Florida Grand Opera Announces 2015-16 Class of Young Artists

Florida Grand Opera (FGO) is pleased to announce the members of its 2015-16 class for its Young Artist Program. These artists, consisting of both new and returning members, were selected from more than 600 singers who auditioned for the coveted program.

Dr. Julie Maykowski, Director of Artistic Administration and Head of the Young Artist Program stated, "We are very excited with our selection of young artists for the upcoming season at Florida Grand Opera. We have a talented mix of new artists along with a returning tenor who all sing beautifully together and as soloists."

Please note that most artists' names have been hyperlinked to their professional websites, which will provide additional biographical information and other resources.

Tenor Edgar Miguel Abréu debuts at Florida Grand Opera this season. Previously, he has appeared as the tenor soloist in performances of Handel'sMessiah at both FIU and Florida Atlantic University, as Don Ottavio in Mozart'sDon Giovanni with Florida Atlantic University, and as Lippo Fiorentino in Weill'sStreet Scene with FIU Opera Theater, where he also recently sang the role of Le Roi Ouf Premier in Emmanuel Chabrier's L'étoile. Edgar also serves as music director and pianist at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in North Lauderdale, FL, and as director of the Teaching Outstanding Performers camp at Florida Atlantic University. He earned his Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from Florida International University and his bachelor's degree from Florida Atlantic University. This season at FGO, Edgar will perform the roles of Ambrogio in Rossini's The Barber of Seville and Flavio in Bellini's Norma, and will study-cover the roles of Pollione in Norma and Walter in Weinberg's The Passenger.

El Salvadorian tenor Mario Arévalo debuts with Florida Grand Opera this season. Past roles include Alfred in Die Fledermaus with Hofstra University Opera, Kazimierz in Stanislaw Moniuszko's Hrabina with OperaOggiNY, Monsieur Grivet in Tobias Picker's Thérèse Raquin with the Boston University Opera, Le petit vieillard in Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges with the Boston University Symphony, and international debuts in Canada and Italy as Hassan/Guardiano in the world premiere of Carlo Pedini's Jago with International Opera Theater. Before arriving at FGO in 2015 he joins the young artist programs of Virginia Opera and the Caramoor Center for Music and Arts. Mario received his master's degree from the College of Fine Arts at Boston University and his bachelor's degree from the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College. This season at FGO he study-covers Count Almaviva in Rossini's The Barber of Seville and Ernesto in Donizetti's Don Pasquale, in addition to making numerous regional outreach appearances.

Tenor Daniel Bates returns to Florida Grand Opera this season for a second year in the company's Young Artist Program. Last season on the FGO stage, he was seen as Goro in Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Ferrando in Mozart's Così fan tutte, and Nadir in Bizet's Les pêcheurs de perles. Previously he has been a member of young artist programs at Santa Fe Opera (Ein Sklave in Strauss'Salome, Charlie in the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon's Cold Mountain), Shreveport Opera (Pong in Puccini's Turandot), Opera Saratoga, and Utah Festival Opera. A graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Ithaca College, he appeared as Laurie in Little Women, Basilio in Le nozze di Figaro, Rinuccio inGianni Schicchi, and Orfeo in Monteverdi's L'Orfeo with SFCM, and as the Drunkard in the collegiate premiere of Rachel Portman's The Little Prince at Ithaca, among other roles. This season at FGO, he sings SS Man #3 in Weinberg's The Passenger and Ernesto in select performances of Donizetti's Don Pasquale, while study-covering Count Almaviva in Rossini's The Barber of Seville.

Mezzo-soprano Eliza Bonet, of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent, makes her FGO debut this season. She has been a member of numerous young artist programs including the Merola Opera Program, Pensacola Opera, Kentucky Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Recent roles include Eunice in André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire with the Merola Opera Program, Angelina in Rossini's La Cenerentola, Carmen in Bizet'sLa tragédie de Carmen, Olga in Lehár's Die lustige Witwe, and Maddalena in Verdi's Rigoletto with Shreveport Opera; and Dorabella in Mozart's Così fan tutte with Pensacola Opera. She is also the recipient of an encouragement award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Eliza earned her bachelor's degree from Shorter College and her master's degree from Florida State University. This season at FGO, she sings Berta in Rossini's The Barber of Seville and Krystina in Weinberg's The Passenger, and study-covers Rosina in Barber and Lisa in The Passenger.

Soprano Elena Galván debuts with Florida Grand Opera this season. Recent roles include Mabel in Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance with Lamplighters Music Theatre, Countess Ceprano in Verdi's Rigoletto and Frasquita in Bizet'sCarmen with Livermore Valley Opera, Musetta in La bohème and Rosina in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia with the San Francisco Opera Guild's "Opera à la Carte" series, and Norina in Donizetti's Don Pasquale with Opera Santa Barbara. Elena has sung in the young artist programs of Virginia Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, and Opera Saratoga. She also received encouragement awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2011 and 2014. Elena earned her bachelor's degree from Ithaca College and her Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. This season at FGO, she sings Yvette in Weinberg's The Passenger and select performances of Norina in Donizetti's Don Pasquale, while study-covering Katja inThe Passenger.

Mezzo-soprano Hilary Ginther makes her Florida Grand Opera debut this season. Recent roles include Sesto in Handel's Giulio Cesare with CCM Opera, Hänsel in Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel with Opera in the Heights, Jo in Adamo's Little Women and the Stewardess in Jonathan Dove's Flight with Opera Fayetteville, numerous Mozart roles including Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro with Virginia Opera, Sesto in La clemenza di Tito with the dell'Arte Opera Ensemble, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni with the Natchez Festival of Music; and as Bobachino in the world premiere of John Musto's The Inspectorwith Wolf Trap Opera. Hilary has sung in the young artist programs of the Crested Butte Music Festival, Wolf Trap Opera, Fargo-Moorhead Opera, Virginia Opera, and Opera Saratoga, and received her master's degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. This season at FGO she sings Rosina in Rossini's The Barber of Seville and Vlasta in Weinberg's The Passenger, while study-covering Lisa in The Passenger.

Cuban soprano Laura Martinez León makes her Florida Grand Opera debut this season. Recent roles include La Princesse Laoula in Emmanuel Chabrier'sL'étoile and Marguerita Fiorentino in Weill's Street Scene with FIU Opera Theater, Königin der Nacht in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte with the Miami Summer Music Festival, and Musetta in La bohème and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with Nyack College Opera. She has also appeared with new company Opera Fusion in performances of "The Sopranos" and "Dueling Divas," and as the soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah with FIU. Also a performer of zarzuela repertoire, Laura sang Charito in Reveriano Soutullo/Juan Vert's La leyenda del beso with the Sociedad Pro-Arte Grateli, and performed as a soloist in a tribute concert at FIU featuring rarely heard works of Ernesto Lecuona. She is currently completing coursework for a Master of Music Degree in Voice Performance at FIU. This season at FGO Laura study-covers Yvette in Weinberg's The Passengerand Norina in Donizetti's Don Pasquale, and can be seen in numerous regional outreach performances.

Baritone Brian James Myer makes his debut with Florida Grand Opera this season. Recent engagements include Papageno in Mozart's Die Zauberflötewith Sin City Opera and Opera San Jose, Gino Carella in Weiser's Where Angels Fear to Tread with Opera San Jose, Silvio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci with Sarasota Opera, Masetto in Mozart's Don Giovanni with Opera San Jose and Opera Las Vegas, Yakuside in Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Albert in Douglas Moore's The Ballad of Baby Doe with Chautauqua Opera, and Le Dancaïre in Bizet's Carmen with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra in Ontario, Canada. Brian holds bachelors' degrees in music education and romance languages from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a master's degree in vocal performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. An active composer, Brian also has a published choral octavo by Santa Barbara Music. This season at FGO, he will be seen as Figaro in select performances of Rossini's The Barber of Sevillewhile study-covering Tadeusz in Weinberg's The Passenger and Dr. Malatesta in Donizetti's Don Pasquale.

Soprano Sarah Payne, a native of South Florida, makes her Florida Grand Opera debut this season. Recent roles include Anna Maurrant in Weill's Street Scene, Poppea in Handel's Agrippina, and The Governess in Britten's The Turn of the Screw with FIU Opera; Contessa Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro with the Miami Summer Music Festival, and First Lady in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte with the Siena Music Festival in Italy. In 2014 she spent two weeks in Salzburg, Austria, studying with American soprano Helen Donath at the Mozarteum University, where she was named a finalist in the annual International Richard Strauss Competition. Sarah has also been named a regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She holds a bachelor's degree in vocal performance from Florida International University. This season at FGO, she sings Clotilda in Bellini's Norma and study-covers Marta in Weinberg's The Passenger.

Bass-baritone Austin Siebert debuts with Florida Grand Opera this season. Prior to FGO he joins Merola Opera Program to perform the roles of Mr. Gobineau in Menotti's The Medium and Marco in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, and to cover Dr. Malatesta in Donizetti's Don Pasquale. Additional recent engagements include outreach with the Dallas Opera as Belcore in Donizetti'sL'elisir d'amore, Mustafá in Rossini's L'italiana in Algeri with Seagle Music Colony, and the German General in Kevin Puts' Silent Night with Fort Worth Opera Festival. Austin recently earned a Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance at the University of North Texas, where he was seen as Dappertutto/Coppélius in Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffmann, Pritschitsch in Lehár's Die lustige Witwe, and the title role in Sondheim's Sweeney Todd. This season at FGO, Austin sings the roles of An Officer in Rossini'sThe Barber of Seville, SS Man #2 in Weinberg's The Passenger, and A Notary in Donizetti's Don Pasquale.

Romanian-American bass-baritone Alex Soare makes his Florida Grand Opera debut this season. He was recently seen as Dulcamara in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore with Opera Iowa, Don Alfonso in Mozart's Così fan tutte with Candid Concert Opera, Gremin in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen with the Aspen Music Festival, and Sprecher in Die Zauberflöteand Elisha Fitzgibbon/Legs Diamond in a world premiere workshop of Evan Mack's Roscoe with Opera Saratoga. Alex has also been a member of the young artist programs of Des Moines Metro Opera and Nashville Opera. He began his undergraduate studies in Brasov, Romania, and continued at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, later earning a master's degree in operatic literature and vocal performance from Northwestern University, where he was a recipient of the Joyce Reed Cope Scholarship. This season at FGO, Alex will sing Don Basilio in Rossini's The Barber of Seville and SS Man #1 in Weinberg's The Passenger, and will study-cover the title role in Donizetti's Don Pasquale.

Baritone Nicholas Ward makes his Florida Grand Opera debut this season. Prior to joining FGO, he returns to Central City Opera, where he sings The Elder Son in Britten's The Prodigal Son. Previously with Central City, he covered Owen Hart in Heggie's Dead Man Walking and Frank in Rorem's Our Town. Other operatic highlights include Il Conte in Mozart's Le nozze di Figarowith CCM Opera, Don Alfonso in Mozart's Così fan tutte with University of Louisville Opera, Papageno in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte with UMich Opera Studio, and Friedrich Bhaer in Adamo's Little Women with UMich Opera Theater. He has also participated in the young artist programs of Toledo Opera, Opera Saratoga, and the Seagle Music Colony. Nicholas is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. This season at FGO, he appears as Fiorello in Rossini's The Barber of Seville and study-covers Figaro in Barber and Tadeusz in Weinberg'sThe Passenger.

Florida Grand Opera (FGO), the oldest performing arts organization in Florida, celebrates its 75th year of continuously producing grand opera during the 2015-16 Season. The mainstage operas of the season include: Giachino Rossini's The Barber of Seville, November 14-December 5, 2015; Vincenzo Bellini's Norma, January 23-February 13, 2016; Mieczysaw Weinberg's The Passenger,April 2-9, 2016; and Gaetano Donizetti's Don Pasquale, May 7-14, 2016.

Throughout the fall of 2014, Florida Grand Opera (FGO) announced the launch of "Say YES! to Opera, South Florida," a $17.5 million comprehensive campaign to fund the future of the company. FGO is now asking all those who enjoy and support grand opera in South Florida to make their gifts or pledge today. For more information, or to make a pledge please contact our development team at giving@fgo.org or call 305.403.3309.

Founded in 1941 as Greater Miami Opera and later merging with The Opera Guild Inc. in 1994, FGO presents a mixture of standard repertoire and contemporary works as well as commissions and new productions - all featuring projected translations in English and Spanish. FGO is recognized for funding by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Funding is also provided, in part, by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Cultural Affairs Council, the Mayor and the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners and the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council. Program support is provided by the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council. Florida Grand Opera is a Resident Company of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County and a member company of OPERA America. Intercontinental Miami is the Official Hotel and Steinway & Sons is the Official Piano of Florida Grand Opera.

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