DePaul Opera Theatre News

 DePaul Opera Theatre artists continue to make vital contributions to opera around the world.

 Christopher Feigum made his San Francisco Opera debut as Figaro a role he takes in Tulsa Opera later in the season.  After singing Lescaut in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago last year, he returned for Mercutio in Romeo and Juliette, and then Tahnhauser in Los Angeles and Boheme in Houston. Mr. Feigum was a member of the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists, joining Stephen Powell, Jeffrey Ray, and Brandon Mayberry as alumni who have been members of that program.  Mr. Feigum will also debut at Seattle Opera as Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus. On the international stage, Elizabeth Magnuson has sung various leading roles including Gretel in Hansel and Gretel (Zürich), Marcellina in Fidelio (Zürich,) Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro (Zürich,) and Oberto in Alcina, Zürich and the Vienna Festival. The role of Constanze in Abuduction from the Seraglio in Darmstadt, Paris, and at the Montpellier Festival as well as Mozart's Queen of the Night at the Berlin State Opera, Stuttgart, Basel, Hamburg, Leipzig, and the Schleswig Holstein Festival. Brandon Mayberry performed in Elektra at Santa Fe and in Good Soldier Schwiek at Glimmerglass Opera and Salome at the Lyric Operas well as in Carmen and Midsummer Night’s Dream at Des Moines Metro Opera.

Metropolitan Opera artist Stephen Powell  sang Sharpless in San Francisco, The Count in Raleigh, and will singFigaro in Honolulu and Germont in Phoenix, Carmina Burana at the Kennedy Center, the title role in Sweeney Todd for Cleveland Opera, Malatesta in Don Pasquale for L'Opéra de Montréal, and sang with New York City Opera as Zurga in a new production of Les pêcheurs de perles. Jessica Klein is a member of the Julliard Opera Center. After a second summer as an apprentice at Santa Fe Opera, Rebekah Camm continued with the Houston Opera Studio for the 2006-2007 season where she is sang Gretel in Hansel and Gretel and Micaela in Carmen on the main stage, a role she sang at D.O.T. and the Barbarina in their summer production of Figaro, and Pamina in Flute  as well as Wolf Trapp. Amber Opheim was in the Portland Opera apprentice program where she is sang Zerlina on the main stage, she continues there in The Return of Ulysses. Kristy Glass released her CD Picture a Christmas and is on a solo tour. Mary Petro sang Mimi in Toulouse, France and will reprise the role with Taconic Opera in New York State, where she sang Margarite and Elena in Mephistofele. Ms. Petro recently made her Carnegie Hall debut singing excerpts from Magic Flute and will sing Mimi again in August with the Opera Theater of CT as well as Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with Chappaqua Orchestra. Rachel Cobb, sang at Caramoor Bel Canto singing Donna Anna and Pallade Athena in Paris ed Elena and sang Miss Jessel in Turn of the Screw at Glyndbourne Festival in England. Coleen Daly will be heard as Manon (Massenet) for the Academy of Vocal Arts and The Queen of the Night for New Jersey Opera Theater.Drew Duncan sang the role of El Remendado in the opera Carmen with Opera Quad Cities. Joseph Quigley, Drew Duncan and Melissa Treinkman were in the apprentice program at Chicago Opera Theater, and will sing in their up coming Beatrice and Benedict. Lindsay Phillips will perform Pamina for Opera for the Young.

Alumni include two Metropolitan Opera National Council winners, Elizabeth Norman and Mary Petro. Helen Todd sang Madame Mao at Minnesota Opera, Aunt Lydia in THE HANDMAID’S TALE, as well as Queen of the Night in Colorado Springs, and FIGARO Susanna in Abilene, two of the roles she sang for D.O.T.  Ms. Todd is the artistic director of Sugar Creek Symphony and Song. Lori Ann Fuller will sang Violetta in La traviata performances in San Luis Obispo at the end of March. Amberleigh Aller performed Susanna in Figaro for Opera Company of Brooklyn and Papagena at the Caramoor apprentice program. Amy Axelson directed Tosca for Cantissimo Opera, Susannah for Liederkranz Foundation and Madama Butterfly for San Francisco Lyric Opera. Jim Price will sing Luigi in Il Tabaro and cover Rinuccio with Pacific Opera. Michael Thompson sang in Tosca, Roderigo in Otello and Nathanael/Cochenille in Tales of Hoffman, with OperaDelaware. William Bennett is at Cedar Rapids in their YAP, and will be with Ash Lawn opera in VA this summer.

Locally,  Kyle Albertson sang in Padlock/Dido and was featured in Nixon in China for that company. He has joined Minnesota Opera’s apprentice program where he sang Bartolo in Figaro, Lindorf and Miracle in Hoffmann, and will sing in Lakme. Drew Duncan, Mark Kent, Laura Langseth, join faculty member Christopher Lorimer at Chamber Opera Chicago. Building on her success staring in Lyric Opera production of Street Scene, Lori Ann Fuller, sang roles for Opera Piccola along with Amy Pickering, Harold Brock, Sasha Gerriston Brauer, Brad Schuler, Stanley DeCwikiel, Jr who will joined the DeMoines Metro opera apprentice program, and Scott Bosier who was also heard in Ballo in Maschera for Da Corenetto Opera. Jayme Smith Pohl released her first recording, The Truth and Other Oddities, and continues her solo performing career. John Storms-Rohm can be heard on his recording ce2003 with Chuck’s electric. Recent Chicago productions include Bradley Schuller, Jennifer Kosharsky, William Bennett and Cecelia Hall who sang in Intimate Opera production of Traviata directed by A.J. Wester. Ms. Hall. Ms. Wester directed COSI as well, in a production staring Susanne Nance as Despina. The Medium featured Laura Langseth, who also appeared in The Consul for Chamber Opera Chicago along with Lisa Kristina who is a faculty member at DePaul. Nicholas Hartley is in the Indiana Opera apprenticeship program. Sean Miller is on tour with “Three Mo tenors”. Jeffrey Ray sang Schanard for Utah Opera, a role he premiered at D.O.T. and may be heard at Bears and Bulls games singing the national anthem.

Singing in the Lyric Opera chorus are Lijana Pauletti, Martha Kasten, Kevin McKelvie, and Tim Janecke. Greg Henkle is Artistic Planning Manager at the Los Angeles Opera.

Many of our successful students are now passing on their training to others. Brad Raymond currently serves as the Artistic Director of the prestigious Choir Academy, the Associate Conductor of the All-City High School Chorus, and is a featured soloist on the yearly All-City High School Chorus Alumni concert. Amy Pickering is at UIC, Elizabeth Norman at Roosevelt, John Storms-Rohm is at Old Towne School of Music, Michelle Sommers Maiers is at Musical Expressions. Michael Barrette is the founder and workshop leader of Wunder studios.

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