Sumayya Ali

Donna Elvira, Susannah; Cover roles: Mother, Countess

Sumayya Ali is beginning to establish quite a career in opera, musical theater, jazz and dance. Sumayya has sung with various opera companies; including Sarasota Opera, Berkshire Opera and Central City Opera. Although her first love and priority is opera, she toured throughout Asia and America last year dancing and singing with Step Afrika! In addition Ms. Ali was one of 20 selected out of 20,000 in New York to go to Hollywood in season 6 of American Idol. Ms. Ali holds a bachelor degree in music from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA as well as a master degree in music from the New England Conservatory in Boston, MA. This season, Sumayya will sing the role of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and the title role of Susannah in Susannah.

Nathan Baer

Lord Gualtiero Valton, Commendatore, Dr. Grenville, Rev. Olin Blitch

Nathan Baer (bass) studied with Antoine Cordahi for eight years in Aiken, SC. Nathan's first, large-work, solo opportunities were under Antoine with the Aiken Choral Society in Haydn's Mass in Time of War, Rossini's Petite Messe Solonelle, and Dvorák's Te Deum. Mr. Baer’s first operatic role was Crespel in Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann under the baton of David Effron at Brevard Music Center. Since then, he has gone on to sing many things including: Sparafucile, Colline, Commendatore, Gremin, Escamillo, Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and tons of Modern Music. He hopes that he’ll have a place in the larger singing world for which he left peaceful bicycling through quiet, country back roads and wishes to thank most gratefully all those who have supported him in so many ways including the wonderful folks of the Opera Company of Brooklyn.

Dr. Alfred Barclift

Sir Giorgio Valton, Dr. Bartolo, Leporello, Elder Ott

Bass-baritone Dr. Alfred Barclift, a native of New Jersey, studied with internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano, Betty Allen. Operatic roles for Dr. Barclift include Figaro - The Marriage of Figaro, the title role & Leporello - Don Giovanni, Don Alfonso - Così fan Tutte, Colline - La Boheme, Don Basilio - The Barber of Seville, Porgy - Porgy and Bess, Count des Grieux - Manon, and others. Alfred has been a prize winner in numerous competitions such as 1st Prize in the Friday Woodmere Vocal Competition, 2nd Prize in the New Jersey N.A.T.S. Vocal Competition, a Finalist in the Leontyne Price Vocal Competition, and a Finalist in the YWCA Vocal Competition of New York. Dr. Barclift was selected as a vocal participant in the 2007 Aims at Graz Program.

Courtney Carey

Count Almaviva, King Melchior, Baron Douphol, Elder McLean

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, baritone Courtney D. Carey earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia, the Master of Music degree in Conducting from Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York, and the Professional Studies Diploma in Voice from Mannes College of Music, New York, New York. Mr. Carey made his operatic debut in the summer of 2003 as Morales in Bizet’s Carmen and Hermann in Offenbach’s Hoffmans Erazaehlungen with the Komische KammerOper Muenchen, Munich, Germany. Since his debut, Mr. Carey has sung principal and supporting roles in Il Tabarro , Gianni Schicchi, Die Zauberflote, My Fair Lady, Ariadne auf Naxos, and most recently Don Alfonso in Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte. Mr. Carey is the recipient of numerous awards including the prestigious Arleen Auger Memorial Scholarship named in honor of the famed soprano Arleen Auger and a Classical Studies grant from the Hester Fund for Classical Music Studies. In addition to his vocal endeavors, Mr. Carey is a published composer/arranger with choral arrangements published by both GIA Publications and Roger Dean Music Publishing Company.

Darren Chase

Don Ottavio, Nemorino, Alfredo, Sam

Darren Chase lives in New York City, where he toils happily as an opera singer and public school teacher. Last spring, he added two Russian roles to his repertoire: Lenski in Evgenye Onegin (New York Opera Studio) and Don Juan in The Stone Guest (Richmond Music Festival). During the fall, he sang the roles of Ferrando and Ernesto at the Amato Opera and began recording sessions for his forthcoming CD, "C'est l'extase," a collection of early Debussy songs, including the Ariettes Oubliées and Baudelaire Songs. Highlights of past seasons include performances of Des Grieux and Tamino at the Shaker Mountain Opera Festival, Count Almaviva with Palm Beach Opera and the role of Pélléas at the Santa Fe Opera (apprentice) and in Tel Aviv (IVAI Festival). Darren attended the Aspen and Tanglewood music festivals and has degrees from UC Berkeley, Boston University and the City College of New York.

Valentina Fleer

Barbarina, Adina, Violetta

Valentina Fleer, soprano, is a recent winner of the Career Bridges Grant, the Jensen Foundation Encouragement Award, and the Anna Sosenko Assist Trust Award. She covered the role of Marfa in Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera, The Tsar’s Bride, with the Opera Orchestra of New York. She was a member of the 2008 Glimmerglass Opera Young American Artists Program, where she covered Sarah Coburn as Giulietta in Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi. In 2007, Ms. Fleer debuted the role of Maria Callas in the award winning contemporary opera, Tony Caruso’s Last Broadcast, for the National Opera Association. While studying at the Manhattan School of Music, she sang Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Fiordiligi in scenes from Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte. She has traveled to Lima, Peru to perform in several benefit concerts organized in partnership with Columbia Artists Management. This fall Ms. Fleer will work on the last act of La Traviata with esteemed director Jonathan Miller as part of a master class series for Glimmerglass Opera.

Jonathan Hare

Antonio, Belcore, Masetto, Page

Jonathan Hare, baritone, has recieved his Bachelors of Music from the Manhattan School of Music. He has appeared in various operas such as La Traviata, Carmen, The Magic Flute and The Merry Widow. He has sung the roles of Figaro in The Barber of Sevile, Dr. Flake in Die Fledermaus, Morales and Dancairo in Carmen with OCB. This summer he was part of dell'Arte Opera Ensemble where he did A Midsummer Nights Dream (Starveling) and Romeo et Juliette (Paris). His future OCB roles include Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro, Page in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Masetto in Don Giovanni and Belcore in L'elisir d'amore.

Nils Neubert

Don Basilio, Gastone, Elder Hayes; Cover Roles: King Kaspar, Nemorino, Don Ottavio

Tenor Nils Neubert has performed as Andrew Johnson (The Mother of Us All), and the first armored man (Die Zauberflöte), and has sung workshop performances of Così fan tutte, L’elisir d’amore, Béatrice et Bénédict, Albert Herring and The Tender Land. Recital venues include Steinway, Yamaha, and Alice Tully Halls, and he has been a soloist with the Queens College Choral Society. He holds a B.M. from the Juilliard School, is currently earning an M.A. at Columbia University’s Teachers College, and has taken courses at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, and the Festival de Musica Clasica in Spain. He has been a guest artist for two seasons at the International Academy of Music in Italy.

Murat Cem Orhan

Figaro, Germont

Baritone Murat Cem Orhan is a native of Izmir, Turkey. Opera roles include Escamillo, Figaro from Il Barbiere di Siviglia , Guglielmo, Papageno, Horace Tabor in The Ballad of Baby Doe, and Albert in Werther. Upcoming engagements include the Forester in The Cunning Little Vixen, Figaro from Le Nozze di Figaro and Germont from La Traviata. He has been a prizewinner in numerous competitions, including 1st Prize in the Edirne International Vocal Competition, 3rd Prize in the Siemens Opera Competition, and a Finalist in the Toti Dal Monte Competition. He has participated in masterclasses with Renato Bruson in Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy, Raina Kabaivanska in Sophia, Bulgaria, and Ashley Putnam and Catherine Malfitano in New York. He is currently a graduate student at Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music, and studies with Patricia McCafferey.

Mari-Yan Pringle

Donna Anna, Mrs. Gleaton

"...A student in name only..." (Democrat & Chronicle), Soprano Mari-Yan Pringle is a 2008-2009 Resident Artist with the Opera Company of Brooklyn and will sing Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) and Mrs. Gleaton (Susannah) with the company this spring. Ms. Pringle has performed with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Eastman-Rochester Chorus, Eastman Philharmonic and Eastman Opera Theater. She has studied at the Music Academy of the West and at the Centro Studi Italiani in Italy. She has sung Mme. Lidoine (Dialogues of the Carmelites), Mrs. Grose (Turn of the Screw -scene) and Cio-Cio San (Madama Butterfly -scene). Her oratorio credits include Johannes Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem and Ludwig Beethoven's Missa Solemnis.

A native New Yorker, Mari-Yan is an alumna of the Eastman School of Music where she earned a Master of Music Degree with both the Performer's Certificate and Catherine Filene Shouse Arts Leadership Certificate. She completed her undergraduate studies at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA. She currently resides in New York City where she studies with Joan Lader.

Mary Rauh

Mother, Cherubino, Maid, Mrs. McLean

Mary Rauh (Mezzo-Soprano) is delighted to return as a resident artist with the Opera Company of Brooklyn. Ms. Rauh's sonorous, ringing and warm timbre has earned her invitations to sing at the State Theater on the New York City Opera stage, Legion of Honor in San Francisco, Solisti Opera Theatre Program of Lucca, Martina Arroyo Foundation, and with many superb companies in New York City including: Astoria Symphony, Opera Company of the Hamptons, Chelsea Opera, New York Downtown Symphony, One World Symphony, Regina Opera, and Opera Company of Astoria. Mary has brought her superb level of commitment and deep energy to many performances of song and oratorio but especially to opera as: Prince Orlofsky, Nicklausse, and Carmen to name a few. Her present engagements include: a solo recital on Kauai, Hawaii; Mrs. Ott with Empire Opera, and Siebel with Regina Opera in 2009.

Basia Revi

Marcellina, Flora, Mrs. Ott; Cover roles: Mother

Mezzo-soprano Basia Revi (Barbara Rzezwicka-Gajdek) has performed internationally. She holds Masters of Music degree with distinction from the Academy of Music in Katowice, Poland and MA from ACSM at Queens College. Her full mezzo voice has been praised for fine quality, warmth and richness yet wide range and great flexibility. In Poland, she sang the roles of Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Olga in Eugene Onegin, and the mezzo solo in Missa Criolla by A. Ramirez in televised performances. Her next performance will be the role of Fenena in Nabucco with Polish National Opera.

Most recently Ms. Revi performed the role of Balia and Madonna Montecchi in Romeo e Giulietta with International Opera Theater in Citta della Pive, Italy. In November 2007 she made her New York City Opera debut as a Spirit in a production of Cendrillon. Ms. Revi also performed the roles of Giulietta and the Voice of the Mother in The Tales of Hoffman in the Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance 2007. As a young artist at Dicapo Opera, Ms. Revi performed the title role of La Cenerentola. Some of her other roles have included Mercedes and Carmen in Carmen, Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana, Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Idamante in Idomeneo, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Flora in La Traviata, Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Romeo in I Capulleti e I Montecchi, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Maddalena in Rigoletto, Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier and Charlotte in Werther.

A passionate recitalist, she has performed at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, the 92nd St. Y, Kosciuszko Foundation, National Arts Club, Manhattan School of Music, The Lefrak Concert Hall, Consulate General of Poland, French Consulate General, and Brooklyn Public Library. Her solo oratorio credits include: Handel's Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and C-minor Mass with the Queens College Choral Society, Vivaldi’s Magnificat, the Stabat Mater of both Pergolesi and Rossini, and Bach’s Magnificat performed in Oratorio Festivals in Poland. Ms. Revi is a finalist of Classical Singer Competition 2008 and a finalist of the Marcella Sembrich competition. Ms. Revi has also been the recipient of the Gary Giardina and the Spalutto-Bonczak awards. In 2006-2007, Ms. Revi performed the roles of the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas with Queens College Chamber Orchestra (period instruments) and the Nurse in Bruce Saylor’s New York premiere of Orpheus Descending based on the play by Tennessee Williams. In July 2006, she performed in a semi-improvised opera The Curse on the High C’s with OperaWorks in Los Angeles. In the spring of 2007 she sang in L. Bernstein’s Songfest under maestro Maurice Peress. Ms. Revi is an educator and works as a Teaching/Choral Artist for The Metropolitan Opera Guild in New York.

Oaklea Rowe

Countess, Gianetta, Mrs. Hayes

Ms Rowe is a native of Denver Colorado and holds a BM in Vocal Performance from the University of Denver, Lamont School of Music. She has been a soloist for The Spirituals Project (Co), The Denver Brass, Opera Colorado and has given recitals in both Denver and New York performing classical, musical theater and traditional spirituals. She has been a Regional Finalist in various vocal competitions including The West Valley Symphony Young Artist Competition (AZ), The National Negro Musicians Association, The Denver Lyric Opera Guild and the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions. Ms Rowe was honored to be a 2008 recipient of a music grant for career advancement from Allied Arts Inc. She is excited to participate in the Opera Company of Brooklyn Resident Artist Program for the 2008/09 Season.

Jody Sheinbaum

Susanna, Zerlina

Soprano Jody Sheinbaum has appeared with New York City Opera, Santa Fe Opera, San Francisco Opera’s Western Opera Theater, Opera Festival of New Jersey, the Bard Music Festival, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Santa Fe Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic, and the New York Pops, among others. She has given recitals in the United States, France and Japan, and has a unique interest and specialty in performing Japanese art song. Roles of note include Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Despina in Così fan tutte, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Servilia in La Clemenza di Tito, Serpina in La Serva Padrona, and Musetta in La Bohème. Contemporary roles include Sybil in Lowell Liebermann’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Young Alyce in Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied, Beth in Mark Adamo’s Little Women, and Baby Doe in The Ballad of Baby Doe. Ms. Sheinbaum has collaborated on many occasions with American Opera Projects, Center for Contemporary Opera, and Encompass New Opera Theater. Her recording of Russell Platt’s From Noon To Starry Night - A Walt Whitman Cantata with The Mirror Visions Ensemble was recently released on Albany Records.

Gregory Spock

King Kaspar, Don Curzio, Elder Gleaton; Cover roles: Basilio, Gastone

Gregory Spock, tenor, roles include: The Old Miner and Hotel Clerk (The Ballad of Baby Doe), King Kaspar (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Parpignol (La Boheme), Don Curzio (Le Nozze di Figaro), Tierhandler and Wirt (Der Rosenkavalier), Pinnellino (Gianni Schicchi), Looking Glass (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves), Count Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Marco (Gianni Schicchi), and Antonio (The Gondoliers). Upcoming engagements include Arturo (Lucia di Lammermoor) and Gherardo (Gianni Schicchi) both with Regina Opera. He is excited to sing the roles of Don Curzio (Le Nozze di Figaro), King Kaspar (Amahl and the Night Visitors), and Elder Gleaton (Susannah) with Opera Company of Brooklyn.

Mila Henry

Pianist

Equally at home with vocal and instrumental repertoire, American pianist Mila Henry has developed a unique ability to collaborate with musicians due to her wide-ranging performance background. As a vocal accompanist and coach, she has served as a staff accompanist at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, and has coached and prepared singers for performances of The Rape of Lucretia and Street Scene (under the baton of Hal France), with the Manhattan School of Music Opera Studio. In addition to OCB, Mila is currently a staff pianist for the Bronx Opera, Manhattan School of Music, and Barnard College. She has performed in masterclasses given by Stephanie Blythe, Catherine Malfitano, Lauren Flanigan and Andrea Gruber. Mila received her Master’s degree in accompanying from the Manhattan School of Music, where she studied as a scholarship student under Ken Merrill. Upcoming engagements include the New York premiere of John Musto’s Later the Same Evening with the Manhattan School of Music Opera Studio.

Grace Brooks

Cover roles: Donna Elvira, Cherubino, Flora, Mrs. McLean

"Grace's singing is so lovely it almost pains the heart to hear it," says Kie Relyea of the Bellingham Herald. Known for her lovely, warm timbre and striking characterizations, Grace's current engagements include opera, theatre, oratorio and concerts. This year she will perform Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro with Astoria Symphony, Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Eastern Festival Opera, Mama Bear in Goldilocks and the Three Bears with the Belleayre Music Festival, Carmen in Belleayre Music Festival's Opera Gala and Mrs. Andressen in A Little Night Music with Key West Pops Symphony as well as Lucy/The White Witch in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Henry/King George in The Industrious Mr. Franklin with Traveling Lantern and Lilly's Mom in Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse with The Growing Stage. Grace is a current member of the Pacific Opera Ensemble and will be a featured soloist in the 2009 Carnegie Hall Concert. Grace graduated from Longy School of Music's Graduate Performance Program in Opera after receiving a Masters of Arts in Acting and Bachelors of Music in Sacred Music. Favorite operatic roles include Arminda in La Finta Giardiniera, Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana, Suor Genovieffa in Suor Angelica, Yum-Yum in The Mikado and Jennie Parsons in Down in the Valley.

Soyoung Choi

Cover roles: Count Almaviva, King Melchior, Belcore, Masetto, Elder McLean

Baritone Soyoung Choi is recognized with his elegant tone and theatrical ability through his interpretation of Mozart roles. Mr. Choi is currently singing the title role of Le Nozze di Figaro for Brooklyn Repertory opera. He was presented by Rabi-Warner Concert series performing French and Italian art songs. He has taken master classes by Daniel Ferro, Charles Riekers, and Dalton Baldwin. Operatic roles he is studying include Belcore, Guglielmo, Harlekin, and Papageno.

Nina Riley

Cover roles: Adina

Heralded as "the kind of Despina one hopes for: diminutive agile and with just the right clear, slender soprano voice" by the New York Times, Nina Riley participated with the Martina Arroyo Foundation, where she sang Despina in Cosi fan Tutte. Other credits include Oscar in Un Ballo in Maschera. Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia, and Madre Pica in Il Poverello (world premiere). Nina was an Apprentice Artist with Center City Opera Theater this year.

Gina Vanacoro

Cover roles: Susannah

Ami Vice

Cover roles: Susanna, Gianetta

Native American soprano Ami Vice, recipient of the Fellowship Award of Music Academy of the West, engaged in concerts with Warren Jones performing Lieschen in Bach's Kaffeekantate and recital work in his Tuesdays @ 8 Concerts. In 2004, she competed as Miss Maine at the 2005 Miss America Scholarship Pageant. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice from The University of Oklahoma and completed her Artist Diploma in Voice on a Dean's Scholarship to Oberlin College.

Anna Voevoda

Cover roles: Donna Anna

Anna Voevoda received her Master’s Degree with honours, specializing in Opera Singing, Chamber Singing and Voice teaching from Odessa National Music Academy in Ukraine in 2004. After graduation, Ms. Voevoda worked as a soloist in the Mikhail Vodyanoy Musical Comedy Theatre in Odessa and for the Odessa State Philarmonic Society. She has given more than 120 recitals and recieved an Honorary Diploma for singing the Mono-Opera Stranger’s Letter by Antonio Spadavecchia. Ms. Voevoda is also the winner of the International Vocal Compatition in Smolensk, Russia, in 2006. Her repertoire includes the roles Aida, Tosca, Mimi, Lisa, Tatiana, Donna Anna, Amelia and others. Mr. Voevoda has lived in New York City since November 2006. She teaches at the Shostakovich School of Music and Art in Brooklyn and performs as a chamber singer in the Empire State Music Festival. This July she learned and performed the role of Tatiana in Eugene Onegin with Carol and Nico Castel of the New York Opera Society. In August 2008 she performed in Canadian Vocal Art Institute on Fundrising Concert, Master Class and Gala Concert in Montreal. She is contracted to perform the role of Tatiana with One World Symphony Orchestra in March, 2009.