Bios - Full bios at nycmonc.org/operaidols James Robinson is the Artistic Director of Theatre of St. Louis. As part of the company’s New Works/Bold Voices initiative, he has directed the world premieres of Terence Blanchard ’s CHAMPION, Jack Perla’s SHALIMAR THE CLOWN and Ricky Ian Gordon’s 27, as well as major revivals of Tobias Picker’s EMMELINE, John Adams’ THE DEATH OF KLINGHOFFER and the American premiere of Unsuk Chin’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND. He has recently directed new productions for the (VANESSA, SUN YAT

SEN, COSI FAN TUTTE), the San Francisco Opera (DOLORES CLAIBORNE, IL TRITTICO), the Canadian Opera Company (L’ELISIR Region Finals Concert 2018 - Sunday March 4 at 3pm - Merkin Concert Hall D’AMORE, NIXON IN CHINA), the Houston Grand Opera (GIULIO CESARE, THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO, A HOUSE WITHOUT A CHRISTMAS TREE) and many other companies throughout the world. His work has also been seen at the Hollywood Bowl, the London Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony, and he has directed productions for the For over sixty years the National Council has been organizing auditions to find the opera divas and divos of the future. What started as and the Manhattan School of Music. Future engagements include Marc Blitzstein’s REGINA for Opera Theatre of St. Louis and a local radio competition in 1954 has become one of the largest vocal competitions, with over 1500 applicants each year from all over for the Dutch National and English National . the world. Ninety of those singers chose the Eastern Region to audition at the District auditions in January, braving rain and snow for a chance to come back today and participate in the second round of the National Council Auditions. Auditions like these are happening Joshua Winograde is the Associate Artistic Administrator of The and also the Director of the Met National in Districts and Regions all across the country, until all the winners come together for the final two rounds of the competition at the Council Auditions. Prior to The Met, he was Senior Director of Artistic Planning at Los Angeles Opera, and before that he created and Metropolitan Opera. Only then does the Met take over the organizing and fundraising of the National Council Auditions. oversaw the Opera Studio at Wolf Trap Opera in Washington DC. Joshua has served on many competition juries including the Richard Tucker Music Foundation Awards, The Metropolitan Opera National Council Grand Finals, the Innsbruck Alte Musik Festival It is contributions like the one you made today which allow us to continue looking for the next bright star in the opera firmament. We Cesti Competition, The Galina Vishnevskaya International Competition in Moscow, The International Singers Fair in Baku, Azerbaijan, keep our costs as low as possible, and the whole organization is run by volunteers, so we can award as much prize money as and the Guild Vocal Competition. Before working behind the scenes, Joshua earned both his bachelor and master’s possible. Being an opera singer is a labour of love which has many costs easily forgotten by the time an opera singer reaches the degrees from the Juilliard School and sang professionally with Houston Grand Opera, Opera, Opera Theatre of St. stage and includes such things as voice lessons, dress purchases, airplane tickets and doctor’s appointments. Louis, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the St. Louis Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra and American Symphony Orchestra, Today’s performance and announcement will be followed by a reception on the Balcony with wine and small bites. If you have not among many others. purchased your tickets yet, just check in with one of our volunteers who will gladly sell you a ticket for $50, money which will be used Thomas Muraco has earned such accolades through a combination of technical virtuosity, tonal beauty, and a unique understanding for future awards. If you would like to make a donation or become involved with the MONC Eastern Region, please visit our website of the underlying poetry of music. His performances in major concert halls throughout the United States, Canada, Central America, at nycmonc.org or find us on Facebook (MONC.EasternRegion), Instagram (OperaIdols) and Twitter (NYCMONC). Europe, and Asia reflect his command of a repertoire remarkable for its complete range of musical styles, periods and forms. He has Awards been praised for his insightful interpretations of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Brahms, Wolf, Debussy, In addition to the prize money provided by the Eastern Region and fundraised through the generosity of attendees like you, we are Rachmaninoff, Poulenc, and premieres of William Schuman and George Perle. Mr. Muraco has partnered with distinguised musicians also able to hand out the 1st Place Mrs. Edgar Tobin Award(s) provided by the Tobin Endowment, and the Mrs. Rohatyn such as Adele Addison, John Aler, Martina Arroyo, Arleen Augér, John Cheek, Phyllis Curtin, Mary Dunleavy, Faith Esham, Maureen Encouragement Award(s). We say award(s) because it is never known beforehand how many people will move on to the Semi- Forrester, Denyce Graves, Ben Heppner, Henry Herford, Ying Huang, Sumi Jo, Susanne Mentzer, Chris Merritt, Roberta Peters, Finals, or even how many people will be receiving awards. The number of winners is up to the judges’ discretion, and they are free to Hermann Prey, Twyla Robinson, Jennie Tourel, Benita Valente and Dolora Zajick, and instrumentalists John Graham, Wolfram Koessel, pick as many winners as they see deserving. Our First Prize(s) are given in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Brereton, whose continued support Robert Mann, Arnold Steinhardt, Zara Nelsova, Ransom Wilson, Peter Winograd, and the American and Shanghai String Quartets. throughout the years has been invaluable to this organization. We will also be handing out an Audience Choice Award; please fill out Highlights of his career include appearances at The White House, the Library of Congress, the Aspen, Banff, Bermuda, Casals, your ballot and hand it to one of the volunteers before we start the Q&A. The winner of the Audience Choice Award will only be Cincinnati May and Ravinia Festivals. moving forward to the Semi-Finals if they are also selected as a 1st Prize Winner by the judges as well. American mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey, Grand Finals winner of the 2017 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and Acknowledgments First Prize winner of the Dallas Opera Guild Competition is quickly making a name for herself at home and abroad. Acclaimed Eastern Region Committee: Stefanie Van Steelandt - Chair, Lara Marcon - Treasurer, Tom Cannon Jr., Lisa Litwin, Peter Agnone Ruane by Opera News as an “ingenious square-shouldered beauty with a maple-flavored mezzo” and as “serious and penetrating” by The New York Times, she was recently an artist at the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco, and performed the title role in La National Council Organization: Mitchell L. Lathrop – President, Camille LaBarre – National Auditions Chairman, Joshua Winograde — Executive Cenerentola. In the 2017/18 season, Ms. Hankey makes her debuts as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at Den Norske Opera and as Director, MONC & Associate Artistic Administrator, Melissa Wegner – Deputy Director, MONC & Artistic Administration Associate, Brady Walsh — Siébel in at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. She will also make her Carnegie Hall debut in Handel’s with Musica Sacra. MONC & Artistic Administration Assistant, Gayletha Nichols – Consultant, MONC, Eric Owens – National Advisor Recent engagements during the 2016/17 season included the title role in Handel’s Agrippina at The Juilliard School, about which Many thanks to our donors: Rosemary Bell, Dr. & Mrs. Brereton, Lydia Campbell, Tom Cannon and Joseph Harding, Mr. & Mrs. Dreskin, Roberto Opera News wrote she “zipp[ed] through Agrippina's punishing music with beautiful tone, immaculate prosody and queenly authority”, Fuenmayor, Dr. & Mrs. Glickman, Margaret Healy, Mr. & Mrs. Hobart, Mr. & Mrs. Litwin, Joyce Luchtenberg, Lara Marcon, Mr. & Mrs. Masuyama, Sally as well as Varvara in Stephen Wadsworth’s production of Káťa Kabanová. Equally gifted in recital, Samantha presented two concerts Pope, John Re and Charles Palmer, Mr. & Mrs. Roncetti, Mr. & Mrs. Solomon, Janet Stovin, Mr. & Mrs. Tian, Stefanie Van Steelandt, The Secular at the Alice Tully Hall: 'Juilliard Songfest: Songs of Richard Strauss’ curated by Brian Zeger; and a program of Liszt, Schumann, and Humanist fund at the Miami Foundation. Make a donation today at nycmonc.org/donate Strauss songs that she presented as winner of the Vocal Arts Honors Recital.

The schedule and aria list is tentative and subject to change. The singers will announce their name and first aria choice once they Malorie Casimir was recently seen at the come on stage. Then it is up to the judges’ discretion to ask for a second aria of their choice. Please enjoy the performance and Aspen Music Festival where she sang in make sure your cell-phones are turned off. Full bios and interviews with the singers can be found at nycmonc.org/operaidols. opera scenes and as the soloist in Singers are accompanied on the piano by Doug Martin. George Crumb’s The Winds of Destiny with the Aspen Percussion Ensemble Soprano Brittany Nickell, is a under the direction of Jonathan Haas. Prior performances also include Despina in Mannes Opera’s production of Cosi fan tutte, and graduate of Jacksonville University the New York premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s chamber opera, A Coffin in Egypt alongside internationally renowned mezzo-soprano, where she received her Bachelors in Frederica von Stade. Upcoming performances include the role of Marzelline in Heartbeat Opera’s production of Fidelio. She holds Vocal Performance and Manhattan awards from the Kristin Lewis Foundation, Harlem Opera Theater, Crescendo International and Joy in Singing. With the Crescendo School of music where she obtained International Competition, Malorie made her Carnegie Hall debut in the Winners' Concert after receiving first place honor. Malorie both a Masters in Music and a spent a year studying and performing at the Palais Corbelli in Vienna, Austria. She also performed in Hungary with the Crescendo Professional Studies degree. In Summer Institute. A native of Brooklyn and of Haitian lineage, Malorie began her musical training at the age of 11 as a member of the October of 2017 Brittany was awarded the Opera Index award a top prize at the Opera Index Competition in NYC. In January Miss prestigious Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy. Nickell made her Carnegie Hall debut in the Song Continues Series under the direction of . In 2016 Brittany was one of four soprano fellows with the Music Academy of theWest, where she performed Ludmila in The Bartered Bride and Elizabeth in Second Nature, an opera written and conducted by Matthew Aucoin. Previous credits include Madame de Volanges in the MSM A Professional study’s student at Opera Theater production of The Dangerous Liaisons under the baton of George Manahan, Lady Macduff in Bloch’s Macbeth with Manhattan School of Music under the MSM Opera Theater, Helen in Three Sisters Who Are Not Sisters, and Sancta Susanna (Susanna cover). tutelage of Neil Rosenshein, Korean Hayan Kim, soprano, recently tenor WooYoung Yoon recently has graduated with her professional contracted as Belmonte in Die studies degree from the Manhattan Entführung aus dem Serail with the Empire Opera for the fall 2018. He will be performing as Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte for the spring School of Music. She obtained her 2018 with MSM opera department. He has performed in as cover role of Don Jose in for the Martina Arroyo Foundation 2017 bachelor’s degree from Korea Prelude to Performance under the baton of Maestro Daniel Lipton, also as cover role of Ottokar in der zigeunerbaron for the spring National University of Arts and her 2017, and as Tito in La clemenza di Tito for the fall 2016 with the main stage opera at MSM. In the summer of 2016, he made his Italy master’s from the Manhattan School of Music. Ms.Kim was recently appeared as Servilia in La Clemenza di Tito conducted by Jane debut as Don Jose in Carmen with the Trentino Music Festival. Mr. Yoon is currently the recipient of the MSM Scholarship in Voice and Glover at the Aspen Music Festival and George Manahan in this past December at Manhattan School of Music. Previous credit include was the recipient of the Dean’s scholarship as an undergraduate at KyungHee University. He was a finalist in Altamura/Caruso Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Konstanze), L'Elisir d'Amore(Adina), Così fan tutte (Despina), Die Fledermaus (Rosalinde) and La International Voice Competition 2017, and in the Alfredo Silipigni Vocal Competition 2017. He received an Honorable Mention from Bohème (Musetta), Hansel and Gretel (Dew Fairy) with Korea National University of Arts and Manhattan School of Music. Also, She Metropolitan International Vocal Competition in 2016. was the Soprano soloist in Haydn's Die Schöpfung (Gabriel). She has also been invited to sing in many concerts in Korea and the United States. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in the Winners’ Recital after receiving first place honor. Soprano Danielle Beckvermit is a American baritone Nathan Matticks Professional Studies student at Mannes is rapidly establishing himself as one The New School for Music in Manhattan of opera’s brightest young where she developed a strong affinity for prospects. The 2018/2019 season new music. She previously received her include important role debuts as Master’s Degree from Mannes in 2017 and a Bachelor’s Degree in Voice from SUNY Fredonia in 2015. She has sung with several Figaro in Palmetto Opera’s festivals including Charlottesville Opera, Chautauqua Festival, SongFest and Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. While at SongFest production of IL BARBIERE DI Danielle sang the west coast premiere of John Musto’s Song Cycle, “Be music, night”. Complete roles include, Fiordiligi (Mozart), SIVIGLIA at the Koger Center for the Arts followed by a Tour of MADAMA BUTTERFLY as Sharpless, and capping off the end of Donna Anna (Mozart), Donna Elvira, (Mozart), Susannah (Floyd), Beth (Adamo), and Madeline Usher (Glass). Future roles include Anne Winter with a return to Taconic Opera as Renato in Verdi’s UN BALLO IN MASCHERA. The 2017 season also saw major role debuts Trulove (Stravinsky) with Mannes Opera and Alice (Verdi) with the Crested Butte Opera Studio. Danielle has been recognized in several as Verdi’s with Teatro Lirico d’Europa at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts and the Kirby Center for the Performing competitions including The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions as an encouragement award winner and regional finalist, a Arts. Nathan has also bowed with Opera North as Yamadori in MADAMA BUTTERFLY, a role he recently performed on tour with Teatro finalist and award winner in The George London Foundation Competition, first place winner in The Classical Singer Online Competition Lirico d’Europa and assumed the role of Sharpless for outreach performances of MADAMA BUTTERFLY in addition to performances and was also the first prize winner in the Civic Morning Musicals Competition in 2017. Danielle is a proud student of Amy Burton. of Offenbach’s LA BELLE HÉLÈN and Porter’s KISS ME KATE with the company.

Baritone, Bryan Murray, is currently the expansiveness of a generous spirit and a personal involvement with the text and music.” Jacob has won prizes at competitions pursuing a Master of Musical Arts degree in held by the Gerda Lissner Foundation, Metrowest Opera, the Arlington Philharmonic Society, and Piccola Opera. This year at Juilliard, Opera performance at Yale University’s Jacob sang Nardo in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera and covered Fluth in Nicolai’s Merry Wives of Windsor. Honored with Juilliard’s Risë School of Music under the tutelage of Stevens and Mitzi Foundation Scholarships, he traveled to Taiwan for a recital tour in December 2017. Jacob spent the summer of Richard Cross and Doris Yarick-Cross. Mr. 2017 as a Studio Artist with Central City Opera in Colorado, winning the Iris Henwood Richards Memorial Award for his dedication and Murray received an Artist Diploma and a Master of Music degree from the Purchase College Conservatory of Music where he studied collegiality. with Bonnie Hamilton and Jacque Trussel; and a Bachelor of the Arts degree from where he studied with John A coloratura soprano praised for her Fiorito. Bryan is excited to be a recipient of the Berlin Opera Foundation Scholarship to join Deutsche Oper Berlin in their 2018/19 "scintillating precision" (Opera News), season. Bryan is also the grand prize winner of the 2016 Heida Hermann’s International Voice Competition, the winner of the “Sachi Emily Misch is establishing herself as a Liebergesell” award from the Opera Index Competition, a finalist in the Eastern Region of the Met Council auditions, and the winner of clear-voiced, versatile, and intelligent an Encouragement Grant from the Premiere Opera International Voice Competition. During his studies, Bryan appeared as Papageno performer. Her 2017-2018 season in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Smirnov in William Walton’s The Bear with Yale Opera. includes Olympia in Les Contes d'Hoffmann with Opera North, Valeria in the workshop of Tom Cipullo's new opera Mayo at the National Opera Center, the soprano solos in Mozart's Requiem and Haydn's Paukenmesse with Huntington Choral Society, and the soprano solo in Carmina Burana with Altoona Symphony Orchestra. Recent engagements include the Ravinia Festival's Steans Music Mezzo-soprano Anna Laurenzo has gained Institute (Vocal Fellow), Leah in Joel Mandelbaum's The Dybbuk at Queens College, Mahler's Symphony No. 8 (Mater Gloriosa) with experience in a wide ranging repertoire in Berkshire Choral International, Carmina Burana with the Westchester Choral Society, and Exsultate, jubilate, K. 165 with the Greenville her young career, with a strong accent on Symphony Orchestra. Her 2015-2016 season included Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Opera in Williamsburg. contemporary American work. A veteran of multiple world premiere productions, she has collaborated with composers such as Carlisle Floyd, Jeff Myers, Scott Wheeler, David T. Little, and Libby Larsen. With Fort Worth Mezzo-soprano Natalia Kutateladze was Opera, Ms. Laurenzo participated in the company's new works initiative Frontiers as well as workshops of Libby Larsen's A Wrinkle in born in the Republic of Georgia and Time and David T. Little's JFK. She performed in the company's 2016 and 2017 festival seasons as GPS in Patrick Soluri's graduated from the Central Music High Embedded, the Undertaker in Jeff Myers' Buried Alive, and Alycia Simpson in Matthew Peterson's Voir Dire. Ms. Laurenzo made her School in Tbilisi as a pianist before being initial appearances on the New York classical performance scene in the autumn of 2017. She joined New York Theatre Ballet as accepted on full scholarship to the Vano mezzo-soprano soloist for La Malinche, a rarely-performed work by famed choreographer José Limón, and appeared as the featured Sarajishvili Tbilisi Conservatoire as a classical artist on a concert program with the Metropolitan Opera Guild. opera singer, where she graduated with honors. In 2015 she was accepted into Juilliard where she is currently studying towards her Courtney Johnson, soprano, is currently a master’s degree with Edith Wiens. Ms. Kutateladze appeared last season as the Minskwoman in Juilliard Opera’s production of graduate student at Mannes College of Music in Jonathan Dove’s Flight. Ms. Kutateladze has also participated in the Baltic Season Music Festival, Spivakov International Music New York. A native of Chesapeake, Va., she Festival, and the International Classical Music Festival of Georgia. studied at the Virginia Governor’s School for the Mezzo-soprano Hongni Wu is a Arts and was a chorus member in Virginia Professional Studies degree candidate at Opera’s 2008 production of Il Trovatore. In 2009, Manhattan School of Music under the she won the Silver Award at the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts Young Arts program in Miami, Fla., and in 2010 she tutelage of Joan Patenaude-Yarnell. participated in La Lingua della Lirica in Novafeltria, Italy. In the summer of 2011, she participated in the International Vocal Arts Previous credits include La clemenza di Institute. She received an Encouragement Award for the 2012 George London Foundation Competition, and Second Place in the Tito (Sesto) and L’enfant et les sortilèges 2012 Giulio Gari International Vocal Competition. She is also a 2013 grant winner of the Opera Index competition and the Licia (La Libellule) with Manhattan School of Music Opera Theater, Die Fledermaus (Orlofsky) with Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to performance Albanese-Puccini Foundation. program, Carmen (Carmen) with Xinghai Conservatory of Music, Chinese opera Qingling song (Mrs Umeya) with Guangzhou Opera Baritone Jacob Scharfman will soon House. Scene work include Die Fledermaus (Orlofsky) and Der Rosenkavalier (Octavian)with Manhattan School of Music. This past complete his Master of Music at the summer she performed with Scuola di Belcanto in Urbania and Bel Canto in Tuscany in Italy with scholarship. Plans include Juilliard School. Opera News has lauded appearances with La Cenerentola (Cenerentola) for Manhattan School of Music, the Gerdine Young Artist Program at Opera Theatre of his “attractive, rounded baritone” and Voce St Louis and Le nozze di Figaro (Cherubino) for Opera Maine. She will join the Jette Parker Young Artists Program of the Royal Opera di Meche proclaims him “irresistible… Mr. House in September 2018. Scharfman’s performance was marked by