A recipe for delight, or disaster?

Turns lemons into limoncello in just 2 acts!

In Ariadne auf Naxos, Richard Strauss tosses the warring parties of high concept and lowbrow comedy into the same blender, with results that are both hilarious and touching. In this lively opera-within-an-opera, we witness a clash of bristling egos, egregious demands upon sensitive artistic temperaments, outrageous flirtations, callow compromises to commerce, trampled expectations, tragic heartbreak, emotional awakenings, and spiritual rebirth. (And that’s just the first act!)

Opera fans know Naxos as a title that’s famously challenging for the leads. The signature arias of Zerbinetta’s Großmächtige Prinzessin (High and mighty princess), Ariadne’s Es gibt ein Reich (There is a kingdom) and Harlequin’s Lieben, Hassen, Hoffen, Zagen (Love, hate, hope, fear) are sure to inspire great performances from our guest artists and delight the audience with a dizzying spectrum of emotions.

Don’t be another tragic Ariadne! It might be a long time before an opportunity this good comes to your island again!

See some photos

allison pohl as echo, dawn padula as dryad, aria manning as naiad
Photo by Peter Serko
anthony webb as the dancing master with commedia dell'arte troupe
Photo by Peter Serko
andy papas as the music master with grace skinner as the composer
Photo by Peter Serko
michael delos as the major-domo with anthony webb as the dancing master
Photo by Peter Serko
errin duane brooks as the tenor and andy papas as the music master
Photo by Peter Serko
the cast of ariadne auf naxos and commedia dell'arte learning the news on stage
Photo by Peter Serko
benaiah axlund as a lackey with grace skinner as the composer
Photo by Peter Serko
marie masters webb as ariadne
Photo by Peter Serko
hallie schmidt as zerbinetta
Photo by Peter Serko
hallie schmidt as zerbinetta with commedia dell'arte troupe
Photo by Peter Serko
jose rubio as harklekin with the three nymphs
Photo by Peter Serko
hallie schmidt as zerbinetta with jose rubio as harlekin
Photo by Peter Serko
errin duane brooks as bacchus
Photo by Peter Serko
grace skinner as the composer
Photo by Peter Serko
marie masters webb as ariadne with errin duane brooks as bacchus
Photo by Peter Serko
marie masters webb as ariadne with hallie schmidt as zerbinetta
Photo by Peter Serko
errin duane brooks as bacchus
Photo by Peter Serko
marie masters webb as ariadne with errin duane brooks as bacchus in background
Photo by Peter Serko
marie masters webb as ariadne
Photo by Peter Serko

Meet the artists

soprano marie masters webb
The Prima Donna / AriadneMarie Masters Webb
tenor errin duane brooks
The Tenor / Bacchus Errin Duane Brooks
soprano hallie schmidt
Zerbinetta Hallie Schmidt
baritone josé rubio
Harlekin José Rubio
tenor robert mcpherson
Scaramuccio Robert McPherson
bass alexander r adams
Truffaldino Alexander R Adams

Running time

2 hours, 35 minutes (including one 25-minute intermission)

Synopsis

Act I, The Prologue

What an invitation! A fancy dinner at the home of the richest man in Vienna. Then entertainment — a new opera, Ariadne auf Naxos, composed for the occasion by the hottest young composer, followed by some laughs from an Italian comic troupe. And fireworks to wind up the evening.

Fast forward to the actual event. “Change of plans,” says the Major-domo, who’s in charge of the evening. “We don’t have enough time to do the opera and then the comedy. Rather than cut one, my boss says do both shows at the same time!

About the composer

Richard Strauss was the last of the great German romantic composers. The heir to Richard Wagner, his work varied from nostalgic to wildly rhapsodic compositions that opened the door to modern music of the 20th century.

He was born in 1864 into a musical family in Munich. His father was the principal horn player in the Munich Court Orchestra. A musical prodigy, young Richard studied piano and violin from early childhood, wrote his first compositions at age six, and was launched on a meteoric seven-decade composing and conducting career that made him an enduring giant of German classical music.

About the opera

It seemed like a good idea. Why not link a play and an opera in a single production. Richard Strauss’ collaborator, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, had the thought after a night in Paris watching a 17th-century Molière comedy, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme.

Der Rosenkavalier had been a huge hit for the partners and their next large-scale opera on the drawing board, Die Frau ohne Schatten, was going to take serious time and work. There was opportunity now for a “serious trifle,” Strauss said. A 30-minute comic opera based on a classic Greek myth with a small chamber orchestra and a mix of characters — stuffy 18-century European nobility and a five-member troupe of comedians in the spirit of Italian comeddia dell’arte. Strauss called the mini-opera Ariadne auf Naxos. It would be the second act and follow a version of the Molière play that Hofmannsthal would write.

bass alexander r adams

Alexandar R Adams

Truffaldino

Alexander R Adams, bass-baritone, is excited to make his professional opera debut with Vashon Opera as Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos. He currently studies with Dr. Anton Belov. Alexander received his Master of Music in Vocal Arts from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music where he studied with baritone Rod Gilfry. Prior to this he received his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington where he studied with Dr. Dawn Padula. This summer, Alexander sang the role of the Churchman in the pre-premiere of a new opera, Ourland by director/librettist Daniel Helfgot and composer Paul Davies, at the Aquilon Music Festival in McMinnville, Oregon. Alexander's other opera performances include the role of Publio in Mozart's La clemenza di Tito, the Minister in Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride, and Mr. Plunkett/Judge in Henze's The English Cat, all while studying at USC; Sprecher/Armored Man in Die Zauberflöte at the Astoria, Oregon music festival; as well as the Sergeant of the Police in Pirates of Penzance with the UPS opera program.

bass benaiah axlund

Benaiah Axlund

A Lackey

Benaiah Axlund is a young bass who enjoys sharing his love of Opera and song. He graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 2021, with a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance. While at Pacific Lutheran University, Benaiah had roles in many shows, including The Parson in Leoš Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen, Bartolo in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, and a Witch in Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. He has enjoyed taking part in the Summer Opera program at PLU, as well, singing Sarastro in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, the Police Chief in Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, and Mr. Olson in Kurt Weill's Street Scene. Benaiah is excited to return to Vashon Opera, where he has taken part in several previous performances—most recently as Bogdanovitch in Franz Lehár's The Merry Widow. In the future, Benaiah plans to attend school for his Master of Music degree.

tenor errin duane brooks

Errin Duane Brooks

The Tenor / Bacchus

Errin Duane Brooks is quickly gaining momentum as a tenor from Detroit, Michigan. Recently, Mr. Brooks made his company and role debut with Lakes Area Music Festival as Bacchus in Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos and with Des Moines Metro Opera as Robbins in George and Ira Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Errin Duane also covered Normanno in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor with The Metropolitan Opera after making his off-Broadway debut, performing the role of Mr. Charles/ensemble in Ricky Ian Gordon/Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater. Also, Errin was previously seen at The Metropolitan Opera, reprising his role as Mingo in Porgy and Bess, and as Nathan in Terrence Blanchard's Fire Shut Up In My Bones, which was the first opera by a black composer to perform at The Met. At The Phoenicia Festival of the Voice, Mr. Brooks made his company debut performing the role of Canio in Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci. Recent competition winnings include The Sullivan Foundation Awards, The Wagner Society of New York, the Giulio Gari Foundation International Voice Competition and most notably, earning the George London-Kirsten Flagstad Grand Prize Award for promising Wagnerian Singer in the 2017 George London Foundation Competition. Upcoming performances for Mr. Brooks include returns to both the Metropolitan Opera covering the High Priest in Mozart's Idomeneo and to Connecticut Lyric Opera in his role debut as Don Ottavio in Mozart's Don Giovanni. Graduating with honors, Errin Duane received his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance with a minor in Business from Madonna University, his Master of Music in Vocal Performance at Bowling Green State University and an Artist Diploma in Opera from Roosevelt University. Mr. Brooks is currently represented by Peter Randsman, President and Founder of Randsman Artists Management.

conductor james brown

James Brown

Conductor, Stage Director, Musical Director

James Brown enjoys an eclectic career of conducting, concertizing as a singer, stage directing, and voice teaching. He is the Chair of Vocal Studies at Pacific Lutheran University where he directs the opera and oversees a large voice program. As a tenor, James sang in many professional opera productions under the batons of such conductors as James Conlon, John DeMain, Richard Hickox, Julius Rudel, and Robert Spano. As the regular conductor and stage director for Vashon Opera, James has led productions of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Carmen, Cosi fan tutte, Les Dialogues des Carmélites, Die Fledermaus, Don Giovanni, Eugene Onegin (conductor), Madama Butterfly (stage director), I Pagliacci, Tosca, and Werther. Other notable productions as stage director include Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Kurt Weill’s Street Scene, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, Handel’s Semele, La Boheme and a critically acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd (Lakewood Playhouse). Recent productions for James include conducting Giulio Cesare in Egitto and Trial by Jury for PLU Opera, Cavalleria Rusticana and The Merry Widow for Vashon Opera, and directing Trouble in Tahiti for the Reno Chamber Orchestra. Upcoming productions include conducting L'elisir d'Amore for PLU Opera, The Tacoma Method (Youtz premiere) for Tacoma Opera, and Rigoletto for Vashon Opera. James was a Resident Artist at The Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and holds degrees in voice from Loyola University/New Orleans, The Juilliard School and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

bass-baritone michael delos

Michael Delos

The Major Domo

Bass-baritone Michael Delos has won critical acclaim for his performances in a diverse repertoire of over three dozen operatic roles, including Mephistopheles in Faust, both the Don and Leporello in Don Giovanni, Basilio in The Barber of Seville, Olin Blitch in Carlyle Floyd's Susannah and Nick Shadow in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress - the role of his European debut with L'Opera de Monte Carlo, Monaco. He joined the roster of the New York City Opera in 1987 and has also performed extensively with Vancouver (BC) Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Seattle Opera, Opera Utah, Las Vegas Opera, Portland Opera and Hawaii Opera Theater. A highly respected concert artist, Michael Delos has appeared with many major symphony orchestras throughout North America and Japan, including those of Detroit, Tokyo, Osaka, Seattle, Calgary, Edmonton, Oregon, Sacramento and Spokane. Delos can also be heard on many video game soundtracks, such as the Halo series, World of Warcraft, Ages of Empires and The Elder Scrolls. His film soundtracks include Novocaine with Denzel Washington, Ghostrider with Nicholas Cage and Mirror, Mirror with Julia Roberts and Nathan Lane, with music by Alan Menken.

tenor gary koch

Gary Koch

An Officer

Gary returns for his sixteenth Vashon Opera production. He has been a frequent soloist with the Vashon Island Chorale and in local recitals and benefits. He performed the Beethoven song cycle An die ferne Geliebte with Roweena Hammill as part of the 2017 Beethoven Marathon. In March 2018 he sang Erlkönig and other Schubert lieder as part of Michael Tracy’s lecture series at Vashon Center for the Arts. In addition to singing in the opera chorus, Vashon Opera roles include Parpignol in La bohème, Mr. Splinters in The Tender Land, the Captain in The Barber of Seville, Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly, Captain Petrovich in Eugene Onegin, Dottore Spinelloccio, in Gianni Schicchi, Brühlmann in Werther, and a Doctor in A Streetcar Named Desire. He has also previously sung the roles of Tamino in The Magic Flute, Bob in The Old Maid and the Thief, Ben in The Telephone and Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas. Prior musical theater roles include Tommy in Brigadoon, Strephon in Iolanthe, Freddy in My Fair Lady, Koko in The Mikado, Ralph in H.M.S. Pinafore, and Tito in Lend Me a Tenor. Gary studied with the late William Eddy.

tenor trevor kytola

Trevor Kytola

A Wigmaker

Originally from Walla Walla, WA, Trevor is entering his final year at Pacific Lutheran University studying a Bachelor in Music Education with a focus on secondary choral music. As a student of Dr. James Brown, Trevor has performed with PLU Opera in roles such as Gabriel von Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Schoolmaster/Mosquito in The Cunning Little Vixen, and Don Curzio/Chorus in Le Nozze di Figaro. He has also performed with PLU Theatre and Dance as Jamie in The Last Five Years, Ensemble in Sweeney Todd, and multiple roles in the musical cabaret, Broadway Today! Trevor also performs with The Choir of the West and will soon be a member of Choral Union while student-conducting the Knights Chorus and music directing the Night of Musical Theatre, all at PLU. He is honored to have been the recipient of the James D. Holloway Music Scholarship and is grateful for all of the opportunities afforded to him by this and other music scholarships, such as performing in a masterclass with Limmie Pulliam, becoming a semi-finalist in the NATS competition, and connecting with mentors who have invited him to perform with Vashon Opera for the first time. Trevor is currently applying to graduate schools in hopes of pursuing a career in Choral Conducting.

soprano aria manning

Aria Manning

Naiad

Aria Manning is a lyric coloratura soprano from Redmond, Washington. She is a recent graduate from Pacific Lutheran University in May 2021 with a B.S. in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry. She received the School of Arts and Communication Dean’s award for excellence as one of two non-majors to ever receive the award. While at PLU, she participated in Choir of the West, Chorale, a small student-led chamber choir Consonare Amici, as well as private voice lessons with Janeanne Houston. She participated in PLU opera productions of Dido and Aeneas as Belinda, The Cunning Little Vixen as the Fox, and Die Fledermaus as Rosalinda. She also performed in master classes for Audrey Luna and Lisette Oropesa. Since graduating she has sung for the Seattle Opera Singers Development Grant auditions where she placed second, has continued to sing in PLU’s community choir Choral Union, and prepared and performed a post-graduation recital showcasing several of her favorite arias and art songs she worked on while attending PLU. Aria is excited to perform in Ariadne auf Naxos as it is her first time performing outside of a PLU opera professionally.

tenor robert mcpherson

Robert McPherson

Scaramuccio

Hailed by the New York Times for his “robust voice, agility and confidence,” Robert McPherson made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro and stepped in as Idreno for their production of Semiramide. Additionally, McPherson’s performance as Andres in Houston Symphony’s live recording of Alan Berg’s Wozzeck, culminated with a 2018 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording in the Classical category. Most recently Mr. McPherson made his Off-Broadway debut in the premiere of Trump L’oeil at Florence Gould Hall, where he was nominated for Best Solo Performance by Broadway World, sang Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia for Opera on the James, and created an exclusive performance of Gabriel Kahane’s Craigslistlieder for Tacoma Opera. McPherson’s discography includes work in Andrew T. Miller’s The Birth of Christ recorded on Sony BMG Masterworks, also shown on Public Broadcasting Service and reprised in Rome at the Vatican’s invitation; On Hampton Roads Music, McPherson sang the tenor solo in Berlioz’s Requiem with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, which Gramophone said, “[he] sings the challenging tenor lines… with tender urgency.” His Rossini recordings and videos include Idreno in Semiramide, Iago in Otello, Gernando/Ubaldo in Armida on Dynamic, and Arbace in Ciro in Babilonia on Opus Arte. McPherson has performed his self-written comic show, The Drunken Tenor, throughout the Pacific Northwest, and created custom digital content under the same moniker. In 2021, he debuted A Very Drunken Christmas Carol, his adaptation of the Dickens classic, in partnership with Seattle Opera, and this fall he will present The Drunken Tenor’s Operapalooza Spectacular Shindig for Tacoma Opera. A Seattle native and baseball fan, he regularly sings the national anthem at Seattle Mariners games.

mezzo-soprano dawn padula

Dawn Padula

Dryad

Dawn Padula, mezzo-soprano, is a versatile performer of opera, oratorio, musical theatre, jazz, and classical concert repertoire. Opera roles include Carmen in Carmen, Azucena in Il Trovatore, Lady Jane in Patience (2018 Gregory Awards People’s Choice Nominee), Lady Blanche in Princess Ida, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, The Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, the Witch in Hansel and Gretel, Isabella in L’Italiana in Algeri, Erika in Vanessa, and the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas. In summer 2020, she recorded the roles of Zita in Gianni Schicchi and Olga Olsen in Street Scene with the Social Distance Opera. Other summer 2022 engagements include the role of Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance with the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society, and Dame Quickly in Falstaff with the Puget Sound Concert Opera. She is thrilled to be making her Vashon Opera debut as Dryad in Ariadne auf Naxos, and she will join the company portraying Maddalena in Rigoletto (May 2023). She has also performed principal roles with Tacoma Opera, Concert Opera of Seattle, Opera in the Heights (Houston, TX), Amarillo Opera, and Opera Pacifica. Dawn is the Professor of Voice and Director of Vocal Studies at the University of Puget Sound School of Music. She holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Houston Moores School of Music, and a Masters of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City.

baritone andy papas

Andy Papas

The Music Master

Native Bostonian Andy Papas has been applauded by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel for being “delightfully ridiculous”, and by the Albany Times-Union for his “irresistible hijinks”. He last appeared with Vashon Opera in 2018 as Benoit & Alcin-doro in La Bohème. A frequent performer in the Evergreen State, Andy has sung Magnifico (La Cenerentola), Alberich (Der Ring an einem Abend), Spalanzani / Crespel (Les Contes D’Hoffmann), and Don Pasquale for Pacific Northwest Opera, and was Baritone soloist in Beethoven No. 9 for The Mid-Columbia Symphony. He played Dr. Bartolo in The Barber of Seville last season for PNO, and made his Alaska debut as Bartolo for Anchorage Opera in 2019. Andy returns to the land of the midnight sun this fall as The Major General in The Pirates of Penzance. In his hometown, he has appeared as Mr. Bumble (Oliver) with The New Rep, in My Fair Lady with The Lyric Stage Co. of Boston, and in The Threepenny Opera with Boston Lyric Opera. Andy had the great honor of performing for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at The 2nd Circuit Judicial Conference in 2018, where she remarked “Your Major-General was terrific.” He teaches students around the globe in opera appreciation courses such as And The Tony Award Goes to… and The British Operas are Coming, and recently welcomed operatic greats Christine Brewer, Susanne Mentzer, and Anthony Dean Griffey as special guests to class. Andy has sung leading and featured roles for Opera Saratoga, The Opera Company of Mid-dlebury, Opera Naples, Fargo-Moorhead Opera, and Pacific Opera Project among others. andypapas.com

soprano allison pohl

Allison Pohl

Echo

Soprano Allison Pohl's vivacious stage presence and spirited singing have inspired enthusiastic responses across three continents. Her work has received positive reviews for her “sparkling voice” (outerstage.com) and “exuberant” performances (Opera News). Of her performance in L'elisir d'amore at Virginia Opera, The Washington Post wrote: “Allison Pohl stood out with a ripe, flavorful soprano and ample character.” Allison has appeared with opera companies and orchestras throughout the United States, including Boston Lyric Opera, New York City Opera, Seattle Opera, Virginia Opera, Opera Saratoga, Tacoma Opera, Vashon Opera, Opera in the Heights, Opera Providence, Opera on the James, Seattle Symphony, Canton Symphony, Symphony Tacoma, Bremerton Symphony, Seattle Philharmonic, and Garden State Philharmonic, and has been a featured soloist for orchestral tours in both Italy and China. Upcoming performances include appearances with Harmonia Seattle and Bremerton Symphony. Favorite operatic roles recently performed include both Countess and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Blanche de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites, Nannetta in Falstaff, Norina in Don Pasquale, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Frasquita in Carmen, and Yum-Yum in The Mikado. As a member of Soprello, Allison has also performed chamber music and new compositions across North America with her husband, cellist Alistair MacRae. She is a Seattle Opera Career Grant recipient, winner of the Seattle Philharmonic Concerto Competition, and holds degrees from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music and Boston University.

pianist shelby rhoades

Shelby Rhoades

Rehearsal and Performance Pianist

Shelby Rhoades is currently active as a coach, consultant, and music director in the greater Seattle-Tacoma area. She regularly works as a private coach with international singers engaged at the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, Vienna Staatsoper, Oper Frankfurt, English National Opera, Gran Teatre, Barcelona, and Tokyo Opera. Shelby maintained the position of Principal Coach and Director of Emerging Artists Program at Virginia Opera, from 2013-2020, and Charlottesville Opera, 2009-2019. She has also been a member of the Vocal Arts Faculty at the Juilliard School, from 2008-2013. Other previous engagements include The Duffy Institute (Virginia Arts Festival), Yale University, Aspen Opera Theater, Seattle Opera, University of Washington, and Pacific Lutheran University, as well as various festivals throughout the Pacific Northwest and Commonwealth of Virginia. Among her various activities as an opera coach, Shelby specializes in New Music. She has prepared premieres by composers such as Corigliano, Henze, Muhly and Saariaho. Other highlights include preparing counter tenor Anthony Roth Costanzo for his album “ARC”, which was nominated for a Grammy in 2019 for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album, and the premiere of “Kept”, a chamber opera for the Virginia Arts Festival, with tenor Bill Burden. Shelby has worked with conductors Gary Thor Wedow, Ari Pelto, John DeMain, Andrew Bisantz, Ann Manson, Julius Rudel, George Manahan, and Adam Turner. She holds degrees in Chamber Accompanying and Vocal Performance from Ball State University, (Muncie, IN), and Piano Performance, (Anderson, IN).

baritone josé rubio

José Rubio

Harlekin

Baritone José Rubio’s recent engagements have included debuts at the Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Berlin Staatsoper, the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg, and in Vienna at the Ronacher Theater. His operatic credits include the title roles in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Gianni Schicchi. Other credits include Escamillo in Carmen, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Marcello and Schaunard in La Bohème, Guglielmo in Così fan Tutte, Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia, Tonio in I Pagliacci, Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana, Dr. Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Hannah Before in As One, El Payador in Maria de Buenos Aires, Le Mari in Les Mamelles de Tiresias, Dr. Rappaccini in La hija de Rappaccini and Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus. His leading credits include principal roles for Cincinnati Opera, Seattle Opera, Portland Opera, Nashville Opera, Alamo City Opera, Asheville Lyric Opera, Tacoma Opera, Vashon Opera, Inland Northwest Opera, and Juneau Lyric Opera. He is among the first westerners to sing leading roles in China in contemporary mandarin language operas, which have led to his debuts at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, the Shanghai Grand Theater, and the Jiangsu Grand Theater in Nanjing. He has been a guest soloist with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, Albany Symphony, Boise Philharmonic, Evansville Philharmonic, the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Northwest, and the Rogue Valley Symphony. In recital he has appeared at Carnegie Hall and the Tianjin Julliard School.

soprano hallie schmidt

Hallie Schmidt

Zerbinetta

Hallie is thrilled to return to her native Washington for Ariadne auf Naxos. Originally from Olympia, Hallie spent most of her life as a competitive Irish dancer with the Comerford School of Irish Dance. Receiving degrees from Oklahoma City University (Bachelors ’20) and William Jewell College (Artist Diploma ’22), Hallie has performed with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Landlocked Opera, Painted Sky Opera, Heartland Opera Theatre, Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and was a member of the Teen Opera Studio at Seattle Opera while in high school. Recently, Hallie had a successful summer with Opera Theatre of St. Louis as a Gerdine Young Artist under the direction of soprano Patricia Racette. There she sang First Spirit and covered the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute. Other past roles include La voix humaine (Elle), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Tytania), Die Zauberflöte (Die Königen der Nacht), Cosí fan tutte (Despina), Le nozze di Figaro (Susanna), Elizabeth Cree (Aveline Mortimer), and A Little Night Music (Anne Egerman). Hallie was a district winner at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2022, and received an Encouragement award in 2021. She was also the winner of the 2020 Hawaii Performing Arts Festival Classical Vocal Competition. Hallie is a student of Cyndia Sieden.

mezzo-soprano grace skinner

Grace Skinner

The Composer

Mezzo-soprano Grace Skinner is the recent recipient of 1st place prize in the Seattle Opera Guild Singers’ Development Competition (2021) as well as 1st place in the Indianapolis Musicale Matinee Competition (2020), and 2nd place in the National Society of Arts and Letters Vocal Competition (2020). She joined The Atlanta Opera kicking off their 2021 season, covering the role of Giulio Cesare. In 2022, Ms. Skinner joined Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater performing in the ensembles of The Magic Flute, The Tender Land, and Carmen in addition to covering the title role of Carmen. Ms. Skinner has been a vocal fellow at prestigious young artist programs Music Academy of the West (2021, 2020), and Aspen Music Festival (2019). She earned her MM from the Jacobs School of Music at IU where she was also an Associate Instructor of Voice (2020). During her time there she performed the roles of Jo in Little Women (2020), Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro (2019), and the title role in Giulio Cesare (2019). She currently studies with soprano Jane Dutton. She received her BM in voice at Portland State University, where she performed the roles of Florence Pike in Albert Herring, La Principessa in Suor Angelica, and Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus. She also premiered the role of Samantha in Mark Lanz Weiser’s opera The Place Where You Started, which was also taken on tour to China in 2016. In addition to her career as a performer, Skinner teaches voice out of her studio in Vancouver, WA.

tenor anthony webb

Anthony Webb

Brighella / The Dancing Master

Praised by Opera News for his “fine comic flair and well-schooled voice,” tenor Anthony Webb is in demand throughout the United States for both opera and concert. Recent highlights include his Carnegie Hall debut as Jack Prence (Merry Mount), Goro (Madama Butterfly) with Opera Colorado, Opera Idaho and The Princeton Festival, Harold “Mitch” Mitchell (A Streetcar Named Desire), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), 4 Servants & Spalanzani (Les contes d’Hoffmann) and Enoch Snow (Carousel) with Union Avenue Opera, Pirelli (Sweeney Todd) with New Orleans Opera, tenor soloist in Orff’s (Carmina Burana) with the Omaha Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony and the Pacific Northwest Ballet, and appearances with Israeli Opera Tel Aviv-Yaffo as Third Jew (Salome), Howard Boucher (Dead Man Walking), Monostatos (Die Zauberflöte), and upcoming performances in Tel Aviv as Goro (Madama Butterfly), Gastone (La Traviata) and as the 4 Servants & Spalanzani (Les contes d’Hoffmann).

soprano marie masters webb

Marie Masters Webb

The Prima Donna / Ariadne

Hailed by The New York Times as “immensely likable” with a “warm, fresh soprano,” Marie Masters Webb continues to be recognized for her command of both standard and under-performed works, along with her dynamic acting abilities. Marie was Santuzza in Barn Opera’s critically acclaimed 2022 film of Cavalleria Rusticana, and a soloist with the 2022 company of Summer Opera Tel Aviv, performing opera scenes and concerts throughout Tel Aviv, Israel. In 2021, Marie appeared with Vashon Opera as Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana after singing Lady Billows in Albert Herring with the company. Marie sang Lady Billows in Albert Herring with Utopia Opera in 2019, she was a 2019 Lorin Maazel Castleton Institute Artist, and she covered the role of Lady Macbeth in Macbeth as a 2019 Resident Artist at Opera North. Marie was a finalist in the 2021 Century Opera Competition and in the 2021 and 2020 Premiere Opera International Vocal Competition. Additional career highlights include the lead role of Stephana in Giordano’s Siberia with Teatro Grattacielo and the title role in the New York premiere of Hiram Titus’s Rosina with dell’Arte Opera Ensemble. Marie created the role of Jeanette in the newly-discovered classical opera L’Amant Anonyme with Little Opera Theatre of New York, and returned to LOTNY as Tess in Carlisle Floyd’s Markheim.

 
Friday Sep 2, 2022 7:30 PM
Sunday Sep 4, 2022 2:30 PM