The Santa Fe Opera Names 44 Apprentice Singers For The 2024 Season

The Santa Fe Opera has announced the 44 members of its 2024 Apprentice Program for Singers. The roster includes promising young vocalists from across the USA including New Mexico and extends to include participants from Australia, Canada, Cuba and South Korea.The class of 2024 was selected from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants by Program Director Gayletha Nichols; Manager, Casting and Apprentice Program for Singers Chandler Johnson; Chief Artistic Officer David Lomelí; and Chorus Master Susanne Sheston through a competitive pre-screening and audition process. Says Ms. Nichols, “We are looking forward to this summer's work with both new and returning apprentice singers; offering them unique performance opportunities that will advance their talents. As with all of the apprentice singers who spend a summer with us, we eagerly anticipate their contribution and influence on the future of opera.”

Each season, the apprentice singers comprise the chorus in mainstage productions and stand ready as covers for principal artists. This year, 28 apprentice singers will sing named roles in four out of five productions. Program participants will additionally appear in two Sunday evenings of staged Apprentice Scenes on August 11 and 18, 2024 at 8:00 PM. During their time at the Santa Fe Opera, each apprentice singer also has the opportunity to work with renowned voice faculty, participate in masterclasses with notable artists and audition for industry leaders from major companies.

2024 APPRENTICE PROGRAM FOR SINGERS

 

SOPRANOS

Isobel Anthony, Los Angeles, CA
Ginaia Black, Birmingham, AL
Cadie J. Bryan^, Baton Rouge, LA
Rachel Fitzgerald, Mansfield, OH
Natasha Isabella Gesto, Sydney, Australia
Kathryn Henry^, Sheboygan, WI
Anneliese Klenetsky, Edison, NJ
Emma Marhefka, Allentown, PA
Jazmine Saunders, Rochester, NY
Elisa Sunshine, San Clemente, CA
Anna Thompson, Rochester, MI

MEZZO-SOPRANOS

 

Ashlyn Brown^, Palm Springs, CA
Tessa Fackelmann^, Ottawa, Canada
Megan Graves, Haslet, TX
Christina Grohowski, Walden, NY
Shannon Keegan, Naperville, IL
Kayla Nanto, Loveland, CO
Kaylee Nichols^, Cincinnati, OH
Aubrey Odle, Portland, OR
Naomi Steele, Bronx, NY

TENORS

 

Jacob Abrahamse, Toronto, Canada
David Bogaev, Richmond, VA
Nathan Bowles, Minot, ND
Garrett Evers^, Orlando, FL
Matthew Goodheart, Binghamton, NY
Spencer Hamlin^, Mansfield, CT
Randy Ho, Denver, CO
Ryan Bryce Johnson, Muleshoe, TX
Wayd Odle^, North Platte, NE
Sahel Salam, Houston, TX
Andrew Turner^, Tacoma, WA

BARITONES

 

Cole Bellamy, Olathe, KS
Eleomar Cuello, Havana, Cuba
Randell McGee, St. Louis, MO
Bernardo Medeiros^, Tulsa, OK
Sejin Park^, Seoul, South Korea
Yeongtaek Yang, Pohang, South Korea

BASS-BARITONES
 

Tzvi Bat Asherah, Albuquerque, NM
Sam Dhobhany^, Brooklyn, NY
Dylan Gregg^, Salisbury, MD
Luke Harnish^ Lancaster, PA
Keith Klein, Overland Park, KS
Joshua Klein, Flower Mound, TX

BASS

 

Drew Comer, Brownsburg, IN

^Denotes second-year apprentice singer

MAINSTAGE ROLE ASSIGNMENTS

La traviata
Flora Bervoix Kaylee Nichols^
Gastone Garrett Evers^*
Baron Douphol Sejin Park^*
Marchese d'Obigny Sam Dhobhany^
Doctor Grenville Keith Klein*
Annina Elisa Sunshine*
Giuseppe Ryan Bryce Johnson*
Messenger Luke Harnish^
Flora's Servant Drew Comer* 

The Righteous
Eli Andrew Turner^
Shannon Jazmine Saunders*
Deirdre Natasha Isabella Gesto*
Reporter/Woman 1/Jenny Isobel Anthony*
Woman 2/Event Planner Ashlyn Brown^*
Woman 3/Woman/Ruth Tessa Fackelmann^
Deacon 1 Cole Bellamy*
Deacon 2/Joe/Representative Luke Harnish^
Deacon 3/Young Aide Matthew Goodheart*

Der Rosenkavalier
Marianne Leitmetzerin Kathryn Henry^
Notary Keith Klein
Innkeeper Spencer Hamlin^
Marschallin's Major-Domo Wayd Odle^*
Faninal's Major-Domo Ryan Bryce Johnson
Dressmaker Natasha Isabella Gesto
Animal Tamer Nathan Bowles*
Noble Orphan 1 Isobel Anthony
Noble Orphan 2 Ashlyn Brown^
Noble Orphan 3 Christina Grohowski*
Lackey 1 Matthew Goodheart
Lackey 2 Randell McGee*
Lackey 3 David Bogaev*
Lackey 4 Bernardo Medeiros^*
Waiter 1 Garrett Evers^
Waiter 2 Nathan Bowles
Waiter 3 Tzvi Bat Asherah*
Waiter 4 Drew Comer
Boots Dylan Gregg^

The Elixir of Love
Giannetta Cadie J. Bryan^*

^Denotes second-year apprentice singer
*Denotes Santa Fe Opera debut

Explore the apprentice singer bios on SFO's website at
https://www.santafeopera.org/company/singers/2024-apprentice-singers/

For nearly 70 years, the Apprentice Program for Singers has provided training, performance opportunities and international exposure to young singers in transition from academic to professional life. The first of its kind in America, now more than 1,500 aspiring singers have participated in the internationally recognized program. Former singing apprentices have gone on to careers as professional performers and include Joyce DiDonato, John Holiday, Michael Fabiano, Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Sylvia D'Eramo, Jonah Hoskins, Will Liverman, Brandon Jovanovich, Kate Lindsey, Zachary Nelson and Operalia 2023 second prize winner Luke Sutliff. Others are now teachers, coaches and administrators at major opera companies and universities.

Scheduled in the Santa Fe Opera's 67th Festival Season are 38 performances including two evenings of Apprentice Scenes. The company holds to its mission and time-tested programming model: a balanced and varied repertory of new, lesser-performed and standard works. Opening on June 28 and 29 are new productions of Verdi's La traviata directed by Louisa Muller and Mozart's Don Giovanni directed by Stephen Barlow. On July 13, the opera will present its 19th world premiere, The Righteous, by composer Gregory Spears and U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winner Tracy K. Smith in a production by Kevin Newbury. Next in the season's offerings is an international co-production: Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier opens July 20 in a highly-acclaimed staging by Bruno Ravella seen at Garsington Opera and Irish National Opera. Rounding out the festival from July 27 is Stephen Lawless' beloved production of Donizetti's The Elixir of Love. Tickets are on sale at santafeopera.org, with the best pricing available now.

Named “Festival of the Year” by the International Opera Awards, the Santa Fe Opera annually draws 85,000 people from New Mexico and around the globe. Nestled atop a mountain vista in northern New Mexico, the company's iconic Crosby Theatre is open on three sides, allowing visitors to enjoy performances complemented by the elements. Since 1957, the company has presented over 2,000 performances of 179 operas by 91 composers spanning five centuries of opera, creating a legacy of 45 American premieres and 18 world premieres.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at the Santa Fe Opera
Opera has the power to speak truth, broaden perspectives and invite empathy. The Santa Fe Opera is committed to the continuous work of becoming an antiracist and anti-oppressive organization and incorporating the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. Our goal is to create a joyful and engaging environment in which a diverse community of artists, staff, volunteers and audiences alike belong.

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