has lectured and presented at universities and national conferences across the country, including the National Opera Association, Hunter College, University of Maryland, UMKC Conservatory, University of Georgia, and Classical Singer Convention.