Nevada Opera Studio Program
Resident Artist Program
We are bringing back The Studio, the award-willing program developed and run by Kathleen Kimmel until 2004. This highly successful Resident Artist program helped launch the careers of many young Reno artists. The program will offer local singers professional opportunities to learn leading roles in both traditional and contemporary operas. In addition, young artists from all over the world will be invited to Reno to network and sing, providing our local artists with access to their peers in other cities.
For Artown 2012 performances, Nevada Opera featured a number of local artists as well as a dozen visiting singers and pianists hailing from New York to Kyrgyzstan. Under Monica’s direction, Kathy Kimmel and Jon Fay, both veterans for Nevada Opera, return to run this program. We will also expand our presence in the community and build new audiences with our Opera Show Chorus that will perform in smaller theatres and restaurants. This program will generate revenue through paid performances at restaurants and special events.
Among the visiting artists were:
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Marie Putko, Soprano, recently graduated from New York University Masters of Classical Voice and Opera Performance program with an Advanced Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy. She received her B.A. from Providence College in Vocal Performance in 2010. Performance credits include Dido and Aeneas (Belinda), Amahl and the Nightvisitors (Amahl), Company (Sarah), Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes, Die Fledermaus, and The Imressario (Miss Silverpeal). In addition, Marie sang in the Opera Workshop for the Institute of European Studies in Vienna, Austria in 2008 and the Florence Voice Seminar in 2011. Marie teaches Yoga at NYU and hopes to further her practice in Yoga for Singers and Musicians. |
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Russian-born Lyric Soprano, Irina Kasimova-Ulrich, has lived in Portola, CA since 2008. This will be her debut with the Nevada Opera Festival in Reno, NV. She has previously participated in annual Russian Festivals in Reno (2010, 2011) and San-Francisco, CA (2012). In March 2012 Irina sang in recital, “Dinner with Divas and Divos”, at the University of Nevada Reno Knowledge Center, Reno, NV. In 2009-2010 she was both a member and a soloist in “Master Works Chorale”under Artistic & Music Director Richard Lee (Reno, NV). In 2009 she also performed in the International project, “Meloplastika”, created by the famous Ukrainian artist, Konstantin Lyashev in Kyev,Ukraine. Irina has a wide range of musical and academic interests. She graduated from P.I. Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine (Kyev, 2002) and a post-graduate school (2007). Her master’s degree is in Music Pedagogy and Education and Theory and History of Culture. She was awarded an Honorary Diploma in the International Competition, “XXI Centery Art” (Kyev-Vorzel, Ukraine 2005, Solo Vocal), and a Diploma from the Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund for a significant creative contribution to the development of Ukrainian Culture (Kyev, 2009). |
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Julie De Vaere, praised as a mezzo-soprano who is “warm-voiced and gracious”, has performed with Michigan Opera, Sarasota Opera, Dayton Opera, Opera Carolina, Opera Delaware, and Opera Omaha. Her rich array of roles include Carmen, Lucretia, Olga, Miss Jessel, The Secretary in The Consul, Loma in Cold Sassy Tree, and the title role in Massenet’s Thérèse. She made her Carnegie Hall debut as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem and returned for Handel’s Messiah with John Rutter conducting. Recent engagements include her recital debut at the American Church in Paris and her first Maddalena with St. Petersburg Opera. |
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Sarah-Jane Pinsky is currently an undergraduate student studying at the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College. She is pursuing a dual degree in Music Performance for voice and a degree in Physical Anthropology. Her vocal studies are under the instruction of Ms. Monica Harte. Miss Pinsky was recently featured in Kindergarten an opera short by Christian McLeer, which was filmed for BCAT television. She recently finished filming a student film called In Loving Memory. Sarah-Jane Pinsky is also a cellist and was awarded a scholarship to study at the Conservatoire de Musique de Quebec during her begging years as a cellist. |
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Canadian soprano Allison McAuley is a recent graduate of New York University’s Master of Classical Voice and Opera Performance program. She completed her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance at Queen’s University in Canada. Notable roles include Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Noémie in Cendrillon, the Plaintiff in Trial by Jury, Ariel in Footloose, and most recently Countess Charlotte Malcolm in A Little Night Music. She was a regional finalist in the 2011 Classical Singer Competition in New York City, and she has also appeared on the television shows System Crash, and Are you Maria?, and on Canada’s MuchMusic. |
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Alexandra Lang is recognized for her integrity as a musician, distinct vocal color and versatility as a singing-actress. A native of Atlanta, she made her operatic debut in the title role of Massenet’s Manon with Opera in the Ozarks. Last summer, Ms. Lang was invited to sing the national anthem at Boston’s historic Fenway Park. In November the soprano made her New York Lyric Opera Theatre debut as Erste Dame in Die Zauberflöte under the baton of Keith Chambers at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall. She makes her first appearance with Nevada Opera this summer as a Studio Artist. |
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Praised for her “lovely and rhythmically supple” singing (Cleveland Classical), soprano Candice Hoyes is a prizewinner of the 2010 Los Angeles International Liszt Competition for Lieder. She has recently completed young artist apprenticeships at Lorin Maazel’s Castleton Festival for Young Artists in Opera and the Caramoor International Music Festival. This season, she makes her debut at Opera Nevada (Adele in Die Fledermaus) and Florida Opera Theatre (Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia). Candice performs Debra in Jennifer Griffith’s new opera, Beautiful Creatures with renowned director Christopher Alden, and is recording the role of Maxine McNair in Richard Pearson Thomas’ new opera, Blood of Angels. Candice is a cum laude graduate of Harvard University, Columbia Law School and Westminster Choir College. |
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Mezzo-soprano Stephanie McGuire recently enjoyed performing with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra at Symphony Hall. She has covered and performed solo roles for New York City Opera, on the mainstage at Lincoln Center and for the VOX contemporary music festival, respectively. Highlights of Stephanie’s 2011-2012 season included Ruggiero (Alcina) with Satori Opera and Bradamante (Alcina) with New York Lyric Opera. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2010 with Remarkable Theater Brigade, singing Tiatin in an excerpt of Tania León?s Scourge of Hyacinths. This August, she will appear as Starenka and Rychtarka in Opera Slavica's Jenufa. |
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| Praised by Opera News for her “pearly tone”, American Soprano Rebecca Blinder was recently seen performing with the International Vocal Arts Institute in Virginia and Tel Aviv as Mrs. Gobineau (The Medium), as well as in scenes as the title role in Alcina, and Rose (Street Scene). She is thrilled to make her Nevada Opera debut as Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus as part of the Artown Festival. Her 2011-2012 season included creating the role of Margie Mitchell in Billy Blythe with Metropolis Opera and guest performances with the Motyl Chamber Ensemble. An avid interpreter of new opera, Ms. Blinder created the role of Miss Northridge in the OperaWorks premiere of My Other, My Selves and was featured in their production In Celebration of Small. Other roles include Countess Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Catherine (A View from the Bridge), Louise (Pir vo vremja čumy), and Micaëla (La Tragedie de Carmen). Ms. Blinder holds M.M. and B.M. degrees from the University of Michigan and makes her home in New York City. |  |
