Helen Zhibing Huang is a Chinese-born soprano with a widerange of musical interests. During the 2014-15 season, MissHuang was featured as a soloist in Haydn’s Creation as well asMahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn at the Bard CollegeConservatory of Music. Also in 2014-15, Miss Huangperformed the role of the Corinthian Woman in HaroldFarberman’s Medea. Other opera credits include: Carolina inCimarosa’s Il matrimonio segreto, Amore in Gluck’s Orfeo edEuridice, and Flora in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw. She alsocreated the role of the Young Drifter in Shawn Jaeger’s PayneHollow. She performed Bach’s Christen, ätzet diesen Tag(BWV 63) and selections from Handel’s Messiah with the

Albany Symphony. Other concert performances include Schubert’s Mass in G, andBach’s Wer da gläubet und getauft wird (BWV 37). Miss Huang graduated from theEastman School of Music with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and theUniversity of Rochester with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. She is currently at theBard Graduate Vocal Arts Program. In her spare time, Miss Huang enjoys cookingtraditional Chinese dishes, traveling and making new friends.

Laura Strickling has appeared at Avery Fisher Hall, CarnegieHall, the Kennedy Center, Wigmore Hall, the Ravinia MusicFestival, the Tanglewood Music Festival, Songfest, TrinityChurch on Wall Street, Dankhaus Chicago, the WashingtonNational Cathedral, the inaugural season of Liederfest inSuzhou, China. and the Afghanistan National Institute ofMusic. An alumna of the Berkshire Opera Company ResidentArtist Program, her operatic performances include CountessAlmaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Mimi (La Bohème), Gretel(Hansel and Gretel), and Micaëla (Carmen). Her competitionhonors include the Liszt-Garrison International Competition,the Liederkranz competition, the Schubert Club competition,

the Positively Poulenc competition, and the American Prize for Opera. She hasappeared with SongFusion and Joy in Singing, and is on the roster of the BrooklynArt Song Society and Vox3 Collective.

Diane Kalinowski, soprano, recently made her internationaldebut as a Finalist in the Elizabeth Connell Prize for DramaticSopranos through the Joan Sutherland/Richard BonyngeFoundation. Diane won Grand Prize in Rochester LyricOpera’s LaDue Professional Recital Competition; 1st PlaceAmerican Opera Idol Award at Connecticut Concert Opera;Finalist of New Jersey State Opera’s Alfredo SilipigniCompetition; Semi-Finalist of Opera Theater Pittsburgh’sMildred Miller International Voice Competition, and Semi-Finalist of New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera’s Vocal

Competition.

Diane was an apprentice with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, awarded the Kaplan Prizetwice during an unprecedented three year term. Favorite operatic performancesinclude the Tosca in Tosca, Marguerite in Faust, Lady Billows in Albert Herring, andNew Prioress in Dialogues of the Carmelites. Equally comfortable on the concertstage, Diane has performed solos from the Vivaldi Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, thePoulenc Gloria, the Mozart Requiem and Strauss’s Vier letzte Lieder.

Hailed as having a “voice with great power and a sound that couldpropel her into the Wagnerian repertoire,” Soprano RebeccaWitty is making a name for herself in the classical music world.Most recently she performed the role of Fiordiligi in Così fan tuttewith Buffalo Opera Unlimited. In January 2015, she proudlyrepresented her hometown as the third place winner of the GreatLakes Region in the Metropolitan Opera National CouncilAuditions. As an Apprentice artist with the Santa Fe Opera in2014, she was honored to take on the role of Lu Mu-Zhen in theAmerican premiere of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen. She has also been a youngartist with Sarasota Opera and Des Moines Metro Opera. Equally

at home on the concert stage, she has performed in concert halls across the U.S.including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Eastman’s Kodak Hall and Alice TullyHall.

Andra Erbar is an emerging young soprano. Her most recentperformances have been with Cimarron Opera playing Casilda inThe Gondoliers, and with Tulsa Project Theater playing MarianParoo in The Music Man. In between these roles she performedwith Tulsa Opera in the ensemble for Elmer Gantry and Carmen. Inthe 2012 through the 2013 season she was a Resident Artist atCentral Florida Lyric Opera where recently she performed bothMaria and (on alternate nights) Elsa Schraeder in the The Sound ofMusic. Last season, she performed First Lady in The Magic Flute,Liù in Turandot, and in addition she covered Lucia in Lucia di

Lammermoor. Last summer she performed the role of Musetta in La Bohème withRitorna all’Opera along with Verdi scenes in Liguria, Italy and at Casa Verdi in Milan.Andra completed her MM in Voice from the University of Oklahoma under thetutelage of Bradley Williams, also with occasional lessons with Marilyn Horne, andperformances including Adele in Die Fledermaus, Zerlina, Marzelline in Fidelio, andnumerous scenes including Juliette and Gilda. She performed the title role in Gilbertand Sullivan’s Iolanthe with Cimarron Opera Company. She has also performed inthe ensembles of Lyric Theater of Oklahoma, Jewel Box Theater and OperaInternational. She owes her most recent vocal success to Kim Josephson and ReginaZona, her current teachers. Andra thanks her family, teachers, and coaches for theirsupport.

Praised for “astounding technical vocal ability, solid songinterpretation and stage presence,” soprano Annie Gillcontinues to gain recognition as a promising young singer. Mostrecently, Ms. Gill performed the role of Fiordiligi in Così fan tuttewith Opera NOVA. Ms. Gill appeared as the “Opera Singer” in theSeason 2 Finale of House of Cards. Ms. Gill has received awardsfrom the Barry Alexander International Vocal Competition,National Federation of Music Clubs, Russell C. Wonderlic VoiceCompetition, Orpheus Vocal Competition, and the Coeur d’Alene

Symphony Young Artist Competition. Past roles include the title roles in SuorAngelica and Massenet’s Manon, Nedda (I Pagliacci), Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus),Mimì and Musetta (La Bohème), The Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors), DonnaAnna and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), and Pamina (The Magic Flute) withcompanies including The In Series, Baltimore Opera Theatre, Opera in the Ozarks,and Opera AACC. www.AnnieGill.com

Carolyne DalMonte, soprano, has most recently been seenas Second Lady in Chicago Summer Opera’s energeticconcert production of Die Zauberflöte. Other fullyperformed opera roles include Giannetta in L’elisir d’amore(OperaModo) and Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte(Westminster Choir College Opera Theatre). As a formermezzo-soprano, she has also performed as Octavian and

Meg in scenes from Der Rosenkavalier and Little Women. In 2012 she attended theOpera Studio at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, and was afinalist in the 2012 South Orange Symphony Competition. She also attended the2013 OperaWorks program in Los Angeles, and was the 2013 recipient of thePhyllis-Brynn Julson award in the Civic Morning Musicals Competition in Syracuse.In the spring of 2014, Ms. DalMonte was a semi-finalist of the Orpheus VocalCompetition in Tennessee as well as a finalist in the Opera at San Nicola competitionin August of 2014. After an exciting fall filled with auditions, Miss DalMonte isexcited to announce that she will be spending her summer at the prestigious AspenMusic Festival and School, where she will be singing as a soprano with the AspenOpera Theatre Center. In addition to her love of opera, Miss DalMonte is an avidlover of oratorio and song, and frequently is a soloist in concerts with NassauPresbyterian Church in Princeton, NJ. She will be singing as a soloist in the DurufléRequiem with Nassau in March 2015. Ms. DalMonte holds a Masters in VocalPedagogy & Performance from Westminster Choir College, and a Bachelors in VoicePerformance from the University of Delaware. She studies with Dr. Sharon Sweet,and currently sings and teaches in the New York metropolitan area.

Soprano Yunjin Audrey Kim is the Grand Prize winner of theLaDue Professional Recital Competition and made herCarnegie Hall debut in 2013. Highlighted opera roles includeElisetta in Il Matrimonio Segreto, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte,and Dido in Dido and Aeneas, to name a few. Her many concert

solos include a performance of Messiaen’s Poémes pour Mi with the EastmanPhilharmonia at Kodak Hall. In 2013, she was featured in the album, 'A ThousandBurnt Offerings' released in South Korea. Ms. Kim has served as music director andcollaborative pianist for organizations including Opera Scenes at James MadisonUniversity, Rochester Association of Performing Arts and Pittsford School District.

Kristina Bachrach is making a name for herself as an exciting anddiverse young artist. In the 2013/2014 she made role debuts asLucy in The Telephone and Mrs. Gobineau in The Medium withOpera Naples; as Emily Dickinson in Eva Kendrick’s Emily with theThompson Street Opera Company in Louisville, KY; and mostrecently as Musetta in La Bohème with the Lyric Opera of Virginia.She sang recitals in four cities around the country under theauspices of the Brooklyn Art Song Society and also made concertand recital appearances with the Westchester Choral Society, the

String Orchestra of Brooklyn, the Moravian Music Foundation, the Banff Centre, theCecilia Chorus of New York at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium and was one of fourfinalists for the Joy in Singing Foundation’s Artist Awards. The 2013 season foundher in residence at Nashville Opera, where she performed the roles of Papagenain Die Zauberflöte and Clorinda in La Cenerentola. In 2011 she created the role ofLucinda in the world premiere of Nico Muhly's opera Dark Sisters with GothamChamber Opera and in 2012 appeared in the same role with Opera Philadelphia.Last summer she enjoyed residencies at SongFest at Colburn, The Berkshire ChoralFestival, and the Lake George Music Festival.

Beth Allen-Gardner’s solo experience includes Mozart'sCoronation Mass, Fauré's Requiem, Charpentier's Messe de Minuitpour Noël, Schütz's Musikalische Exequien, Monteverdi's Gloria à8, Handel's Messiah, Bach's Magnificat and Cantatas BWV 150 andBWV 227, Despina in Mozart's Così fan tutte, the second sister inVittorio Giannini's Beauty and the Beast, and the Unknown Maidenin the world premiere of Chuck Holdeman's opera Young MeisterBach. Beth has been soloist for The Bach Choir of Bethlehem,Greensboro's Bel Canto Company, UNCG Chamber Singers, UNC

Chamber Singers and Chorale, UNC Collegium Musicum, the Mebane CommunityChoir, and will debut this coming May with the Greensboro Choral Society assoprano soloist in Handel's Judas Maccabaeus. Beth was a finalist in the 2014 BachVocal Competition for American Singers, first-place winner at NC NATS two years ina row, and a UNC-Chapel Hill Concerto Competition winner. Beth has her B.M. withdistinction from UNC-Chapel Hill and is currently earning her M.M. at UNC-Greensboro as a student of Dr. Robert Wells.

Mezzo-soprano Cabiria Jacobsen has been praised for her“mezzo of richness and power” by Opera Magazine (UK).Recent roles include The Fox in The Little Prince with OperaFayetteville, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro with Salt MarshOpera, Julia in The Rivals with the Bronx Opera and Ernestinain Opportunity Makes the Thief with the Little Opera Theatreof New York. Cabiria trained at Virginia Opera, Tri-CitiesOpera and Opera North. Upcoming performances include herCarnegie Hall debut in Mozart’s Coronation Mass and her SanFrancisco debut as Cousin Hebe in H.M.S. Pinafore.

Polish born mezzo-soprano Magdalena Wór is a winner,finalist and recipient of many prestigious national andinternational competitions and awards, such as the MarcelloGiordani and Moniuszko International Vocal Competitions,Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and MarcellaKochanska Sembrich Vocal Competition, among others. Overthe last several seasons Ms. Wór has worked with TheMetropolitan Opera, the National Symphony Orchestra andthe National Philharmonic in Washington, DC, theWashington National Opera, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra,Baltic Opera, Washington Concert Opera, Atlanta Opera,Virginia Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Memphis Symphony

Orchestra, Richmond Symphony Orchestra, and Alabama Symphony Orchestra,among others. Magdalena is often praised by music critics and fans alike for the richcolor of her voice, vocal flexibility, which allows her to sing low and high mezzorepertoire spanning the Baroque era through the 21st century, and for hercomplete devotion to both the music and the text at hand.

Katherine Weber, mezzo-soprano, graduated last springfrom the Eastman School of Music where she studied Voiceperformance with Professor Kathryn Cowdrick, and MusicEducation. Katie is a 2010 graduate of Jamesville-DeWitt HighSchool in Syracuse NY. Katie performed the title role inEastman Opera's production of Handel's Orlando, Kurt Weill'sStreet Scene (as Mae Jones), Handel's Xerxes (as Arsamene),and in Poulenc's masterpiece Dialogues of the Carmelites (asMere Marie). Recently, Miss Weber has had the honor ofperforming as Blink the little grey mouse in Ross’s Custard the

Dragon with Rochester Lyric Opera. No stranger to musical theater, Katie has playedroles such as Anita in Bernstein's West Side Story, and in the JCC's Center Stage'supcoming production of Sondheim's Into the Woods, Katie will be performing therole of Cinderella. Katherine is thankful for this opportunity to share her love ofsinging and music with the Rochester community.

Tenor Kyuyoung Lee, a native of South Korea, earned aBachelor of Music degree in vocal arts at Seoul NationalUniversity, South Korea where he graduated with honors. Hereceived the Seoul National University Alumni developmentFund Scholarship as well as the Music Merit Scholarship forExcellent Academic record. He currently is doing first year ofProfessional study program in vocal arts at the ManhattanSchool of Music and is studying under the tutelage ofProfessor Marlena Kleinman Malas. He has performed withthe Korea Prime Philharmonic Orchestra and he got lots ofconcerts in Korea. Also He was a grand-prize winner at the

music association of Korea. Also, he has sung at the Aspen Opera Theater Center andhad a role as Tamino in Magic Flute and Chaplain of the Monastery in Dialogues ofthe Carmelites with the USC Thorton Opera.

This season, tenor Christopher Longo joins Central CityOpera as an Apprentice Artist performing as Alfredo coverin Verdi’s La Traviata, and returns to Eastman OperaTheatre as George cover in Rorem’s Our Town. He recentlyappeared with Eastman Opera Theatre as Chevalier inPoulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites. The review noted his"unperturbed purity of tone and precise pitch placementsharpened a strong dramatic presence." A native of Tampa,Florida, Mr. Longo holds a Bachelor's degree in VoicePerformance from Florida State University, where heoriginally pursued violin performance before switching tovocal studies. At FSU his roles included The Princein Rusalka, Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore, Frederick

in Pirates of Penzance, Herr Vogelsang in Der Schauspieldirektor, and Orphéein Orphée aux enfers. Mr. Longo is currently in the second-year of his Master'sdegree at the Eastman School of Music, where he studies voice with RobertSwensen.

American tenor Brent Reilly Turner has beencritically acclaimed across the UnitedStates. Turner’s appearances in opera, concertand recital have been characterized as having aclear, brilliant timbre, energetic personality andunique honesty. In the 2014-15 season, Mr.Turner debuts with First Coast Opera singing therole of Don Ottavio in Mozart's Don Giovanni.Turner returns to Opera in the Heights to reprise

the role of the doomed solider Don Jose in Brook's La Tragedie de Carmen, anadaptation of Bizet's masterpiece, Carmen. Turner will also be making his debutwith New York Opera Exchange performing Don Jose in Bizet's Carmen. Turnerrecently received 3rd place honors at the 2015 National Opera Association Vocal

Competition. He was also awarded a coveted study grant from the Wagner Society ofNew York, recognizing him as an up-and-coming heldentenor. Last year, Turnerreceived the Grand Prize at the 2014 Peter Elvins Vocal Competition and the GrandPrize at the 2014 Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition hosted byShreveport Opera. Turner received 2nd place honors at the 2014 Dallas Opera GuildCompetition, and 3rd place in the 2014 Irma M. Cooper Competition hosted byOpera Columbus. Turner also took 1st place in the 2013 Orpheus Vocal Competitionand 1st place in the 2013 Florida Suncoast Opera Guild Competition. Turner was anencouragement award recipient in the Wagner Division of the 2014 Gerda LissnerVocal Competition in New York City. Mr. Turner has participated with several majorYoung Artist and Apprentice Programs including Santa Fe Opera, Utah Opera, Ashlawn Opera, Opera North, Opera Saratoga, Opera Theatre and Music Festival ofLucca, Brevard Music Center, and V.O.I.C.Experience. Turner holds a Bachelor ofMusic degree from Stetson University and a Master of Music from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. Though born in Singapore,Turner was raised in Oviedo, FL and considers himself a native Central Floridian.

Described by critics as "tremendous," "entertaining" and"talented," baritone James Wright is a favorite amongaudiences for his charismatic presence and warm tone. Hisrecent operatic roles include Rev. Gruffydd in Roger Ames’ HowGreen was My Valley with El Paso Opera, Angelotti in Tosca withNickel City Opera and Papageno in The Magic Flute withUndercroft Opera of Pittsburgh. This season James will beappearing as the Sacristan in Puccini’s Tosca with El PasoOpera, Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro and Bob in The Old

Maid and the Thief with Nickel City Opera and as a festival artist with The SavannahVOICE Festival in Savannah, GA lead by Sherrill Milnes. Other operatic roles includeThe Pilot in Portman’s The Little Prince with Opera Sacra and John Sorel in TheConsul with Western New York Chamber Orchestra; Valentin in Gounod's Faust, Dr.Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Schaunard in La Bohème and King Melchior in Menotti'sAmahl and the Night Visitors, both with Nickel City Opera of Buffalo. He has alsoappeared with Chautauqua Opera in Puccini's Manon Lescaut and the ChautauquaSymphony in Verdi’s Otello. James has served as Chorus Master for Hillman Operaproductions of Les contes d'Hoffmann and Mozart's The Magic Flute, as well as OperaSacra's production of Maria Stuarda. James is equally comfortable on the concertand recital stage. He has performed in concert with the Buffalo PhilharmonicOrchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, The Savannah Voice Festival,VOICExperience, Western New York Chamber Orchestra, Buffalo Chamber players,Olean Academy Orchestra, Vocalis Chamber, Camerata di Sant' Antonio, Nickel CityOpera, Opera Sacra, Rochester Lyric Opera, Amherst Symphony Orchestra and theWestern New York Opera Buffs. Currently, James is an adjunct professor of voice atCanisius College. He also serves as the Artistic Adminstrator of Nickel City Opera.

Baritone Quentin Oliver Lee has most recently returnedfrom the First National Tour of The Gershwin’s Porgy andBess directed by Diana Paulas, where he performed the roleof Porgy numerous times. He has performed several roleson stage including, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, andEscamillo in Carmen with the New York Lyric OperaTheater, the title role in Gianni Schicchi, Sid in Albert

Herring, and Belcore in L'elisir d'amore with the NAU Opera, and The Count in LeNozze di Figaro with ASU Opera. Mr. Lee was named a Western Regional Finalist inboth the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the NationalAssociation of Teachers of Singers Artist Awards. This summer Quentin is engagedto work for the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater as Schaunard in La Bohème,and the Captain of the Inquisition in Man of La Mancha.

A winner of the 2014 Sun Valley International OperaCompetition and a Regional Finalist in the MetropolitanOpera National Council Auditions, Rhys Lloyd Talbot is agraduate of the University of Northern Iowa with a BM inVocal Performance. A student of John Hines, Rhysperformed the roles of Melchior (Amahl and the NightVisitors), David (A Hand of Bridge), Papageno (DieZauberflöte), Frank (Die Fledermaus) and the Count (PrimaDonna) with the UNI Opera. Rhys has also appeared as afeatured soloist in major choral works at UNI including

Mozart's Requiem, Fauré's Requiem, and Vaughan William's Hodie, as well asBrahms’s Liebeslieder Waltzes with the San Francisco Opera Center. Rhys is analumnus of young artist programs across the country, including Central City OperaCompany Studio (2011), Houston Grand Opera Young Artist Vocal Academy (2012),Wolf Trap Opera Studio (2012) and San Francisco’s Merola Opera Program (2013and 2014).

In the 2014-15 season, bass-baritone Andrew Craig Brownmakes his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic as Dodo,Frog-Footman and Seven in Unsuk Chin’s Alice In Wonderland,with the Jacksonville Symphony in Beethoven’s MissaSolemnis, and with New World Symphony in Mozart’s C MinorMass. Recent engagements include his debuts at San FranciscoOpera as Dr. Grenville in La Traviata, at English NationalOpera as Achilla in Julius Caesar and Colline in La Bohème, andat Opera San Antonio as Farmer Boggis in Fantastic Mr. Foxand the First Nazarene in Salome.

Pianist Kevin Nitsch, performer, collaborator, teacher, andcomposer in the Rochester area, is a member of the piano andmusic theory faculty at Nazareth College of Rochester andMusic Director at the Baptist Temple in Brighton. Incollaboration with Rochester artist, Kathleen Nicastro, Kevin isthe pianist for Labyrinth of Sound and Light, a series ofconcerts that offers the audience a creative way to interactwith art and music. Kevin has been composer-in-residence atWebster Thomas High School, sponsored by The CommissionProject to compose music for the performing ensembles and toafford the students the opportunity to observe and participatein the composing process. Now in his fourth year as pianist forthe Rochester Oratorio Society, he has served as MusicDirector for several Rochester Lyric Opera productions and as Accompanist for theOratorio Society’s 2014 Classical Idol vocal competition. Kevin holds a BM in PianoPerformance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music,and a MM and a DMA in Performance and Literature in Piano Performance from theEastman School of Music. Kevin recently completed Yoga Teacher Training at OpenSky Yoga in Rochester and teaches yoga at Nazareth College and the Baptist Temple.Pianobenchasana is his favorite pose.