The artists
Byron Singelton, tenor (Alexander the Great)
Tenor Byron Singelton has performed throughout the United States and Europe.While attending graduate school he performed Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress, Titiro in Il café D’amore, and Don Ottavio (cover) in Don Giovanni as well as other supporting roles. In 1998 he was a participant in The Daniel Ferro Vocal Program in Greve, Italy, where he performed operas and concerts in various venues in the Tuscan countryside. He was also a finalist in the 1998 Richard Tauber Tenor Competition. In 1999 he performed the role of Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi with Opera on the Lake in Maine. From 2000-2001 Mr. Singleton was a resident artist at DiCapo Opera Theater, where he performed the roles of Schmidt, Borsa, and the messenger in Werther, Rigoletto, and Il Trovatore, respectively. During the summer of 2001 Mr. Singleton was a resident artist at Caramoor Opera, where he sang the role of Rodolfo in excerpts from Luisa Miller under the baton of Will Crutchfield, as well as covering the role of the King in Rossini’s Otello. In 2002 he sang the title role in the Metropolitan Opera Guild production Where’s a Tenor when you need One, a show designed to introduce children to opera. Recordings include the world premier of James Hagerty’s The Peace Opera. An avid recitalist, Mr. Singleton performed a lieder recital in 2002 at a showing of the Dallas artist, Rufino Jiminez. He also sang a concert of sacred songs with the Dallas Brass ensemble at First Lane Baptist Church, as well as performing as soloist in a concert of Spanish Christmas Music at the Caramoor Festival. From 2002-2003 Mr. Singleton performed the role of Floriville in the Metropolitan Opera Outreach production of Il Signor Bruschino. In 2003 he performed the title role in an abridged version of Faust with The Opera Company of Astoria. In 2004 he was the tenor soloist in the Mozart Requiem and M. Vogelsang in a concert version of Mozart’s Opera Der Schauspieldirektor with the Astoria Symphony. He performed the title role in George Quincy’s new comic opera The Mummy. In 2005 Mr. Singleton was the tenor soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Hudson Symphony. He was also the tenor soloist in Beethoven’s Chorale Fantasy with the Astoria Symphony. Most recently he sang the role of Rodolfo in La Boheme with Cantiamo Opera and Count Belfiore in La Finta Giardiniera. In 2007 he made his Metropolitan Opera debut singing in the chorus of Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg. Most recently he sang Rodolfo in a concert version of La Boheme with the Crotan Symphony Orchestra and Chorale, and was a finalist in the Mario Lanza Vocal Competition. In 2008 Mr. Singleton will be a featured performer in Diamond Opera Theater’s recital series Art Song Deconstructed where he will perform a recital of German lieder including Schumann’s Dichterliebe. He is currently in the process of recording a CD of Sanskrit and Tamil chants and kirtans. Mr. Singleton holds a B.M. in voice from Northwestern University and an M.M. from Mannes College of Music.
Nathan Baer, bass (King Philip II)
Nathan Baer (bass) studied with Antoine Cordahi for eight years. Nathan's first, large-work, solo opportunities were under Antoine and with the Aiken Choral Society in Haydn's Mass in Time of War, Rossini's Petite Messe Solonelle, and Dvořák's Te Deum.
Mr. Baer's first operatic role was Crespel in Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann under the baton of David Effron with the Janiec Opera Company at Brevard Music Center.
Some others since include: Eric in Sandstrom's Jeppe, Sparafucile in Verdi's Rigoletto, Colline in Puccini's La Boheme, Victor in Jorge Martin's Stronger than Darkness, Quince in Britten's Midsummer Night's Dream, Figaro in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, Commendatore in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen, Gremin in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, All Four Villains in Offenbach's Les Contes d'Offmann, and the Iceman in Eric Salzman's The True Last Words of Dutch Schultz.
Nathan's musical theatre credits include: Sondheim's Into the Woods as Narrator/Mysterious Man, the National Tour of Lloyd Weber's Jesus Christ Superstar as Caiaphas, and Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado as Mikado. He is equally at home in straight theatre and such a role of note was Death in Hugo Distler's Toten Tanz.
To round out the great, concert standards, Nathan Baer has soloed in Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, Verdi's Requiem, Beethoven's Ninth, and Berlioz's Romeo and Juliette as Friar Laurence under David Bowden with the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic.
Mr. Baer has worked with Martina Arroyo, Giorgio Tozzi and Atarah Hazzan. And, in masterclass settings, has earned high regard from Paul Plishka and Nico Castel, among others.
Two exciting, operatic roles written for and premiered by Nathan Baer are: Barabbas in Robert Samel's Pilatus, and Cassander in Matthew Pittsinger's Alexander.
In November of 2007, Mr. Baer was chosen as one of the winners on the Eastern/New York City District of the Metropolitan National Council competition.
Nathan wishes to thank most gratefully the world for it's many miracles and all of those who have made anything that he has ever done possible.
Elspeth Davis, mezzo (High Priestess Queen Olympias)
Mezzo-soprano Elspeth Davis was born in the town of Seneca, South Carolina. She graduated with a Masters of Music degree in the studio of Stanley Cornett at the Peabody Institute, where she was a Peabody Merit Scholarship recipient. At Peabody, Ms. Davis has performed the role of Mme. de la Haltiere in Massenet's Cendrillon, of which Tim Smith of the Baltimore Sun wrote " [she is] a deliciously wicked stepmother…her singing was as colorful as her acting." With the Baltimore Theatre Project she performed the role of the Second Nurse in Henry Mollicone's Hotel Eden. She also starred in Peabody Opera's premiere production of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music as Desiree Armfeldt. In March of 2007, she returned to the school as a guest artist in the role of Nicklausse/La Muse in Les Contes d'Hoffmann.
She is a founding member of the Harbor Opera Company, for which she has sung the roles of The Announcer in Gallantry, Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti, and The Faithful Seductress in the new chamber opera Ophelia Forever. Recent engagements include the role of Béatrice in Béatrice et Bénédict by Hector Berlioz, an artist-in-residency with The Canton Symphony in Ohio, Praskowia/Clo-Clo in The Merry Widow for The Liederkranz Foundation, and Le Prince Charmant in Cendrillon. Upcoming engagements include Nancy (cover) at The Liederkranz as well as Britten's Phaedra with The Astoria Symphony. No stranger to the stage, Ms. Davis has also performed the roles of Papagena, Suor Genovieffa, Cookie (in Milton Granger's Talk Opera), Percy Talbot (in The Spitfire Grill, for which she received an Irene Ryan nomination), and Gianetta in the Operafestival di Roma's production of L'Elisir d'Amore. In 2002, Ms. Davis was a member of the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center. In 2004 she was a member of College Light Opera Company in Cape Cod, where she performed the roles of The Fairy Queen (Iolanthe), Virginella (La Perichole), Dame Carruthers (Yeomen of the Guard), Nettie Fowler (Carousel), Mme. Matroppo (Very Good Eddie), and The Witch (Into the Woods). As an actor Ms. Davis has appeared as Mariane (Tartuffe), Dunyasha (The Cherry Orchard), Olivia (Twelfth Night), Billie (Haiku), and The Girl in Veronica's Room, as well as readings of new works for the New Play Festival in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Mary Mackenzie, soprano (Roxana – Cleopatra)
Equally comfortable with classical and contemporary repertoire, soprano Mary Elizabeth Mackenzie has captured the attention of audiences in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Wisconsin. She has won praise for her clear and flexible voice, as well as her extraordinary musicianship and fearless interpretation of contemporary music.Mary attended the Cleveland Institute of Music where she appeared as Susanna (The Marriage of Figaro), Laetitia (The Old Maid and the Thief), and Beth (Little Women). She was the first singer in 14 years to win the school's concerto competition, which resulted in a performance of Mozart's Exultate Jubilate with the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra. In 2005, Mary moved to New York City to pursue a Master of Music degree at the Manhattan School of Music. While in New York, she appeared as Lucia (The Rape of Lucretia), and concert appearances included Mahler's Symphony No. 4 and Faure's Requiem. She also appeared as The Youth in Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra in Chicago, and as soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah with the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra.Recent awards include second place in Manhattan School of Music's Eisenberg-Fried Vocal Concerto Competition with Britten's Les Illuminations and co-winner of Wisconsin Public Radio's Neale-Silva Young Artists' Competition.A passionate performer of contemporary music, Ms. Mackenzie has worked closely with composers Richard Danielpour and John Harbison. In 2007, she was invited by John Harbison to perform at his Token Creek Music Festival, and performed Three Sacred Songs by James Primosch, and premiered selections from Harbison's new anthology of pop songs, Songs after Hours. She was also the featured performer in a special concert at Manhattan School of Music, Compositional Mentors, Students, and Performers: Exploring the Legacy of Music, which showcased Richard Danielpour's Sonnets to Orpheus, Book I, as well as two new song cycles written by his students for Ms. Mackenzie. Mary also enjoys collaborating with young, up-and-coming composers, and has premiered works by Christopher Cerrone (Averno, Drei Rilke Lieder), Michael DiGiacinto (Songs on Living), Nathan Hetherington (Insensibility), John Frantzen (Four Frost Songs), and Wang Jie (Nannan, Swamp's Shore, The Animal Carnival). She recently appeared in A Day of South African Music performing the U.S. premiere of works by Robert Fokkens and Hendrik Hofmeyr, and also made her Carnegie Hall debut in New Music, New Ireland, New York: A Showcase of Contemporary Irish Composers.In 2008, Mary will appear with the Red Light New Music Ensemble, performing Luciano Berio's O King, and the U.S. premiere of Tiziano Manca's Deux epigrammes amoureuse et une intimation. She will also appear at The Kimmel Center, in Philadelphia, PA, performing a program of songs by James Primosch. This summer, Mary will attend the Ravinia Steans Institute for Young Artists in Chicago, Il.
Grant Gilman, conductor (East Coast Philharmonic Orchestra)
Grant Gilman is enjoying a successful beginning to a very promisingcareer as a conductor. In addition to his positions as Music Directorwith the Harbor Opera Company and Resident Conductor with the AstoriaSymphony in New York City, Mr. Gilman just completed his debutperformance with the Moscow Ballet conducting Tchaikovsky's"Nutcracker" at the Lyric Opera House in Baltimore.As Music Director with the Harbor Opera Company Mr. Gilman'sdedication to the art of opera has led to productions of standardclassics, such as Berlioz' "Beatrice et Benedict" and Massenet's"Cinderella," and new operas, including "Ophelia Forever" by Amy BethKirsten and "Prometheus" by Panayoti Karousos.Mr. Gilman began his conducting studies while growing up in SanAntonio, and continued when he gained acceptance into the studio ofGustav Meier and Markand Thakar at the prestigious Peabody Instituteof Music at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.In addition to his conducting, Mr. Gilman is a highly regardededucator. Mr. Gilman has not only spent his yearly time teaching withthe Garden State Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and Newark CommunitySchool for the Arts, but his summers as well with the Youth Orchestrasof San Antonio Summer String Camp, where he continues to receive highacclaim for his unique and in-depth teaching style that producesexceptional concerts from young musicians.Living in Norfolk, Virginia, with his wife, Kim, currently 4th hornwith the Virginia Symphony, Mr. Gilman enjoys his non-musicalfree-time jogging, reading philosophy, and developing web design.
Lance Keizer, tenor
Crystal A. Charles, mezzo
The Greek Warriors, is the premier Ancient Greek Hoplite re-enactment group on the East Coast and was established in 2004. The group is currently commanded by both George Marcinek and Peter S. Giakoumis of NY. The Greek Warriors is a dedicated living history group, recreating the ancient Greek Hoplite Warrior. Their arms and armor portray the classic Greek Warrior in full panoply. Most of the equipment and arms are hand made, some of which is created by the members themselves in a similar fashion as the ancients did. The group has appeared on television, film and print media throughout the world.
Victor Cheng, conductor Victor Cheng, jazz/classical pianist, conductor, vocalist, organist, is now studying conducting with David Briskin (National Ballet of Canada) and Ivars Taurins (Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, Calgary Philharmonic). In 2007, Victor, along with Kevin Lau (UofT Doctoral candidate, composition), founded Sneak Peek Orchestra, showcasing young talent and premiering new works by young Canadian composers. Victor's conductin
Jennifer Rasor, Soprano (Roxana – Thessaloniki – Cleopatra)
Alastair Smyth is in the third year of a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Toronto. He studies voice with mezzo-soprano JoAnne Bentley, and in the Opera Division under Sandra Horst. Originally from Vancouver, Alastair has taken part in master classes there as well as here in Toronto. These master classes have been led by such illustrious artists as Sherrill Milnes, Francois le Roux, and Paul Sperry. He has also performed with the UBC Opera Ensemble, and took part in the University of Toronto's fall production of Cimarosa's “Il Matrimonio Segreto”. He is excited to perform this new work by composer Panayiotis Karousos.
Dolores Tjart, soprano (Queen
Stewart Granger, tenor (Alexander the Great)
The Sneak Peek Symphony Orchestra conducted by Victor Cheng
