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Biographies of the Artists |
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William Lumpkin (Conductor) is the Music
Director/Conductor for the Boston University Opera
Institute where he has conducted numerous
productions including Romèo et Juliette,
Don Pasquale, Idomeneo, A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, Die Fledermaus, La
bohème, Gianni Schicchi, Postcard from
Morocco, La clemenza di Tito, Le nozze
di Figaro, Beatrice and Benedict, The Rape of
Lucretia, as well as productions of the Peter
Brook Carmen, Dido and Aeneas, The
Village Singer, and the premiere of Antigone
by BU faculty composer Marjory Merryman. Mr. Lumpkin
most recently conducted critically acclaimed
performances of Così fan tutte with Boston
Lyric Opera and Jonathon Dove’s Flight at
Opera Theatre of St. Louis in a production directed
by Colin Graham. In 2005 he leads performances of
Flight for Boston Lyric Opera and will return to
St. Louis to conduct Street Scene in 2006.
Mr. Lumpkin has also appeared at the Brooklyn
Academy of Music where he conducted performances of
the Philip Glass opera Galileo Galilei which
he also lead at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Mr.
Lumpkin served on the music staff at Opera Theatre
of St. Louis from 1999-2002 as Assistant to the
Music Director/Associate Chorus Master as well as
cover conductor for the operas. During the 2001
season, Mr. Lumpkin made his professional debut with
OTSL conducting a matinee performance of La
bohème and conducted performances of The
Magic Flute and Lucia di Lammermoor
during the 2002 season. He traveled with the company
to Japan as Associate Conductor to Steuart Bedford
for the Japanese premiere of The Tale of Genji,
preparing both the Tokyo Philharmonic and the Tokyo
Opera Singers.
Mr.
Lumpkin’s other professional credits include Boston
Lyric Opera where he served as Associate Conductor/Chorusmaster,
and was also engaged by the Chicago Opera Theater in
the same capacity for the Philip Glass’ opera
Akhnaten. Mr. Lumpkin was guest conductor for
the UIUC production of Gounod’s Romèo et Juliette,
receiving rave reviews both for his conducting and
the finesse of the orchestral playing. With the Los
Angeles Opera, Mr. Lumpkin was associate
pianist/assistant conductor for productions of
Xerxes, Don Pasquale, Le nozze di Figaro, and
Un ballo in maschera. He has also served as
Music Director/Conductor for the UCLA Opera,
principal coach/assistant conductor for USC Opera,
and was on the professional staff at Oberlin
Conservatory where he was assistant music
director/chorus master for Oberlin Opera Theater.
Also an experienced collaborative pianist, Mr.
Lumpkin has appeared in recital with such eminent
artists as Marie Plette, Sari Gruber, Rodney Gilfrey,
Richard Clement, and Julianna Gondek. the world premiere of Willie
Stark. |
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Vincent Liotta (Stage Director) has been both a
professional stage director and a dedicated educator
for more than 15 years. He is the head of the Opera
Stage Directing program at Indiana University where
he teaches stage directing, acting, and operatic
literature. Past professional projects include La
Fanciulla del West at the Canadian Opera Company
(Toronto), Turandot at the El Paso Opera, and
a new production of Die Fledermaus at the
Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre. In 1993, Mr. Liotta
co-founded the Utah Festival Opera. His professional
productions have covered the entire history of
operatic repertory from Cavalli to John Corigliano.
Notable works include directing the world premières
of Mollicone’s Coyote Tales, a new version of
Frank Loesser’s Greenwillow, Edwin
Penhorwood’s Too Many Sopranos, and the
American première of Dragon of Wantley. In
addition, his works with the musical theater include
a new libretto for Victor Herbert’s operetta,
Naughty Marietta and Viva Verdi, an
original biographical evening about the life and
work of Giuseppe Verdi. He has created productions
at major American companies including San Francisco,
Houston, and Santa Fe, and has collaborated with
Harold Prince on productions of Turandot, Don
Giovanni, and the world première of Willie Stark. |
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Robert O’Hearn (Set and Costume Design) earned
his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in
1943. He has been a scenic and costume designer for
the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna Staatsoper, Vienna
Volksoper, Hamburg Staatsoper, New York City Opera,
Greater Miami Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe
Opera, American Ballet Theater, New York City
Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and Ballet West. He
served as professor for the Studio and Forum of
Stage Design in New York from 1968 to 1988.
Professor O’Hearn has also given guest lectures and
classes at Carnegie Mellon, Brandeis and Penn State
University. |
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Robert Brandt (Alfieri), baritone, began
doctoral studies at IU this past fall with Costanza
Cuccaro.
His previous
undergraduate and graduate degrees were earned at
Brigham Young University, where he performed leading
roles in many productions, including Peter in
Hansel and Gretel, Orgon in Kirke Mechem’s
Tartuffe, the title role in Gianni Schicchi,
Escamillo in Carmen, and King Noah in the
world premiere of Meredith Taylor’s Abinadi.
In 2003, Mr. Brandt was named BYU Singer of the
Year. Robert was a 2003 apprentice artist with the
Des Moines Metro Opera, where he covered the role of
John Proctor in Robert Ward’s The Crucible.
Before his move to Indiana, he was active as a
soloist with several Salt Lake Valley organizations,
such as the American West Symphony, Paradigm Chamber
Orchestra, Utah Lyric Opera Society, and the Utah
Baroque Ensemble. |
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Kevin
Murphy (Alfieri), bass baritone, a native of New
York received his Bachelor of Music from the Crane
School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.
He is currently in
his second year as a Performer Diploma student at
Indiana University. While at Crane, Mr. Murphy
performed many roles, including Sarastro in The
Magic Flute, Poo-Bah in The Mikado and
Czolgosz in Assassins. While at IU he has
appeared as Dr. Crabbe in Peter Grimes,
Sciarrone in Tosca and Colline in La
Bohème. Mr. Murphy currently studies with Paul
Kiesgen. |
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Austin Kness (Eddie Carbone), baritone, is
making his IU Opera debut in the role of Eddie
Carbone.
Originally from Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, he received his bachelor’s degree from
the University of Northern Iowa. While studying
with soprano Leslie Morgan, he performed the role of
Don Pedro in La Perichole, appeared as a
guest soloist for the UNI Varsity Men’s Glee Club,
and as a featured soloist with the UNI Concert
Chorale in their performance of Vaughan Williams’
Five Mystical Songs. He is presently pursuing
his master’s degree in voice, studying with Patricia
Stiles. |
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Todd
Wieczorek (Eddie Carbone), baritone, is
finishing his Doctorate of Music in Voice
Performance and Literature.
His credits with IU
Opera Theater include Angelotti and the Jailor in Tosca, the
Bouncer and Politician in The Ballad of Baby Doe,
Cascada in The Merry Widow, Dr. Grenvil in
La traviata, and Friedrich Bhaer in
Little Women. He has also appeared in the
title role of The Mikado with Bloomington
Music Works, and Judge Turpin in Indiana University
Theater`s production of Sweeney Todd. A
professor of music at Taylor University where he
teaches voice, diction, and opera workshop,
Wieczorek is a student of Andreas Poulimenos. |
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Alison Bates (Catherine), soprano, a native of
Columbus, Indiana, is a graduate student with
Costanza Cuccaro.
Ms. Bates holds
bachelor degrees from DePauw University and a
master’s from IU. Her recent appearances with the
Indiana University Opera Theater include Constanze (Abduction
from the Seraglio), Cleopatra (Julius Caesar)
and Amy (Little Women). Ms. Bates has
recently sung the soprano solos in Handel’s
Israel in Egypt, Brahms’ Ein deutsches
Requiem, Schubert’s Mass in G Major, Poulenc’s
Gloria, the Beethoven Mass in C Major, and
Handel’s Messiah. She has performed
regionally with numerous orchestras. In the fall of
2003, she received an Encouragement Award in the
Metropolitan Opera National Council District
Auditions. In 2002 and 2004, Ms. Bates was a member
of the Chautauqua Opera Young Artist Program, where
she sang the role of the Shepherd in Tosca
and covered the role of Amy in Little Women.
This fall Ms. Bates will be joining the Resident
Artist Program at the Minnesota Opera, where she
will be singing the Shepherd in Tosca,
Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Mary in the U.S.
premiere of Laurent Petitgirard’s Joseph Merrick
the Elephant Man. |
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Colleen Brooks (Catherine), soprano, was born
and raised in Platteville, Wisconsin.
She completed her
undergraduate degrees at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison in vocal performance and
biochemistry. While at UW she performed the roles
of Hansel in Hansel and Gretel and Nora in
Vaughan Williams’ Riders to the Sea.
Currently a third year graduate student at Indiana
University, Colleen studies voice with James
McDonald. Colleen has appeared in past Indiana
University Opera Theater productions singing the
roles of Sylviane (The Merry Widow) and Kate
(The Ballad of Baby Doe). Colleen also sang
the role of Piramo in Hasse’s Piramo e Tisbe
with the Bloomington Early Music Festival of 2003.
This past summer Colleen was a studio artist at
Central City Opera. Colleen is a recipient of the
Terry C. Shirk scholarship. |
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Jessica Julin (Beatrice Carbone), soprano,
orginally from Danville, California, Jessica Julin
is currently the recipient of the Bain Scholarship
for the 2004-2005 academic year.
Previously at IU she
has performed the Soprano Solo in Poulenc’s
Gloria with the Symphonic Choir under the baton
of John Poole. In the summer of 2004, she was a
young artist apprentice with the Utah Festival Opera
Company in addition to a full scholarship
participant of Voicexperience with Sherrill Milnes.
She received her BM in Vocal Performance from Ithaca
College in 2002, where she performed many roles,
including Poppea (L’Incoronazione di Poppea),
Adina (Elixir of Love), Pamina (The Magic
Flute) and Madame Silberklang (The Impresario).
She is a recent winner of 2nd place at
the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions
Pacific Region, 1st place Bel Canto
Foundation Awards, and an Encouragement Award at the
Loren L. Zachary Competition. This fall she was a
finalist for San Francisco Opera Center, Santa Fe
Opera and Houston Grand Opera. In the summer of
2005 Miss Julin will be an Apprentice Artist with
the Central City Opera, covering the title role of
Vanessa and singing the Aunt in Madame Butterfly.
Currently, she is a Master of Music candidate,
studying with Costanza Cuccaro. |
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Tamara Wapinsky (Beatrice Carbone), soprano, is
currently a Master of Music Candidate studying under
the tutelage of James McDonald.
A
View from the Bridge
marks her third appearance with IU Opera; she most
recently sang the role of Ellen Orford in Britten’s
Peter Grimes. Other principal roles include
Donna Anna, the title roles of Ariadne auf Naxos,
Madama Butterfly and Suor Angelica.
Ms. Wapinsky has also appeared as a guest soloist
with several symphony orchestras. |
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Eduardo Aladrén (Rodolpho), tenor, was born in
Zaragoza, Spain. Prior to his pursuit of music,
Mr.Aladrén earned a degree in Industrial Engineering
at the Universidad de Zaragoza.
In addition to his
conservatory studies, he was a scholarship
participant in several master classes, working with
singers such as Diana Soviero, Martina Arroyo, Jose
Cura, and Carlos Chausson. Performing with the
Lyric Theater of Zaragoza, Mr. Aladrén sang several
Zarzuela roles across Spain. He also performed
Nemorino (L’Elisir d’amore), Alfredo (La
traviata), and Werther (Werther). Earlier
this year, Mr. Aladrén was selected by Madrid’s
prestigious Friends of Opera Society to
perform as a soloist under the auspices of its Young
Artists Program. During the last summer, Mr. Aladrén
performed the role of Alfred in the Die
Fledermaus at the Bay View Summer Festival
Production as well as the role of Sasha in The
Fiddler on the Roof. Among his latest
engagements are the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in
October 2004 in Zaragoza, as well as the Ariel
Ramirez’s Creole Mass in November 2004 in
Indianapolis. Mr. Aladrén started his Performer
Diploma in Voice with Virginia Zeani, and he
currently studies with Andreas Poulimenos. |
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David
Sadlier (Rodolpho), tenor, is originally from
Connecticut. An Associate Instructor of Voice, he is
in the doctoral program at IU studying with Andreas
Poulimenos.
Mr. Sadlier’s opera
credits include performances at Glimmerglass Opera (The
Good Soldier Schweik and Bluebeard),
Opera Theater of St. Louis (Loss of Eden – a
world première), New Orleans Opera ( La traviata,
Il barbiere di Siviglia and The Ballad of
Baby Doe) and leading roles with the Lafayette
and Battle Creek Symphonies (Tamino in Die
Zauberflöte),Opera North (Youth Performance of
Così fan tutte), IU Opera Theater (West
Side Story and Bartered Bride),
Loyola Opera Theater (Die Fledermaus,
L’Elisir d’amore and Don Giovanni)
and Bay View Opera Theater (Die
Zauberflöte and Die Fledermaus).
Concert appearances include Haydn’s Lord Nelson
Mass and Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzes with
the Lafayette Bach Chorale and Vaughan Williams’
Serenade to Music with the Indianapolis
Symphony. |
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Scott Skiba (Marco), baritone, is a
doctoral student at IU where he studies with
Distinguished Professor of Music Timothy Noble and
has sung Baron Zeta, Horace Tabor, Captain Balstrode
and Eugene Onegin. Other performance credits
include Don Giovanni, Giorgio Germont, Michele, Nick
Shadow, Tarquinius, Eisenstein, and Der
Kaiser Overall. Oratorio and concert performances
include soloist in Bach’s St. John Passion,
Handel’s Israel in Egypt and Messiah,
Finzi’s In Terra Pax, featured soloist with
the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, guest recitalist at
The Oberlin Conservatory of Music and featured
soloist on The McGraw Hill Companies' Young Artists
Showcase, on 96.3 WQXR - The Classical Radio Station
of the New York Times. He earned his B. Mus.
and M.M. from The Oberlin Conservatory of Music with
Professor of Singing Daune Mahy and began his vocal
training with Mr. Greg Biddle in his hometown,
Pittsburgh Pa., where he remains an active
recitalist. This spring he will cover the role of
Enrico Ashton in Lucia di Lammermoor with the
Indianapolis Opera and sing the title role in
Russlan and Ludmilla with the Columbus (In.)
Symphony Orchestra. |
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Robert Samels (Marco), bass-baritone, is both
singer and conductor, with a special interest in
contemporary music. Samels recently performed the
role of Creon in the New York premiere of John
Eaton’s Antigone. Other favorites have
included the title roles of Don Pasquale and
Il Turco in Italia, Falstaff in The Merry
Wives of Windsor, Leporello in Don Giovanni
and William Jennings Bryan in The Ballad of Baby
Doe. Oratorio repertoire includes Haydn’s
Creation, Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s
Ninth Symphony, Shostakovich’s Thirteenth Symphony,
and Berlioz’s Damnation of Faust. As a
conductor, Samels has led choral and instrumental
ensembles in performances of works by contemporary
composers, including many of his own compositions.
In the fall of 2005, Samels will conduct the world
premiere performances on his new opera, Pilatus.
This is his first year of doctoral studies at IU in
choral conducting, and he studies voice with Giorgio
Tozzi. |
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Joseph A. Diehl (Tony), tenor, will be making
his IU Opera Theatre debut in this production. Mr.
Diehl is a recent graduate of Bowling Green State
University where he studied voice with Andreas
Poulimenos and earned a degree in vocal
performance. Mr. Diehl has many roles to his credit
including, Sam in Carlisle Floyds Susanah,
Prince Charming in Massenet's Cendrillion,
Ferrando in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, and the
title role in Britten's Albert Herring. Mr.
Diehl was most recently heard as the tenor soloist
in Handel's Messiah with the Toledo symphony.
He is currently a student of Carlos Montané
and is working on a performers diploma. |
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Creighton James (Tony), tenor, is at home in
opera, musical theater, and concert stages. He
has performed professionally with La Gran Teatre del
Liceu in Barcelona, as well as Opera Omaha, Lyic
Opera Cleveland, Chautauqua Opera, the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony
Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, the
Anderson Symphony Orchestra, the Kokomo Symphony
Orchestra, and Carmel Symphony Orchestra. Some of
Mr. James more recent roles include Belmonte in
The Abduction from the Seraglio, Laurie in the
University premiere of Mark Adamo’s Little Women,
Nemorino in L’Elisir d’amore, Eisenstein in
Die Fledermaus, Truffaldino in Prokofiev’s
The Love for Three Oranges, and the Governor in
Candide. Mr. James is pursuing a doctor of music
and studies with Costanza Cuccaro. |
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Alan Dunbar (Louis), bass-baritone, is currently
working on his masters in vocal performance and
studies with Constanza Cuccaro. Mr. Dunbar did his
undergraduate study in music theory and composition
at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. He has
appeared in various opera roles including Pangloss/Voltaire
in Berstein’s Candide, Prince Gremin in
Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin with Opera Twin
Cities, and he recently created the role of the
Abbot in the new opera Sicut Erat by New
England composer Brian Griffeath-Loeb. He debuted
with the IU Opera Theater this season as Alcindoro
in La Bohéme.
For the past seven years Mr. Dunbar has been singing throughout North
America and Europe with the internationally
acclaimed male chamber vocal ensemble Cantus. |
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John Glann (Louis), baritone, returns to the IU
Opera stage. From Huron, Ohio Mr. Glann is
currently pursuing a Performer Diploma in the voice
studio of Andreas Poulimenos. Roles include Alidoro,
Ford, Escamillo, Belcore, Mozart's Figaro and Count
Almaviva, and Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor.
Upcoming engagements include performances with the
Indianapolis Opera, the Toledo Symphony, and the
role of Jesus in the world premier of Pilatus,
composed by Robert Samels. Mr. Glann attended
Bowling Green State University, Oklahoma City
University, and was a Resident Artist with the
Toledo Opera. In 2002, he received a Young Singer
Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera
National Council and was a regional finalist in the
national Association of Teachers of Singing Artist
Awards. |
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Josh Whitener
(Mike) |
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Marc Schapman
(Mike),
tenor, is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Voice
Performance at Indiana University. A native of
Carroll, Iowa, Mr. Schapman received his Bachelor of
Arts from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and his
Masters of Music from Indiana University. Mr.
Schapman has recently appeared as Bardolpho in
Falstaff, Nanki-Poo in The Midado,
Spoletta in Tosca, and Kaspar in Amahl and
the Night Visitors. Mr. Schapman coaches with
Gary Arvin and is a student of James McDonald. |
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Cody Forsdick
(First Immigration Officer), baritone,
a native of Spring, Texas, is a Performer Diploma
candidate in Voice studying with Costanza Cuccaro.
This is his debut performance at IU. He received
his bachelor’s degree from the University of Mary
Hardin-Baylor. Fosdick has performed roles
including Falke in Die Fledermaus, Jim in
The Gift of the Magi, the Pirate King in The
Pirates of Penzance, and Pooh-Bah in The
Mikado. Recently, he attended the American
Institute of Musical Studies program in Graz,
Austria. While there, he performed under the
conductor Edoardo Muller in an orchestra concert
featuring Italian Opera songs. |
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Richard Barrett
(Second Immigration Officer), tenor,
comes to IU from the Pacific Northwest, having
appeared with the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Choral
Company, Northwest Sinfonietta, Tacoma Opera, the
Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society, and Bellevue
Philharmonic, among others. Recent performances
include Bach cantatas 163 & 165 under the baton of
John Harbison, Marco in The Gondoliers ,
Bach’s St. John Passion, Handel’s Messiah,
and Mozart’s Requiem. Stage appearances
include Tony in West Side Story and Nanki-Poo
in The Mikado. Publications include “The
implications of amplification for the singer and
listener” in The Journal of Singing, put out
by the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Richard is a student of Professor Dale Moore. |
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Enjoy the pre-concert informance
one hour before each performance
February 4, 5: Composer William Bolcom
February 11, 12: Stage Director Vincent Liotta
Musical Arts
Center Lobby, 7:00 p.m. |
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Curtain time for IU Opera
Theater is promptly at 8 p.m., by which time all
opera goers should be in their seats.
Latecomers
will be seated at
the discretion of the management. Thank you for
your cooperation. |
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