Yale Opera High Notes 2017

2017 2018

HIGH NOTES Yale Opera Alumni News

Robert Blocker, Dean

yale opera

Tenor Matthew Polenzani’s 2017–2018 season opens with a return to Lyric Opera of Chicago as the Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s Rigoletto and Nadir in Les Pêcheurs de Perles. The Metropolitan Opera in New York has been, and continues to be his artistic home, and he returns there to reprise his portrayal of Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore. He then travels to Switzerland to make his role debut as Rodolfo in Verdi’s Luisa Miller at Opernhaus Zürich. Mr. Polenzani then continues to Royal Opera House to star as matthew polenzani ’94 Rodolfo in La Bohème. Concert appearances this season include a performance as the tenor soloist in Haydn’s Creation with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival led by Maestro James Levine, and arias and ensemble pieces as part of “Stars of Lyric Opera” at Millennium Park in Chicago.

sara jakubiak ’06

david pershall ’11

Soprano Sara Jakubiak will return to Oper Frankfurt for the 2017–2018 season where she will star as Ellen Orford in Peter Grimes and as Freia in Das Rheingold. This spring she will make both her role and house debuts as the title role in Das Wunder der Heliane at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. In recent seasons, she was seen as Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, conducted by Sebastian Weigle, as Marie in Krenek’s Der Diktator, in Harry Kupfer’s production of The Gambler, conducted by Weigle, and Eva in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with Bayerische Staatsoper.

A 2016 winner of the prestigious George London competition, this season baritone David Pershall is busy with engagements across the United States. In September, he returned to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera to reprise his critically acclaimed portrayal of Schaunard in Puccini’s La Bohème. In November, he returns to San Francisco Opera to sing the role of Lescaut in Manon. His recent engagements include Albert in Werther with the Metropolitan Opera, Lescaut in Manon Lescaut with the Vienna State Opera, and Schaunard in La Bohème and Lord Cecil in Maria Stuarda with the Metropolitan Opera.

1

2017–2018 • high notes

Bass-baritone Christian Van Horn returns to the Metropolitan Opera for the 2017–2018 season where his roles include the Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte and Julio in the American premiere of Thomas Adès’ The Exterminating Angel. He will also appear as Julio in cinemas worldwide in the Met Live in HD broadcast of The Exterminating Angel on November 18. This spring, he returns to the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Mephistophélès in Faust and to the Canadian Opera Company as the Emperor in Le christian van horn ’03 Rossignol. This summer, he appeared with the Santa Fe Opera as Melisso in Alcina and Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor. Last season, he sang with the New York Philharmonic as Donner in Das Rheingold, San Francisco Symphony in Handel’s Messiah, and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa for Mozart’s Requiem.

tamara mumford

patrick carfizzi ’99

This season, mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford returns to the Metropolitan Opera as the Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, appears in concert with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, and will be presented in recital by the Frick Collection in New York. She also appears in two special projects with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic: performances of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde in a production by Yuval Sharon and the Chilean theater group Teatrocinema, and performances of Schumann’s Paradies un die Peri directed by Peter Sellars.

In the 2017–2018 season, American bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi returns to the Metropolitan Opera as the Sacristan in Puccini’s Tosca and Mandarino in Puccini’s Turandot. He will also sing Dr. Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore at the Hessisches Staatstheater in Wiesbaden, Germany, and returns to San Diego Opera as Major General in Pirates of Penzance. Concert highlights include performances with the Utah Symphony Orchestra, featuring a program of Brahms songs and Mozart’s C-minor Mass with Markus Stenz.

2

yale opera

Mireille Asselin ’10 After a highly successful debut as Adele in Die Fledermaus with the Metropolitan Opera in December of 2015, soprano Mireille Asselin’s career has been flourishing. Her engagements for the 2017–2018 season include Euridice in Orfeo ed Euridice with Opera Columbus and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Atelier. She also returns to the roster of The Metropolitan Opera for The Merry Widow. This fall, she will be the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem and Vaughan Williams’ Pastoral Symphony with the North Carolina Symphony.

Eric Barry ’11 This past season, tenor Eric Barry sang Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Memphis, and the Duke in Rigoletto with Syracuse Opera. Earlier this year, he performed Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera Colorado. This season, his engagements include Macduff in Macbeth with Opera San Antonio and Alfredo in La traviata with Amarillo Opera.

Andy Berry ’16 This season, bass Andy Berry continues as a second-year Resident Artist with Pittsburgh Opera where he will sing the roles of Angelotti in Tosca, Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro, and Daggoo in Moby Dick. In Pittsburgh Opera’s 2016–2017 season, Mr. Berry performed as the Marchese D’Obigny in La traviata, as both a Cappadocian and Fifth Jew in Salome, as Isacio in Richard the Lionheart, and as a Mandarin in Turandot.

Jennifer Black ’04 Last season, soprano Jennifer Black was seen as Merilee the Giantess in Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Fallen Giant with American Lyric Theatre, the Countess in La mère coupable with On Site Opera, and as the soprano soloist for Strauss’ Four Last Songs with Ridgefield Symphony, Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde with the Chamber Orchestra of San Antonio, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Phoenix Symphony. She returned to the Metropolitan Opera for its production of Jenůfa, where she covered the role of Berena. This season, she returns to the Sarasota Opera as Adalgisa in Norma.

3

2017–2018 • high notes

Zach Borichevsky ’08 This season, tenor Zach Borichevsky debuts at The Dallas Opera as Alfredo in a new production of La traviata and at Theater Basel in a new production of La traviata. He will also debut with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington under the baton of Gianandrea Noseda in performances of Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, and with the St. Louis Symphony under Hannu Lintu in The Bells. This summer, he starred as Alfredo in La traviata with the Glyndebourne Festival.

Teresa Buchholz ’98 In January 2017, mezzo-soprano Teresa Buchholz sang the role of Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana with the Cedar Rapids Opera. On the concert stage, she appeared as the mezzo soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the National Chorale at Lincoln Center.

This past summer, she appeared in the role of Zofia in Stanisław Moniuszko’s Halka. She begins her 2017–2018 season singing the role of Berta in Riccardo Zandonai’s Il Grillo del Focolare with Teatro Gratticielo under the baton of Israel Gursky. This fall, she will also appear as Anne in Virgil Thompson’s The Mother of Us All with Hudson Hall. In March, she’ll appear as the mezzo soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with the Helena Symphony.

Heather Buck ’96 In the 2017–2018 season, soprano Heather Buck returns to New York City Opera for a reprisal of the title role in Argento’s monodrama Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night, and Alma Beers in Wourinen’s Brokeback Mountain, a role she first created with Teatro Real Madrid.

She returns to Odyssey Opera as Joan of Arc in a semi-staged performance of Dello Joio’s The Trial at Rouen, and also retuns to Virginia Opera as Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Rubin Casas ’95 In the fall of 2017, bass-baritone Rubin Casas makes his return to Virginia Opera for Samson et Dalila singing the role of Abimelech.

He will also sing Sparafucile in Rigoletto at Opera Las Vegas. This past year, Casas “employed his dark voice expressively” for the role of Banco in Macbeth at the Opera Company of Middlebury and joined the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre as the Commentator in Don Giovanni with “rumbling bravura.”

4

yale opera

Erin Caves ’95 Upcoming engagements for tenor Erin Caves include the titular role in Parsifal with Opera Vlaanderen, and a return to Oper Stuttgart to reprise the role of Hermann in Pique Dame. Last season he sang Tristan in Tristan und Isolde with Oper Stuttgart and Badische Staatstheater Karlsruhe, and Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with Komische Oper Berlin.

Michael Chioldi ’94 Baritone Michael Chioldi’s 2017–2018 season began in September with his return to Virginia Opera for Le Grand Prêtre de Dagon in Samson et Dalila. This season, he will return to Palm Beach Opera for Scarpia in Tosca, and to Austin Opera for the role of Giorgio Germont in La traviata. He will debut with The Dallas Opera in the role of Abimélech in Samson et Dalila, and at Gran Teatre del Liceu in the role of Carlo Gérard in Andrea Chénier.

Steven Condy ’90 This year, baritone Steven Condy returned to Opera Delaware for the role of Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola. In May, he traveled to Guatemala City to sing the role of Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore with the Lyric Opera of Guatemala. This summer, he reprised the title role of Don Pasquale with the Brevard Music Festival. Next year, Mr. Condy will sing the title role in Falstaff with Intermountain Opera. This season, he joins the roster of the Metropolitan Opera in La Bohème.

James Creswell ’99 This season, bass James Creswell’s engagements include appearances as A Blind Ballad-Singer in Gloriana with Teatro Real de Madrid, and as Le Comte des Grieux in Manon with the San Francisco Opera. Last season, he met great success with performances of Fasolt and Hunding in Wagner’s Ring Cycle for Opera North (UK). This past summer, he sang the role of the First Nazarene in Salome with the Holland Festival.

5

2017–2018 • high notes

Adam Diegel This season, tenor Adam Diegel’s engagements include a return to the Metropolitan Opera in September as Flavio in Norma, and in March for Madama Butterfly. In January 2018, he will reprise his critically acclaimed interpretation of Cavardossi in Tosca with the Palm Beach Opera. Last season, Mr. Diegel performed two of his signature roles throughout the world as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at Opera Hong Kong and Palm Beach Opera, and Don José in Carmen at the San Francisco Opera, Opera Maine, and Opera San Antonio.

Jeffrey Dowd ’86 In the 2017–2018 season, tenor Jeffrey Dowd continues as a member of the ensemble of Theater Essen where his engagements include Siegmund in Die Walküre, Konrad in Hans Heiling, Altoum in Turandot, and Alfred in Die Fledermaus. He will also appear as the title role in Tannhäuser with the Estonian National Opera, and as Erik in Der fliegende Holländer with Oper Halle.

Brian Downen ’96 For the 2017–2018 season, tenor Brian Downen returns to the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for Les Contes d’Hoffmann. Earlier this year, he sang the role of Monsieur Triquet in Eugene Onegin with the Metropolitan Opera.

Jane Dutton ’95 This season, soprano Jane Dutton will reprise the role of Brünnhilde in Grange Park Opera’s new production of Die Walküre.

Gala El Hadidi ’10 This season, mezzo-soprano Gala El Hadidi will reprise her critically acclaimed portrayal of Carmen with Opéra Royal de Wallonie, and will perform the role of Babarikha in The Tale of Tsar Saltan with Staatsoperette Dresden.

6

yale opera

Jennifer Feinstein ’11 In the 2017–2018 season, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Feinstein will make her role and house debuts as Laura in La Gioconda with the Tiroler Landestheater in Innsbruck, Austria. In the 2016–2017 season, Ms. Feinstein returned to the Beethoven Festival in Warsaw for a concert performance and CD recording as the title role in Bizet’s Djamileh, and covered Amneris in Aïda for the Pacific Symphony in Costa Mesa, California. She also appeared as a soloist with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra for a series of American song concerts throughout the state.

Leah Hawkins ’15 Soprano Leah Hawkins is in her third season of the DomingoCafritz Young Artist Program at Washington National Opera. In the 2017–2018 season, she will appear at WNO as Ma Zegner in the premiere of Proving Up by composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek, and Voce dal cielo in Verdi’s Don Carlo. She will also appear as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra and the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra.

Samuel Hinkle ’16 Baritone Samuel Hinkle’s 2017–2018 season engagements include singing Marco in Gianni Schicchi with Salt Marsh Opera and covering Maximillian in Candide with Palm Beach Opera. This past summer, Mr. Hinkle performed as a member of the Pacific Music Festival Vocal Institute.

Zhiguang Hong ’16 Bass-baritone Zhiguang Hong’s 2017–2018 engagements include covering the title role of Falstaff with National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, China, in a collaboration production between the Vienna State Opera and NCPA under the baton of Zubin Mehta. This past summer, he sang the roles of Escamillo in Carmen and the Astrologer and Abbot in The Burning Fiery Furnace with Central City Opera. This fall, he made his Carnegie Hall debut in a recital with fellow Yale Opera alumnus Jessica Pray.

7

2017–2018 • high notes

Alison King ’14 Soprano Alison King continues as a member of the Opera Studio at Opera Frankfurt in the 2017–2018 season. She begins her season singing Ines in Il trovatore, and will appear as Anna in L’Africaine, Clotilde in Norma, and the Soprano in A Wintry Spring (Haddad).

Her engagements this past spring with Opera Frankfurt included Eine Kartenaufschlägerin in Arabella, Polyxène in Les Troyens, and Musetta in La Bohème.

Paweł Konik ’16 Baritone Paweł Konik begins his 2017–2018 season with a return to the Silesian Opera House where he makes his role debut as Mercutio in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. Then he will sing Händel’s Messiah during the Annum Festival. Later this season, Mr. Konik will make his house debut at the Castle Opera in Szczecin singing Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte. Earlier this year, he appeared as Tancredi in Monteverdi’s Il combattimento di Tancredi et Clorinda with the Dutch National Opera and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with Wrocław Opera. This summer, he performed Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin and Soldat/Nazarene in Salome with the Verbier Festival.

Evanna Lai (Chiew) ’16 Mezzo-soprano Evanna Lai recently made her professional European and radio debut at the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam as Nancy T’ang in Nixon in China with the Dutch Youth Orchestra. Ms. Lai looks forward to several art-song and chamber recitals in the 2017–2018 season, as well as her Elm City Consort debut as Calliope in the premiere performance of La Lira Muta, a pastiche opera. This summer, she sang the role of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with Opera Theater of Connecticut.

David Leigh ’14 This season, bass David Leigh returns to the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development program. This spring, he will make his Metropolitan Opera debut singing Le Surintendant des plaisirs in a new production of Cendrillon alongside Joyce DiDonato under the baton of Bertrand de Billy. On April 28, his performance in Cendrillon will be broadcast as part of the Met Live in HD broadcasts. This season, he will also appear as Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Théâtre de la Ville de Luxembourg, Opéra national de Lorraine Nancy, Festival International d’Opéra Baroque de Beaune, Festival d’Aix en Provence, and the Florentine Opera.

8

yale opera

Samuel Levine ’12 Tenor Samuel Levine is a recent graduate of the Opera Studies program at the Juilliard School, where he received an artist diploma.

This season, his engagements include Testo in Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda and Noah in I Have No Stories to Tell You with Opera Philadelphia, and Viktor Frankenstein in Frankenstein with West Edge Opera, Oakland. Earlier this year he appeared as Joe in the world premiere of Three Way with Nashville Opera, a role he reprised with the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Ryan MacPherson ’00 This fall, tenor Ryan MacPherson will record his performance of Mr. Rochester in Louis Karchin’s Jane Eyre for the Naxos label, a role he created in the world premiere production with New York’s Center for Contemporary Opera.

Christopher Magiera This season, baritone Christopher Magiera will reprise the role of Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opera Naples. He will join the DePaul School of Music for a performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs. In the 2016–2017 season he debuted in John Adams’ The Wound Dresser with the McLean Symphony, and Dvořák’s Requiem with the Berkshire Choral Festival. This past summer, he performed the role of Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with the Opera Theater of Saint Louis.

Anne Maguire ’17 Mezzo-soprano Anne Maguire has had the distinction of being a 2015 MONC National Semi-Finalist, as well as a 2016 Glimmerglass Festival Young Artist, where she covered the role of Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible. Currently, she is the 2017 Oregon District Metropolitan Opera National Council winner. Ms. Maguire has performed in concert with the Waterbury Symphony and in numerous orchestral and concert performances in New Canaan and Hartford. This spring, she will return to the Yale Opera as a guest artist singing the role of the Witch in Hänsel und Gretel.

9

2017–2018 • high notes

Jamilyn Manning-White ’12 In the summer of 2016, soprano Jamilyn Manning-White sang Juliet in the world premiere of Thomas Pasatieri’s Three Shakespearean Monologues with the Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and his Mass in C major with the Berkshire Choral Festival. This season, she returns to Heartbeat Opera for its gala production of Heartbeat on the High Line.

Meechot Marrero ’16 In the 2017–2018 season, soprano Meechot Marrero continues as a member of the Deutsche Oper Berlin ensemble, after being awarded the American-Berlin Scholarship from the Opera Foundation. With Deutsche Oper Berlin this season, Ms. Marrero will perform the roles of Princess Nicoletta in The Love for Three Oranges, Magd in Elektra, Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro, Frasquita in Carmen, L’innocente in L’arlesiana, Modestina in Il viaggio a Reims, and Adele in Die Fledermaus.

Sarah Jane McMahon ’04 This season, soprano Sarah Jane McMahon returns to the New Orleans Opera to sing the role of Monica in The Medium. She will also perform as a soprano soloist in the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the New Orleans Opera, and in That’s Amore with the Heartland Festival Orchestra. This spring, she starred as Marguerite in Faust with the New Orleans Opera.

Lucas Meachem Baritone Lucas Meachem begins his 2017–2018 season with a return to The Metropolitan Opera to reprise the role of Marcello in La Bohème. His 2017–2018 season also includes performances of Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia with the Houston Grand Opera, Athanaël in Thaïs with the Minnesota Opera, and the title role in Don Giovanni with Sächsische Staatsoper in Dresden, Germany.

Liam Moran ’05 This summer, bass Liam Moran debuted with the Bard Music Festival as Stolnik in Stanisław Moniuszko’s Halka. He also returned to the Metropolitan Opera for Der Rosenkavalier.

10

yale opera

Andrés Moreno García ’17 During the 2017–2018 season, tenor Andrés Moreno García will be in Berlin, Germany, singing as a member of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden’s Opera Studio and is a scholarship recipient from the Liz Mohn Kultur- und Musikstiftung. With the Staatsoper, he will make his debuts in the roles of Gastone in La traviata and Parpignol in La Bohème, and will work with conductors including Zubin Mehta and Massimo Zanetti. In concert, Mr. Moreno García will sing with the Georgian National Opera and Ballet Theater of Tbilisi and the Kinderopernhaus Lichtenberg. This past summer, he sang the role of Edmondo in Donizetti’s L’assedio di Calais and Slim in Oklahoma! with the Glimmerglass Festival.

Dean Murphy ’17 In the fall of 2017, baritone Dean Murphy joined the ensemble of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. In the 2017–2018 season, he is performing in twelve productions at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, in roles including Fiorello in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Wagner in Faust, and Dancaïro in a new production of Carmen. This past summer, Mr. Murphy was a Bonfils-Stanton Apprentice Artist with the Central City Opera where he sang the roles of The Herald in Britten’s The Burning Fiery Furnace and Pierre la Fitte in Amy Beach’s Cabildo.

Abigail Nims ’07 This season, mezzo-soprano Abigail Nims will appear as Zegner Sister I in Proving Up with Opera Omaha. In the 2016–2017 season, Ms. Nims performed in Handel’s Messiah with the Naples Philharmonic and Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Mahler’s Second Symphony with the Duluth Superior Symphony, and Dvořák’s Stabat Mater with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park.

Edward Parks ’08 Baritone Edward Parks’ 2017-2018 season includes Inman in Cold Mountain with North Carolina Opera, Belcore in L’elisir d’amore with Opera Oviedo in Spain, Valentin in Faust with Lyric Opera of Chicago and Portland Opera, Escamillo in Carmen with Atlanta Opera, and a return to the roster of Metropolitan Opera for Le nozze di Figaro, as well as concerts with the Marilyn Horne Foundation and the Winter Chamber Festival. This past summer he created the role of Steve Jobs in the world premiere of Mason Bates’ The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs with Santa Fe Opera.

11

2017–2018 • high notes

Damien Pass ’09 Bass-baritone Damien Pass’ 2017–2018 season includes singing the Four Villains in Les contes d’Hoffmann with Opéra de Dijon. Last season, he appeared in the opera creation Bosch Beach by composer Vasco Mendonça and librettist Dimitri Verhulst, produced by LOD Muziektheater with ensemble Asko|Schönberg. He reprised the role of Colline in La Bohème for his Scottish Opera debut at the Royal Theater in Glasgow.

David Pittsinger ’86 In the 2017–2018 season, bass-baritone David Pittsinger will sing the role of Palémon in Thaïs at The Metropolitan Opera, as well as Father Trulove in The Rake’s Progress with the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam. This past summer, he appeared as Father Trulove in The Rake’s Progress with the Festival d’Aix en Provence.

Matthew Plenk ’06 Earlier this year, tenor Matthew Plenk performed the role of Ferrando in Così fan tutte with the Central City Opera. In the 2017–2018 season, he will appear on the concert stage as the Sailor’s Voice and Shepherd in Tristan und Isolde with the Cleveland Orchestra, as a soloist in Britten’s Ballade of Heroes with the Boulder Philharmonic, and as Steuermann in Der fliegende Höllander with the RAI Orchestra.

Jessica Pray ’17 This fall, soprano Jessica Pray made her Carnegie Hall debut as a guest artist performing in Weill Recital Hall. She returns to her alma mater at the University of Iowa to perform in recital, and joins the Jacksonville Symphony as the soprano soloist in Fauré’s Requiem. In spring 2018, Ms. Pray will perform with the Warsaw Philharmonic in Candide as Cunegonde, and will join the Yale Symphony Orchestra as the soprano soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No. 4.

Emily Righter ’09 This summer, mezzo-soprano Emily Righter debuted with Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance singing the title role in Carmen. She was recently heard at Carnegie Hall and in Philadelphia as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Verdi’s Requiem, and John Rutter’s Magnificat. This fall, she will appear as Louise in the world premiere of Anna Hunter with the Savannah Voice Festival. In March 2018, she will be appear as Cherubino in Opera Tampa’s Le Nozze di Figaro.

12

yale opera

Rebecca Ringle ’06 Mezzo-soprano Rebecca Ringle’s engagements for the 2017–2018 season include Dryade in Ariadne auf Naxos for the Berkshire Opera Festival, and Catherine in Shining Brow with Urban Arias. In spring 2018, she will return to the Metropolitan Opera to cover Dritte Magd in Elektra.

Aleksandra Romano ’14 This summer, mezzo-soprano Aleksandra Romano returned to the Glimmerglass Festival as Aurelio in the American premiere of Donizetti’s The Siege of Calais. Ms. Romano’s 2017–2018 season begins with her debut with the Madison Opera singing the title role in Carmen. In January, she will make her debut with Austin Opera singing the Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos.

Annie Rosen ’12 In the 2017–2018 season, mezzo-soprano Annie Rosen will appear as a soloist for the Chicago Opera Theater Gala, La Belle Époque with the Brooklyn Art Song Society, and Take Care of This House with the New York Festival of Song. In spring 2018, she will return to Chicago to sing Siébel in Faust with the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

This past summer, Ms. Rosen sang the role of the Stepmother in The Juniper Tree with Wolf Trap Opera.

Claudia Rosenthal ’14 This season, soprano Claudia Rosenthal will appear as a soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Westmoreland Symphony, and as a soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem with the Erie Philharmonic. This fall, she will make her house and role debuts with the Annapolis Opera singing Beth in Adamo’s Little Women.

Natalia Rubis ’17 This summer, soprano Natalia Rubis starred as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte with the Bach Festival. She began the 2017–2018 season singing Euridice/Amore in L’arte del mondo’s Orfeo 2.0 with the Düsseldorf Festival. In the spring, she’ll be the soprano soloist in Donizetti’s Messa di Requiem with the Poznan Philharmonic and will sing the role of Cristallina in Salieri’s La fiera di Venezia with L’arte del mondo.

13

2017–2018 • high notes

Galeano Salas ’13 For the 2017–2018 season, tenor Galeano Salas will be in Munich, Germany, continuing as a member of the Bayerische Staatsoper’s Opera Studio. There he will be singing the roles of Lord Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Ein Tierhändler in Der Rosenkavalier, Jüngling in Die Gezeichneten, Manfredo in I vespri siciliani, and Mitrane in Semiramide. Next summer, he will reprise Manfredo in I vespri siciliani for Münchner Opernfestspiele.

Rolando Sanz ’03 This season, tenor Rolando Sanz will perform as a soloist in Hours of Freedom with The Defiant Requiem Foundation. Last season, Mr. Sanz sang the tenor solo of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Asheville Symphony, performed the role of Rageneau in Cyrano with the Michigan Opera Theater, and returned to the Metropolitan Opera for its productions of Salome, Idomeneo, Fidelio, and La traviata.

Chad Shelton ’97 In the 2017–2018 season, tenor Chad Shelton returns to the Houston Grand Opera for two role debuts: Pollione in Norma and Aegisth in Elektra. He will then return to The Metropolitan Opera roster for Elektra. He also returns to the Austin Opera as Don José in Carmen and the Phoenix Symphony for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Last season, he made returns to the Grand Théâtre de Genève for his first performances of Sir Edgar Aubry in Der Vampyr, the Houston Grand Opera to reprise Chairman Mao in Adams’ Nixon in China, and sang Don José in Carmen on tour in Japan as a guest artist of the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Opera Project.

Jenna Siladie ’13 In the 2017–2018 season, soprano Jenna Siladie will make her European debut as Gutrune in Götterdämmerung with Oper Wuppertal. Earlier this year, she made her Carnegie Hall debut as the soprano soloist in John Rutter’s Mass of the Children with the New England Symphonic Ensemble. Last season, she sang the roles of Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi and Suor Genovieffa in Suor Angelica with the Opera Company of Middlebury.

14

yale opera

Tyler Simpson ’10 This season, bass-baritone Tyler Simpson debuts with the Pittsburgh Opera starring as Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro. He will also sing the role of Snug in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Teatro Massimo di Palermo in Sicily. In concert, he will be a soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and in Mozart’s Requiem with Le Festival Lyrique Internationale de Belle-Île-en-mer.

Aaron Sorensen ’12 This season, bass Aaron Sorensen performs the role of Sparafucile in Rigoletto with Ash Lawn Opera, sings Rossini’s Stabat Mater and a concert titled Love & Loss with the Oakland Symphony, and returns to Brava! Opera as Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail.

Christoph Späth ’89 Tenor Christoph Späth continues to sing with the Komische Oper Berlin this season, performing the roles of Geharnischter in Die Zauberflöte, Pietro in Die Gezeichneten, Alvarez in Barbe-bleue, Triquet in Yevgeny Onegin, and Colonel Pickering in My Fair Lady.

Peter Tantsits ’04 In the 2017–2018 season, tenor Peter Tantsits will sing the role of Junge Offiziere in Die Soldaten with Oper Köln, Alviano Salvago in Die Gezeichneten with Stadttheater St Gallen, Danilowitz in L’étoile Du Nord with West Coast Kokkola Opera, and Spoletta in Tosca with Festival Hall Baden-Baden. Mr. Tantsits’ concert engagements include the tenor soloist in Festival D’Automne — Hors Les Murs and Canti di vita e d’amore with Maison de la radio.

Kenneth Tarver ’92 This fall, tenor Kenneth Tarver returns to Opera Vlaanderen to reprise the role of Tamino in Die Zauberflöte. Other engagements for the 2017–2018 season include Count Alberto in L’occasione fa il ladro with Rossini in Wildbad at the Königliches Kurtheater, Carlo in Eduardo e Cristina with Rossini in Wildbad, Trinkhalle, and Aufidio in Lucio Silla with Teatro Real de Madrid. This year, Naxos released major recordings of his performances in Rossini’s Sigismondo and Bianca e Falliero.

15

2017–2018 • high notes

Lucas van Lierop ’17 This summer, tenor Lucas van Lierop was a Bonfils-Stanton Apprentice Artist with Central City Opera where he sang the role of Dominique You in Amy Beach’s Cabildo and also covered the lead role of Nebuchadnezzer in Britten’s The Burning Fiery Furnace. This fall, he performed with the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart under the baton of Helmuth Rilling. His future engagements include a concert in Moscow as part of Les Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques.

Eva Vogel ’02 This season, mezzo-soprano Eva Vogel will sing the role Roßweiße in Die Walküre at the Beijing Music Festival. She will appear as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Dvořák’s Stabat Mater in Konstanz, St. Gebhardskirche, and will perform Elgar’s Sea Pictures, Op. 37, in Duisburg at the Mercatorhalle. This past summer, she appeared as Mary in Der fliegende Holländer and as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, both with Opernfestspiele Heidenheim.

Olivia Vote ’08 This spring, mezzo-soprano Olivia Vote sang the role of Nicklausse in The Tales of Hoffmann with the Hawaii Opera Theater. She begins her 2017–2018 season singing Mary in Der fliegende Holländer with the Atlanta Opera. She then joins the North Carolina Opera for Maddalena in Verdi’s Rigoletto and then sings Adalgisa in Bellini’s Norma with Opera Southwest. She rounds out her season as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Rossini’s Stabat Mater with the Washington Choral Arts Society in performances at the Kennedy Center.

Brian Vu ’15 In the 2017–2018 season, baritone Brian Vu debuts with the Houston Grand Opera as Riff in Francesca Zambello’s new production of West Side Story. In summer 2018, he will return to the Glimmerglass Festival as Riff in West Side Story.

Brad Walker ’15 During the 2017–2018 season, bass-baritone Brad Walker is a second-year Adler Fellow where will sing Un Mandarino in Turandot with the San Francisco Opera. This past summer, Mr. Walker appeared as Schaunard in La Bohème with the San Francisco Opera.

16

yale opera

Chrystal E. Williams ’10 Last summer, mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williams sang Olga in Eugene Onegin with Northern Lights Festival. Upcoming engagements include Charlotte in Werther with Baltimore Concert Opera and OperaDelaware; Pearl/Mary O’Fallen in Ricky Ian Gordon’s Morning Star; On-Site Opera; and concerts with Annapolis Opera.

She returns to Birmingham Opera Company UK in 2019.

Lisa Williamson ’12 This summer, soprano Lisa Williamson made her Portland Opera debut in a double bill of David Lang’s the difficulty of crossing a field and the little match girl passion, singing Virginia Creeper and the soprano soloist. She also starred as Laurie in Hartford Opera Theater’s production of Copland’s The Tender Land.

Leah Wool ’03 This season, mezzo-soprano Leah Wool joins the Cincinnati Symphony for Bach’s Magnificat, and Shoestring Baroque for Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. Most recently, Ms. Wool made her debut with the Charlotte Symphony for Elijah, returned to Boston Baroque as Holofernes in Juditha Triumphans, and debuted with the Nashville Symphony in Mozart’s Requiem, Phoenix Symphony for Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, and the Defiant Requiem Foundation in Hours of Freedom: The Story of the Terezín Composer.

Jin-Xiang Yu ’16 Soprano Jin-Xiang Yu recently starred in Poulenc’s one-woman opera La voix humaine with the New York OperaFest. She has been praised as a robust soprano with secure amber tone, a beautiful sense of phrasing, and formidable French diction (NY Classical Review). Last season, she returned to New Haven for performances with New Music New Haven, and as a Woolsey Competition winner, she appeared as the soprano soloist with the Yale Philharmonia on April 21, 2017, for Messiaen’s Poèmes pour mi.

17

Next at Yale Opera

The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

February 16–18, 2018 Shubert Theatre Tickets available at shubert.com or 203 562-5666

Doris Yarick Cross, Artistic Director, Yale Opera Erika Niemi Heltzel, Manager, Yale Opera

Yale Opera p.o. box 208246 new haven, ct 06520-8246 203 432-2690

music.yale.edu/opera