Ryan Hill, Baritone Hometown: Plantation, FL Current City: Cleveland, OH Education: M.M. in Vocal Performance, Cleveland Institute of Music; B.A. in Music with a Minor in Theater Arts, University of Miami Roles: Lanceotto, Francesca da Rimini (Rachmaninoff); Virgil, Francesca da Rimini (Rachmaninoff); Geronimo, Il matrimonio segreto; Peter, the Father, Hänsel und Gretel; First Officer, Dialogues of the Carmelites; Lockit, The Beggar’s Opera; the Panhandler, Strawberry Fields. Awards: 1st Place, NATS Buckeye Division – Graduate Men Category Lydia Gray, Soprano Hometown: Broken Arrow, OK Current City: Tallahassee, FL Education: M.M. in Vocal Performance candidate, Florida State University; B.M. in Vocal Performance, University of Oklahoma Roles: Juliet, Romeo and Juliet (Tchaikovsky); Francesca, Francesca da Rimini (Rachmaninoff); Lightfoot McClendon, Cold Sassy Tree (Carlisle Floyd); Musetta, La bohème; Phyllis, Iolanthe (Gilbert & Sullivan); Drusilla, L'incoronazione di Poppea Awards/Honors: 2nd place 2013 NATS Southeastern Region: Graduate Women; Leslie N. Wilson Minority Fellowship & Graduate Assistantship - Florida State University; Miss Oklahoma Scholarship Pageant - Talent award Cristina Castro, Soprano Hometown: San Antonio, TX Current City: Fort Worth, TX Education: Artist Diploma Vocal Performance - Texas Christian University (in progress); M. M. Vocal Performance -The Ohio State University; B. M. Vocal Performance - Trinity University Roles: Juliet, Romeo and Juliet (Tchaikovsky); Francesca, Francesca da Rimini (Rachmaninoff); Nannetta, Falstaff; Frasquita, Carmen - A One-Act Opera Comique; Rosa Bud, The Mystery of Edwin Drood; Lauretta, Gianni Schicchi; La Ciesca, Gianni Schicchi; Hanna Glawari, The Merry Widow; Adele, Die Fledermaus; Papagena, Die Zauberflöte Awards: MONC Houston District Encouragement Award; Trinity University Hendricks Graduating Senior Award; 1st Place, Trinity University Rosalind Phillips Competition Isaac Edward Wenger, Baritone Hometown: Boca Raton, FL Current City: Merion Station, PA Education: Candidate for Master of Music in Vocal Performance, Eastman School of Music; Bachelor of Arts in Music, University of Pennsylvania Roles: Lanceotto, Francesca da Rimini (Rachmaninoff); Virgil, Francesca da Rimini (Rachmaninoff); Starveling, A Midsummer Night's Dream; Harvey, Apple Blossoms; Fiorello, Il barbiere di Siviglia; Colas, Bastien und Bastienne; Antonio, Le nozze di Figaro Awards/Honors: First Place Winner, American Protégé International Vocal Competition 2012 Kimberly Merrill, Soprano Hometown: Gowanda, NY Current City: Rochester, NY Education: Eastman School of Music, Voice Major Roles & Related Experience: Juliet, Romeo and Juliet (Tchaikovsky); Francesca, Francesca da Rimini (Rachmaninoff); 2nd Nursemaid, Street Scene, Assistant Director/Assistant Stage Manager, Orlando; Alice Ford, Scenes from Falstaff, Assistant Stage Manager, The Bartered Bride Jeffrey Williams was accepted in to the Nashville Opera 2014 Mary Ragland Young Artists Program. Congratulations, Jeff! Russian Opera Workshop Credits 2012: Aleko, Aleko; Prince Yeletsky, The Queen of Spades Pique Dame cast, Russian Opera Workshop 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Philadelphia Premiere of Rachmaninoff Francesca da Rimini and Rarely Performed Tchaikovsky Romeo & Juliet Presented by Russian Opera Workshop in Free Concert Series Academy of Vocal Arts, June 24-27, 2013 PHILADELPHIA, June 2013: Now in its third summer season, Russian Opera Workshop presents a Philadelphia premiere of Rachmaninoff Francesca da Rimini, opera-in-concert, and Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, a rarely heard scene from sketched but never realized opera based on Shakespeare's drama. All performances are in Russian with English supertitles. Free public concerts will take place June 24-27, 2013 at 7:30 PM at the Helen Corning Warden Theater, the Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19103. The opera performances are preceded by a series of three vocal Master Classes led by premiere voice coaches and professors, June 7-21, 2013, which are also open to public at no charge. The free public concerts feature Russian Opera Workshop’s participating opera artists from across the United States. In addition, the performance of Francesca da Rimini includes a chorus comprised of singers from such local choral groups as Philadelphia Singers, Choral Arts Philadelphia, and Mendelssohn Club. 2013 FREE EVENT SCHEDULE All Performances and Master Classes: TICKETS: Free Admission. No registration or tickets required, open seating. VENUE: Helen Corning Warden Theater at the Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce Street, Philadelphia. Program and schedule are subject to change. LECTURE-CONCERT Monday, June 24 at 7:30 PM Russian Romances Concert Talk on Sergey Rachmaninoff’s Francesca da Rimini by American composer Daron Hagen, followed by the concert of Russian Romances, introducing the 2013 Russian Opera Workshop artists. With pianist Laura Ward. OPERA-IN-CONCERT Tuesday-Thursday, June 25, 26 and 27 at 7:30 PM Rachmaninoff: Francesca da Rimini Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet, scene from sketched but never realized opera. With the 2013 Russian Opera Workshop artists and chorus comprised of singers from the Philadelphia area choral groups. Ghenady Meirson, Music Director and Pianist, Tim Ribchester, Chorus Master. MASTER CLASSES Friday, June 7, 12:00 NOON - 6 PM Thor Eckert, AVA faculty, leads a master class on auditioning for competitions, agents and opera companies. A professional development class. Don St. Pierre (Curtis faculty), accompanist Thursday and Friday, June 13 and 14, 1:00 PM Benita Valente, a distinguished American soprano. Vocal master class on standard opera repertoire, any language. Two groups of singers on consecutive days. Don St Pierre (Curtis faculty), accompanist Thursday-Friday, June 20 and 21 at 1:00 PM William Stone, AVA faculty. Vocal master class on standard opera repertoire, any language. Two groups of singers on consecutive days. Don St Pierre (Curtis faculty), accompanist Russian Opera Workshop Alumni Success: As of April 2013, five opera companies nationwide hired Russian Opera Workshop artists in the roles they learned here. Further, bass Nicholas Masters (‘12) wins The Dallas Opera Guild's Vocal Competition. Baritone Efraín Solís (‘11) was a Grand Finalist of 2013 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Mezzos Cynthia Cook (‘11) and Raehann Bryce-Davis (‘12) were accepted in Florida Grand Opera Young Artist Program. Pianist Geoffrey Loff (‘12) was accepted in Minnesota Opera Young Artists program. Baritone Jeff Williams (‘12) to sing the title role in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin at the Seagle Music Colony Young Artists. Sopranos Shelley Jackson (‘11) and Youna Jang (‘11) were accepted to the Academy of Vocal Arts. About Russian Opera Workshop: Russian Opera Workshop is an independent summer training program for aspiring and professional opera singers. The program was founded in 2011 by Ghenady Meirson, faculty member at both the Academy of Vocal Arts and Curtis Institute of Music. The workshop offers an intensive one-month Russian language immersion and vocal training program followed by free public performances. For more information: Ghenady Meirson 267.475.6500 or RussianOperaWorkshop.com MEDIA CONTACT Inna Heasley 215.280.4824 or inna@pr-perfect.com Nicholas Masters wins The Dallas Opera Guild's Vocal Competition (Read review) Russian Opera Workshop Credits 2012 Old Gypsy, Aleko; Surin & Narumov, The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame) Congratulations, Nick! Pianist and Co-founding Artistic Director of Lyric Fest, LAURA WARD has been gracing Philadelphia audiences with her powerful, sensitive accompanying since arriving here in 1998. As a distinguished collaborative pianist she is known for both her technical ability and vast knowledge of repertoire and styles. Recent and upcoming engagements include performing in recital with Denyce Graves, and premiering new works for piano, guitar and trombone by Allen Krantz with the New York Philharmonic’s Joseph Alessi. Concert engagements have taken her to Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Spoleto Festival (Italy) and the Colmar International Music Festival and Saint Denis Festival in France. She has served as a vocal coach at The Academy of Vocal Arts, Westminster Choir College, Temple University, Ravinia Festival Stean’s Institute, Washington Opera, University of Maryland, Music Academy of the West and at Cleveland’s Blossom Festival and as the official pianist for the Washington International Competition, the Astral Artists Auditions and for the Marian Anderson Award. Laura is a recording artist and editor of song accompaniments for publisher Hal Leonard having also co-edited: Richard Strauss: 40 Songs, Gabriel Fauré: 50 Songs, and Johannes Brahms: 75 Songs and has recorded over 2000 song accompaniments for Hal Leonard Publishing. These volumes help countless singers and pianists experience, learn and enjoy the art song repertory and also help introduce a world of art song to many who have had little exposure to it. A native of Texas, Laura received her Bachelor’s from Baylor University, holds a Masters in Piano Accompanying at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and a Doctorate in Accompanying from the University of Michigan as a student of Martin Katz. While at the University of Michigan, Laura was pianist for the Contemporary Directions ensemble and performed with the Ann Arbor Symphony. |
Like us on Facebook
|