Meet the Cast of Joseph’s Gift
Music at St. Matthew’s is thrilled to have such an
outstanding cast of talented singers.
| Joseph | Zachary Angus |
| Aaron, husband of Naomi | Ricky Feng Nan |
| Mary | Hillary Esqueda |
| Naomi, cousin of Mary | Margaret Izard |
| The Angel of the Lord | Alexadra Olsavsky |
| Cornelius, a Roman Centurion | Karlos Piñero-Mercado |
| Marcus, a Roman Legionary | Gabriel Di Gennaro |
| Seeress | Angela Torres-Kutkuhn |
| First Acolyte | Rachael Long |
| Second Acolyte | Abigail Grosch |
| Quintus, a Roman Magistrate | Ivo Suarez |
| Soprano Narrator |
Alexandra Kassouf |
| Alto Narrator |
Mallory Harding |
| Tenor Narrator |
Nicholas Metzger |
| Bass Narrator |
Ian McGuffin |
| Ensemble Soprano | Angela Born, Joelle Kross , Sara Wheeler |
| Ensemble Alto | Carl Alexander, Katarina Bakas , Kimberly Reuter |
| Ensemble Tenor | Timothy Ferguson, Alexander Fruin, Michael Ryan |
| Ensemble Bass | David Banasiak, Benjamin Finer , Noel Taylor |
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Hailed as “exceptional...[with] a
beautiful and powerful voice,” by The Harlem Globe,
Carl Alexander (Ensemble/Acolyte 2
cover/Alto Narrator cover) is a budding American
countertenor known for his captivating performance
incorporating informative literature. A graduate of
Morehouse College, he was featured frequently as a soloist
with the Morehouse College Glee Club and as a member of
Morehouse Quartet. He currently is pursuing a Master’s
degree in Voice and Opera Performance from Northwestern
University, and is studying with W. Stephen Smith. His
2015-2016 season included the alto solos in Bachs Magnificat
and Schubert’s Mass in C along with the tenor solo
in Orff’s Carmina Burana with the West Suburban
Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Peter Lipari.
He has recently placed 1st in the Chicago National
Association of Negro Musician’s (NANM) Voice Competition and
2nd in the North Regional NANM Voice Competition. |
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Praised for his "strong yet agile
voice," baritone
Zachary
Angus
(Joseph) has in recent seasons found
success in new works. He appeared last season as Friedrich
Bhaer in Eugene Opera’s production of Mark Adamo’s
Little
Women
. As a Featured Artist with the Fourth Coast
Ensemble, Mr. Angus worked with composer Lita Grier to mount
performances of her acclaimed song cycle
Songs from
Spoon River
, a concert which also included selections
from Ned Rorem’s masterwork Evidence of Things Not Seen.
He has also recently appeared in more traditional
repertoire, as Claudio (Béatrice et Bénédict,
Eugene Opera), Captain Corcoran (HMS Pinafore, The
Savoyaires of Evanston), and Pangloss/Cacambo/Martin (Candide,
Opera Notre Dame). He is immensely pleased to be taking on
the role of Joseph in this world premiere. |
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Katarina
Bakas
(Ensemble/Naomi cover) is a mezzo-soprano
from Miami, Florida. She recently appeared in productions of
The Reformed Drunkard, Princess Ida, and
L’incoronazione di Poppea. At the Miami Music
Festival she sang the role of La suora infermiera/
Suor
Angelica
and La tasse chinoise/
L’enfant et les
sortilèges
. This year she will be singing the role of
Gentle Reader/Miss Manners on Music, Second Maid/
Amelia
Goes to the Ball
, and L’enfant/
L’enfant et les
sortilèges
at Roosevelt University. She received her
Bachelor of Music at the University of Vermont and is
currently working towards a Masters degree at the Chicago
College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. |
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Bass-baritone
David
Banasiak
(Ensemble) is delighted to play a part
in the premiere performances of Joseph’s Gift. As
a child growing up in Chicago, he has played every male role
in church nativity plays except baby Jesus and a shepherd.
He is glad to be able to cross one more off the list. He
recently concluded an appearance in The Savoyaires’ 2016
production of Thespis. He also appeared as Antonio
in The Gondoliers, and Bob Beckett in
H.M.S.
Pinafore
. He thanks his family and friends for their
support. |
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Commended for her fire and
conviction on stage, soprano Angela Born
(Ensemble/First Acolyte cover) made her Chicago debut as
Monica in Third Eye Theatre’s critically acclaimed
production of The Medium and was recently seen in
the title role of Princess Ida with the Gilbert
and Sullivan Opera Company. Passionate about performing new
works, Ms. Born is thrilled to participate in the world
premiere of Joseph’s Gift. Ms. Born most
recently appeared as Lucinda in the Midwestern premiere of
Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters with Third Eye Theatre
Ensemble. Ms. Born has also workshopped Libby Larsen’s new
opera A Wrinkle in Time as Meg Murry with the
composer in residence, as well as Lori Laitman’s new opera Ludlow.
Other roles include Despina/Così fan tutte,
Musetta/La Bohéme, Beth/Little Women,
Suor Genovieffa/Suor Angelica, Mrs. Hayes/Susannah,
and Barbarina and (cover) Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro.
Other passions include pairing performance works with social
justice. Recently, Ms. Born performed a new art song by
Mohammed Fairouz that examines the life of war-torn
refugees. Ms. Born also partners with VisionTrust
International, and recently traveled to Cruz Blanca,
Guatemala to lead music at a school for underprivileged
Mayan children. Ms. Born received her B.M. from Illinois
Wesleyan University and her M.M. from the University of
Colorado at Boulder. Ms. Born currently studies with Theresa
Brancaccio. More... |
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Known for
her floating high notes and rich middle range,
Hillary
Esqueda
(Mary) is a versatile, young lyric
soprano. Originally from Oak Park, IL, where her love of
music began, she moved to New York to pursue her passion at
NYU. Hillary went on to perform throughout the NYC area,
singing roles such as Marie (La Fille du Régiment)
and Sophie (Werther) with New York Opera Forum,
First Lady (Magic Flute) with Amore Opera, and
Musetta (La Bohème) with Hubbard Hall Opera
Theater. She returned to the Chicago area in 2014 to
work towards her Master’s Degree at Roosevelt University’s
CCPA, which she completed earlier this year. While there,
she performed the roles of Drusilla (
L’incoronazione di
Poppea
) and Popelka (Comedy on the Bridge).
In summer 2016 Hillary was honored to be one of just 31
singers selected for OperaWorks’ Advanced Artist Program in
L.A. Since returning, Ms. Esqueda has performed with Clef
Note Productions in a concert of Latin-inspired music, and
is currently in preparation for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
with the Roosevelt Alumni Chorus. She would like to thank
the production team of Joseph’s Gift for allowing
her the chance to work on such a beautiful piece of new
music, as well as her talented colleagues for their
dedication and enthusiasm.
More... |
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Bass-baritone
Ben Finer (Ensemble/Bass Narrator cover)
has delighted audiences with various operatic and choral
performances over the past five years. He made his debut
with the Los Angeles Opera Summer Program under the baton of
Maestro James Conlon with a double bill as Joseph in Friedl
as well as Dog Fido in Brundibár, both of which
were composed in WWII concentration camps. Mr. Finer
performed in numerous roles and choruses during his studies
at the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music at Chapman
University. Highlights of his partial roles include Don
Pasquale, Alidoro, and Frère Laurent. He had the privilege
of playing Dr. Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro with
Opera Chapman. During the Britten Centenary, Mr. Finer was a
part of the War Requiem with performances at Walt Disney
Concert Hall as well as Segerstrom Hall, once again with
Maestro Conlon. He is currently earning his Masters Degree
in Voice at the Chicago College of Performing Arts,
Roosevelt University studying with Bruce Hall. Roles with
CCPA include Buff in The Impresario and Le
Fauteuil/Un Arbre in L’enfant et les Sortilèges
this upcoming spring. Ben is so excited to be a part of
Joseph’s
Gift
! |
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Tenor
Timothy
Ferguson
(Ensemble) has been working on and
around the stage for most of his life, beginning in 1967 at
Chute Middle School in the chorus of
The Dot and the
Line
. He has since worked for Chicago’s Improv
Olympic, where he studied under Del Close, Charna Halpern,
and Michael Gelman. On stage, he has appeared in productions
of Knatt Scatt Private Eye,
A Man for All
Seasons
, What the Butler Saw,
Rosencrantz
and Guildenstern Are Dead
, and
Arsenic and Old
Lace
. He toured the country with the Boston Chamber
Theatre, performing multiple roles in short-story
adaptations for high school students in 25 states from
Massachusetts to California. For 15 years he played the Lord
Mayor of Bristol at Wisconsin’s Bristol Renaissance Faire.
Tim’s most recent stage appearance was as Preposteros in The
Savoyaires production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Thespis.
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Tenor Alex Fruin
(Ensemble/Tenor Narrator cover) is a native of Mattawan, Michigan where he
attended Mattawan High School, graduating with excellence in Fine Arts and a
Detroit News Scholar for the Performing Arts nominee. Additionally, Mr. Fruin
has placed in numerous competitions across the Great Lakes region, including
being featured in concert live on 102.1 WMUK in Kalamazoo Michigan. This fall,
he made his professional debut with the Bach and Beethoven ensemble of Chicago
singing Symon in The Gentle Shepherd. Mr. Fruin is currently pursuing his
Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the Chicago College of Performing
Arts at Roosevelt University where he studies with world-renowned countertenor Mark Crayton.
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Baritone
Gabriel
Di Gennaro
(Marcus) was born and raised in the
square mile borough of Woodbury Heights, New Jersey. Since
transitioning into a Chicago urbanite in 2011, he has
performed the roles of Mr. Gedge in Albert Herring,
Schaunard in La Bohème, and Florian in
Princess
Ida
, among others. Recent young artist programs
include Chicago Summer Opera, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh,
and Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, where he covered the role of
Leporello in Don Giovanni. An avid supporter of new music, Gabriel has performed several regional, American, and world premieres on both the operatic and concert stages, including close collaborations with New York City-based composer Scott Wasserman. Additional unique performance experiences include Golaud, in a lecture recital of Pelléas et Mélisande presented by Richard Stilwell, and The Dance Master/Mars in Carl Nielsen’s Maskarade, the first of many times he would be featured as both a singer and a dancer in an opera. In 2012, the Young Singers Foundation selected Gabriel as one of 17 national recipients of their Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship, helping to further his education at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. In addition to Roosevelt, Gabriel is an alumnus of the University of Delaware, OperaWorks, and the College Light Opera Company. He looks forward to bringing Joseph’s Gift into this world, swaddled in warm colleagues and lying in good music. |
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Abigail
(Abby) Grosch
(Second Acolyte) is a young
mezzo-soprano who loves to perform. In March she performed
the Merry Widow with Pacific Opera Project, and in
April performed one of her favorite roles as Nicklaus in
Tales
of Hoffman
. Her passion for music started in
elementary school and became a lifelong pursuit of opera six
years ago. Abby sang the Monitor and covered the Princess in
Suor Angelica for the International Lyric Academy
in Viterbo, Italy, where she was awarded full scholarship as
a “Star” of their program, one of only seven given. Other
awards include a level 4 achievement award from the Carnegie
Hall Royal Conservatory. This summer she was honored to be
chosen to sing for tenor Vittorio Grigolo in a masterclass
series hosted by Angels Vocal Arts. Abby moved from Los
Angeles to Chicago in August to attend Roosevelt University.
She plans to pursue a classical singing career. |
 |
Mezzo-soprano
Mallory Harding (Alto Narrator/Seeress
cover) is a student of Winifred Faix Brown and was most
recently heard singing as Hansel in Engelbert Humperdinck’s
Hansel and Gretel with New Moon Opera
Company. Mallory also sang the role of the Countess in
Le nozze di Figaro with New Moon Opera in
2015. Other roles include Line/Maskarade
(Nielsen), Peep Bo (cover)/The Mikado, Valencienne/
The
Merry Widow
, Tisbe/La Cenerentola, and
Madame Altina/La Divina. Future engagements
include the role of Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti
with New Moon Opera in 2017. Mallory received her BA
in music education and K-12 teaching certification from
North Central College, and her M. Mus. in voice at the
University of Missouri-Columbia with a full assistanceship
teaching voice. |
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A resident of
Chicago, IL, Margaret Izard (Naomi) is an
aspiring mezzo-soprano. In addition to this world premiere
performance as Naomi, Ms. Izard’s 2016-2017 season includes
the title role in Miss Manners on Music and the
roles of Maman and Un Pâtre from
L’enfant et les
Sortilèges
. Past roles include Hänsel/
Hänsel und
Gretel
and Donna Elvira/Don Giovanni. During
her time as a resident artist at Dicapo Opera Theate, Ms.
Izard performed the roles of Tisbe/La Cenerentola,
and Zita/Gianni Schicchi. Ms. Izard has also
performed the role of Zita alongside director and performer
Alfonso Antoniozzi. Other work includes covering the role of
Spring Beauty/Snegurochka. Ms. Izard’s premieres
include the role of Magic Mirror/The Magic Mirror
by Polina Nazaykinskaya and covering the role of Roma/
The
Fiddler and the Old Woman of Rumelia
by Ketty Nez,
both with Juventas New Music Ensemble. Other interesting premieres include the chamber piece for string quartet, mezzo-soprano and dance company, Dry Bones: Resurrection of the Living , composed by Cheryl Krugel-Lee and commissioned by the Sydney Schiff Dance Project. Although Ms. Izard loves the world of opera, she is also very interested in symphonic works and song. Ms. Izard has been the alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Bach’s Cantata 79 and Bach’s Cantata 126. Ms. Izard also has a strong interest in art song and co-founded the salon concert company, Artful Song. Ms. Izard received her BA Emory University and is currently completing her MM in Voice at the Chicago College of Performing Arts where she studies with Judith Haddon. More... |
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Lyric
soprano Alexandra Kassouf (Soprano
Narrator) has demonstrated her versatility as a performer,
showing particular facility for early music and new works.
Recent season highlights include the premiere of a song
cycle by British composer Michael Csanyi-Wills with the
Constella Festival and premiering the role of Clara Schumann
in Fresco Opera Theater’s Clara. She performed as
both a singer and a dancer in a collaborative new work for
Cincinnati’s Contemporary Dance Theater. She has sung with the Cincinnati Chamber Opera, taking on the roles of Bubikopf (Der Kaiser von Atlantis) and the Cat (Brundibar), and covering the role of Galatea (Acis and Galatea). Their 2014 production of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, in which Ms. Kassouf portrayed the silent personification of La Musica, was heralded as “highlight of the Cincinnati Early Music Festival.&dsquo; She has delighted audiences in the roles of Musetta (La Bohème), Helena ( A Midsummer Night’s Dream ), Barbarina (Le Nozze di Figaro), and Drusilla (The Coronation of Poppea). Touring with Opera Columbus, she amused children and educators with her improvised rhymes in their Opera Improv and played an excitable Little Red in Little Red’s Most Unusual Day. Concert appearances include Handel’s Messiah (Part I), Fauré’s Requiem, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Ms. Kassouf earned a Master of Music degree from College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), where she had the pleasure of choreographing The Cunning Little Vixen. Her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she also studied dance. She is currently pursuing certification in the Alexander Technique. |
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Coloratura
soprano Joelle Kross (Ensemble/Angel
cover) recently completed an MM in Voice Performance at
Roosevelt University. Praised as “a vocal knockout” (
Hub
Review
) and “petite, spritely, and utterly delightful
in every scene” (Theater Mirror), Joelle has
appeared in Chicago with Main Street Opera and the Floating
Opera Company, and in her hometown of Boston with Boston
Midsummer Opera, MetroWest Opera, Lyric Stage, Gloucester
Stage, Wheelock Family Theatre, and Reagle Music Theatre. As
a Young Artist with Emerald City Opera this past summer, she
sang Belinda in Dido and Aeneas and covered Mavis
the Tractor in Fantastic Mr. Fox. Other favorite
roles include Le Feu/Le Rossignol in
L’enfant et les
Sortilèges
, Amore in L’incoronazione di Poppea,
and Anne Egerman in A Little Night Music. A
frequent collaborator on new music, in the 2015-2016 season
she created the role of the Fairy Maiden in Heidi Joosten’s
Connla and the Fairy Maiden, and premiered Patrick
Greene’s Year of Glad, a song cycle in
commemoration of the 20th anniversary of David Foster
Wallace’s novel Infinite Jest. |
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Soprano
Rachael
Long
(First Acolyte/Mary cover) has most recently
performed the role of Countess Almaviva in Portland Summer
Opera Workshop’s production of Le nozze di Figaro.
She has also graced the stage at Chicago College of
Performing Arts as both Corinna and Delia in Rossini’s
Il
Viaggio a Reims
as well as La dame in Poulenc’s
La
dame de Monte Carlo
. Ms. Long received the
Bella Voce award from the Bel Canto Foundation in Chicago,
Illinois. She received her MM from the Chicago College of
Performing Arts at Roosevelt University (CCPA) and her BFA
from Carnegie Mellon University. Long has performed in
masterclasses with Marlena Malas, Patricia Craig and Armen
Guzelimian, and was a founding member of Forte Chicago,
Chicago’s premier opera improv troupe. She is a Pittsburgh
native, but currently resides in Chicago. |
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Baritone Ian McGuffin
(Bass Narrator/Marcus cover/Quintus cover) is an American classical voice performer and new music collaborator. Ian
has worked with many composers and performers to bring works to a new light and create works that
entertain and inspire. Ian’s operatic ventures include Count Almaviva in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro
with the Miami Summer Music Festival, Marcello in Puccini’s La Bohème in the Tuscia Opera Festival
of Viterbo, Italy, King Melchior in Campbellsville University’s Opera Workshop presentation of
Amahl and the Night Visitors, and the opera ensemble for Gounod’s Roméo and Juliette with the
Kentucky Opera. You will not only find Ian on the operatic stage but also performing in the media
of oratorio and recital work, including Handel’s Messiah and Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Campbellsville
University, benefit recitals for the Agape National Academy of Music, Liberia, a recital of
composition and arranging by esteemed composer Dr. William David Hedrick. Ian finished his Bachelor
of Voice Performance at Campbellsville University where he studied under classical voice teacher
Dr. William David Hedrick and is currently pursuing his Master of Voice Performance in Opera at
Roosevelt University’s College of Performing Arts Conservatory with internally acclaimed artist
Mark Crayton. Ian is currently working as a freelance artist in Chicago, enjoying the vast Chicago
culinary culture and the vibrancy of the arts. Being a Kentucky-born native, he is also a passionate
Bourbon purveyor and comfort food enthusiast.
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Tenor
Nicholas
Metzger
(Tenor Narrator/Aaron cover) is excited
to appear in the premiere performances of Joseph’s Gift.
He is currently a student pursuing a BM in voice performance
at the Chicago College of Performing Arts, where he studies
with Mark Crayton. He has appeared in several roles both in
school and in the Chicagoland area. Most notable appearances
include Hillary in Sunday Excursion, Bill in
A Hand of Bridge, and Cymon in Thespis.
Recently in October, he was featured as a soloist in J.S.
Bach’s Magnificat with the CCPA Baroque Orchestra
with guest artists Il Giardino d’Amore. His repertoire
includes works such as Orff’s Carmina Burana,
Schubert’s Mass in Ab major, Schubert’s
Mass in G major, and Jacob TV’s Mountaintop.
Nicholas is a native of Elgin, IL. Besides singing, he also
takes great interest in composition and possesses an
Associate’s Degree of Applied Science in Welding
Fabrication. |
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Tenor
Ricky
Feng Nan
(Aaron) is a native of Guangzhou, China.
This past summer, Nan sang the role of Rinuccio in Gianni
Schicchi with Miami Summer Music Festival. He made
his professional opera debut as Car man in Tri-Cities
Opera’s production of Speed Dating Tonight in
2015. Other previous roles include Elder Hayes (Susannah)
and Silvio (Doctor Miracle) with Northwestern
University, Frederic (The Pirates of Penzance) with
the Peking University Opera Center, and Fenton/Dr. Caius (Falstaff)
with Binghamton University. Nan also enjoys balancing his
work with the field of theatre and film. Most recently, he
performed the role of Hanks Jr. (Where am I) with
Beijing Haidian Theatre. The microfilm Fall in New York,
in which he starred, was selected for the finals of the
Asian Film Festival of Dallas. Nan received his
undergraduate training at SUNY Binghamton. He is currently a
second-year master’s student in voice and opera studying
with W. Stephen Smith at Northwestern University. |
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Alexandra
Olsavsky
(The Angel of the Lord) is a
Seattle-born, Chicago-based soprano, praised for her
“gleaming tone, mastery of pitch, and naturalness in
phrasing” (Vocal Arts Chicago). As a collaborator and
soloist, she has performed with many acclaimed ensembles,
including the Bach and Beethoven Ensemble, Baroque Band,
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Opera Playhouse, Chicago
Sinfonietta, CUBE Ensemble, Haymarket Opera Company,
Lakeside Singers, Lira Ensemble, Oregon Bach Festival
Chorus, Oriana Singers, Savoyaires, and as a member of the
backing ensemble for the Rolling Stones’ “50 and Counting”
tour. Notable highlights from the upcoming 2016-2017 season
include: an international debut and CD release of the music
of John Dowland alongside Italy’s acclaimed early music
fusion ensemble, La Chimera; an appearance in the Saluzzo
Music Festival in Purcell’s The Fairy Queen; a
Midwest tour with Chicago’s leading female a capella
trio, Artemisia; a Boston tour with virtuoso pianist and
composer Eric Genuis; and the U.S. premiere of Scotland’s
first opera, The Gentle Shepherd, with the Bach
and Beethoven Ensemble.
More... |
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Puerto Rican
tenor Karlos Piñero-Mercado (Cornelius) is
a Chicago-based perfomer. He recently performed The
Lover in Menotti’s Amelia Goes to the Ball, and will perform
La théière in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les sortilèges. Recent performances
include: Eisenstein in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, Dr. Cajus
in Otto Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Brother in
Weill’s The 7 Deadly Sins, and the tenor soloist in Händel&rsquo7;s
Messiah (Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra). He debuted as Jean
Valjean in Lés Miserables by Boublil & Schönberg with
Music Theatre Bavaria in 2013. He was a 2015 finalist for
the Central Region NATS qualifying him as a semi-finalist at
the NATS National Convention. He received 2nd place at the
Chicago NATS competition in 2016. He is pursuing his
master’s degree in music at the Chicago College of
Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, studying under
renowned countertenor Mark Crayton. |
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Mezzo-soprano Kimberly Reuter
(Ensemble) is thrilled to be a part of the
world premiere of Joseph’s Gift! Kim is a graduate
of Manchester College with a BA in voice. She has performed
in regional theatres such as Barksdale Theatre, Thunder Bay
Theatre, and Snow Camp Drama; national tours with
Cornerstone Chorale and Brass and Theatre IV; and locally
with Citadel Theatre, Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Co.,
and the Savoyaires. Kim would like to thank her family and
friends for their enduring love and support. |
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Tenor Michael Ryan (Ensemble)
has appeared previously as a shepherd in Fury Theatre’s production of
Amahl and the Night Visitors
and is happy to take on a similar role in Joseph’s Gift.
He has also appeared in the men’s ensemble of several local Gilbert & Sullivan
productions with both the Savoyaires and Hyde Park’s Gilbert and Sullivan Opera
Company, including The Grand Duke, The Yeomen of the Guard, Princess Ida, and
Thespis. An accomplished dancer with tap dance skills, Michael has participated
in competitive ballroom dance since 2014. For the better part of the last decade,
he has sung in the DePaul Community Chorus when he wasn’t appearing on stage
somewhere. |
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Bass-baritone
Ivo Suarez (Quintus/Joseph cover) earned
his bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the
University of Iowa and his master’s from the Conservatory of
Music and Dance at the University of Missouri at Kansas
City. Mr. Suarez has been fortunate enough to perform in a
multitude of productions, appearing as Sarastro in
Die
Zauberflöte
, Colline in La Bohème, Don
Alfonso in Cosí fan Tutte, Bottom in
A
Midsummer Night’s Dream
, and most recently, Bartolo
in Le nozze di Figaro. Mr. Suarez resides in
Chicago, actively engaging in all facets of performing and
constantly seeking to advance himself as an artist. |
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Baritone Noel Taylor
(Ensemble) has made numerous appearances
with the Savoyaires Gilbert and Sullivan opera company,
appearing most recently as the Boatswain in their 2015
production of H.M.S. Pinafore. Noel’s other roles
with the company include Giuseppe (The Gondoliers),
King Paramount (Utopia Limited), and the Pirate
King (The Pirates of Penzance). Beyond G&S,
Noel continues to sing with the men’s vocal a cappella
group “The Rookery‘ and with his own Russian folk choir,
Golosá, which this year celebrates its 20th season. Noel
thanks his friend Francis Lynch and the directors of this
production for the privilege and pleasure of participating.
He dedicates these performances to his wife Margot, to whom
he proposed without hesitation. |
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As a native
of Michigan, mezzo-soprano Angela Torres-Kutkuhn
(Seeress) was a familiar face on Ann Arbor stages before
moving to Chicago in 2011, having performed with University
of Michigan Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Comic Opera Guild,
and Arbor Opera Theater. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree
from the University of Iowa, a Masters in Music from the
Chicago College of Performing Arts, and also studied the
culinary arts at Schoolcraft College in Michigan. Since
moving to Chicago, she has been privileged to sing in Jake
Heggie’s Again, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte,
Daron Hagen’s Amelia (Chicago premiere), Puccini’s
Suor Angelica, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor,
Menotti’s The Consul, Verdi’s Falstaff,
the American premiere of Mountaintop by Jacob TV,
and as back-up for The Rolling Stones. She has appeared with
the Chicago Sinfonietta, Main Street Opera, as a featured
soloist with the choruses at CCPA, is a staff singer here at
St. Matthews, and is a founding/core member of Forte
Chicago, an all female opera sketch comedy troupe. Ms.
Torres-Kutkuhn is incredibly thrilled to be a part of this
adventure with Music at St. Matthews and honored
to be singing this premiere!
More... |
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Sara Wheeler (Ensemble/Soprano Narrator cover) just finished performing in Thespis with the Savoyaires in Evanston (with orchestration by Francis Lynch) and is excited to be working in another production with the composition talents of Mr. Lynch! Sara recently sang The Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute with Park Ridge’s Petite Opera Company, and reprised the role in concert with Chicago’s Clef Note Productions. Other recent roles include Judy in This Is the Rill Speaking and Mimi (excerpts) in La Bohème. Sara is the director of Glenview’s Dynamic Music Youth Show Choir and is also releasing a full album of all-original music with the Rubicons before the year’s end. A true crossover singer, Sara enjoys infiltrating her classical influences into her pop/rock originals, as well as her jazz performances with the Mitch Straeffer Quartet at Chicago’s Gallery Cabaret. |