high notes high notes - Yale School of Music

Yale Opera
Doris Yarick Cross · Artistic Director
high notes
2011-2012 season
Robert Blocker, Dean

table of contents
warsaw 2011: Yale Opera students in Warsaw for performance and a
recording of Donizetti’s Maria Padillia.
Yale Opera Alumni Artists
Yale Opera Class of 2011
Professional Engagements 2011-12
edited by
Doris Yarick Cross, Artistic Director, Yale Opera
Erika Niemi, Manager, Yale Opera
4
18
29
High Notes | 3

4 | High Notes
Matthew Polenzani ’94
This season Matthew Polenzani returns to the
Metropolitan Opera in Willy Decker’s critically
acclaimed production of La traviata opposite
Natalie Dessay and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, conducted
by Fabio Luisi. He will also appear at the
Metropolitan Opera in Don Giovanni, conducted
by Sir Andrew Davis; he performs this same work
in Francesca Zamebello’s production at the Royal
Opera, Covent Garden. Matthew Polenzani will
also return to La Scala in Laurent Pelly’s new
production of Manon opposite Natalie Dessay,
and to the Lyric Opera of Chicago to debut the
title role in Nicolas Joël’s new production of Les
contes d’Hoffmann, conducted by Emmanuel
Villaume. In concert, he will appear at the Teatro
San Carlo in Verdi’s Requiem, conducted by
Riccardo Muti.
Tamara Mumford
This season Tamara Mumford returns to the
Metropolitan Opera in its new productions of
Anna Bolena singing Smeton, and the complete
Ring Cycle singing Flosshilde, and appears in
the world premiere of John Adam’s new oratorio,
The Gospel According to the Other Mary,
with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles
Philharmonic. She also appears in concert with
the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
and the Utah Symphony.
David Pittsinger ’86
David Pittsinger sang the world premiere of A
Blizzard at Marblehead Neck, an opera by Jeanine
Tesori and Tony Kushner, at Glimmerglass Opera
this past summer. In the 2011–2012 season, Mr.
Pittsinger returns to the Metropolitan Opera as
the Comte des Grieux opposite Anna Netrebko
in Manon, conducted by Fabio Luisi, in a new
production by Laurent Pelly that will also be seen
live in high definition in cinemas around the
world. He appears in a double bill, singing King
René in Iolanta and Virgil’s Ghost in Francesca da
Rimini at Theater an der Wien, under the baton
of Kirill Petrenko. At San Francisco Opera, Mr.
Pittsinger sings the Speaker in The Magic Flute,
and at the Portland Opera he will sing the Count
in Le nozze di Figaro.

Christian Van Horn ’03
This season, bass-baritone Christian Van Horn
returns to the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Raimondo
in Lucia di Lammermoor and Crespel in
Les Contes d’Hoffmann, the San Francisco Opera
as Timur in Turandot, and to the Salzburg Easter
Festival as Zuniga in Carmen. He also makes
his debuts at the Canadian Opera Company as
Angelotti in Tosca and the Grand Théâtre de
Genève as Banquo in Macbeth, and appears in
concert with the Berlin Philharmonic.
Kenneth Tarver ’92
The most noteworthy recent and upcoming
operatic engagements for Kenneth Tarver include
Matthäus-Passion in Milan, the title role
in Handel´s Belshazzar at the Toulouse Capitole,
where he will also sing Les Indes Galantes. He
will sing Berlioz’s Te Deum in Oslo, as well as a
concert and recording for Opera Rara of the
title role in Rossini´s Aureliano in Palmira in
London’s Royal Festival Hall with Maurizo
Benini. He will then sing Coronation Mass in
Rome, Entfuhrung aus dem Serail in Berlin, and
La Cenerentola in Buenos Aires.
Patrick Carfizzi ’99
Patrick Carfizzi opens the 2011–12 season with a
return to Houston Grand Opera as Dr. Bartolo
in a new production of Rossini’s Il Barbiere di
Siviglia. Other operatic engagements this season
include Schaunard at the Metropolitan Opera in
Franco Zefferelli’s classic production of La Bohème
under the baton of Louis Langrée, Papageno in
Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte at Dallas Opera and
Henry Kissinger in the San Francisco Opera
premiere of John Adams’s Nixon in China. This
past spring, Patrick sang ten performances of
Leperello in Don Giovanni with Opera Köln.
High Notes | 5

6 | High Notes
Tadeusz Szlenkier ’09
Last season Tadeusz Szlenkier sang Ismaele in
Nabucco, Enzo in La Gioconda, Alfredo in La
Traviata, Barinkay in The Gypsy Baron, and
Rodolfo in La Boheme with Opera Nova in
Bydgoszcz, Poland. This season he will perform
Leicester in Maria Stuarda in Teatr Wielki in
Łódź, Poland, Jontek in Moniuszko’s Halka in
Opera Krakowska in Cracow, the Prince in
Rusalka at Opera Nova, and the title role in
Faust at Teatr Wiekl.
Tyler Simpson ’10
Tyler Simpson returns to the Metropolitan
Opera in the upcoming 2011–2012 season for
productions of Anna Bolena, La traviata,
Macbeth, Billy Budd, and the world premiere of
The Enchanted Island. He will also be singing
Zuniga in Carmen and Basilio in Il Barbiere di
Siviglia in summer 2012 with Maestro Lorin
Maazel at the Castleton Festival.
Mary Phillips ’93
Mary Phillips returns to the Metropolitan Opera
in 2011–2012 season to sing Schwertleite in Die
Walküre and Mrs. Alexander in Phillip Glass’s
Satyagraha. Additional engagements include
Amneris in Aida with Hawaii Opera Theater, and
Azucena in Il Trovatore at Bob Jones University.

Heather Buck ’96
In the 2011–12 season Heather Buck sings as
Hero in Béatrice et Bénédict with Opera Boston,
and as soloist in Carmina Burana with North
Carolina Symphony Orchestra, under Grant
Llewellyn. She also sings La Princesse in Glass’s
Orphée with Virginia Opera. Her 2010–11 sea-
son included her return to the roster of the
Metropolitan Opera for its production of Nixon
in China, and her reprisal of the role of Angel
in Dusapin’s Faustus: The Last Night at the
Concertgebouw.
Matthew Plenk ’06
In the 2011–2012 Season, tenor Matthew Plenk
makes his debuts at the Kansas City Opera as
Ferrando in Cosi fan Tutte and the Virginia
Opera as Nanki-Poo in The Mikado, and he
returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Jenik in
The Makropolous Case.
James Creswell ’99
James Creswell’s engagements for the season
include Gremin in Eugene Onegin for the Los
Angeles Opera with James Conlon, Capulet in
Roméo et Juliette in Bilbao, Oroveso in Norma
for Opera North, and the title role in a new
production of The Flying Dutchman with the
English National Opera, conducted by Edward
Gardner, in April and May.
High Notes | 7

8 | High Notes
Christopher Magiera
In the 2011–2012 season, Christopher Magiera’s performances at the
Semperoper Dresden include role debuts as Marcello in La Bohème,
Danilo in The Merry Widow, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, and Belcore in
a new production of L’elisir d’amore conducted by Riccardo Frizza.
Further productions at the Semperoper include Le nozze di Figaro, Rigoletto,
and Capriccio. In the summer of 2012, he returns to the Santa Fe Opera
as Zurga in a new production of The Pearl Fishers, the first performances
of the opera in the company’s 55-year history.
Sara Jakubiak ’06
In summer of 2011 Sara Jakubiak sang Elvira in The Italian Girl in Algiers
with Boston Midsummer Opera. In January she sings Eurydice in Glass’s
Orphée with Virginia Opera. In 2010–11 she made her New York City
Opera debut as Dede in Bernstein’s A Quiet Place. Her debut with Minne-
sota Opera as Catherine Earnshaw in Herrmann’s Wuthering Heights will
soon be released on DVD.
Edward Parks ’08
This summer Edward Parks appeared as Schaunard with the Metropolitan
Opera on tour in Japan, and in the 2011–2012 season he returns to the
Met for Il Barbiere di Siviglia. He also appears as Ford in a concert version
of Falstaff with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Lucas Meachem
In the summer of 2011, Lucas Meachem returned to the Glyndebourne
Opera Festival in England singing the title role in Don Giovanni. He be-
gins his 2011–2012 season at San Francisco Opera singing Don Giovanni.
He also will perform Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette with Palm Beach Opera,
Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia with San Diego Opera, and Wolfram in
Tännhauser in Toulouse, France.

Adam Diegel
In the 2011–2012 season Adam Diegel’s engagements at the Metropolitan
Opera include singing Froh in Das Rheingold under the baton of James
Levine in the new Ring Cycle, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and Ismaele
in Nabucco. Other operatic performances include Pinkerton in Madama
Butterfly at Arizona Opera and Don Jose in Carmen with Opera Theater
of St. Louis.
Jeffrey Dowd ’86
In the 2011–2012 season, tenor Jeffrey Dowd will return to the Aalto
Theatre in Essen, Germany where he will be singing the title role in
Tannhäuser, Tristan in Tristan und Isolde, Siegmund in Die Walküre,
Siegfried in Götterdämmerung, and Erik in Der Fliegende Holländer. He
will also be singing in The Bartered Bride at the Staatsoper in Berlin as
well as the Prince in Rusalka and Don Jose in Carmen at the Komische
Oper in Berlin.
Joanna Mongiardo ’98
In the 2011–2012 season, Joanna Mongiardo will join the roster of the
Metropolitan Opera in its new production of Manon. She will also
perform Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail at Oper am Rhein in
Düsseldorf, as well as Juliette in Roméo et Juliette for Dayton Opera. She
returned to Central City Opera for the 2011 season to play both Thèrése
in Les Mamelles De Tirésias and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi.
Mireille Asselin ’10
Mireille Asselin is a member of the Canadian Opera Company’s Studio
Ensemble. With coc she will be singing Contessa di Ceprano in Rigoletto,
and singing Second Priestess and covering Diane in Iphigénie en Tauride.
She will also sing Semele in Handel’s Semele. In addition to her coc
engagements, Mireille will be singing Daphne and Proserpine in Boston
Early Music’s production of a Charpentier double-bill of La descente
d’Orphée aux enfers and La couronne de fleurs, and will be the soprano
soloist for Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem with the Orchestra of the
Southern Finger Lakes and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
High Notes | 9

10 | High Notes
Amanda Hall ’10
In the 2011–2012 season, Amanda Hall sings her first performances as
Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte in her debut with Lyric Opera of Kansas City
and as soloist in Carmina Burana in her Hartford Symphony Orchestra
debut. She will also sing with Opera Naples as Donna Anna in Don
Giovanni. In September, she also appeared as the soprano soloist in
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Yale Philharmonia. She will sing
the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor with Connecticut Opera Theatre
in April.
Rebecca Ringle ’06
Upcoming engagements for Rebecca Ringle include Leda in Die Liebe
der Danae with the Bard Summerescape, the mezzo-soprano soloist in
Handel’s Messiah with Jacksonville Symphony and Augustana College,
and her return to the Metropolitan Opera in Die Walküre.
Jennifer Black ’04
Jennifer Black recently returned from her tour of Japan with the Metropolitan
Opera for its production of La bohème. In the 2011–2012 season,
she performs Violetta in La Traviata with Nashville Opera. Jennifer
returns to the Metropolitan Opera to cover Kristine in The Makropulos
Case and Musetta in La Bohème, and to perform Javotte in Manon.
Janna Baty ‘93
This season she premieres a new work by Andy Vores, especially written
for her, with Collage New Music in Boston. She also will perform
Bolcom’s one-woman opera, Medusa, with the Boston Modern
Orchestra Project, and performs The Face at USC’s prestigious Visions
and Voices Festival. This summer she returns to the Norfolk Festival.

Abigail Nims ’07
In 2011–2012 Abigail Nims sings as Octavian in selections from Der
Rosenkavalier with Quad City Symphony Orchestra. Her 2010–11 season
included her debut with Wexford Festival Opera as Veruca Salt in Peter
Ash’s The Golden Ticket, a role which she created at the opera’s workshop
performances in New York City through American Lyric Theater in the
2008–09 season.
Jane Dutton ‘95
Jane Dutton, having recently transitioned from mezzo-soprano to soprano,
sang her first Kundry in Parsifal with English National Opera – a role
she will repeat in China in 2013. Other recent performances include La
Nourrice in Paul Dukas’ Ariane et Barbe-bleue at the Gran Theatre del
Liceu in Barcelona, Spain; her Houston Symphony Orchestra Debut in
Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky; and an all-Wagner Concert with Opera
Birmingham, where she sang excerpts of Sieglinde (Die Walküre), Isolde
(Tristan und Isolde) and Brünnhilde (Götterdammerung).
Peter Tantsits ’04
Among his upcoming engagements for 2011–2012, Peter Tantsits premieres
works by Georges Aperghis and David Lang with the International
Contemporary Ensemble, and performs the role of John Worthing for
the European premiere of Gerald Barry’s The Importance of Being Earnest
under Thomas Adès at the Barbican in London. He debuts in Paris at the
Théâtre du Châtelet with Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
in Le Grand Macabre and returns to China for additional performances
of Madame White Snake in the opera houses of Guangzhou and Hangzhou.
Peter will be performing the role of Jacquino in Utah Opera’s production
of Fidelio in October 2011. He will also be singing the role of Caius in
Falstaff with Boston Youth Symphony in January and Mark in The
Midsummer Marriage with Opera Boston in February 2012.
Leah Wool ’03
During the 2011–2012 season, Leah Wool will be returning to the San
Francisco Symphony as the second mezzo-soprano in Debussy’s The
Martyrdom of St. Sebastien. She will also make her debut with both the
Kansas City Symphony and the Cincinnati Symphony as the mezzosoprano
soloist in Handel’s Messiah.
High Notes | 11

12 | High Notes
Michael Chioldi ’94
Michael Chioldi’s 2011–2012 season begins with singing Ping in Lyric
Opera of Kansas City’s production of Turandot. His other engagements
include singing Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with Washington National
Opera, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Palm Beach Opera, the Count
in Le nozze di Figaro, and Scarpia in Tosca with Fort Worth Opera Festival.
Steven Condy ’90
During the 2011–12 season Steven Condy will portray Dr. Bartolo in Il
barbiere di Siviglia with Boston Lyric Opera, Lyric Opera of San Antonio,
and Houston Grand Opera, and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with
Madison Opera. During the 2010–11 season he was heard as Dr. Bartolo
in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera on the James, in the title role of Falstaff
at Utah Opera, and as Major General Stanley in The Pirates of Penzance
with Arizona Opera.
Ryan MacPherson ’00
After a dynamic debut last summer in the United Kingdom as Wilhelm
in Ambroise Thomas’ Mignon, Ryan MacPherson’s engagements for
2011–2012 include performances of his first Roméo in Roméo et Juliette
with Dayton Opera, Alfred in Die Fledermaus with Opera Memphis, and
Curley in Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men with Utah Opera.
Chad Shelton ’97
Chad Shelton joins Opéra National de Bordeaux as Pinkerton in Madama
Butterfly at the beginning of the 2011–2012 season. He follows that with
performances as Edgardo in Austin Lyric Opera’s production of Lucia di
Lammermoor and as the title role in Idomeneo with Théâtre de Caen and
Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg. On the concert stage he joins the Puerto
Rico Symphony for a gala performance.

Emily Righter ’09
Emily Righter will be debuting several roles at the Salzburger Landestheater
beginning September 2011: a Nun in The Sound of Music; Tisbe
and Angelina in La Cenerentola; Clomiri in Imeneo; Flora in La Traviata;
and Margaret in Wozzeck. In October 2011, Righter will make her debut
at Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society as the mezzo soloist in Pergolesi’s
Stabat Mater, conducted by Rinaldo Alessandrini.
Jennifer Casey Cabot ’89
In the 2011–12 season Jennifer Casey Cabot sings as soloist in Messiah
with the National Philharmonic, Stan Engebretson conducting, and as
soloist in an evening of Russian music for the International Club of
Washington, DC. She also appears with Opera Lafayette, as Rosina in
Paisiello’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia.
Bradley Garvin
During the 2011–12 season bass-baritone Bradley Garvin returns to the
stage of the Metropolitan Opera as Prince Arjuna in Satyagraha and De
Bretigny in Manon. During the previous season, he sang the Four Villians
in Les contes d’Hoffman with Florida Grand Opera, Monterone in Rigoletto
for his debut with Dallas Opera, and Scarpia in Boston Lyric Opera’s Tosca.
Eric Downs ’06
In summer of 2011 Eric Downs sang Mustapha in The Italian Girl in Algiers
in a return to Boston Midsummer Opera, and in 2011–12 he sings as
Colline in La bohème with Amarillo Opera and as soloist in Vaughan
Williams’ Hodie with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. In the 2010–11
season he appeared as soloist to perform Handel’s Messiah with the
Washignton National Cathedral, and Haydn’s Paukenmesse at Carnegie
Hall through MidAmerican Productions.
High Notes | 13

14 | High Notes
Sarah Jane McMahon ’04
Sarah Jane McMahon begins her 2011–2012 season singing Violetta in
La Traviata with Toledo Opera. She then appears as Pamina in Die
Zauberflöte with Opera Grand Rapids and as Fanny in Opera Omaha’s
production of The Marriage Contract. Concert appearances include
Knoxville Summer of 1915 and Mahler 4 with the Portland Symphony, a
Christmas Special with the San Francisco Symphony, Handel’s Messiah
with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, and Carmina Burana with
the National Choral at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center.
Liam Moran ’05
Liam Moran’s upcoming performances include his return to Pittsburgh
Opera for Dr. Grenvil in Verdi’s La traviata, to Annapolis Opera for Frère
Laurent in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, and to Opera Omaha for Norton
in Rossini’s The Marriage Contract.
James Taylor ’97
James Taylor’s 2011–2012 performances include Manrico in Il Trovatore
at Bob Jones University, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Baltimore
Concert Opera, and a concert version of Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes
of Wrath with Anchorage Opera, as well as concerts in Naples, FL,
Birmingham, and Richmond.
Robert Gardner ’98
Robert Gardner recently appeared with Central City Opera as the General
Directeur in Poulenc’s Mamelles de Tiresias, and as the baritone in Weill’s
Die Sieben Todsuenden. He will appear again with the NE Pennsylvania
Philharmonic and conductor Larry Loh ’97 in Brahms’ Ein Deutches
Requiem.

Joshua Copeland ’08
Joshua Copeland recently sang the Mass in B Minor and the St. John Passion
with the American Bach Soloists; Bach Cantata 82 Ich habe genug with
Seraphic Fire; Bach Magnificat and Christmas cantatas with Helmuth
Rilling; and a commercially-released recording of the Bach St. John
Passion conducted by Simon Carrington.
Teresa Buchholz ’98
Teresa Buchholz’s engagements for the 2011–2012 season include singing
the role of Mercedes in Bizet’s Carmen with Opera Roanoke, and the
mezzo-soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Symphony
of Northwest Arkansas. In May of 2011 she was the mezzo-soprano
soloist in Duruflé’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall.
Brian Downen ’97
Brian Downen’s 2011–2012 engagements include Handel’s Messiah and
Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes with the Bridgeport Symphony in December,
Rossini’s Cambiale di Matrimonio with Opera Omaha in February, and
Carmina Burana with the York Symphony (PA) in March.
Rolando Sanz ’03
In the 2011–2012 season Rolando Sanz performs Gastone in La Traviata
with Lyric Opera Baltimore, a Schumann concert with Caramoor, and
Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette with Annapolis Opera.
High Notes | 15

16 | High Notes
Michael Scarcelle ’04
Upcoming performances for Michael Scarcelle include the role of Alessio
in La Sonnambula with Salt Marsh Opera and Schaunard in La Bohème
with Lyrique-en-mer.
Nicolai Janitzky ’02
In December 2011 Nicolai Janitzky will perform Enrico in Lucia di
Lammermoor for Music Viva Hong Kong.
Michael-Paul Krubitzer ’10
In the 2011–2012 season Michael-Paul Krubitzer sings the title role in
Faust in a return to Connecticut Concert Opera. His 2010–11 season
included singing as soloist in Haydn’s Paukenmesse at Carnegie Hall for
MidAmerica Productions.
Andrea Edith Moore ’04
In the upcoming season, Andrea Moore will return to North Carolina
Opera to sing Micaela in Carmen. On the oratorio stage she joins the NC
Master Chorale for the Britten’s Spring Symphony and Haydn’s Spring
from The Seasons and will sing Magnificat by Stephen Chatman with the
Chapel Hill Community Chorus.

Vince Vincent ’10
This fall Vince Vincent is perfoming Lelio in Le Donne Curiose with Opera
Moderne in New York City. He recently performed as the baritone solo-
ist and Ashmenton in Trillium J with composer Anthony Braxton under
the auspice of the Tri-Centric Foundation.
Olivia Vote ’08
In the upcoming 2011–2012 season Olivia Vote looks forward to performing
Giulietta in Les Contes d’Hoffmann and Cuniza in Verdi’s first opera,
Oberto, both with the Academy of Vocal Arts where she is currently
studying. She will also premiere a new chamber work by composer
David Froom with the 21st Century Consort at the Smithsonian in
Washington, D.C. this winter.
Rayanne Dupuis ’93
The highlight of this past season for Rayanne Dupuis was her concert
performance of Rihm’s Das Gehege with Kent Nagano conducting the
Deutsches Symphony Orchester at the Berlin Philharmonic, which was
recorded for commercial release. She is currently understudying the title
role in Strauss’ Salomé at the Opéra de Paris.
Jeremy Bowes ’10
This season Jeremy Bowes returns to of the Sächsische Staatsoper in
Dresden, where his appearances include Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, George
Benton in Dead Man Walking, and Colline in La Bohème, among others.
High Notes | 17

18 | High Notes
yale opera class of 2011
Eric Barry
In the 2011–2012 season, Eric Barry sang Rodolfo in Amarillo Opera’s
production of La Bohème, which will be broadcast in the Fall Arts
Festival later this year on PBS and PBS.com. This summer Mr. Barry
sang Wolf-Ferrari’s Le Donne Curiose and Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd.
He returned to perform at Wolf Trap’s 40th Anniversary Gala featuring
Lawrence Brownlee, Denyce Graves, Alan Held and Maestro Stephen
Lord. In April, He will go to the Beethoven Easter Festival in Warsaw
to perform and record the role of Avito in Montemezzi’s L’Amore dei Tre
Re on the Naxos label. Eric will be performing as the tenor soloist in
the Mozart Requiem at the National Cathedral in D.C. this March, and
is currently touring with the Munich Symphony.
Jennifer Feinstein
Jennifer Feinstein’s 2011–12 engagements include singing as mezzo soloist
in Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky with the Glacier Symphony and Chorale,
and a Metropolitan Opera Guild Masterclass with Ira Siff, where she will
be singing Jane Seymour in the Anna Bolena and Jane Seymour duet from
Donizetti’s Anna Bolena. This past summer Jennifer made her Spoleto
Festival USA debut as Mrs. Nolan in Menotti’s The Medium, and ap-
peared at Bard SummerScape Festival debut in Noel Coward’s Bittersweet.
Stephanie Gilbert
Stephanie sang the role of Bertha in The Barber of Seville with Opera
Theater of Connecticut this August and is engaged to sing the soprano
solo in Vaughn Williams’ Hodie with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra
in December.
David Pershall
David Pershall’s performances for the 20011–2012 season include singing
Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with the Opera Theater of Connecticut,
the role of Grigory Smirnov in William Walton’s The Bear at Carnegie
Hall, the Baritone Soloist in Vaughn Williams’ Sea Symphony with the
Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, the Baritone Soloist in
Carmina Burana with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, and a return
to the Beethoven Easter Festival to record and perform Manfredo in
L’amore dei tre re with the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra. He will be
singing Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with Connecticut Opera Theatre
this spring. He recently won first prize in the Gerda Lissner competition
in New York.

9/6 – 10/2
9/17 – 10/9
9/19
10/1 – 10/2
10/1 – 10/29
10/8 – 10/10
10/10 – 10/15
10/1 – 10/9
10/13 – 10/15
10/14 – 2/18
10/14 – 10/16
10/15 – 10/23
10/15 – 11/10
10/18 – 11/5
10/20 – 10/22
10/21 – 10/25
10/21 – 11/6
10/25
10/28 – 12/26
10/28 – 10/29
10/29
11/2 – 11/18
alumni artist engagements
2011–2012 season
September 2011
Zach Borichevsky sings Jack Absolute in The Rivals in Milwaukee
James Creswell sings Gremin in Eugene Onegin with the Los Angeles Opera
Amanda Hall sings Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Yale Philharmonia and
members of Yale Opera
October 2011
Eric Barry and Eric Downs sing Rodolfo and Colline, respectively, in La bohème at
Amarillo Opera
Matthew Polenzani sings the title role in Les contes d’Hoffmann at Lyric Opera of
Chicago; Christian Van Horn joins to sing the role of Crespel
Heather Buck sings Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos in Toledo
Christian Van Horn sings Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Lyric Opera of Chicago
Michael Chioldi sings Ping in Turandot at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Jennifer Black sings Violetta in La Traviata with Nashville Opera
Edward Parks sings Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Metropolitan Opera
Sarah Jane MacMahon sings Violetta in La Traviata with Toledo Opera
Laim Moran sings Dr. Grenvil in La Traviata with Pittsburgh Opera
Lucas Meachem sings the title role in Don Giovanni at San Francisco Opera
Damien Pass sings Der Journalist in Lulu with the Paris Opera
Mireille Asselin sings Contessa Ceprano in Rigoletto with the Canadian Opera Company
Heather Buck sings Héro in Béatrice et Bénédict at Opera Boston
Patrick Carfizzi sings Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Houston Grand Opera
Vince Vincent sings in Le Donne Curiose for a lecture for the Metropolitan Opera Guild
Christopher Magiera sings Marcello in La bohème with the Dresden Semperoper
Michael-Paul Krubitzer sings the title role in Faust with the Connecticut Concert Opera
Rebecca Ringle performs Dvorák’s Requiem with the New York Metamorphoses Orchestra
November 2011
Jeffrey Dowd sings Der Prinz in Rusalka at Komische Oper Berlin
High Notes | 19

11/3 – 11/9
11/3 – 11/20
11/4
11/4 – 11/6
11/4 – 11/12
11/5 – 11/12
11/5 – 11/13
11/10 – 11/18
11/18 – 12/8
11/18 – 4/30
11/19 – 11/20
11/19 – 11/28
11/20
11/23
11/26 – 11/28
11/27
11/27 – 11/28
11/28 – 11/30
11/30 – 12/12
12/1 – 12/4
12/2 – 12/4
12/3
12 /4
12/7 – 4/20
12/10
20 | High Notes
Nicholas Masters sings Don Basilio in select performances of Il barbiere di Siviglia at
Houston Grand Opera
Jeremy Bowes sings Polizist in Rusalka at the Dresden Semperoper
Vince Vincent sings in Le Donne Curiose with Opera Moderne
Rolando Sanz sings Gastone in La Traviata with Lyric Opera of Baltimore
David Pittsinger sings the Count in Figaro at Portland Opera
Adam Diegel sings Ismaele in Nabucco at the Metropolitan Opera
Alumni Amanda Hall and Matthew Plenk sing Fiordiligi and Ferrando, respectively,
in Così fan tutte at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Michael Chioldi sings Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor at Washington National Opera
Patrick Carfizzi sings Schaunard in La bohéme at the Metropolitan Opera
Gala El Hadidi sings Maddalena in Rigoletto at the Dresden Semperoper
Jennifer Feinstein joins the Glacier Symphony and Chorale for performances of
Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky
James Creswell sings Le Comte Capulet in Roméo et Juliette in Bilbao, Spain
Jeffrey Dowd sings Erik in Der fliegende Hollander at Aalto Theater Essen
Chad Shelton sings Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly in Bordeaux, France
Mireille Asselin sings Proserpine and Flore in La descente d’Ophée aux enfers and La
couronne de fleurs, respectively, with Boston Early Music
Ryan MacPherson sings in Handel’s Messiah as part of the Distinguished Concerts
International New York at Lincoln Center
Mireille Asselin sings Daphne and Proserpine in Boston Early Music’s production of
a Charpentier double-bill of La descente d’Orphée aux enfers and La couronne de fleurs
Zach Borichevsky sings Alfredo in La Traviata at Knoxville Opera
Gala El Hadidi sings Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel at the Dresden Semperoper
December 2011
Alumni Stephanie Gilbert, Eric Downs, and Eric Berry sing Vaughan Williams’ Hodie
with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra
Leah Wool sings Handel’s Messiah with the Kansas City Symphony
Rebecca Ringle sings Handel’s Messiah with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra
David Pershall sings Grigory Smirnov in The Bear at Carnegie Hall with current Yale
students Annie Rosen and Andrew C. Brown
Emily Righter sings the role of Tisbe in La Cenerentola at the Salzburger
Landestheater in Vienna
Rayanne Dupuis sings Sieglinde in Die Walküre in Reims, France

12/10 – 12/11
12/11 – 12/26
12/15 – 12/18
12/18
12/16 – 12/20
12/19
12/20
12/21 – 1/5
12/23
1/2 – 1/14
1/4 – 1/30
1/7 – 7/12
1/12 – 1/14
1/18
1/20 – 1/22
1/21 – 1/24
1/21 – 2/3
1/21 – 2/25
1/22
1/27 – 2/5
1/27 – 5/12
1/28 – 2/5
1/28 – 2/19
1/29 – 3/31
Jennifer Casey Cabot sings Handel’s Messiah with the National Philharmonic
Joanna Mongiardo sings Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Oper am Rhein in
Düsseldorf
Brian Downen sings Handel’s Messiah with the Greater Bridgeport Symphony
Leah Wool sings Handel’s Messiah with the Cincinnati Symphony
Michael Chioldi sings Sharpless in Madama Butterfly at Palm Beach Opera
Brian Downen sings Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes with the Greater Bridgeport Symphony
Rebecca Ringle sings Handel’s Messiah with the National Chorale at Avery Fisher
Hall in Lincoln Center
Christopher Magiera sings Danilo in Die Lustige Witwe at the Dresden Semperoper
Abigail Nims joins the Masterwork Chorus for a performance of Handel’s Messiah at
Carnegie Hall
January 2012
Kenneth Tarver sings Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail in Berlin
Tyler Simpson sings with the Quartet in the Metropolitan Opera’s new Handel
pastiche, The Enchanted Island
Gala El Hadidi and Jeremy Bowes sing 2nd Dame and 1st Sprecher, respectively, in
Die Zauberflöte at the Dresden Semperoper
Leah Wool sings Le martyre de Saint Sébastien with the San Francisco Symphony
Mireille Asselin debuts at Carnegie Hall performing a recital with Marilyn Horne’s
The Song Continues series
Amanda Hall sings Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with Opera Naples, Florida
Ryan MacPherson sings Alfred in Die Fledermaus with Opera Memphis
Matthew Polenzani sings Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at the Royal Opera, London
Christian Van Horn sings Angelotti in Tosca with the Canadian Opera Company, Toronto
Edward Parks sings Ford in a concert production of Falstaff with the Boston Youth
Symphony Orchestra
Adam Diegel sing the role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at Arizona Opera
Tamara Mumford sings Flosshilde in the Metropolitan Opera’s complete production
of the Ring Cycle
Chad Shelton sings Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor with the Austin Lyric Opera
Alumni Sara Jakubiak, Heather Buck and Jeffrey Lentz sing Eurydice, La Princesse
and Heurtebise, respectively, in Virginia Opera’s production of Glass’s Orphée
Christopher Magiera sings Papageno in Die Zauberflöte with the Dresden Semperoper
High Notes | 21

2/3 – 2/4
2/5 – 3/20
2/17 – 2/19
2/21 – 3/17
2/24 – 2/26
2/24 – 2/27
2/24 – 2/28
2/26 – 2/28
3/1 – 3/23
3/3 – 3/11
3/9 – 3/18
3/10 – 3/30
3/12 – 3/14
3/15 – 3/18
3/23
3/24
3/26 – 4/23
4 /4
4/6-5/2
4/6-5/12
4/14-4/15
4/20-5/6
4/21-4/29
22 | High Notes
February 2012
Sarah Jane McMahon sings Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with Opera Grand Rapids
Emily Righter sings Clomiri in Imeneo at the Salzburger Landestheater in Vienna
Sarah Jane McMahon sings Fanny and Liam Moran sings Norton in The Marriage
Contract with Opera Omaha
Matthew Polenzani sings Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at the Metropolitan Opera
Joanna Mongiardo and Ryan MacPherson sing the title characters in Roméo et Juliette
with Dayton Opera
Lucas Meachem sings Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette with Palm Beach Opera
Peter Tantsits sings Mark in The Midsummer Marriage with Opera Boston
Tamara Mumfords performs as the Alto Soloist in Chansons Madecasses with the
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
March 2012
Jeremy Bowes sings George Benton in Dead Man Walking at the Dresden Semperoper
Abigail Nims sings Veruca Salt in The Golden Ticket with the Atlanta Opera
Steven Condy sings Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Boston Lyric Opera
Matthew Plenk sings Nanki-Poo in The Mikado with Virginia Opera
Chad Shelton sings the title role in Mozart’s Idomeneo in Luxembourg
Michael Chioldi sings the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro with El Paso Opera
Sarah Jane McMahon joins the National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln
Center for a performance of Carmina Burana
Alumni Brian Downen and Jonathan Hays join the York Symphony Orchestra for a
performance of Carmina Burana
David Pittsinger sings Comte des Grieux and Jennifer Black sings Javotte in Manon at
the Metropolitan Opera
April 2012
Adam Diegel sings Froh in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Das Rheingold
Matthew Polenzani sings Alfredo in La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera
Mary Phillips sings Schwertleite in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Die Walküre
Jennifer Casey Cabot sings Rosina in Paisiello’s Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera
Lafayette at the Kennedy Center
Patrick Carfizzi sings Papageno in The Magic Flute with the Dallas Opera
Lucas Meachem sings Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia at San Diego Opera

4/26
4/27-4/29
4/27-4/29
4/27-5/11
4/28
4/28-5/25
4/28-5/23
5/4-5/15
5/5-5/13
5/12-6/2
5/18-5/19
5/23-6/23
5/31-6/3
6/1-6/5
6/10-6/14
6/13-6/26
6/13-7/8
6/16
6/17-6/29
6/19-7/7
6/30-825
7/11-7/14
7/28-8/23
Peter Tantsits sings the role of John Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest
in London
Teresa Buchholz sings Mercedes in Carmen at Opera Roanoke
Steven Condy sings Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with Opera Madison
Matthew Plenk sing Janek in The Makropulos Case at the Metropolitan Opera
Alumni Amanda Hall and David Pershall join the Eastern Connecticut
Symphony Orchestra for a performance of Vaughn Williams’ Sea Symphony
Christopher Magiera sings Belcore in L’elisir d’amore at the Dresden Semperoper
James Creswell sing the title role in English National Opera’s new production of
The Flying Dutchman
May 2012
Kenneth Tarver sings Valère/Tacamas in Les Indes galantes in Toulouse
Ryan Macpherson sings Curley in Of Mice and Men at Utah Symphony and
Opera
Michael Chioldi sings Scarpia in Tosca with Fort Worth Opera
Steven Condy sings Bartolo and Nicholas Masters sings Basilio in Il barbiere di
Siviglia for Houston Grand Opera’s “Opera in the Park”
Adam Diegel sings Don José in Carmen with Opera Theater St. Louis
Alumni Amanda Hall and David Pershall join the Hartford Symphony
Orchestra for performances of Carmina Burana
June 2012
Galen Bower sings Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro with St. Petersburg Opera, Florida
Gala El Hadidi sings Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Dresden Semperoper
Christian Van Horn sings Banco in Macbeth at Geneva Opera
David Pittsinger sings the Speaker in The Magic Flute at San Francisco Opera
Erin Caves sings Hans Schwalb in Mathis der Maler at Zurich Oper
Lucas Meachem sings Wolfram in Tannhäuser in Toulouse
Matthew Polenzani sings Chevalier in Manon at La Scala
Christopher Magiera sings Zurga in The Pearl Fishers with the Santa Fe Opera
July 2012
Erin Caves sings Sellem in The Rake’s Progress in Berlin
Zach Borichevsky sings Matteo in Arabella at The Santa Fe Opera
High Notes | 23

p.o. box 208246
new haven, ct 06520-8246
203 432-2690
opera.ysm@yale.edu
music.yale.edu/opera
Yale Opera