| |
| Event Detail |
Very Verdi |
Saturday, October 17, 2009 8:00 pm |
|
|
| Performers |
 Neil Darling, Alfons, tenor, is garnering much attention for his warm lyric voice and compelling interpretive style. A graduate of the IU School of Music and Sarasota Opera's young artist program, where he distinguished himself with a role in the Polish opera, Halka, Mr. Darling's recent performances include I Lombardi (Oronte) and La Forza del Destino (Don Alvaro) with Amici Opera, Die Zauberflöte (Tamino) with the Bethesda Music Festival, and The Hunger Art (Alfons) and The Golden Gate (Ed), both with Center City Opera. His concert work includes recitals with Empire Opera of New York, Concert Operetta Theatre of Philadelphia, and Human Translation in Napa, California. He has participated in numerous competitions and was awarded the Arthur Coppola Scholarship Grant from the Bel Canto Foundation Competition in 2007. Future performances include Empire Opera's premiere of The Great Supper and an engagement with Annapolis Opera.
|
|
 Soprano Colleen Daly is rapidly emerging as a “dramatically powerful” (The Washington Post) singer in today’s operatic arena. Miss Daly’s wide range of roles includes the title roles in The Academy of Vocal Arts’ productions of Lucia di Lammermoor, La Traviata, Kát’a Kabanová, and Manon, the title role in Opera Vivente’s production of Alcina, Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, Musetta in La Bohème, Miss Jessel in The Turn of the Screw and Berta in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with the Maryland Opera Studio, Micaëla in La Tragédie de Carmen with Olney Theatre Center for the Arts, Die Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte with Opera New Jersey, the Annapolis Opera and Symphony Orchestra, and the In Series, Madame Herz in Der Schauspieldirektor at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Cunegonde in Candide at the Merle Reskin Theatre in Chicago, Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring with Gotham Chamber Opera, and Sole in Giasone with the Aspen Opera Theatre Center. Miss Daly’s “glistening soprano” (The Washington Post) is also becoming well-known to concert and recital audiences, performing as a soloist in such works as the Mozart, Brahms, Fauré, and Rutter Requiem Masses, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Händel’s Messiah and Haydn’s Creation, and appearing in concerts with the Master Chorale of Washington (Kennedy Center debut), Washington Concert Opera, the Cathedral Choral Society (National Cathedral debut), the Maryland Philharmonic Orchestra, Annapolis Opera, Opera Lafayette, Concert Operetta Theater of Philadelphia, Ovation Artists, the Washington Arts Club, and the In Series. Miss Daly’s “superb vocalism and gorgeous tone” (The Capitol) have been recognized by numerous foundations and institutions, including the Gerda Lissner Foundation, the Palm Beach Opera Guild, the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Annapolis Opera, the Bel Canto Foundation, Long Leaf Opera, the Kennett Square Symphony, the Howard County Arts Council, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She has had the opportunity to study with such distinguished performers and conductors as François Loup, Catherine Malfitano, Susanne Mentzer, Ashley Putnam, and Maestros Harry Bickett and Julius Rudel.
Colleen Daly received a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance at the University of Maryland in College Park, and an Artist Diploma from the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has been a Festival Artist for Opera New Jersey, a Young Artist at the Oberlin in Italy Scenes Program in Urbania, and a New Horizon Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and School
|
|
 Soprano Michelle B. Johnson, a native of Pearland, TX, is a second year resident artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Where she was seen as Silvana in Respighi’s La Fiamma. She is a graduate of Boston University’s Opera Institute where she was seen as Angèle in BU’s production of Kurt Weill’s one act opera The Tsar Has His Photograph Taken, as Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, as The Moon in Jorge Martin’s Before Night Falls and as Lady with a Cakebox in Argento’s Postcard from Morocco. Ms. Johnson had the pleasure of singing Gabriel in Haydn’s Creation performed in Boston Symphony Hall and Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem beside bass-baritone Simon Estes in Carnegie Hall with the BU Symphonic Orchestra and Chorus. She also performed Mozart’s Requiem in Carnegie Hall with the Manhattan Concert Productions conducted by Dr. Ann Howard Jones. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from New England Conservatory of Music where she performed in Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw as Ms. Jessel. In 2005 Ms. Johnson was a fellow at Tanglewood Music Center where she worked on the role of Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with James Levine and performed with the Mark Morris Dance Group. Ms. Johnson played the role of La Contessa in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with L’Orchestra da Camera in Boston’s Jordan Hall. Ms. Johnson made her Boston Symphony Orchestra debut as one of the Naked Virgins in Schoenberg’s Moses und Aron conducted by James Levine. She was awarded the Encouragement Award in the 2009 Gerda Lissner Foundation Vocal Competition, the 2006 Marilyn Horne Foundation and 2005 Metropolitan Opera New England Regional Finals and in 2003 she was the recipient of the Jan de Gaetani Award at the Orpheus National Vocal Competition. |
|
 Tenor Issachah Savage is a local Washington, DC resident who is said to be “one of America’s most promising young talents.” He is also recognized as the “Golden Tenor.” Mr. Savage is a proud alumnus of The Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at The Catholic University of America and of Morgan State University where he worked intensely with the late great, Dr. Nathan Carter. With both dramatic and lyrical qualities; Mr. Savage is making his mark on the concert, recital and operatic platforms. He has proven to be equally effective in both leading and supporting roles. Most recently Issachah was seen in the role of Mark Antony in the world primer of Leslie Savoy-Burrs’ Opera, Egypt’s Nights with Opera North of Philadelphia. Well traveled throughout North America, Europe, and South Africa, Mr. Savage has sung under the baton of some of the world’s most respected conductors, including; Kurt Masur, Nathan Carter, Robert Shaw, Peter Nero, Yuri Temirkanov, Moses Hogan, James Caraher, Bobby McFerrin, Marin Alsop and Murry Sidlin.
Among his opera credits are the roles of; Nerone, Armed Man, Mayor Upfold, Young Gypsy, Casper, Rinuccio, Martin, Alfredo, Rymus, Crab Man, Brack Weaver, Sam, and Cassio… Mr. Savage’s concert and oratorio highlights include: Mozart’s Requiem, The world premiere concert and recording of Wynton Marsalis’ All Rise with the New York Philharmonic; Handel’s Messiah, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Hailstork’s I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, and Nathaiel Dett’s The Ordering of Moses all performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Savage is the first “scholar artist” of the Marian Anderson Historical Society. Other accomplishments and awards include; The Philadelphia Pro Arts Scholarship Award, The National Act-So Competition, the National Omega Psi Phi Competition, and the National Leontyne Price Vocal Arts Competition. Issachah was also a featured artist to perform for President Bill Clinton’s presidential summit of 1997.
Most recently, Mr. Savage was named 1st place Winner of the Liederkranz, 1st place winner of the Giulio Gari International Competition, and the 4th place winner of the Licia Albanese International Puccini Competition. For his outstanding musicianship, leadership and academic achievement, Mr. Savage has been inducted in; Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Issachah is also the award winner of the James T. Townsend Vocal Arts Award and received the Emerging Vocal Arts Competition Award from, The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club.
|
|
 Baritone Daniel Lickteig is garnering praise throughout American opera houses for his powerful, soaring voice. He has appeared with Cleveland Opera, Asheville Lyric Opera, Sarasota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Iowa, Utah Festival Opera Company, Natchez Opera, Opera Theater of Philadelphia, and the Intermountain Opera Company. He has worked with conductors including Timothy Myers, Robert Lyall, Alfred Calabrese, Imre Paolo, Lucy Arner, Giampaolo Brachali, David Briskin, Dr. Robert Larson, Dr. David Blackburn, John Douglas and Alan Harler. Highlights of his large operatic repertoire include Mozart's Don Giovanni, Rossini's Figaro, Verdi's Rigoletto, Scarpia in Puccini's Tosca and Marcello in La Bohème, Alfio in Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana, Tonio in Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci. His concert repertoire includes works by Bach, Fauré, Bruckner, Orff, and Bernstein. In 2009, Mr. Lickteig will make his debut with Opera Delaware as Frank in Die Fledermaus. |
|
 American soprano Lori Lind, whom the Washington Post hails as "radiant in voice and striking in stage presence," is quickly gaining recognition as an important young artist. She continues to be lauded for her interpretation of roles in Italian opera, most recently as Norma, Leonora (Il Trovatore), Violetta, Mimì, and Nedda. Equally adept in modern literature, she has sung the part of Miriam in Lee Hoiby's The Scarf and the doomed prophetess Kassandra in the world premier of Andrew Simpson's dramatic Agamemnon. A versatile, intelligent, and elegant singer, Ms. Lind has also triumphed in several Mozartean roles including Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte and La Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro.
She has performed with numerous companies including Washington National Opera, Tri-Cities Opera (NY), Opera Raleigh, Lyric Opera Cleveland, Opera in the Heights (TX), Italy's Ravello Festival, Center City Opera, Opera Vivente (MD), Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia, Annapolis Opera and The Maryland Opera Society. Ms. Lind returns to City Center Opera Theatre on February 22, 2009 in the title role of Verdi's Aida. She débuts with Virginia's Opera on the James (April 3 and 5, 2009) singing her first Donna Anna.
Ms. Lind has received recognition and awards from the Schuyler Foundation for Career Bridges, The Connecticut Opera, The Jenny Lind Foundation, The Gerda Lissner Foundation, The Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation, The Peabody Career Grant Foundation, The Shubert Theatre Awards, The Tucker Foundation, the Liederkranz Foundation, Long Leaf Opera and Tri-Cities Opera Resident Artist Program. She was recently awarded the Grand Prize (1st place) and the Director/Conductor Award at the 2005 Annapolis Opera Vocal Competition. Of her performance in that competition, the Baltimore Sun wrote: "Ms. Lind's astonishing vocal gifts are enhanced by her vivacity and youthful beauty." They went on to say: "[she] offered an exquisite 'D'amor sull'ali rosee' from Verdi's Il Trovatore in her magnificent soprano and a compelling 'Depuis le jour' from Charpentier's Louise that was richly colored and filled with feeling."
During the 2005-06 season, she appeared with Houston's Opera in the Heights where she sang her first Norma and Leonora. In addition, she appeared as special guest artist in OH's Grand Finale 10th Anniversary Gala in which she sang the leading heroines in Rigoletto, Tosca and Aida. The Houston Chronicle's Charles Ward praised her unreservedly, stating: "As Gilda, Tosca and Aida, soprano Lori Lind moved agilely among the disparate musical styles. She had the steely power and riveting high notes to etch strong characterizations of all three women. Her portrayals galvanized the show."
Most recently, Ms. Lind received unprecedented accolades for her portrayal of Verdi's tragic heroine Violetta in La Traviata. Classical Voice of North Carolina praised: "From the moment Lind appeared on stage, she showed herself a superb singer whose thrilling high notes, dazzling coloratura passages, and seamless legato met all one's expectations. As singer and consummate actress, she commands the stage." The Raleigh News Observer lauded her portrayal stating: "Lori Lind was up to all the vocal challenges, her bright, clear voice pleasingly full, with a thrilling spin. She had the power to dominate the ensembles and could negotiate Verdi's ornate phrasing with command. In the last act, Lind provided arresting use of pianissimos and chest voice. In the role, Lind's talents impressed mightily, signaling an exciting career ahead…"
|
|
|
