Sean Arnold, Tenor

Mr. Arnold is from Austin, Texas and is currently a resident artist at The Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia.. In his time there he has performed numerous roles including Rodolfo in La bohème, Count Elemer in Arabella, and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale in the world premiere of Margaret Garwood's, The Scarlet Letter. Before AVA, Sean studied at the University of Houston and spent two summers as a Studio Artist with Wolf Trap Opera. In that time he performed Dino Corelli in Bolcom's A Wedding and Arcadio in Catan's Florencia en el Amazonas both with the Moores Opera Center at the University of Houston as well as Parpignol in La bohème at Wolf Trap with the National Symphony Orchestra.

Danielle Pastin, Soprano

Ms. Pastin continues to establish herself as one of most vivacious and passionate young artists of her generation. In the spring of 2011, she made her Metropolitan Opera debut singing the role of Masha and covering Chloe in The Queen of Spades, as well as performing Juliet in Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet in concert with the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Ms Pastin enjoyed a successful residency with Pittsburgh Opera where she triumphed as the empathetic, yet strong-willed heroine Rosasharn in the East Coast Premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s epic opera The Grapes of Wrath, and then returned to Pittsburgh Opera as Female Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia. In addition, while in Pittsburgh, Ms Pastin also performed the roles of Mimi in La bohème and Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, both in the company’s student matinee performances. Ms Pastin was a member of the 2010 Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Artist program, where she covered the roles of Cio-Cio San in Madame Butterfly as well as Giulietta and Stella in Les Contes d’Hoffmann. She will be returning to Santa Fe in 2011 to cover the role of Mimi in La bohème.

Danielle has also been a member of various other young artist programs, including Pittsburgh Opera and the Intermezzo Opera Festival Training Program where she performed the role of Nannetta in Verdi's Falstaff. As an Apprentice Artist at Central City Opera in Colorado, she received the Fine Arts Fellowship and performed the role of Lucinda in the world premiere of Henry Molicone’s opera Gabriel’s Daughter. Other recent engagements include Verdi Requiem with Erie Philharmonic, Nedda in I Pagliacci with Capital Opera and Violetta in La traviata with New Rochelle Opera Company. Ms. Pastin received her Bachelor’s of Music degree in voice/opera from The University of Maryland.

Elizabeth Pojanowski, Mezzo-Soprano

Exciting young mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Pojanowski is gaining renown in opera houses and concert halls across the country, not only for her voice but for her electric stage presence.  As Opera News wrote of her performance in Janacek's The Cunning Little Vixen with Chautauqua Opera, "her Fox provided a charming love interest and a clear, warm timbre."  Her musical and dramatic versatility was highlighted in recent engagements including the roles of Nancy T'ang in Cincinnati Opera's Nixon in China, the title role in L’enfant et les sortilèges with the Seattle Opera Young Artist Program and Mercedes in Lake George Opera's production of Carmen.  When Ms. Pojanowski sang Popova in William Walton's comedy, The Bear, Charles Parsons of Opera News described her as "an extraordinary singer with a luxuriously creamy voice and high comedy style."  Most recently, she sang the role of Fiona in a workshop of Two Boys with composer Nico Muhly and director Bartlett Sher at the Metropolitan Opera. Also this season she will return to Opera Saratoga for their 50^th Anniversary Season to sing Prince Orlofsky Die Fledermaus and then debuts with San Antonio Opera as Stephano Romeo & Juliet.

Making her professional debut while still in graduate school, Ms. Pojanowski sang Cousin Hebe in H.M.S. Pinafore with Dayton Opera. "Cousin Hebe walked off with a significantly larger than usual quota of laughs. Elizabeth Pojanowski not only sang Hebe's music resplendently, but was a fine comedienne," said the Dayton Daily News. After performing her first role with Cincinnati Opera in Nixon in China in 2007, she was invited back for the 2009 season to sing Tebaldo in Don Carlo, Mercedes in Carmen and cover Cherubino The Marriage of Figaro.  Ms. Pojanowski also sang Dinah in Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti, as Hansel in Hansel & Gretel and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Drream with the Seattle Opera's prestigious young artist program.

With Eugene Opera, she sang 3^rd Lady in The Magic Flute in 2007 and then Siebel in Faust in 2010, where she introduced the American premiere of Siebel's original second aria. The Eugene Register Guard boasted that "her two arias were beautifully wrought."  She was also a convincing Nancy in Albert Herring with Aspen Opera Theater in 2006, Mrs. Olsen in Street Scene with Chautauqua Opera in 2008 and La Maestra delle Novizie in Suor Angelica with the Music and Opera Festival of Lucca in 2004..

In 2009 Ms. Pojanowski made her Seattle Symphony debut as the alto soloist in Strauss’ Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. Later that year she sang Frauenlieben und Leben with Pocket Opera of New York. She was also the alto soloist in Rossini’s Stabat Mater with the Yakima Symphony Orchestra as well as being featured in a Rodgers & Hammerstein Pops concert with Whatcom Symphony Orchestra.

Ms. Pojanowski has been a Metropolitan Opera National Council regional finalist three times. She won the top Chautauqua Opera Guild Apprentice award in addition to several scholarships to the University of Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music and a full fellowship to the Aspen Music Festival.