Friday, June 11, 2021 | 7:30 PMSaturday, June 12, 2021 | 7:30 PM
MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC OPERA THEATRETazewell Thompson, Director of Opera Studies
presents
SENIOR OPERA THEATRE
TAPESTRY: A Collection of Opera Scenes, Arias, Musical Theatre, and PoetryJorge Parodi, Conductor Tazewell Thompson, Director
MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC OPERA THEATRETazewell Thompson, Director of Opera Studies
presents
SENIOR OPERA THEATRE
TAPESTRY: A Collection of Opera Scenes, Arias, Musical Theatre, and Poetry
Jorge Parodi, Conductor Tazewell Thompson, Director Brian Holman, Assistant Music Director Cindy C. Oxberry, Assistant Director Simon C. F. Yu, Video EditorEvgenia Truksa, Pianist Steven Jude Tietjen, Supertitles Author
Friday, June 11, 2021 | 7:30 PMSaturday, June 12, 2021 | 7:30 PM
3
DIRECTOR’S NOTEThe times are uncertain and forbidding on many levels for most of us these days. There is a rise of all kinds of “isms.” We are challenged, during this divisive atmosphere, to stay close and supportive.
Here’s hoping that America will have the wisdom and ferocity to plow under its recent blunders and commit to building another kind of world — a world of intentionality and wholeness and beauty and reverence and respect for the differences among peoples that add richness, variety, and diversity to our lives. A rich tapestry.
Here’s hoping that in our 21st century, each of us will open ourselves a little further into awareness, into the capacity to attend, to listen, to see and feel what is going on inside and outside of ourselves; to become part of the “others”, those that are immediately around us, and those who are further off; lost, ignored, forgotten.
Within the heart of this threatened darkness, my Senior Opera Theatre class—those pillars of affirmation—every Tuesday and Thursday—through fierce determination, their courage and positive energy; through their immeasurable vocal talents, provided sudden moments of illumination, joy, synthesis, catharsis, exploration, and celebration.
Let us never undervalue what our young artists do for us, for they are the alchemists who transform material things into things of the spirit. The hearts and minds, the voices of these young artists transformed into lives of others so that we may more clearly see ourselves.
Never were these young artists so important! Never were they so needed! If it is change we want, if we mean it that we want our country moving forward, more inclusive, more enlightened, empathetic, and compassionate, then we must continue to teach, coach, direct, nurture, support our young MSM artists now and forever into their futures.
– Tazewell Thompson
4
Friday, June 11, 2021 at 7:30 PM
Act II, Closing Scene, “Se viver non degg’io” from Mitridate, re di Ponto (1770) Music by W. A. Mozart Libretto by Vittorio Amadeo Cigna-Santi
Sifare Sarah Rachel Reyes Bacani Aspasia Emilie Kealani Suarez
Hajung Cho, Tzu Tung Liao, Mao Mao Huang, Chris Lee, Fujia Zhang, Guolong Wang, violin I Risa Hokamura, Guan Gui, Xiaodan Zhang, Taihi Chin, violin II Natanel Laevsky, Wenbo Xin, Man Chun Li, viola Marcella Kolacki, Dongmin Hyun, Minjin Kim, cello Sienna George, Min Kyung Cho, double bass Jiadi Pei, Hyunchung Ahn, oboe Shengmu Wang, AllenJade Carter, horn
“What Only Love Can See” from Chaplin: The Musical (2006) Music and Lyrics by Christopher Curtis
Oona O’Neill Ji Yoon Lee
“O mio babbino caro” from Gianni Schicchi (1918) Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Giovacchino Forzano
Lauretta Soo Min Yoo
“Some Things Are Meant To Be” from Little Women (2006) Music by Jason Howland Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein
Jo March Leah Rivka Israel
“Quanto è bella, quanto è cara” from L’elisir d’amore (1832) Music by Gaetano Donizetti Libretto by Felice Romani
Nemorino Zihao Liu
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 7:30 PMThursday, May 27, 2021 at 7:30 PM
5
“Summertime” from Porgy and Bess (1935) Music by George Gershwin Libretto by DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin
Sarah Rachel Reyes Bacani, Cheryl Bains, Rayna Mia Campbell, Ji Yoon Lee, Seul Woo Lee, Arthi Nandakumar, Evangeline Qiao Jun Ng, Katherine Anna Pound, Emilie Kealani Suarez, Soo Min Yoo, Luxana Lozano Zepeda, soprano Leah Rivka Israel, Mia Rose Ludwig, Margaret Macaira Shannon, Ruini Wang, mezzo-soprano
Hajung Cho, Tzu Tung Liao, Mao Mao Huang, Chris Lee, Fujia Zhang, Guolong Wang, violin I Risa Hokamura, Guan Gui, Xiaodan Zhang, Taihi Chin, violin II Natanel Laevsky, Wenbo Xin, Man Chun Li, viola Marcella Kolacki, Dongmin Hyun, Minjin Kim, cello Sienna George, Min Kyung Cho, double bass Jonah Murphy, flute Boeun Lee, piccolo Jiadi Pei, oboe Aaron Haettenschwiller, English horn Tsun Yin Tse, clarinet I Andrei Riazantsev, clarinet II Gabriel Henkin, clarinet III Shogo Urahata, bass clarinet Erin Acree, Kaitlyn Mills, bassoon Shengmu Wang, AllenJade Carter, horn Changhyun Cha, Jatin Himatsinghani, trumpet Jude Morris, Oh Min Gueon, Joseph Turgeon, trombone Riley McMahon, tuba Gabriel Costache, timpani William Richards, percussion Evgenia Truksa, piano
“I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story (1957) Music by Leonard Bernstein Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Maria Seul Woo Lee
“Some Enchanted Evening” from South Pacific (1949) Music by Richard Rodgers Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Emile Le Bu
“Je veux vivre” from Roméo et Juliette (1867) Music by Charles Gounod Libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré
Juliette Cheryl Bains
6
“To Keep My Love Alive” from A Connecticut Yankee (1927) Music by Richard Rodgers Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Queen Morgan Le Fay Ruini Wang
“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost (1922)
Sarah Rachel Reyes Bacani
“Du gai soleil” from Werther (1892) Music by Jules Massenet Libretto by Georges Hartmann, Édouard Blau, and Paul Milliet
Sophie Ji Yoon Lee
Act II, scene 2, “Evening prayer”; Act III Prelude, scenes 1 and 2, “Waking scene,” from Hänsel und Gretel (1893) Music by Engelbert Humperdinck Libretto by Adelheid Wette
Sandman Seul Woo Lee Hänsel Leah Rivka Israel Gretel Cheryl Bains Dew Fairy Ji Yoon Lee
Hajung Cho, Tzu Tung Liao, Mao Mao Huang, Chris Lee, Fujia Zhang, Guolong Wang, violin I Risa Hokamura, Guan Gui, Xiaodan Zhang, Taihi Chin, violin II Natanel Laevsky, Wenbo Xin, Man Chun Li, viola Marcella Kolacki, Dongmin Hyun, Minjin Kim, cello Sienna George, Min Kyung Cho, double bass Yeji Shin, flute I Jonah Murphy, flute II Rebecca Nelsen, oboe I Aaron Haettenschwiller, oboe, English horn Andrei Riazantsev, Tsun Yin Tse, clarinet Kennedy Plains, Kaitlyn Mills, bassoon AllenJade Carter, Shengmu Wang, horn Changhyun Cha, Jatin Himatsinghani, trumpet Kesem Ninio, Oh Min Gueon, Joseph Turgeon, trombone Riley McMahon, tuba Gabriel Costache, timpani William Richards, Liam McDonald, percussion Minyoung Kwon, harp
“Moritat vom Mackie Messeer” from Die Dreigroschenoper (1928) Music by Kurt Weill Lyrics by Bertolt Brecht
The Moritat Singer Christian Ohlenschlaeger
7
“Donde lieta uscì” from La bohème (1896) Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
Mimì Sarah Rachel Reyes Bacani
“Love Song” by Rainer Maria Rilke (1922)
Katherine Anna Pound
“Tu che di gel sei cinta” from Turandot (1926) Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni
Liù Luxana Lozano Zepeda
Intermission
“Tonight” ensemble from West Side Story (1957) Music by Leonard Bernstein Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Maria Seul Woo Lee Tony José Manuel Velazquez Jr. Anita Mia Rose Ludwig Riff Christian Ohlenschlaeger Bernardo Le Bu Member of the Sharks Zihao Liu
Hajung Cho, Tzu Tung Liao, Mao Mao Huang, Chris Lee, Fujia Zhang, Guolong Wang, violin I Risa Hokamura, Guan Gui, Xiaodan Zhang, Taihi Chin, violin II Natanel Laevsky, Wenbo Xin, Man Chun Li, viola Marcella Kolacki, Dongmin Hyun, Minjin Kim, cello Sienna George, Min Kyung Cho, double bass Yeji Shin, flute Boeun Lee, piccolo Gabriel Henkin, clarinet I Alexander Parlee, clarinet II Shogo Urahata, E-flat clarinet and bass clarinet Kaitlyn Mills, bassoon AllenJade Carter, Shengmu Wang, horn Jatin Himatsinghani, Changhyun Cha, trumpet Kesem Ninio, Joseph Turgeon, trombone Gabriel Costache, timpani William Richards, Liam McDonald, Kate Wagner, percussion Guy Dellecave, Jarod Apple, Jonathan Gilbert, saxophone Hunter Somogie, guitar Evgenia Truksa, piano
8
“No Difference” by Shel Silverstein (1974) Christian Ohlenschlaeger
“What good would the moon be?” from Street Scene (1946) Music by Kurt Weill Libretto by Langston Hughes
Rose Arthi Nandakumar
“Caos” by Javier Lozano Villafaña (2005)
Performed in Spanish
Luxana Lozano Zepeda
“O pallida, che un giorno mi guardasti” from L’amico Fritz (1891) Music by Pietro Mascagni Libretto by Nicola Daspuro
Beppe Mia Rose Ludwig
“I do not want to have you” by Rupi Kaur (2014)
Mia Rose Ludwig
“I’ll Be Here” from Ordinary Days (2008) Music and Lyrics by Adam Gwon
Claire Emilie Kealani Suarez
“One night’s east wind” (The Lantern Festival Night) by Xin Qiji (ca. 1175)
Performed in Mandarin and English
Ruini Wang
“The Girl in 14G” (2000) Music by Jeanine Tesori Lyrics by Dick Scanlan
Evangeline Qiao Jun Ng
“M’appari (Ach! so fromm, ach! so traut)” from Martha (1847) Music by Friedrich von Flotow Libretto by Friedrich Wilhelm Riese
Lyonel José Manuel Velazquez Jr.
9
“Will He Like Me?” from She Loves Me (1963) Music by Jerry Bock Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Amalia Katherine Anna Pound
“Hope is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson (1891)
Evangeline Qiao Jun Ng
“Hope is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson (1891) Music by Margaret Macaira Shannon
Margaret Macaira Shannon
“Chi il bel sogno di Doretta” from La Rondine (1917) Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Giuseppe Adami
Magda Rayna Mia Campbell
Act II, scene 6, “The Piano” from The Turn of the Screw (1954) Music by Benjamin Britten Libretto by Myfanwy Piper
Governess Evangeline Qiao Jun Ng Mrs. Grose Rayna Mia Campbell Flora Soo Min Yoo
Hajung Cho, violin I Risa Hokamura, violin II Man Chun Li, viola Marcella Kolacki, cello Sienna George, double bass Boeun Lee, flute Rebecca Nelsen, oboe Alexander Parlee, clarinet Kaitlyn Mills, bassoon Shengmu Wang, horn Gabriel Costache, timpani William Richards, percussion Esther Chung, harp Evgenia Truksa, piano
10
Act II, scene 7, “Flora” from The Turn of the Screw (1954) Music by Benjamin Britten Libretto by Myfanwy Piper
Governess Evangeline Qiao Jun Ng Mrs. Grose Rayna Mia Campbell Flora Soo Min Yoo Miss Jessel Sarah Rachel Reyes Bacani
Hajung Cho, violin I Risa Hokamura, violin II Man Chun Li, viola Marcella Kolacki, cello Sienna George, double bass Boeun Lee, flute Rebecca Nelsen, oboe Alexander Parlee, clarinet Kaitlyn Mills, bassoon Shengmu Wang, horn Gabriel Costache, timpani William Richards, percussion Esther Chung, harp Evgenia Truksa, piano
11
Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 7:30 PM
“Summertime” from Porgy and Bess (1935) Music by George Gershwin Libretto by DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin
Sarah Rachel Reyes Bacani, Cheryl Bains, Rayna Mia Campbell, Ji Yoon Lee, Seul Woo Lee, Arthi Nandakumar, Evangeline Qiao Jun Ng, Katherine Anna Pound, Emilie Kealani Suarez, Soo Min Yoo, Luxana Lozano Zepeda, soprano Leah Rivka Israel, Mia Rose Ludwig, Margaret Macaira Shannon, Ruini Wang, mezzo-soprano
Hajung Cho, Tzu Tung Liao, Mao Mao Huang, Chris Lee, Fujia Zhang, Guolong Wang, violin I Risa Hokamura, Guan Gui, Xiaodan Zhang, Taihi Chin, violin II Natanel Laevsky, Wenbo Xin, Man Chun Li, viola Marcella Kolacki, Dongmin Hyun, Minjin Kim, cello Sienna George, Min Kyung Cho, double bass Jonah Murphy, flute Boeun Lee, piccolo Jiadi Pei, oboe Aaron Haettenschwiller, English horn Tsun Yin Tse, clarinet I Andrei Riazantsev, clarinet II Gabriel Henkin, clarinet III Shogo Urahata, bass clarinet Erin Acree, Kaitlyn Mills, bassoon Shengmu Wang, AllenJade Carter, horn Changhyun Cha, Jatin Himatsinghani, trumpet Jude Morris, Oh Min Gueon, Joseph Turgeon, trombone Riley McMahon, tuba Gabriel Costache, timpani William Richards, percussion Evgenia Truksa, piano
“The Flower” by Kim Chun-soo (1955)
Soo Min Yoo
“Let things be like they always was” from Street Scene (1946) Music by Kurt Weill Libretto by Langston Hughes
Frank Christian Ohlenschlaeger
“On Leaving Cambridge” by Xu Zhimo (1928)
Zihao Liu
“Think of Me” from The Phantom of the Opera (1986) Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics by Charles Hart
Christine Soo Min Yoo
12
“The Barley Field” by Hwa-Mok Park (1952)
Ji Yoon Lee
“Una voce poco fa” from Il barbiere di Siviglia (1816) Music by Giacomo Rossini Libretto by Cesare Sterbini
Rosina Seul Woo Lee
Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare (ca. 1590)
Le Bu
“She Used To Be Mine” from Waitress (2015) Music and Lyrics by Sara Bareilles
Jenna Margaret Macaira Shannon
“Ice Cream” sextet from Street Scene (1946) Music by Kurt Weill Libretto by Langston Hughes
Lippo Fiorentino José Manuel Velazquez Jr. Greta Fiorentino Emilie Kealani Suarez Carl Olsen Christian Ohlenschlaeger Olga Olsen Ruini Wang George Jones Le Bu Henry Davis Zihao Liu
Hajung Cho, Tzu Tung Liao, Mao Mao Huang, Chris Lee, Fujia Zhang, Guolong Wang, violin I Risa Hokamura, Guan Gui, Xiaodan Zhang, Taihi Chin, violin II Natanel Laevsky, Wenbo Xin, Man Chun Li, viola Marcella Kolacki, Dongmin Hyun, Minjin Kim, cello Sienna George, Min Kyung Cho, double bass Yeji Shin, flute, piccolo Aaron Haettenschwiller, oboe, English horn Gabriel Henkin, clarinet I Andrei Riazantsev, clarinet II Shogo Urahata, clarinet III, bass clarinet Kennedy Plains, bassoon Shengmu Wang, AllenJade Carter, horn Changhyun Cha, Jatin Himatsinghani, trumpet Kesem Ninio, trombone I Jude Morris, trombone II William Richards, Kate Wagner, percussion Esther Chung, harp Evgenia Truksa, piano
13
“Caro nome” from Rigoletto (1851) Music by Giuseppe Verdi Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave
Gilda Emilie Kealani Suarez
“Hello, young lovers” from The King and I (1951) Music by Richard Rodgers Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Anna Sarah Rachel Reyes Bacani
“Awaking in New York” by Maya Angelou (1983)
Emilie Kealani Suarez
“The Morning Is Full” by Pablo Neruda (ca. 1952)
José Manuel Velazquez Jr.
“Till There Was You” from The Music Man (1957) Music and Lyrics by Meredith Willson
Marian Arthi Nandakumar
“Habanera” from Carmen (1875) Music by Georges Bizet Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy
Carmen Ruini Wang
“An Orthodox Fool” from No Strings (1962) Music and Lyrics by Richard Rodgers
Barbara Woodruff Rayna Mia Campbell
“Willow Song” from The Ballad of Baby Doe (1956) Music by Douglas S. Moore Libretto by John Latouche
Baby Doe Katherine Anna Pound
14
Act I, scene 2, selections from Falstaff (1893) Music by Giuseppe Verdi Libretto by Arrigo Boito
Alice Ford Luxana Lozano Zepeda Nannetta Arthi Nandakumar Meg Page Leah Rivka Israel Mistress Quickly Mia Rose Ludwig Fenton Zihao Liu
Hajung Cho, Tzu Tung Liao, Mao Mao Huang, Chris Lee, Fujia Zhang, Guolong Wang, violin I Risa Hokamura, Guan Gui, Xiaodan Zhang, Taihi Chin, violin II Natanel Laevsky, Wenbo Xin, Man Chun Li, viola Marcella Kolacki, Dongmin Hyun, Minjin Kim, cello Sienna George, Min Kyung Cho, double bass Yeji Shin, flute I Boeun Lee, flute II Jonah Murphy, piccolo Rebecca Nelsen, oboe I Hyunchung Ahn, oboe II Aaron Haettenschwiller, English horn Alexander Parlee, Gabriel Henkin, clarinet Kaitlyn Mills, Erin Acree, bassoon Shengmu Wang, AllenJade Carter, horn Jatin Himatsinghani, Changhyun Cha, trumpet Jude Morris, Kesem Ninio, Oh Min Gueon, Joseph Turgeon, trombone Gabriel Costache, timpani William Richards, percussion Hunter Somogie, guitar
Intermission
“One Art” by Elizabeth Bishop (1976)
Leah Rivka Israel
“Must the winter come so soon?” from Vanessa (1958) Music by Samuel Barber Libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti
Erika Margaret Macaira Shannon
“Maybe/Tomorrow Reprise” from Annie (1976) Music by Charles Strouse Lyrics by Martin Charnin
Grace Mia Rose Ludwig
“Things change, Jo” from Little Women (1998) Music and Libretto by Mark Adamo
Meg March Leah Rivka Israel
15
“Life” by Anna Laetitia Barbauld (1773) Music by Seul Woo Lee
Seul Woo Lee
“Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” from Les Misérables (1987) Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer
Marius Zihao Liu
Act II, scene 2, opening from Falstaff (1893) Music by Giuseppe Verdi Libretto by Arrigo Boito
Nanetta Ji Yoon Lee Alice Ford Katherine Pound Meg Page Ruini Wang Mistress Quickly Leah Rivka Israel Falstaff Le Bu
Hajung Cho, Tzu Tung Liao, Mao Mao Huang, Chris Lee, Fujia Zhang, Guolong Wang, violin I Risa Hokamura, Guan Gui, Xiaodan Zhang, Taihi Chin, violin II Natanel Laevsky, Wenbo Xin, Man Chun Li, viola Marcella Kolacki, Dongmin Hyun, Minjin Kim, cello Sienna George, Min Kyung Cho, double bass Yeji Shin, flute I Boeun Lee, flute II Jonah Murphy, piccolo Rebecca Nelsen, oboe I Hyunchung Ahn, oboe II Aaron Haettenschwiller, english horn Alexander Parlee, Gabriel Henkin, clarinet Kaitlyn Mills, Erin Acree, bassoon Shengmu Wang, AllenJade Carter, horn Jatin Himatsinghani, Changhyun Cha, trumpet Jude Morris, Kesem Ninio, Oh Min Gueon, Joseph Turgeon, trombone Gabriel Costache, timpani William Richards, percussion Hunter Somogie, guitar
“All the things you are” from Very Warm for May (1939) Music by Jerome Kern Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Carroll Cheryl Bains
“O du, mein holder Abendstern” from Tannhäuser (1845) Music and Libretto by Richard Wagner
Wolfram Le Bu
16
“Endless Time” by Rabindranath Tagore (1901, 1910 English trans.)
Cheryl Bains
“Song to the Moon (Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém)” from Rusalka (1901) Music by Antonín Dvořák Libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil
Rusalka Evangeline Qiao Jun Ng
“If I can stop one heart from breaking” by Emily Dickinson (1864)
Arthi Nandakumar
“God Help the Outcasts” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1999) Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Esmeralda Luxana Lozano Zepeda
“Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou (1978)
Rayna Mia Campbell
17
“Sunday” from Sunday in the Park with George (1984) Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Full Company: Sarah Rachel Reyes Bacani, Cheryl Bains, Rayna Mia Campbell, Ji Yoon Lee, Seul Woo Lee, Arthi Nandakumar, Evangeline Qiao Jun Ng, Katherine Anna Pound, Emilie Kealani Suarez, Soo Min Yoo, Luxana Lozano Zepeda, soprano Leah Rivka Israel, Mia Rose Ludwig, Margaret Macaira Shannon, Ruini Wang, mezzo-soprano Zihao Liu, José Manuel Velazquez Jr., tenor Le Bu, Christian Ohlenschlaeger, bass
Hajung Cho, Tzu Tung Liao, Mao Mao Huang, Chris Lee, Fujia Zhang, Guolong Wang, violin I Risa Hokamura, Guan Gui, Xiaodan Zhang, Taihi Chin, violin II Natanel Laevsky, Wenbo Xin, Man Chun Li, viola Marcella Kolacki, Dongmin Hyun, Minjin Kim, cello Sienna George, Min Kyung Cho, double bass Yeji Shin, flute Jonah Murphy, piccolo Jiadi Pei, oboe I Hyunchung Ahn, oboe II Aaron Haettenschwiller, English horn Andrei Riazantsev, clarinet I Tsun Yin Tse, clarinet II Shogo Urahata, bass clarinet Kaitlyn Mills, Kennedy Plains, bassoon AllenJade Carter, Shengmu Wang, horn Jatin Himatsinghani, Changhyun Cha, trumpet Jude Morris, Kesem Ninio, Joseph Turgeon, trombone Riley McMahon, tuba Gabriel Costache, timpani William Richards, Liam McDonald, percussion Esther Chung, harp Evgenia Truksa, organ
Students in this performance are supported by the Theodore H. Barth Foundation Scholarship, the International Advisory Board Scholarship, the Gart Family Foundation Scholarship, the Maecenata Foundation, the First Initiative Hong Kong/China Scholarship, the Leon Russianoff Memorial Scholarship, the Joseph F. McCrindle Scholarship, the Sabian/Robert Zildjian Memorial Scholarship, the Paul Price Percussion Endowed Scholarship, the Joseph M. Smith Scholarship, and the Jordan Berk Endowed Scholarship.
We are grateful to the generous donors who made these scholarships possible. For information on establishing a named scholarship at Manhattan School of Music, please contact Susan Madden, Vice President for Advancement, at 917-493-4115 or [email protected].
18
ABOUT THE ARTISTS Jorge Parodi, Conductor Internationally acclaimed conductor Jorge Parodi has worked extensively in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Recent credits include Bizet’s Les pêcheurs de perles, Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro for Opera Tampa; Piazzolla’s María de Buenos Aires for New York City Opera, the Atlanta Opera, and Opera Grand Rapids; Donizetti’s Lucrezia Borgia and Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi for Buenos Aires Lírica (Argentina); Britten’s The Turn of the Screw for the Castleton Festival in Virginia and the Banff Centre (Canada); Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann for Opera Orlando; Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges for the Juilliard School; and the world premieres of Anton Coppola’s Lady Swanwhite for Opera Tampa and John Musto’s Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt in a coproduction of On Site Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago Lyric’s Unlimited, and Pittsburgh Opera. Most recently he made his debut at Chautauqua Opera and returned to the Atlanta Opera for Rodriguez’s Frida and to Opera Tampa for Bizet’s Carmen.
Also accomplished in the concert halls, Maestro Parodi has worked with a wide range of ensembles, such as the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, the NHK Symphony, the Castleton Festival Orchestra, the Metamorphosis Chamber Orchestra, the Ensemble Zipoli for the American Baroque, the Juilliard Pre-College Orchestra, the Ensemble XXI, and the Orquesta del Conservatorio Nacional (Argentina), among others.
Described by the New York Daily News as having “the most expressive conducting hands since Stokowski,” Argentinean born Jorge Parodi has worked with such companies as the Teatro Colón in Argentina, the Volgograd Opera in Russia, the Encuentros Internacionales de Opera in Mexico, the Tokyo International Vocal Arts Academy in Japan, and the International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel. He has collaborated with such artists as Isabel Leonard, Eglise Gutiérrez, Tito Capobianco, Sherrill Milnes, Aprile Millo, and Rufus Wainwright and has assisted conductors Lorin Maazel and Julius Rudel, among others.
Recently, Maestro Parodi was appointed General and Artistic Director of Opera Hispánica, the only company in the United Sates focused on the Hispanic vocal repertoire and on the Latino perspective. Among many performances during his tenure as Artistic Director of Opera Hispánica, Maestro Parodi performed with such artists as Eglise Gutiérrez and Metropolitan Opera star Isabel Leonard. He conducted OH Festival’s production of Piazzolla’s María de Buenos Aires, which the New York Times described as “excellent.” Upcoming performances with Opera Hispánica include a recital with tenor Ricky Garcia and a coproduction with Teatro Grattacielo.
Maestro Parodi is Music Director of the Senior Opera Theatre at Manhattan School of Music, where he has led its productions to critical acclaim, including Schubert’s Die Verschworenen—praised by the New York Times as “superbly performed”—and the American premieres of Délibes’s Le Roi l ’a dit and Paisiello’s Nina. His work with MSM Senior Opera Theatre was featured in the March 2018 issue of Opera News. Parodi is also the Music Director of Opera in Williamsburg (Virginia), where he has conducted Rigoletto, Il trovatore, L’elisir d’amore, Lucia di Lammermoor, La cenerentola, and Così fan tutte, among other titles. The company is currently embarked on a film production of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, featuring internationally acclaimed countertenor Nicholas Tamagna.
Maestro Parodi also conducted historically informed performances of Cavalli’s La Calisto and Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea and a concert performance of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas at the Bruno Walter Auditorium in Lincoln Center that Opera News praised as “a fully convincing presentation.” Other New York credits include productions of The Beggar’s Opera, La Doriclea, The Ghost of Versailles, La vida breve, El amor brujo, Riders to the Sea, Camilla, Apollo e Dafne, Don Giovanni, and La vie parisienne.
Mr. Parodi has been a faculty member at the Juilliard School for over a decade and is Vocal Coach of the premier Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division. Recently appointed Music Director of the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia (Mexico), he is also Founder and Artistic Director of the Tokyo International Vocal Arts Academy Summer Workshop, an intense program for pianists and singers in the early stages of their professional career. He also works regularly as conductor and coach at the Savannah Voice Festival, a branch of VOICExperience, an institution dedicated to the development of individuals in the vocal arts field under the direction of Sherrill Milnes. He was a long-time faculty member of the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, one of the world’s foremost summer opera training programs. With IVAI he taught at the Nagano Opera Master Class (Japan) and at the Inaugural Opera Master Class in conjunction with China National Opera (Beijing). He has also been a faculty member of Artescenica (Mexico) and the International Institute of Vocal Arts (Puerto Rico). He has offered master classes at the Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires), Manhattan School of Music (as co-teacher with opera legend Martina Arroyo), the Escuela Superior de Canto (Madrid), the Kunitachi Music College (Tokyo), and Senzoku Gakuen Music College (Tokyo).
19
A prizewinner at the Bienal de Arte of Buenos Aires, Mr. Parodi completed studies in conducting and piano performance at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música of Buenos Aires. He holds a Master’s degree in accompanying and chamber music from the University of Michigan as a full-scholarship student of Martin Katz, the eminent accompanist. He participated in the recording of the complete edition of the music for piano by Muzio Clementi with Denon Essentials and is featured in recordings for Albany Records and MSR Classics.
Tazewell Thompson, Director Tazewell Thompson, Director of Opera Studies at Manhattan School of Music, is an internationally acclaimed opera and theater director, award-winning playwright, librettist, teacher, and actor. Blue, his opera with composer Jeanine Tesori, won the 2020 MCANNA Award for Best New Opera in North America. The New York Times listed Blue as Best in Classical Music for 2019. He has more than 150 directing credits, including 30 world and American premieres, in major opera houses and theaters across the U.S.A., France, Spain, Italy, Africa, Japan, and Canada, including Glimmerglass, New York City Opera, Teatro Real, La Scala, L’Opera Bastille, Cape Town, Tokyo, Vancouver, and San Francisco Opera. His award-winning play Constant Star has had 16 national productions, garnering 9 Barrymore Awards, 5 NAACP Awards, and 3 Carbonell Awards; Mary T & Lizzy K, commissioned and produced at Arena Stage, was the recipient of the Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award. He is also the author of Jam & Spice: The Music of Kurt Weill and of an adaptation of A Christmas Carol and was a contributing writer for Our War, a collection of short plays in Washington D.C. His a cappella musical Jubilee: Fisk Jubilee Singers had its world premiere in the spring of 2019 and played to SRO audiences at Arena Stage. He has play commissions from Lincoln Center Theatre, South Coast Rep, and People’s Light & Theatre Company. His production of Porgy and Bess, broadcast Live from Lincoln Center, received Emmy award nominations for Best Director and Best Production: Classical Music. He holds the record for directing three productions—Appomattox/Philip Glass, Lost in the Stars/Kurt Weill, and his American premiere production from Glimmerglass Festival of Cato in Utica/Vivaldi—all in the same season in three different theaters at the Kennedy Center.
Tazewell Thompson was chosen to rewrite the libretto and direct the premiere staging of Aaron Copland’s The Second Hurricane as part of a New York State-wide celebration of Copland’s 85th birthday. He was commissioned by Seattle Opera to write a song cycle, and his opera Blue is rescheduled for future productions at Washington National Opera, Chicago Lyric, Minnesota Opera, and the Mostly Mozart Festival. He has directed productions and held master classes at NYU, Juilliard, Yale, Dartmouth, Columbia, Tulane, Indiana (Bloomington), and Kansas (Lawrence), among other schools and conservatories.
Brian Holman, Assistant Music Director A “young artist to watch” (New York Arts), “dazzlingly talented” (Sunday Mail, Zimbabwe) and wielding a “magic baton” (Brooklyn Eagle), American conductor Brian Holman has performed on five continents to great acclaim. Currently he is Music Director of New Rochelle Opera and associate conductor of Modus Opera Orchestra in New York City. Recent credits include La bohème, World of Webber (Gulfshore Opera), ShadowLight (Marble City Opera), Les contes d’Hoffmann (Opera Orlando), Le nozze di Figaro (Inland Northwest Opera), La traviata, La bohème (New Rochelle Opera), Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, La cenerentola (Red River Lyric Opera), Amelia Lost (Cleveland Opera Theater, Marble City Opera), and The Rape of Lucretia (New Camerata Opera). He has appeared at the Harare International Festival of the Arts, Mediterranean Opera Festival, Film Fest Tucson, and Mabel Mercer Foundation Virtual Cabaret Convention and worked with such ensembles as the Orlando Philharmonic, Lebanese Philharmonic, Spokane Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Tucson Pops, Baroque2000 Chamber Orchestra (Durban), DETOUR New Music Ensemble, and ensemble mise-en. Among the companies he has worked with are New York City Opera, Opera Africa, Treasure Coast Opera, New York Metro Vocal Arts Ensemble, Regina Opera, and Montclair State University Opera. Upcoming is Tosca with Marble City Opera and New Rochelle Opera.
An accomplished pianist, lauded for his “considerate and attentive” support of vocalists (Spokesman-Review), Brian Holman has performed in concert with many acclaimed singers, including Nelly Miricioiu, Laquita Mitchell, Aprile Millo, Stella Zambalis, Francisco Casanova, Hans-Pieter Herman, John Mac Master, James Valenti, Lester Lynch, Daniel Borowski, Nini Cáffaro, Dawn Padmore, and Kofo the Wonderman. He played for the master classes of acclaimed opera stars Mariella Devia, Giuseppe Filianoti, Marcello Giordani, Nicola Martinucci, Martina Arroyo, Lauren Flanigan, and Ira Siff. Brian Holman has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, Salle Cortot, Teatro Nacional de Santo Domingo, Feinstein’s 54 Below, MGM Grand Detroit, Casino du Liban, the Duplex, Don’t Tell Mama, the Rainbow Room, and the UN and has been featured on international radio (WQXR, Classic FM, Sirius XM, Virgin, Esimora Cultural RAC Colombia) and television (Alhurra, LBCI, Tele-Occidente Sicilia). Mr. Holman lives in Harlem.
20
Cindy C. Oxberry, Assistant Director Ms. Oxberry got her start as a director when she was invited to direct at several summer opera festivals. She made her official directorial debut with a production of The Face on the Barroom Floor at Opera North in Vermont. In Colorado, Ms. Oxberry served as an assistant director for the Central City Opera’s productions of The Ballad of Baby Doe and Susannah.
Ms. Oxberry’s directorial career has taken her to Opera Idaho, Omaha Opera, Connecticut Opera, Opera Roanoke, and Opera on the James, where she has produced La traviata, Madama Butterfly, Rigoletto, and The Merry Widow. Her classic productions of The Merry Widow and of The Mikado have been remounted in many American cities. She has directed The Music Man, Carousel, Camelot, Candide, and South Pacific in dinner theatres throughout the country. She is honored to also be a director at major universities and colleges in the U.S. During COVID, she has produced many cabarets and loves it!
She was most proud to be invited by Placido Domingo to Mexico City to celebrate his 40th anniversary as an international artist. She had the honor of working with Mr. Domingo on the production of Fedora for the International Opera Company of Mexico at the Palacio de Bellas Artes.
Ms. Oxberry is a resident assistant director for Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She has remounted several productions for Marta Domingo (La Rondine) and worked with David Edwards on his production of Fedora starring Mirella Freni and Placido Domingo. For 22 years she has returned to work on such productions as Rigoletto, Il trovatore, Don Carlo, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Turandot, Faust, The Tales of Hoffmann, Un ballo in maschera, Pique Dame (starring Placido Domingo), Lucia di Lammermoor, Vanessa, Manon Lescaut, Aida, Norma, Samson and Delilah, L’Italiana d’Algeri, A Streetcar Named Desire, Madama Butterfly, Jenufa, La Bohème, A View from the Bridge, Pearl Fishers, Peter Grimes, Don Pasquale, and Le nozze di Figaro. She has also worked for Los Angeles Opera as an associate director on La Rondine, La traviata, Tales of Hoffmann, Lucia di Lammermoor, and Luisa Fernanda, starring Placido Domingo.
Ms. Oxberry was invited to serve as the stage director for Opera Institute in 2000 and became director of the program in 2008, as well as serving as the stage director for Camp for Kids—both programs offered by Washington National Opera under the Education Department umbrella of the Kennedy Center.
A native of New York, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in opera theater at the Hartt School and her Master’s degree in voice from Manhattan School of Music. She had a fine career as a professional singer, singing a diversity of roles with such companies as New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Central City Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, and the Connecticut Opera Association. She is thrilled to be working with the 2021 SOT Program at MSM with Tazewell Thompson.
Simon C. F. Yu, Video Editor Born into a family of musicians and film directors in Hong Kong, Simon C. F. Yu became a specialist working in both fields. Currently based in NYC, he graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in production and guitar performance and studied digital filmmaking at New York Film Academy. Simon Yu toured as lead guitarist with Grammy award-winning hip-hop icon Ms. Lauryn Hill and worked on the video for the band Snarky Puppy that won the 2013 Grammy for Best R&B Performance featuring Lalah Hathaway.
As a musician, Simon Yu has toured around the world and performed in venues and festivals such as the Bluenote Jazz Club, Bowery Ballroom, Music Hall of Williamsburg, House of Blues Chicago, Shanghai MISA Festival, Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival, and many more.
As a video director and editor, he has worked with HBO Latino, Vogue Taiwan, Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music, GroundUp Music, Concord Records, Element Music, Hudson Horns, 45Riots, and many award-winning artists in NYC.
21
Evgenia Truksa (PS ’11), Pianist Pianist Evgenia Truksa, born in Riga, Latvia, emigrated to the United States in 2001 to pursue her education in the United States. She received a Master’s degree in piano performance from Texas Christian University, followed by postgraduate studies with Dr. Daniel Pollack at the University of Southern California, and received a Professional Studies Certificate in collaborative piano from Manhattan School of Music, studying with Thomas Muraco.
Evgenia Truksa was a prizewinner of several national and international piano competitions, including the Wideman International Piano Competition (U.S.A.), Concours International de Piano d’Epinal (France), and Music Teachers National Association Piano Competition. Performance venues include Frederick P. Rose Hall at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall (Zankel Hall and Weill Recital Hall), OPERA America Center (NYC), Manhattan School of Music, and Opera in Williamsburg (Virginia).
Ms. Truksa has served as collaborative piano faculty, vocal coach, recitalist, and visiting artist at the School of Mahanaim (Long Island), New York Lyric Opera, Manhattan School of Music Summer Voice Festival, International Vocal Arts Institute at Mannes School of Music, Amore Opera, Musical Olympus Foundation (St. Petersburg, Russia), OPERA America, and the American Opera Project and has worked as a staff accompanist at Texas Christian University and San Diego University.
At Manhattan School of Music she has served as a vocal coach and collaborative pianist since 2010 and as assistant to the Music Director of Senior Opera Theatre since 2016.
CAST BIOGRAPHIES Sarah Rachel Reyes Bacani Filipino-American soprano Sarah Rachel Bacani is a fourth-year undergraduate at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Cynthia Hoffmann. This season, Ms. Bacani performed as the soprano soloist for Benjamin Britten’s Les Illuminations with the MSM String Chamber Orchestra. Before their cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Bacani was slated to appear in Carmen (Frasquita) with Miami Music Festival and Chérubin (L’Ensoleillade) with Manhattan School of Music. Previous scene work includes The Coronation of Poppea (Ottavia), Don Giovanni (Donna Elvira), Le nozze di Figaro (Susanna; Contessa; Barbarina) and Così fan tutte (Fiordiligi). An alumnus of the Franz Schubert Insitut and Classic Lyric Arts La Lingua della Lirica, she has performed in master classes for Andreas Schmidt, Julius Drake, Helmut Deutsch, Rolando Panerai, Robert Holl, Roger Vignoles, Wolfram Rieger, and Donata D’Annunzio Lombardi.
Cheryl Bains Indian soprano and composer Cheryl Bains is a Bachelor of Music candidate at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Shirley Close. Ms. Bains has appeared as Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, and Serpetta in La finta giardiniera. At MSM, Ms. Bains has also had the opportunity to be featured as a soloist with the MSM Chamber Choir in works such as Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Carissimi’s Jepthe. She has performed in master classes with Lisette Oropesa, J’Nai Bridges, Margo Garrett, Dr. Robert C White, Piero Corradino Giovannini, Mirco Roverelli, and Donata D’Annunzio Lombardi. Under the direction of Khor Ai Ming, Ms. Bains has also been featured as a soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Rutter’s Mass of the Children, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, and Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols at the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore.
Le Bu Bass-baritone Le Bu is a fourth-year undergraduate studying with James Morris. His previous performance credits include Le nozze di Figaro (Bartolo), Don Giovanni (Commendatore), and Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Osmin) with Aspen Music Festival and Gianni Schicchi (Simone), Street Scene (Carl Olson), Le nozze di Figaro (Bartolo), Così fan tutte (Don Alfonso), Carmina Burana, and Ein Deutsches Requiem with Wichita State University.
22
Rayna Mia Campbell African American soprano Rayna Mia Campbell is a fourth-year undergraduate under the tutelage of Shirley Close at Manhattan School of Music. During the 2019–20 season, her credits included Manon (Pousette) and L’incoronazione di Poppea (Fortuna). Other scene performances include Idomeneo (Ilia), La clemenza di Tito (Vitellia), and Don Giovanni (Donna Anna) at Manhattan School of Music. Rayna Mia Campbell has performed in master classes led by J’nai Bridges, Nathan Gunn, Marietta Simpson, Marilyn Taylor, Stanford Olsen, and Christine Brewer. This summer she will be performing in Albert Herring (Miss Wordsworth) with the 2021 Miami Classical Music Festival.
Leah Rivka Israel Mezzo-soprano Leah Rivka Israel is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Manhattan School of Music, studying with Ashley Putnam. Before attending MSM, she studied with Karen Holvik, Chair of the Voice Department at the New England Conservatory, and with her vocal coach Scott Wheatley at the Portland (Maine) Conservatory of Music. Ms. Israel has participated in the New York Summer Music Festival, the Minnesota Opera Company’s Opera Camp, the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute, the Washington National Opera Institute, and Classic Lyric Arts Italy program. She has performed with the Oratorio Chorale in Brunswick, Maine and was a member of the chorus in Opera Maine’s production of La Traviata.
Ji Yoon Lee Soprano Ji Yoon Lee is a fourth-year Bachelor of Music degree candidate at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Catherine Malfitano. Her previous credits include Hänsel und Gretel (Dew Fairy) and L’incoronazione di Poppea (Amore) with Manhattan School of Music, in addition to various choir concerts.
Seul Woo Lee Korean soprano Seul Woo Lee, a senior at Manhattan School of Music studying with Joan Patenaude-Yarnell, began her musical studies at the piano and in church choir. She began her education in her hometown of Seoul at the Yewon School with Nassok Han and continued to Seoul Arts High School. She was a featured performer in Manhattan School of Music’s 2018 Martin Luther King, Jr. tribute concert. The following season, she performed as Sandman in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel.
Zihao Liu Tenor Zihao Liu is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Marlena Malas. Opera scenes work includes Don Giovanni (Don Ottavio), Die Zauberflöte (Tamino), L’elisir d’amore (Nemorino), and L’incoronazione di Poppea (Arnata). Additionally, he performed in NYU’s musical theatre production of Man of La Mancha in Chinese.
Mia Rose Ludwig Mezzo-soprano Mia Rose Ludwig is a fourth-year undergraduate degree candidate, under the tutelage of Catherine Malfitano. Ms. Ludwig has previously studied scenes from La clemenza di Tito (Annio), L’incoronazione di Poppea (Nerone), and Carmen (Carmen).
Arthi Nandakumar Soprano Arthi Nandakumar is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Manhattan School of Music, studying with Ruth Golden. Arthi has attended programs such as Classic Lyric Arts Italy, Classical Singing in New York, and the Texas Music Festival. She has performed scenes from The Mikado (Yum-Yum), L’incoronazione di Poppea (Poppea and Valetto), L’italiana in Algeri (Zulma), L’Ormindo (Sicle), and Hänsel und Gretel (Gretel). Arthi is also Assistant Director of Development of Opus Illuminate, a performance organization dedicated to expanding and enriching the classical music industry by programming and performing works by composers of historically underrepresented communities and heritages.
23
Evangeline Qiao Jun Ng Taiwanese-Singaporean soprano Evangeline Ng is a fourth-year undergraduate student under the tutelage of Joan Patenaude-Yarnell. Her accolades include first prize at the inaugural Singapore Lyric Opera ASEAN Vocal Competition, the Gold award at the Fourth Asia Arts Festival, and second prize at NAFA Vocal Competition. Operatic roles include Le nozze di Figaro (Susanna), Die Zauberflöte (Pamina), Hänsel und Gretel (Sandman), and The Coronation of Poppea (Poppea). Highlights of her scene work include Manon (Manon), Don Pasquale (Norina), Carmen (Micäela), and Orphée aux enfers (Eurydice). She was most recently named a Grant Park Music Festival Project Inclusion Fellow and will be joining the Houston Grand Opera Young Artist Vocal Academy this summer.
Christian Ohlenschlaeger Christian Ohlenschlaeger is a fourth-year undergraduate bass pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in voice and studying with Mark Oswald. In summer 2018 he made his operatic debut as Sarastro in Manhattan Opera Studio’s production of Die Zauberflöte. That fall he began attending MSM and the following summer was given the opportunity to travel to Lucca, Italy by one of his teachers, James Massol, with Opera Lucca to perform a variety scenes and arias abroad. He was slated to be in Senior Opera Theatre’s production of Shostakovich’s Moscow, Cheryomushki as Baburov but unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the performance did not occur.
Katherine Anna Pound Soprano Katherine Pound is a fourth-year Bachelor of Music degree candidate at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Catherine Malfitano. Previous credits include scenes from Carmen (Frasquita), The Coronation of Poppea (Drusilla), and La clemenza di Tito (Servilia). Miss Pound was a recipient of the International Advisory Board Scholarship at Manhattan School of Music for 2019 and 2020. Her master class credits include Aprile Millo and Richard Bonynge. Katherine is looking forward to her first summer in New York, where she will continue to study with Ms. Malfitano.
Margaret Macaira Shannon Mezzo-soprano Margaret Shannon is a fourth-year Bachelor of Music degree candidate at Manhattan School of Music studying with Maitland Peters. Previous credits include L’incoronazione di Poppea (Liberto) with Manhattan School of Music’s Junior Opera Theatre. Scene work includes Manon (Rosette) and Falstaff (Meg) with Manhattan School of Music. Ms. Shannon is a former Division 1 volleyball player for Lafayette College in the Patriot League.
Emilie Kealani Suarez Soprano Emilie Kealani Suarez is a fourth-year Bachelor of Music degree candidate studying under Joan Patenaude-Yarnell. A National Youngarts Foundation winner and the grand-prize winner of Beach Blanket Babylon’s Scholarship for the Arts, she most recently was the Greater New York Chapter winner for the Shirley Rabb Winston Scholarship and will be advancing to the national round this spring. Emilie has performed scenes from The Coronation of Poppea (Poppea), Les contes d’Hoffmann (Gulietta), La clemenza di Tito (Servilia), and L’elisir d’amore (Adina) with Manhattan School of Music. Other performance credits include the title role of Alcina and Serse (Romilda) with the Bay Area Vocal Academy and a staged concert production of West Side Story (Maria/Francisca) with SFartsEd. This summer, Emilie will be returning for her second year to the Chautauqua School of Music.
24
José Manuel Velazquez Jr. Baritone/tenor José Velazquez, a New York native, has pursued both classical voice and musical theatre since 2008. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music degree in classical voice under bass-baritone James Morris and baritone Mark Oswald at Manhattan School of Music. José’s rigorous training began at LaGuardia High School, where he performed numerous lead roles, including baritone soloist in Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Sancta Civitas (The Holy City), Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, and Grantaire/Ensemble in Les Misérables, as well as The Impossible Dream. As an alumnus, José created connections with other performers that led to opportunities such as singing the National Anthem at Yankee Stadium and appearing at the White House for the National Youth Arts and Humanities Program Award Ceremony in 2015, as well as collaborations with performers and directors such as Patricia Birch, Shuler Hensley, Patrick Vaccariello, Robert LaFosse, Tim Federle, and BD Wong.
Ruini Wang Mezzo-soprano Ruini Wang is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Cynthia Hoffmann. Opera scenes work includes Hänsel und Gretel (Hänsel), L’incoronazione di Poppea (Ottone), and Les Contes d’Hoffmann (Nicklausse).
SooMin Yoo Soprano SooMin Yoo is a 24-year-old senior vocal performance major at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Mignon Dunn. SooMin has been studying voice for 14 years. Before attending Manhattan School of Music, she studied with SangHoon-Ohk of the Voice department at Kookmin University in Korea and with her vocal coach YongJu Lee (Korea National University of Arts). SooMin was a member of the chorus in MSM’s production of Cosi fan tutte. Scene work includes Orphée et Eurydice (Euridice), L’incoronazione di Poppea (Damigella), and Don Giovanni (Zerlina) with Manhattan School of Music.
Luxana Lozano Zepeda Luxana Lozano Zepeda is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in classical voice at Manhattan School of Music, studying with Mignon Dunn. A recipient of the 2020–21 Gart Family Foundation Scholarship, Ms. Lozano Zepeda has been the recipient of several scholarships such as JovenTalento of EDUCAFIN for talented young artists; winner of the Programa de Creadores Escénicos, funded by the Mexican government; third-prize winner of Artescénica, judged by Joan Dornemann, Olga Makarina, Maureen O´Flynn, and Claude Corbeil; and a semifinalist in the Olivia Gorra International Singing Competition. Ms. Lozano Zepeda attended Joan Dornemann’s IVAI summer program in Montreal, where she was chosen to sing in the final gala. Previous credits include Suzel in Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz and Salud in De Falla’s La vida breve.
25
VIOLIN I Hajung Cho Student of Lucie Robert Seoul, South Korea
Tzu Tung Liao Student of Isaac Malkin Yilan County, Taiwan
Mao Mao Huang Student of Lucie Robert Anhui, China
Chris Lee Student of Albert Markov South Korea
Fujia Zhang Student of Peter Winograd Shenyang, China
Guolong Wang Student of Lucie Robert Beijing, China
VIOLIN II Risa Hokamura Student of Koichiro Harada Kodaira-Shi, Japan
Guan Gui Student of Nicholas Mann Wuhan, Hubei, China
Xiaodan Zhang Student of Maria Radicheva Beijing, China
Taihi Chin Student of Lucie Robert Kobe, Japan
VIOLA Natanel Laevsky Student of Pinchas Zukerman Petah Tikva, Israel
Wenbo Xin Student of Samuel Rhodes Beijing, China
Man Chun Li Student of Samuel Rhodes Hong Kong
CELLO Marcella Kolacki Student of Alan Stepansky Phoenix, Arizona
Dongmin Hyun Student of David Geber Gwnagju, South Korea
Minjin Kim Student of David Geber Daejeon, South Korea
BASS Sienna George Student of David Grossman Long Beach, California
Min Kyung Cho Student of Timothy Cobb Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
FLUTE Yeji Shin Student of Linda Chesis Ulsan, South Korea
Jonah Murphy Student of Michael Parloff Brooklyn, New York
Boeun Lee Student of Linda Chesis Seoul, South Korea
OBOE Rebecca Nelsen Student of Sherry Sylar Manorville, New York
Aaron Haettenschwiller Student of Robert Botti Baltimore, Maryland
Hyunchung Ahn Student of Robert Botti Seoul, South Korea
Jiadi Pei Student of Sherry Sylar China
CLARINET Andrei Riazantsev Student of Charles Neidich Moscow, Russia
Tsun Yin Tse Student of Charles Neidich Hong Kong
Alexander Parlee Student of Alan Kay San Diego, California
Gabriel Henkin Student of Alan Kay Virginia Beach, Virginia
Shogo Urahata Student of Charles Neidich Tokyo, Japan
BASSOON Kennedy Plains Student of Frank Morelli Wylie, Texas
Kaitlyn Mills Student of William Short Bloomington, Indiana
Erin Acree Student of Roger Nye Bradenton, Florida
HORN AllenJade Carter Student of Michelle Baker Austin, Texas
Shengmu Wang Student of Michelle Baker Taoyuan, Taiwan
TRUMPET Changhyun Cha Student of Ethan Bensdorf Busan, South Korea
Jatin Himatsinghani Student of Billy Hunter Plano, Texas
TROMBONE Jude Morris Student of Per Brevig Frisco, Texas
Kesem Ninio Student of Haim Avitsur Haifa, Israel
Oh Min Gueon Student of Colin Williams Dongjakgu, Seoul, South Korea
Joseph Turgeon Student of David Taylor Sacramento, California
TUBA Riley McMahon Student of Kyle Turner Frisco, Texas
TIMPANI Gabriel Costache Student of Christopher Lamb Denver, Colorado
PERCUSSION William Richards Student of Christopher Lamb Wheaton, Illinois
Liam McDonald Student of Christopher Lamb Seaford, New York
Kate Wagner Student of Christopher Lamb Anahuac, Texas
HARP Esther Chung Student of Mariko Anraku Seoul, South Korea and Baltimore, Maryland
Minyoung Kwon Student of Mariko Anraku Seoul, South Korea
GUITAR Hunter Somogie Student of David Leisner New York, New York
SAXOPHONE Guy Dellecave Student of Paul Cohen Lake Grove, New York
Jarod Apple Student of Paul Cohen Russellville, Arkansas
Jonathan Gilbert Student of Paul Cohen Highland, New York
PIANO & ORGAN Evgenia Truksa Riga, Latvia
MEET THE ORCHESTRA
26
SENIOR OPERA THEATRE PERSONNEL
OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE PERSONNELChristina Teichroew, Managing Director Kathryn Miller, Assistant Managing Director Erin Reppenhagen, AssociateJosi Petersen Brown, Assistant
PRODUCTION STAFFBrittany Crowell, Production Manager Emily Cauthorne, Associate Production Manager Keri Bush, Production Coordinator Alexis Caldwell, Production Coordinator Dash Lea, Production Coordinator Pamela Pangaro, Production Coordinator Tyler Donahue, Production Coordinator
ORTO CENTER RECORDING STAFFDan Rorke, Chief Recording Engineer Corey Mahaney, Recording Engineer Kevin Bourassa, Recording Engineer
VIDEOJude Kim, Video Editing Assistant
27
RELATED VOICE STUDIESRaymond BeegleMiriam CharneyPatrick DiamondWarren JonesKathryn LaBouffCarolyn MarlowKenneth MerrillGlenn MortonThomas MuracoNils NeubertRonnie Oliver, Jr.Elsa QueronKenneth RobersonShane SchagPaul SperryCristina Stanescu
MSM OPERA THEATRETazewell Thompson, Director of Opera StudiesMiriam Charney, Contemporary Opera EnsembleAndy Gale, Spring CabaretMyra Huang, Opera ScenesMark Janas, Discover Opera!Kristen Kemp, Opera ScenesThomas Muraco, Opera ScenesGordon Ostrowski, Discover Opera! & Amato Opera-In-BriefLeAnn Overton, Amato Opera-In-BriefJorge Luis Parodi, Senior Opera TheatreNicolò Sbuelz, Opera ScenesShane Schag, Spring Cabaret
VOICE FACULT YMaitland Peters, ChairEdith BersHarolyn BlackwellShirley CloseMignon DunnRuth GoldenCynthia HoffmannMarlena Kleinman MalasCatherine MalfitanoJames MorrisMark OswaldJoan Patenaude-YarnellAshley PutnamNeil Rosenshein
28
MSM PERFORMANCE AND PRODUCTION OPERATIONSHenry Valoris, Dean of Performance and Production Operations
INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLESKatharine Dryden, Managing DirectorAlejandro López-Samamé, Manager of Orchestral Operations and the Orchestral Performance ProgramCalvin Johnson, Manager of Jazz OperationsJon Clancy, Instrumental Ensembles AssociateJulie Dombroski, Instrumental Ensembles AssociateHannah Marks, Instrumental Ensembles AssociateMatthew Ward, Percussion Operations Manager
OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATREChristina Teichroew, Managing DirectorKathryn Miller, Assistant Managing DirectorErin Reppenhagen, AssociateJosi Petersen Brown, Assistant
PERFORMANCE LIBRARYManly Romero, Performance Librarian
PIANO TECHNICAL SERVICESIsrael Schossev, DirectorAgim Kola, Shop ManagerVictor Madorsky, Performance Tuner/TechnicianHide Onishi, Chief Concert TechnicianRichard Short, Maintenance Manager
PRODUCTIONBrianna Poh, Associate DirectorElizabeth Ramsay, Interim Associate Production ManagerBrittany Crowell, Production Manager, Opera and Musical TheatreEmily Cauthorne, Associate Production Manager, Opera and Musical TheatreAndres Diaz Jr., Production SupervisorKeri Bush, Production CoordinatorAlexis Caldwell, Production CoordinatorTyler Donahue, Production CoordinatorDash Lea, Production CoordinatorPamela Pangaro, Lead Technician
SCHEDULING AND PATRON SERVICESDevon Kelly, ManagerLuke Breton, AssociateRamon Tenefrancia, Associate
29
OPERA AT MANHAT TAN SCHOOL OF MUSICRecognized as one of the foremost opera training programs in the world, Manhattan School of Music’s opera program attracts some of the most talented young singers from the United States and more than forty other countries. Students in the program refine their technique and develop their artistry under the guidance of a faculty of eminent artist-teachers while gaining exposure before New York City audiences through performances in opera scenes, community outreach concerts, and two full-length productions each year.
The Manhattan School of Music opera program has a long and proud tradition of producing some of the finest operatic artists in America and abroad. Manhattan School of Music’s opera productions have been praised as a significant contribution to operatic life in New York City, and many students have gone on to major careers. Among notable alumnae are sopranos Dawn Upshaw, Catherine Malfitano, Alexandra Deshorties, Kathleen Kim, and Tonna Miller and mezzo-sopranos Susan Graham, Dolora Zajick, Jennifer Dudley, and Kate Aldrich of the Metropolitan Opera. Alumni who have appeared at the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Opera are sopranos Lauren Flanigan, Pamela Armstrong, Lori Guilbeau, and Amy Johnson; mezzo-sopranos Beth Clayton and Heather Johnson; countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo; tenors Matthew Chellis and Brandon Jovanovich; and baritone Scott Altman. Another noted alumnus is Maestro George Manahan, Music Director of the American Composers Orchestra and Director of Orchestral Activities at MSM.
Manhattan School of Music has issued CDs of Ned Rorem’s Miss Julie, Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring, Gaetano Donizetti’s Il campanello di notte, Leonard Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, Gustav Holst’s Savitri, Ludwig Spohr’s Beauty and the Beast, the world premiere recordings of Daniel Catán’s Rappaccini’s Daughter, William Mayer’s A Death in the Family, Scott Eyerly’s The House of the Seven Gables, Robert Ward’s Roman Fever, Thomas Pasatieri’s The Seagull, Lee Hoiby’s A Month in the Country, John Musto’s Later the Same Evening, Lee Hoiby’s Summer and Smoke, Virgil Thomson’s The Mother of Us All, Conrad Susa’s The Dangerous Liaisons, and Nicolas Isouard’s Cendrillon.
THE ORTO CENTER FOR DISTANCE LEARNING AND RECORDING ARTSChris Shade, DirectorDavid Marsh, Program ManagerDan Rorke, Chief Recording EngineerKevin Bourassa, Recording EngineerCorey Mahaney, Recording EngineerMohit Diskalkar, Network Systems EngineerYue Mu, Instructional Designer Roan Ma, Recording Services CoordinatorGraceon Challenger, Chief Maintenance Technician
30
ABOUT MANHAT TAN SCHOOL OF MUSICFounded as a community music school by Janet Daniels Schenck in 1918, today MSM is recognized for its more than 960 superbly talented undergraduate and graduate students who come from more than 50 countries and nearly all 50 states; its innovative curricula and world-renowned artist-teacher faculty that includes musicians from the New York Philharmonic, the Met Orchestra, and the top ranks of the jazz and Broadway communities; and a distinguished community of accomplished, award-winning alumni working at the highest levels of the musical, educational, cultural, and professional worlds.
The School is dedicated to the personal, artistic, and intellectual development of aspiring musicians, from its Precollege students through those pursuing doctoral studies. Offering classical, jazz, and musical theatre training, MSM grants a range of undergraduate and graduate degrees. True to MSM’s origins as a music school for children, the Precollege program continues to offer superior music instruction to 475 young musicians between the ages of 5 and 18. The School also serves some 2,000 New York City schoolchildren through its Arts-in-Education Program, and another 2,000 students through its critically acclaimed Distance Learning Program.
Your gift helps a young artist reach for the stars!
To enable Manhattan School of Music to continue educating and inspiring generations of talented students and audiences alike, please consider making a charitable contribution today.
Contact the Advancement Office at 917-493-4434 or visit msmnyc.edu/support
MSM.NYC MSMNYC MSMNYC
