MEET THE RTISTS A INSIDE OPERA

JOHN FORTSON, Marquis d’Obigny

Basso John Fortson celebrates his third decade performing with Opera Carolina. Among his many appearances with his home company, John has performed the roles of Nouabad in Les pecheur du perls, the Mandarin in Turandot, Montano and Lodovico in Otello, and The Bonze in Madama Butterfly. He has also performed with Opera Southwest in New Mexico, Piedmont Opera Theater in Winston-Salem, Central Piedmont Opera Theatre, and The Charlotte Symphony. He will return to Opera Carolina as The Marquis in La traviata in the spring.

DAN BOYE, Baron Duphol

Dan Boye, BS graduate of Emory & Henry College and PhD recipient from the University of Georgia, is the Paul B. Freeland Professor of Physics at Davidson College. He applies 3D X-ray imaging to art and artifact and develops new optical and luminescent materials. Dedicated to bringing together science and the performing arts, he has provided educational opportunities for thousands of public-school students and adults of all ages, musical, and scientific backgrounds. With his strong, rich bass-baritone voice, Dan has been recently featured as J. Edgar Hoover in I Dream, Cecil in Maria Stuarda, Sam in Trouble in Tahiti, the French General in Silent Night, Sid in La Fanciulla del West, and Blitch in Susannah. He is a veteran of over 35 productions with Opera Carolina beginning in 1991.

RAMELLE BROOKS, Doctor Grenvil

Ramelle Brooks’ noble bass voice has been described as powerful yet full of color and nuance. Ramelle is a young artist who is on the rise in the operatic community. He has been afforded the opportunity to sing roles in operas such as Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Doctor 6 in The Falling and Rising, Norton in La Cambiale di Matrimonio, Nardo in La Finta Giardiniera, Dr. Dulcamara in L’elisir d’ amore, and Dick Deadeye in H.M.S. Pinafore. His musical credits include Smokey Joe’s Cafe and The Carousel. Ramelle is also a vibrant soloist with regional choruses and orchestras. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music in Performance from the University

HANNAH HOYT, Annina

Acclaimed as having a “robust” and “resonant” voice of “ample quality and quantity,” bass, Hannah Hoyt is a member of Opera Carolina’s Resident company. Her decent roles include Musetta (La Boheme,) Pamina (The Magic Flute,) Maguelonne (Cendrillon) and Adele (Die Fledermaus) with Little Opera Company 2017-2019, Barbarina (The Marriage of Figaro) with Lyric Opera Studio Weimar (Germany debut) in 2018, Gretel (Hansel and Gretel) and Shepherd Boy (Tosca) with Central Piedmont Opera 2016-2017, and Despina (Cosi fan Tutte) with Mosaic Opera in 2016. Other roles with Opera Carolina include Lucy in Billy Goats Gruff, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel. Hannah received her musical education at Berklee College of Music and Phillipos Nakas Conservatory in Greece.

MICHAEL BAUMGARTEN, Director of Production/ Resident Lighting and Video Designer

Opera Carolina’s Director of Production and Lighting Designer since 2005, Michael Baumgarten has designed lighting for more than 400 opera productions at regional and international opera companies, including New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Manitoba Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Austin Opera, Arizona Opera, Lyric Opera Kansas City, Palm Beach Opera, Toledo Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, Michigan Opera Theater and Virginia Opera. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama and member of United Scenic Artists-Local 829, Mr. Baumgarten has served as Director of Production and Resident Lighting Designer for Chautauqua Opera since 1999. Equally at home with digital design and innovative technologies, he has designed and created new digital imagery for over fifteen Opera Carolina productions including Turandot, Les pêcheurs de perles, Nabucco, Macbeth, Roméo et Juliette, La fanciulla del West, and I Dream.