JEANNE-MICHÈLE CHARBONNET
(Deutsche Oper Berlin, Geneva Opera, Teatro San Carlo, Edinburgh Festival , Opéra National de Paris, Dallas Opera, Liceu Barcelona, Teatro Municipal Santiago, Opéra de Nantes, Deutsche Oper Berlin, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Teatro Real-Madrid.)
TICHINA VAUGHN
(Metropolitan Opera, Staatstheater Stuttgart, Staatstheater Hannover, Spoleto Festival, Teatro alla Scala, Semperoper Dresden, English National Opera, Dutch National Opera, Arena di Verona)
CLAY HILLEY
(Bayreuth Festspiele, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Metropolitan Opera, Tiroler Festspiele Erl, Dutch National Opera, Den Norske Opera, Washington National Opera, San Francisco Opera, Nationaltheater Mannheim)
JOSHUA CONYERS
(English National Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Seattle Opera, Detroit Opera, Carnegie Hall, Atlanta Opera)
GUNDULA HINTZ
(Staatstheater Darmstadt, Berliner Philharmonie, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Staatsoperette Dresden, Leipzig Oper, San Carlo Napoli, La Fenice Venezia, Fondazione Petruzzelli Bari, Theater St. Gallen, Canadian Opera Company, De Nederlandse Opera)
RAEHANN BRYCE-DAVIS
(LA Opera, Staatstheater Nürnberg, Glimmerglass, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen,
La Monnaie de Munt, Carnegie Hall, Theater an der Wien)
DERRICK BALLARD
(Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Staatstheater Mainz, Oper Leipzig, Staatsoper Hannover, Staatsoper Hamburg, Garsington Opera)
JULIE WYMA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ANASTASIA INNISS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
ANASTASIA INNISS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
There’s nothing quite like the thrill of hearing a dramatic or spinto voice hitting high (or low) notes!
But how does a dramatic- or spinto-voiced singer go about building a solid, reliable vocal technique and an operatic career?
How does one get stage experience and build necessary connections while waiting for the voice to fully mature?
Is a Fest position right for a dramatic or spinto voice?
Is the German Theatre system the market for me?
Shall I Mozart or not?
How shall I handle voice and Fach transitions?
But how does a dramatic- or spinto-voiced singer go about building a solid, reliable vocal technique and an operatic career?
How does one get stage experience and build necessary connections while waiting for the voice to fully mature?
Is a Fest position right for a dramatic or spinto voice?
Is the German Theatre system the market for me?
Shall I Mozart or not?
How shall I handle voice and Fach transitions?
This program brings together world-class dramatic singers to answer those questions and more. Participants will have the chance to have a conversation with each faculty member in INTERACTIVE & ENGAGING group sessions, as well as have an individual coaching with one of them.
The numbers of individual coachings per each faculty member are limited. Artists will be scheduled on a 'first come first served basis'. Early registration is advanced to secure a spot with the faculty member you would like an individual coaching with.
Learn about five very different career paths and different versions of a successful operatic career, get to know the opera industry as it specifically relates to dramatic and spinto voices, and learn how YOU fit into the current market!
PAST SESSIONS HAVE INCLUDED
In conversation with JEANNE-MICHÈLE CHARBONNET...
about dramatic soprano repertoire & training dramatic voices.
In conversation with CLAY HILLEY...
about setting the stage for an international career as a dramatic voice.
In conversation with JOSHUA CONYERS...
about building a broad and diverse career as a young dramatic voice.
In conversation with TICHINA VAUGHN...
about working as Fest and Guest in the German system as a dramatic voice.
In conversation with GUNDULA HINTZ...
about dramatic voices in Germany – training, repertoire, auditions and casting.
In conversation with DERRICK BALLARD...
about working as Fest and Guest in the German system as a dramatic voice.
In conversation with RAEHANN BRYCE-DAVIS...
about self-producing and building an international career as a dramatic voice during a pandemic.
about dramatic soprano repertoire & training dramatic voices.
In conversation with CLAY HILLEY...
about setting the stage for an international career as a dramatic voice.
In conversation with JOSHUA CONYERS...
about building a broad and diverse career as a young dramatic voice.
In conversation with TICHINA VAUGHN...
about working as Fest and Guest in the German system as a dramatic voice.
In conversation with GUNDULA HINTZ...
about dramatic voices in Germany – training, repertoire, auditions and casting.
In conversation with DERRICK BALLARD...
about working as Fest and Guest in the German system as a dramatic voice.
In conversation with RAEHANN BRYCE-DAVIS...
about self-producing and building an international career as a dramatic voice during a pandemic.
INDIVIDUAL COACHING (30-minutes)
Sing for and get guidance about technique, repertoire and career from one of the faculty members. Coachings will be scheduled individually after registration.
Sing for and get guidance about technique, repertoire and career from one of the faculty members. Coachings will be scheduled individually after registration.
FACULTY
KS TICHINA VAUGHN
Grammy Award winning American mezzo soprano Tichina Vaughn has established an important
presence among the world’s leading opera houses, concert halls and theaters. As an outstanding singing-actress versatile in opera, operetta, musical theater, and jazz, Vaughn continues to gather both popular and critical acclaim. Ms. Vaughn began her operatic career as a member of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Program directly after receiving her bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
For the 2021-2022 season, Ms. Vaughn returns to the Metropolitan Opera as The Hostess of the Inn in Boris Godunov, Maria in Porgy and Bess, and Serving Woman 1 in Elektra. She also debuts with Boston Lyric Opera in Terence Blanchard’s Champion as Emelda, and in the summer of 2022 joins the Cincinnati Opera as Amneris in Aida. On the concert stage she appears with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester at the Lucerne Festival and the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival as Maria in Porgy and Bess, as well as with the Landmarks Orchestra Boston in Beethoven Symphony
No. 9; and the world premiere of “Many Mansions” by Diane White-Clayton.
Tichina opens the 2022-2023 season with Utah Opera as Mary in Der Fliegende Hollander. Further season highlights include debuts at Opéra National de Lyon as The Old Lady in Candide, with Fort Worth Opera as Amneris in Aida and as Monisha in Joplin’s Treemonisha at Opera Theater St. Louis.
During the COVID-19 impacted 2020-2021 season Ms. Vaughn made her debut at Theater an der Wien as Maria in Porgy and Bess. Her COVID-19 shortened 2019-2020 season included a return to the Metropolitan Opera for performances of Porgy and Bess as Lily (performed), which opened the season, her debut at Theater an der Wien as the Fortune Teller in Prokofiev’s Fiery Angel (canceled), and Mama Lucia in performances of Cavalleria Rusticana at Seattle Opera (canceled).
In the 2018-19 season, Ms. Vaughn debuted at English National Opera and Dutch National Opera as Maria in a new production of Porgy and Bess followed by a return to the Metropolitan Opera for performances of Dialogues des Carmélites with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Additionally, Vaughn participated in the world premiere of Caruso a Cuba with Dutch National Opera and in Cavalleria Rusticana with the NDR Philharmonie Klassik Open Air.
Highlights from Ms. Vaughn’s 2017-18 season include her critical success as Herodias in Salome and Brigitta in Die tote Stadt at the Semperoper Dresden, followed by her return to the Metropolitan Opera for her role debut as the First Maid in Elektra with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. She subsequently made further debuts as The Mother in Dallapiccola‘s Il Prigioniero under Erik Nielsen and with the State Opera Hannover as Begonia in Henze’s Der Junge Lord.
As a visiting artist, Ms. Vaughn made her Italian debut as Azucena Il Trovatore under the baton of Nicola Luisotti at Teatro Verdi Trieste where she was later heard as Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera, a role she also performed at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Teatro Massimo Palermo, Teatro delle Muse Ancona, Teatro Verdi Salerno, and Teatro Filarmonico Verona.
She became a regular guest at the Arena di Verona where she essayed more than 50 performances of Amneris in Franco Zeffirelli’s Aida as well as several performances of Azucena Il Trovatore. Additional success in Italy include Amneris at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, and at the Festival Veneto as well as Azucena at Teatro Carlo Felice Genova and the Festival Arturo Toscanini Busseto. Further international engagements have included Azucena in Il Trovatore at the Budapest National Opera and Greek National Opera, Amneris in Aida at Opera Hong Kong, Herodias
in Salome at Las Palmas Opera, Erda in Der Ring des Nibelungen at Finnish National Opera, Augsburg Opera, and the State Opera Kassel, Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera and Venus in Tannhäuser at Hamburg State Opera, Maria in Porgy and Bess at the Bregenz Festival, Mistress Quickly in Falstaff at Korean National Opera, as well as Klytemnestra in Elektra, Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica, and Princess Eboli in Don Carlo with Opera Frankfurt.
In North America Ms. Vaughn has appeared as Azucena in Il Trovatore with Sacramento Opera, Amneris in Aida with Michigan Opera Theater, Tulsa Opera, Seattle Opera, and Orange County Opera, Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera at San Francisco Opera, and La Frugola in Il Tabarro with Los Angeles Opera.
From 2010 to 2018 Ms. Vaughn was a principal artist with Dresden Semper Opera where she achieved critical success as Azucena in Il Trovatore, Venus in Tannhäuser, Ortrud in Lohengrin, Klytemnestra in Elektra, Eboli in Don Carlo, Prince Orloffsky in Die Fledermaus, Isabella in L’italiana in Algeri, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Grand Vestale in La Vestale, Herodias in Salome, Cornelia in Giulio Cesare, and Filipyevna in Eugene Onegin, among others.
From 1998 to 2006 Tichina Vaughn was a principal artist at the Stuttgart State Opera where she was awarded the title of Kammersängerin for her successes in such roles as Eboli in Don Carlo, Azucena in Il Trovatore, Widow Begbick in Mahagonny, Venus in Tannhäuser, Giulietta in Tales of Hoffmann, Arnalta in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Herodias in Salome, Fricka in Die Walküre, Waltraute in Götterdämmerung, and Erda in Siegfried and Das Rheingold.
In addition to her many operatic successes, Tichina Vaughn has performed symphonic concerts, chamber concerts, and recitals in many prestigious concert halls around the world. Featured works include the Verdi Requiem, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and Bernstein’s Jeremiah Symphony among others. Orchestras she has performed with include the Berlin Philharmonic, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Kennedy Center, Jerusalem Symphony, North Carolina
Symphony, Stuttgart Philharmonic, and the National Symphony of Ireland. She has collaborated with maestros Keri Lynn Wilson, James Conlon, Placido Domingo, James Levine, Fabio Luisi, Nicola Luisotti, Bobby McFerrin, Daniel Oren, Sir Simon Rattle, Mstislav Rostropovich, Nello Santi, and Omer Meir Welber.
Her discography includes the Stuttgart State Theater Der Ring des Nibelungen which include her highly acclaimed appearances as Fricka in Die Walküre and Waltraute in Götterdämmerung, which were filmed for the DVD distributed by Euro Arts and recorded for Naxos. In 2005 Tichina released her solo portrait CD entitled “Christmas at My House”. Additionally she appears on the new release Schwanda the Bagpiper – Live from the Semperoper.
In addition to her title as Kammersängerin, Tichina Vaughn has received many awards and honors during her distinguished career including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Award, the Richard Tucker Foundation Study Grant Award, the Opera Index Vocal Competition Award, Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation Award, and a Birgit Nilsson Foundation Award. Most recently she was presented the Consul General’s Award for Cultural Diplomacy from the Consulate General in Milan.
Grammy Award winning American mezzo soprano Tichina Vaughn has established an important
presence among the world’s leading opera houses, concert halls and theaters. As an outstanding singing-actress versatile in opera, operetta, musical theater, and jazz, Vaughn continues to gather both popular and critical acclaim. Ms. Vaughn began her operatic career as a member of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Program directly after receiving her bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
For the 2021-2022 season, Ms. Vaughn returns to the Metropolitan Opera as The Hostess of the Inn in Boris Godunov, Maria in Porgy and Bess, and Serving Woman 1 in Elektra. She also debuts with Boston Lyric Opera in Terence Blanchard’s Champion as Emelda, and in the summer of 2022 joins the Cincinnati Opera as Amneris in Aida. On the concert stage she appears with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester at the Lucerne Festival and the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival as Maria in Porgy and Bess, as well as with the Landmarks Orchestra Boston in Beethoven Symphony
No. 9; and the world premiere of “Many Mansions” by Diane White-Clayton.
Tichina opens the 2022-2023 season with Utah Opera as Mary in Der Fliegende Hollander. Further season highlights include debuts at Opéra National de Lyon as The Old Lady in Candide, with Fort Worth Opera as Amneris in Aida and as Monisha in Joplin’s Treemonisha at Opera Theater St. Louis.
During the COVID-19 impacted 2020-2021 season Ms. Vaughn made her debut at Theater an der Wien as Maria in Porgy and Bess. Her COVID-19 shortened 2019-2020 season included a return to the Metropolitan Opera for performances of Porgy and Bess as Lily (performed), which opened the season, her debut at Theater an der Wien as the Fortune Teller in Prokofiev’s Fiery Angel (canceled), and Mama Lucia in performances of Cavalleria Rusticana at Seattle Opera (canceled).
In the 2018-19 season, Ms. Vaughn debuted at English National Opera and Dutch National Opera as Maria in a new production of Porgy and Bess followed by a return to the Metropolitan Opera for performances of Dialogues des Carmélites with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Additionally, Vaughn participated in the world premiere of Caruso a Cuba with Dutch National Opera and in Cavalleria Rusticana with the NDR Philharmonie Klassik Open Air.
Highlights from Ms. Vaughn’s 2017-18 season include her critical success as Herodias in Salome and Brigitta in Die tote Stadt at the Semperoper Dresden, followed by her return to the Metropolitan Opera for her role debut as the First Maid in Elektra with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. She subsequently made further debuts as The Mother in Dallapiccola‘s Il Prigioniero under Erik Nielsen and with the State Opera Hannover as Begonia in Henze’s Der Junge Lord.
As a visiting artist, Ms. Vaughn made her Italian debut as Azucena Il Trovatore under the baton of Nicola Luisotti at Teatro Verdi Trieste where she was later heard as Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera, a role she also performed at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Teatro Massimo Palermo, Teatro delle Muse Ancona, Teatro Verdi Salerno, and Teatro Filarmonico Verona.
She became a regular guest at the Arena di Verona where she essayed more than 50 performances of Amneris in Franco Zeffirelli’s Aida as well as several performances of Azucena Il Trovatore. Additional success in Italy include Amneris at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, and at the Festival Veneto as well as Azucena at Teatro Carlo Felice Genova and the Festival Arturo Toscanini Busseto. Further international engagements have included Azucena in Il Trovatore at the Budapest National Opera and Greek National Opera, Amneris in Aida at Opera Hong Kong, Herodias
in Salome at Las Palmas Opera, Erda in Der Ring des Nibelungen at Finnish National Opera, Augsburg Opera, and the State Opera Kassel, Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera and Venus in Tannhäuser at Hamburg State Opera, Maria in Porgy and Bess at the Bregenz Festival, Mistress Quickly in Falstaff at Korean National Opera, as well as Klytemnestra in Elektra, Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica, and Princess Eboli in Don Carlo with Opera Frankfurt.
In North America Ms. Vaughn has appeared as Azucena in Il Trovatore with Sacramento Opera, Amneris in Aida with Michigan Opera Theater, Tulsa Opera, Seattle Opera, and Orange County Opera, Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera at San Francisco Opera, and La Frugola in Il Tabarro with Los Angeles Opera.
From 2010 to 2018 Ms. Vaughn was a principal artist with Dresden Semper Opera where she achieved critical success as Azucena in Il Trovatore, Venus in Tannhäuser, Ortrud in Lohengrin, Klytemnestra in Elektra, Eboli in Don Carlo, Prince Orloffsky in Die Fledermaus, Isabella in L’italiana in Algeri, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Grand Vestale in La Vestale, Herodias in Salome, Cornelia in Giulio Cesare, and Filipyevna in Eugene Onegin, among others.
From 1998 to 2006 Tichina Vaughn was a principal artist at the Stuttgart State Opera where she was awarded the title of Kammersängerin for her successes in such roles as Eboli in Don Carlo, Azucena in Il Trovatore, Widow Begbick in Mahagonny, Venus in Tannhäuser, Giulietta in Tales of Hoffmann, Arnalta in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Herodias in Salome, Fricka in Die Walküre, Waltraute in Götterdämmerung, and Erda in Siegfried and Das Rheingold.
In addition to her many operatic successes, Tichina Vaughn has performed symphonic concerts, chamber concerts, and recitals in many prestigious concert halls around the world. Featured works include the Verdi Requiem, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and Bernstein’s Jeremiah Symphony among others. Orchestras she has performed with include the Berlin Philharmonic, Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Kennedy Center, Jerusalem Symphony, North Carolina
Symphony, Stuttgart Philharmonic, and the National Symphony of Ireland. She has collaborated with maestros Keri Lynn Wilson, James Conlon, Placido Domingo, James Levine, Fabio Luisi, Nicola Luisotti, Bobby McFerrin, Daniel Oren, Sir Simon Rattle, Mstislav Rostropovich, Nello Santi, and Omer Meir Welber.
Her discography includes the Stuttgart State Theater Der Ring des Nibelungen which include her highly acclaimed appearances as Fricka in Die Walküre and Waltraute in Götterdämmerung, which were filmed for the DVD distributed by Euro Arts and recorded for Naxos. In 2005 Tichina released her solo portrait CD entitled “Christmas at My House”. Additionally she appears on the new release Schwanda the Bagpiper – Live from the Semperoper.
In addition to her title as Kammersängerin, Tichina Vaughn has received many awards and honors during her distinguished career including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Award, the Richard Tucker Foundation Study Grant Award, the Opera Index Vocal Competition Award, Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation Award, and a Birgit Nilsson Foundation Award. Most recently she was presented the Consul General’s Award for Cultural Diplomacy from the Consulate General in Milan.
JEANNE-MICHÈLE CHARBONNET
After over 25 years as a leading international dramatic soprano, New Orleans-native, Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet has re-focused her career in sharing her knowledge and experience in the voice studio. She is currently Professor of Voice and Head of the Voice Department at Haute Ecole de Musique, Lausanne, Professor of Voice at Conservatorium van Amsterdam, works closely with the artists of the Dutch National Opera Academy and maintains a private studio. Ms. Charbonnet is on the faculty of Music Academy International, and is Co-Artistic Director and Master Teacher at the Indemini Festival in Indemini, Switzerland.
Ms. Charbonnet has appeared on the stages of the Opéra National de Paris, Teatro Real (Madrid), Deutsche Oper (Berlin), Teatro La Fenice (Venice), the Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona). Teatro Comunale di Firenze (Florence), Teatro Massimo (Palermo), La Monnaie (Brussels), San Francisco Opera, Dallas Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Teatro Municipal (Santiago, Chile), to name a few.
Early in her career, Ms. Charbonnet sang the Italian and Russian spinto roles moving into the German and Contemporary repertoire in her 30’s.
She has sung all the dramatic Wagner heroines and over 50 other lead roles.
Ms. Charbonnet’s discography includes a 2012 Elektra (title role) with Maestro Valery Gergiev and the London Symphony Orchestra, Ariane et Barbe-Bleue (title role) DVD from Barcelona, Erwartung with Maestro Jukka-Pekka Saraste and the WDR (Cologne), Tristan und Isolde (Isolde) DVD with Maestro Armin Jordan and the Grand Théâtre de Génève,
Bluebeard’s Castle (Judith) with Maestro Jukka-Pekka Saraste and the BBC Proms, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (title role) DVD with Maestro James Conlon and the Maggio Musicale di Firenze, and Lear by Aribert Reihman (Goneril) with Maestro Sebastian Weigle and Oper Frankfurt.
After over 25 years as a leading international dramatic soprano, New Orleans-native, Jeanne-Michèle Charbonnet has re-focused her career in sharing her knowledge and experience in the voice studio. She is currently Professor of Voice and Head of the Voice Department at Haute Ecole de Musique, Lausanne, Professor of Voice at Conservatorium van Amsterdam, works closely with the artists of the Dutch National Opera Academy and maintains a private studio. Ms. Charbonnet is on the faculty of Music Academy International, and is Co-Artistic Director and Master Teacher at the Indemini Festival in Indemini, Switzerland.
Ms. Charbonnet has appeared on the stages of the Opéra National de Paris, Teatro Real (Madrid), Deutsche Oper (Berlin), Teatro La Fenice (Venice), the Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona). Teatro Comunale di Firenze (Florence), Teatro Massimo (Palermo), La Monnaie (Brussels), San Francisco Opera, Dallas Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Teatro Municipal (Santiago, Chile), to name a few.
Early in her career, Ms. Charbonnet sang the Italian and Russian spinto roles moving into the German and Contemporary repertoire in her 30’s.
She has sung all the dramatic Wagner heroines and over 50 other lead roles.
Ms. Charbonnet’s discography includes a 2012 Elektra (title role) with Maestro Valery Gergiev and the London Symphony Orchestra, Ariane et Barbe-Bleue (title role) DVD from Barcelona, Erwartung with Maestro Jukka-Pekka Saraste and the WDR (Cologne), Tristan und Isolde (Isolde) DVD with Maestro Armin Jordan and the Grand Théâtre de Génève,
Bluebeard’s Castle (Judith) with Maestro Jukka-Pekka Saraste and the BBC Proms, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (title role) DVD with Maestro James Conlon and the Maggio Musicale di Firenze, and Lear by Aribert Reihman (Goneril) with Maestro Sebastian Weigle and Oper Frankfurt.
JOSHUA CONYERS
Baritone Joshua Conyers has been hailed by Opera News with “a deliciously honeyed baritone that would seduce anyone” and The New York Times as having “a sonorous baritone” that “wheedled and seduced.” Mr. Conyers, a native of Bronx, NY, is quickly being championed for his captivating performances as he continues to be recognized as one the promising young dramatic voices of today. Equally active in contemporary opera, Mr. Conyers performed the role of Uncle Wesley in Carlos Simon’s Night Trip for Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative and Ed in the world premiere of Everything for Dawn produced by Experiments in Opera with leading composers Kamala Sankaram and Aaron Siegel. Mr. Conyers covered the roles of Mr. Umeya in the American premiere of Huang Ruo's Dr. Sun Yat-Sen in Mandarin Chinese, and Walt Whitman in the world premiere of Theodore Morrison's Oscar, both with the Santa Fe Opera. For the 2022-2023 season, Mr. Conyers will perform Reginald in Anthony Davis’ X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X with the Boston Lyric Opera and Opera Omaha, cover the role of Garby in Will Liverman and DJ King Rico’s The Factotum with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and make his international debut performing Policeman 3/Congregant 3 and covering The Reverend in Jeanine Tesori’s Blue with the English National Opera (ENO). In the 2021-22 season, Mr. Conyers performed the roles of Policeman 3/Congregant 3 in Blue with Seattle Opera, Tonio in Pagliacci with Opera Memphis, and Reginald in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X with Detroit Opera, co-commissioned with The Metropolitan Opera/Seattle Opera/Opera Omaha. Mr. Conyers made a studio recording of the role Reginald in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) and Odyssey Opera. In the summer of 2021, Joshua was a Fleming Artist at the Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS performing the role of Sprecher in W. A. Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte alongside world-renowned soprano Renée Fleming, under the baton of maestro Patrick Summers. Mr. Conyers was an Atlanta Opera Studio Player at The Atlanta Opera for the 2020-2021 season. Joshua performed the roles of Jackie "Tiger" Brown in Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera, Tonio in Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, and covered Kaiser Overall in Viktor Ullman’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis. Mr. Conyers was a member of the Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera, a program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons. Joshua performed the roles of First Priest in The Magic Flute, John Sorel in The Consul, covered the Reverend in Tesori’s Blue, Jim and Jake (cover) in Porgy and Bess, Giorgio Germont in La traviata, British Major in Silent Night, Donkey in The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me, and Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin. As a Filene Artist at Wolf Trap Opera, he performed Porgy in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess: A Concert of Songs, Ramiro in Maurice Ravel’s L’heure espagnole, Musiklehrer in Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, Monterone in Rigoletto, Count Capulet in Roméo et Juliette, and the Baritone Soloist in Bernstein’s Songfest which was recorded by Naxos Records. Mr. Conyers fulfilled his residency as a Benenson Young Artist at Palm Beach Opera in 2018. As a concert artist, Mr. Conyers will make his debut with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven’s 9th Symphony under the baton of Robert Moody. In 2021, Joshua performed Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel with the Brooklyn Art Song Society. In 2019, Mr. Conyers was a Soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra performing with world-renowned Maestro Gianandrea Noseda and singer-songwriter Ben Folds. Mr. Conyers made his Carnegie Hall Debut in 2018 as the Baritone Soloist performing Mozart’s Regina Cœli, K. 276, Vaughn Williams’ Serenade to Music, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Mark Hayes’ Te Deum under the baton of distinguished composer and arranger Mark Hayes with MidAmerica Productions. Also, Joshua made his debut at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2018 as the Baritone Soloist performing Maurice Duruflé Requiem with Manhattan Concert Productions under the baton of conductor Anton Armstrong. Also, he was a Guest Artist at Opera Wilmington/UNC Wilmington annual Opera Symposium, in celebration of Caterina Jarboro, in conjunction with Black History Month as a Recitalist and presenting a Masterclass. Mr. Conyers opened the 2017-18 season in a gala performance with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Additional concert and oratorio credits include Bach's St. Matthew Passion, Handel's Messiah, Brahms' Deutsches Requiem, Gabriel Fauré Requiem in D minor, Vaughan Williams' Dona nobis pacem, and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.
Baritone Joshua Conyers has been hailed by Opera News with “a deliciously honeyed baritone that would seduce anyone” and The New York Times as having “a sonorous baritone” that “wheedled and seduced.” Mr. Conyers, a native of Bronx, NY, is quickly being championed for his captivating performances as he continues to be recognized as one the promising young dramatic voices of today. Equally active in contemporary opera, Mr. Conyers performed the role of Uncle Wesley in Carlos Simon’s Night Trip for Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative and Ed in the world premiere of Everything for Dawn produced by Experiments in Opera with leading composers Kamala Sankaram and Aaron Siegel. Mr. Conyers covered the roles of Mr. Umeya in the American premiere of Huang Ruo's Dr. Sun Yat-Sen in Mandarin Chinese, and Walt Whitman in the world premiere of Theodore Morrison's Oscar, both with the Santa Fe Opera. For the 2022-2023 season, Mr. Conyers will perform Reginald in Anthony Davis’ X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X with the Boston Lyric Opera and Opera Omaha, cover the role of Garby in Will Liverman and DJ King Rico’s The Factotum with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and make his international debut performing Policeman 3/Congregant 3 and covering The Reverend in Jeanine Tesori’s Blue with the English National Opera (ENO). In the 2021-22 season, Mr. Conyers performed the roles of Policeman 3/Congregant 3 in Blue with Seattle Opera, Tonio in Pagliacci with Opera Memphis, and Reginald in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X with Detroit Opera, co-commissioned with The Metropolitan Opera/Seattle Opera/Opera Omaha. Mr. Conyers made a studio recording of the role Reginald in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) and Odyssey Opera. In the summer of 2021, Joshua was a Fleming Artist at the Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS performing the role of Sprecher in W. A. Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte alongside world-renowned soprano Renée Fleming, under the baton of maestro Patrick Summers. Mr. Conyers was an Atlanta Opera Studio Player at The Atlanta Opera for the 2020-2021 season. Joshua performed the roles of Jackie "Tiger" Brown in Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera, Tonio in Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, and covered Kaiser Overall in Viktor Ullman’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis. Mr. Conyers was a member of the Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera, a program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons. Joshua performed the roles of First Priest in The Magic Flute, John Sorel in The Consul, covered the Reverend in Tesori’s Blue, Jim and Jake (cover) in Porgy and Bess, Giorgio Germont in La traviata, British Major in Silent Night, Donkey in The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me, and Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin. As a Filene Artist at Wolf Trap Opera, he performed Porgy in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess: A Concert of Songs, Ramiro in Maurice Ravel’s L’heure espagnole, Musiklehrer in Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, Monterone in Rigoletto, Count Capulet in Roméo et Juliette, and the Baritone Soloist in Bernstein’s Songfest which was recorded by Naxos Records. Mr. Conyers fulfilled his residency as a Benenson Young Artist at Palm Beach Opera in 2018. As a concert artist, Mr. Conyers will make his debut with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven’s 9th Symphony under the baton of Robert Moody. In 2021, Joshua performed Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel with the Brooklyn Art Song Society. In 2019, Mr. Conyers was a Soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra performing with world-renowned Maestro Gianandrea Noseda and singer-songwriter Ben Folds. Mr. Conyers made his Carnegie Hall Debut in 2018 as the Baritone Soloist performing Mozart’s Regina Cœli, K. 276, Vaughn Williams’ Serenade to Music, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Mark Hayes’ Te Deum under the baton of distinguished composer and arranger Mark Hayes with MidAmerica Productions. Also, Joshua made his debut at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2018 as the Baritone Soloist performing Maurice Duruflé Requiem with Manhattan Concert Productions under the baton of conductor Anton Armstrong. Also, he was a Guest Artist at Opera Wilmington/UNC Wilmington annual Opera Symposium, in celebration of Caterina Jarboro, in conjunction with Black History Month as a Recitalist and presenting a Masterclass. Mr. Conyers opened the 2017-18 season in a gala performance with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. Additional concert and oratorio credits include Bach's St. Matthew Passion, Handel's Messiah, Brahms' Deutsches Requiem, Gabriel Fauré Requiem in D minor, Vaughan Williams' Dona nobis pacem, and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.
GUNDULA HINTZ
Born in Berlin, Gundula Hintz studied at the Hochschule der Künste Berlin with professors such as Aribert Reimann and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. She has appeared as an opera and concert singer at numerous German and international venues (Berlin, Leipzig, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Naples, Venice, St. Gallen, London, Toronto), at the Festival de Radio France et Montpellier, the Venice Biennale and the Berlin Festival Weeks.
Gundula Hintz has worked with conductors such as Constantin Trinks, Gerd Albrecht, Ralf Weikert, Anna Skryleva, Karl-Heinz Steffens, Ulf Schirmer, Anthony Bramall, Josep Caballé Domenech, Patrick Lange and Jessica Cottis.
After first engagements with jugendlich-dramatisch roles (among others the Baroness Liddy in the highly acclaimed world premiere of Detlev Glanert's opera "Scherz, Satire, Ironie und tiefere Bedeutung"), the Sieglinde in the "Walküre" marked the entrance into the Wagner Fach.
In 2011 she made her debut as Fricka in Wagner's "Ring" at the Staatstheater Darmstadt. There she also performed as Herodias in Strauss' opera "Salome" in 2013. In the same year she sang the 1st alto part in Mahler's 8th Symphony in the Berliner Philharmonie.
From 2012 to 2015 Gundula Hintz could be heard as Fricka ("Rheingold" and "Walküre"), Waltraute/2nd Norn ("Götterdämmerung") in the Ring tetralogy of the Theater Halle and Ludwigshafen.
The Royal Opera House Covent Garden engaged her in August 2014 for Turnage’s opera "Anna Nicole" in London. In the same season she made her Halle debut as Adelaide in Strauss' "Arabella".
In January 2015 she made her debut at Leipzig Opera House as Fricka in "Rheingold", where in December 2015 she performed Dämonia in Humperdinck's fairytale opera "Sleeping Beauty".
Gundula Hintz played Fräulein Schneider in Kander’s musical "Cabaret" at the Staatstheater Augsburg on the open-air stage Freilichtbühne am Roten Tor in summer 2016.
In March 2017 she sang Mahler's "Lied von der Erde" in the Berliner Philharmonie. The mezzo-soprano made her North American debut in Toronto in autumn 2017. The Canadian Opera Company engaged her as Adelaide in Tim Albery's production of Strauss' "Arabella".
At the Royal Opera House Covent Garden London in June 2018 she performed the leading role of Esther in the world premiere of Na'ama Zisser's opera "Mamzer/Bastard". In the 2018/19 season she made her debut as Zita in "Gianni Schicchi" at the Staatsoperette Dresden. The role of Kabanicha in Lydia Steier's new production of "Katia Kabanowa" brought her to the Staatstheater Mainz in January 2019.
Numerous radio and television recordings document her successful work. With Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and the woodwind instrumentalists of the Berliner Philharmoniker she made a CD recording of Mozart terzets. In addition to her solo engagements, her voice studio in Berlin, in which she coaches numerous professional opera singers and provides technical support for them, as well as international master classes in Bayreuth, Düsseldorf, Tallinn, London and New York are further focal points of her activities.
Born in Berlin, Gundula Hintz studied at the Hochschule der Künste Berlin with professors such as Aribert Reimann and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. She has appeared as an opera and concert singer at numerous German and international venues (Berlin, Leipzig, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Naples, Venice, St. Gallen, London, Toronto), at the Festival de Radio France et Montpellier, the Venice Biennale and the Berlin Festival Weeks.
Gundula Hintz has worked with conductors such as Constantin Trinks, Gerd Albrecht, Ralf Weikert, Anna Skryleva, Karl-Heinz Steffens, Ulf Schirmer, Anthony Bramall, Josep Caballé Domenech, Patrick Lange and Jessica Cottis.
After first engagements with jugendlich-dramatisch roles (among others the Baroness Liddy in the highly acclaimed world premiere of Detlev Glanert's opera "Scherz, Satire, Ironie und tiefere Bedeutung"), the Sieglinde in the "Walküre" marked the entrance into the Wagner Fach.
In 2011 she made her debut as Fricka in Wagner's "Ring" at the Staatstheater Darmstadt. There she also performed as Herodias in Strauss' opera "Salome" in 2013. In the same year she sang the 1st alto part in Mahler's 8th Symphony in the Berliner Philharmonie.
From 2012 to 2015 Gundula Hintz could be heard as Fricka ("Rheingold" and "Walküre"), Waltraute/2nd Norn ("Götterdämmerung") in the Ring tetralogy of the Theater Halle and Ludwigshafen.
The Royal Opera House Covent Garden engaged her in August 2014 for Turnage’s opera "Anna Nicole" in London. In the same season she made her Halle debut as Adelaide in Strauss' "Arabella".
In January 2015 she made her debut at Leipzig Opera House as Fricka in "Rheingold", where in December 2015 she performed Dämonia in Humperdinck's fairytale opera "Sleeping Beauty".
Gundula Hintz played Fräulein Schneider in Kander’s musical "Cabaret" at the Staatstheater Augsburg on the open-air stage Freilichtbühne am Roten Tor in summer 2016.
In March 2017 she sang Mahler's "Lied von der Erde" in the Berliner Philharmonie. The mezzo-soprano made her North American debut in Toronto in autumn 2017. The Canadian Opera Company engaged her as Adelaide in Tim Albery's production of Strauss' "Arabella".
At the Royal Opera House Covent Garden London in June 2018 she performed the leading role of Esther in the world premiere of Na'ama Zisser's opera "Mamzer/Bastard". In the 2018/19 season she made her debut as Zita in "Gianni Schicchi" at the Staatsoperette Dresden. The role of Kabanicha in Lydia Steier's new production of "Katia Kabanowa" brought her to the Staatstheater Mainz in January 2019.
Numerous radio and television recordings document her successful work. With Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and the woodwind instrumentalists of the Berliner Philharmoniker she made a CD recording of Mozart terzets. In addition to her solo engagements, her voice studio in Berlin, in which she coaches numerous professional opera singers and provides technical support for them, as well as international master classes in Bayreuth, Düsseldorf, Tallinn, London and New York are further focal points of her activities.
CLAY HILLEY
Praised in The New York Times for his “vocal heft, clarion sound and stamina,” by de Volkskrant for a “sublime” voice, in the Financial Times for his “extraordinary energy and stamina,” and heralded by Concerti for having ” sung himself into the front row of the hero tenors…” American Clay Hilley appears at the world’s leading opera houses and concert venues in the most challenging heldentenor repertoire.
Clay Hilley’s most recent triumph was at the 2022 Bayreuther Festspiele, where he replaced an ailing colleague as Siegfried for the premiere of Valentin Schwarz’s new production of Götterdämmerung, under the baton of Cornelius Meister. On less than twenty-four hours’ notice, he was flown from his vacation in Italy for this prominent debut, a performance acclaimed by critics and Bayreuth’s audience, alike.
The 2022-23 season sees the tenor in three prominent debuts: with Deutsche Oper Berlin he sings his first staged production of Tristan und Isolde conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles; at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden he assays the role of Der Kaiser in a new production by Lydia Steier of Die Frau ohne Schatten with Kirill Petrenko on the podium of the Berliner Philharmoniker; and he makes a debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in a new production by Deborah Warner of Wozzeck led by Sir Antonio Pappano.
No less impressive is a concert schedule that includes Die Frau ohne Schatten with Kirill Petrenko and the Berliner Philharmoniker at the Philharmonie, Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with Stéphane Denève and the Saint Louis Symphony and with Juraj Valčuha and the Houston Symphony, Kodály’s Psalmus Hungaricus with Sir Antonio Pappano and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and a concert performance of Beethoven’s Fidelio at the Edinburgh International Festival with Sir Donald Runnicles leading The Philharmonia.
At age 39 Clay Hilley sang Siegfried in Wagner’s Der Ring Des Nibelungen in Stefan Herheim’s new production at Deutsche Oper Berlin under the baton of Sir Donald Runnicles. Other highlights of the 2021-22 season included his debuts with Dutch National Opera as the title role of Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg in a new production by Nanouk Leopold led by Music Director Lorenzo Viotti and with the Tiroler Festspiele Erl as Siegmund in a new production of Die Walküre directed by KS Brigitte Fassbaender under the baton of Erik Nielsen. He joined Nicola Luisotti and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for the Third Act of Aida, John DeMain and the Madison Symphony for Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, and Erik Nielsen leading the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra in the Third Act of Siegfried.
Concert highlights of recent seasons include Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano, the Second Act of Tristan und Isolde with Edward Gardner leading the Orchestra of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, Beethoven’s Fidelio with Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and Mahler’s Eighth Symphony with Marin Alsop and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival.
Past operatic seasons have featured Clay Hilley in his debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in Dead Man Walking, in the role of Phoebus in Schmidt’s Notre Dame at Theatre St. Gallen, in the title role of Dvořák’s Dimitrij as well as singing Paul in Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt at the Bard Music Festival conducted by Leon Botstein, and in the title role of Mozart’s Idomeneo at the Salzburger Landestheater under the baton of Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla.
The tenor received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education at the University of Georgia, a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Georgia State University, a Professional Studies Certificate from the Manhattan School of Music, and a Performer’s Certificate from the Opera Institute at Boston University.
Praised in The New York Times for his “vocal heft, clarion sound and stamina,” by de Volkskrant for a “sublime” voice, in the Financial Times for his “extraordinary energy and stamina,” and heralded by Concerti for having ” sung himself into the front row of the hero tenors…” American Clay Hilley appears at the world’s leading opera houses and concert venues in the most challenging heldentenor repertoire.
Clay Hilley’s most recent triumph was at the 2022 Bayreuther Festspiele, where he replaced an ailing colleague as Siegfried for the premiere of Valentin Schwarz’s new production of Götterdämmerung, under the baton of Cornelius Meister. On less than twenty-four hours’ notice, he was flown from his vacation in Italy for this prominent debut, a performance acclaimed by critics and Bayreuth’s audience, alike.
The 2022-23 season sees the tenor in three prominent debuts: with Deutsche Oper Berlin he sings his first staged production of Tristan und Isolde conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles; at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden he assays the role of Der Kaiser in a new production by Lydia Steier of Die Frau ohne Schatten with Kirill Petrenko on the podium of the Berliner Philharmoniker; and he makes a debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in a new production by Deborah Warner of Wozzeck led by Sir Antonio Pappano.
No less impressive is a concert schedule that includes Die Frau ohne Schatten with Kirill Petrenko and the Berliner Philharmoniker at the Philharmonie, Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with Stéphane Denève and the Saint Louis Symphony and with Juraj Valčuha and the Houston Symphony, Kodály’s Psalmus Hungaricus with Sir Antonio Pappano and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and a concert performance of Beethoven’s Fidelio at the Edinburgh International Festival with Sir Donald Runnicles leading The Philharmonia.
At age 39 Clay Hilley sang Siegfried in Wagner’s Der Ring Des Nibelungen in Stefan Herheim’s new production at Deutsche Oper Berlin under the baton of Sir Donald Runnicles. Other highlights of the 2021-22 season included his debuts with Dutch National Opera as the title role of Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg in a new production by Nanouk Leopold led by Music Director Lorenzo Viotti and with the Tiroler Festspiele Erl as Siegmund in a new production of Die Walküre directed by KS Brigitte Fassbaender under the baton of Erik Nielsen. He joined Nicola Luisotti and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for the Third Act of Aida, John DeMain and the Madison Symphony for Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, and Erik Nielsen leading the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra in the Third Act of Siegfried.
Concert highlights of recent seasons include Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia conducted by Sir Antonio Pappano, the Second Act of Tristan und Isolde with Edward Gardner leading the Orchestra of the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, Beethoven’s Fidelio with Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and Mahler’s Eighth Symphony with Marin Alsop and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival.
Past operatic seasons have featured Clay Hilley in his debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in Dead Man Walking, in the role of Phoebus in Schmidt’s Notre Dame at Theatre St. Gallen, in the title role of Dvořák’s Dimitrij as well as singing Paul in Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt at the Bard Music Festival conducted by Leon Botstein, and in the title role of Mozart’s Idomeneo at the Salzburger Landestheater under the baton of Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla.
The tenor received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education at the University of Georgia, a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Georgia State University, a Professional Studies Certificate from the Manhattan School of Music, and a Performer’s Certificate from the Opera Institute at Boston University.
RAEHANN BRYCE-DAVIS
Raehann Bryce-Davis has been hailed by the New York Times as a "striking mezzo soprano" and by the San Francisco Chronicle for her "electrifying sense of fearlessness." 2021/22 includes performances of Der Komponist in Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Preziosilla in Verdi's La Forza del Destino at Théâtre du Capitole, Azucena in three productions of Verdi’s Il Trovatore at The Glimmerglass Festival, LA Opera, and Staatstheater Nürnberg, Gods and Mortals, at The Glimmerglass Festival, singing selections of Wagner’s Lohengrin as Ortrud and Die Walküre as Fricka, as well as her company debuts at La Monnaie de Munt as La Zia Principessa in Puccini's Suor Angelica, Konzert und Theater St Gallen as Joan of Arc in Tchaikovsky's Maid of Orleans, and her company debut at Teatro alla Scala as Ulrica in Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera. Last season featured highlights like her role debut as Eboli in Verdi’s Don Carlos at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, her LA Opera debut in the World Premiere of Aucoin and Ruhl’s Eurydice, a coproduction with The Metropolitan Opera, and her role debut as Sara in Roberto Devereux opposite Angela Meade and Ramon Vargas.
Additional credits include Leonora in Donizetti’s La Favorite at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Marguerite in Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust conducted by Maestro John Nelson with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Costa Rica, Ms. Alexander in Satyagraha at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Kristina in The Makropulos Affair at the Janáček Brno Festival, Wellgunde in Wagner’s Die Ring-Trilogie at Theater an der Wien, Madeline Mitchell in Heggie’s Three Decembers at Opera Maine, and Nezhata in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sadko at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen.
Ms. Bryce-Davis’ Concert highlights include the world premiere of Paul Moravec’s Sanctuary Road at Carnegie Hall; which won a Grammy Nomination, Verdi’s Requiem with conductor Kent Nagano and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal at the Olympic Stadium, Elgar’s Sea Pictures at the Musikverein in Vienna with the Tonkünstler Orchestra, Verdi's Requiem with the Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie Hall, the world premiere of Anthony Davis's We Call the Roll with The Lied Society, Martinů’s Julietta with the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, Corigliano’s Of Rage and Remembrance at the Aspen Music Festival, the world premiere of Come, My Tan-Faced Children by Melissa Dunphy at Lyric Fest, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky with Maestro Philippe Entremont at Manhattan School of Music, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra.
As a producer/performer Bryce-Davis has released "To the Afflicted," her first music video, which received much critical acclaim and was chosen as an official video for World Opera Day. Her second digital short, “Brown Sounds,” was co-produced with LA Opera and Aural Compass Projects, and won Best Music Video at film festivals around the globe including the New York International Film Awards, New York Cinematography Awards, Hollywood Boulevard Film Awards, the Anatolian Short Film Festival, and the Silk Road Film Awards - Cannes.
Bryce-Davis is a 2018 recipient of the prestigious George London Award at the George London Competition, the 2017 1st Place and Audience Prize-winner of the Concorso Lirico Internazionale di Portofino competition; chaired by Dominique Meyer, Winner of the 2016 Richard F. Gold Career Grant at the Merola Opera Program, Winner of the 2015 Hilde Zadek Competition at the Musikverein in Vienna, and the 2015 Sedat Gürel - Güzin Gürel International Voice Competition in Istanbul. She holds a Master of Music and Professional Studies certificate from the Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Raehann Bryce-Davis is a co-founder of the Black Opera Alliance and is an advocate for social justice in opera.
Raehann Bryce-Davis has been hailed by the New York Times as a "striking mezzo soprano" and by the San Francisco Chronicle for her "electrifying sense of fearlessness." 2021/22 includes performances of Der Komponist in Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Preziosilla in Verdi's La Forza del Destino at Théâtre du Capitole, Azucena in three productions of Verdi’s Il Trovatore at The Glimmerglass Festival, LA Opera, and Staatstheater Nürnberg, Gods and Mortals, at The Glimmerglass Festival, singing selections of Wagner’s Lohengrin as Ortrud and Die Walküre as Fricka, as well as her company debuts at La Monnaie de Munt as La Zia Principessa in Puccini's Suor Angelica, Konzert und Theater St Gallen as Joan of Arc in Tchaikovsky's Maid of Orleans, and her company debut at Teatro alla Scala as Ulrica in Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera. Last season featured highlights like her role debut as Eboli in Verdi’s Don Carlos at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, her LA Opera debut in the World Premiere of Aucoin and Ruhl’s Eurydice, a coproduction with The Metropolitan Opera, and her role debut as Sara in Roberto Devereux opposite Angela Meade and Ramon Vargas.
Additional credits include Leonora in Donizetti’s La Favorite at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Marguerite in Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust conducted by Maestro John Nelson with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Costa Rica, Ms. Alexander in Satyagraha at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Kristina in The Makropulos Affair at the Janáček Brno Festival, Wellgunde in Wagner’s Die Ring-Trilogie at Theater an der Wien, Madeline Mitchell in Heggie’s Three Decembers at Opera Maine, and Nezhata in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sadko at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen.
Ms. Bryce-Davis’ Concert highlights include the world premiere of Paul Moravec’s Sanctuary Road at Carnegie Hall; which won a Grammy Nomination, Verdi’s Requiem with conductor Kent Nagano and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal at the Olympic Stadium, Elgar’s Sea Pictures at the Musikverein in Vienna with the Tonkünstler Orchestra, Verdi's Requiem with the Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie Hall, the world premiere of Anthony Davis's We Call the Roll with The Lied Society, Martinů’s Julietta with the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, Corigliano’s Of Rage and Remembrance at the Aspen Music Festival, the world premiere of Come, My Tan-Faced Children by Melissa Dunphy at Lyric Fest, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky with Maestro Philippe Entremont at Manhattan School of Music, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra.
As a producer/performer Bryce-Davis has released "To the Afflicted," her first music video, which received much critical acclaim and was chosen as an official video for World Opera Day. Her second digital short, “Brown Sounds,” was co-produced with LA Opera and Aural Compass Projects, and won Best Music Video at film festivals around the globe including the New York International Film Awards, New York Cinematography Awards, Hollywood Boulevard Film Awards, the Anatolian Short Film Festival, and the Silk Road Film Awards - Cannes.
Bryce-Davis is a 2018 recipient of the prestigious George London Award at the George London Competition, the 2017 1st Place and Audience Prize-winner of the Concorso Lirico Internazionale di Portofino competition; chaired by Dominique Meyer, Winner of the 2016 Richard F. Gold Career Grant at the Merola Opera Program, Winner of the 2015 Hilde Zadek Competition at the Musikverein in Vienna, and the 2015 Sedat Gürel - Güzin Gürel International Voice Competition in Istanbul. She holds a Master of Music and Professional Studies certificate from the Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Raehann Bryce-Davis is a co-founder of the Black Opera Alliance and is an advocate for social justice in opera.
DERRICK BALLARD
Derrick Ballard has established himself in German speaking Europe as a versatile singer with numerous dramatic bass-baritone roles in his repertoire, such as Holländer, Wotan, Hans Sachs, Kaspar, Jochanaan and Scarpia. In 2021, he undertakes his first complete Der Ring des Nibelungen as Wotan/Wanderer at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, and will make his debut as Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier with Garsington Opera.
Until the 2019-20 season, Derrick Ballard was a member of the Staatstheater Mainz, where his roles encompassed Scarpia, Hans Sachs, Méphistophélès, Bottom (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Wotan/Wanderer (Der Ring an einem Abend), Filippo II (Don Carlo), Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Fiesco (Simon Boccanegra), Dikój (Kátja Kabanová) as well as the title characters in Der fliegende Holländer, Mathis der Maler, Saul and Boris Godunov.
During his time in Mainz, he appeared regularly as a guest at the Oper Leipzig (Scarpia, Kaspar), the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden (Scarpia, Hans Sachs, Holländer), the Staatsoper Hannover (Kezal), the Staatsoper Hamburg under Kent Nagano (First Nazarene in Salome), the Theater Bremerhaven (Pizarro in Fidelio), the Theater Detmold (Hans Sachs) and he took over performances on short notice at the Theater Chemnitz (Hans Sachs) and Theater an der Wien – Kammeroper (Mephisto).
He had already performed more than 50 roles in the US before making his European debut in 2005 as Biterolf in Tannhäuser at Berlin’s Staatsoper Unter den Linden. Subsequently, he joined the house ensembles of the Staatstheater Kassel (2005 to 2009), the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater (2009 to 2011) and Munich’s Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz (2010 to 2012), where his repertoire included Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Mustafà in L’italiana in Algeri, Dulcamara in L’elisir d‘amore, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Kaspar in Der Freischütz, Kezal in Die verkaufte Braut, Forester in Cunning Little Vixen, Méphistophélès in Faust and Wotan in Die Walküre. Guest engagements at that time brought him to the Oper Leipzig (bass soloist in Pax Questuosa), the Oper Graz (König Heinrich in Lohengrin, Gessler in Guillaume Tell), the Aalto-Theater Essen (Dulcamara; Prince Gremin in Eugen Onegin), the Staatstheater Mannheim (Dulcamara), the Staatstheater Cottbus (bass soloist in Mahler’s 8th), the Theater Bremen (Sarastro) as well as the Staatsoper Hannover, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the Theater Dortmund (all as Mustafà).
Derrick Ballard has also triumphed with baroque repertoire in roles such as Joas in Il Gedeone (Staatstheater Kassel), Achilla in Giulio Cesare (Florentine Opera Milwaukee), the title roles in Handel’s Hercules (Aalto-Musiktheater Essen, Staatheater Kassel, Theater Gera) and Saul (Staatstheater Oldenburg). In 2011 he performed in An Occasional Oratorio at the Händel-Festspiele Halle.
Derrick Ballard studied at the University of Denver and continued his training with Mark Oswald in New York. He began his career as an apprentice with Santa Fe Opera and in the renowned Merola Opera Program of San Francisco Opera. In addition, he has won several prizes at the Metropolitan Opera Auditions.
Derrick Ballard has established himself in German speaking Europe as a versatile singer with numerous dramatic bass-baritone roles in his repertoire, such as Holländer, Wotan, Hans Sachs, Kaspar, Jochanaan and Scarpia. In 2021, he undertakes his first complete Der Ring des Nibelungen as Wotan/Wanderer at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, and will make his debut as Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier with Garsington Opera.
Until the 2019-20 season, Derrick Ballard was a member of the Staatstheater Mainz, where his roles encompassed Scarpia, Hans Sachs, Méphistophélès, Bottom (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Wotan/Wanderer (Der Ring an einem Abend), Filippo II (Don Carlo), Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Fiesco (Simon Boccanegra), Dikój (Kátja Kabanová) as well as the title characters in Der fliegende Holländer, Mathis der Maler, Saul and Boris Godunov.
During his time in Mainz, he appeared regularly as a guest at the Oper Leipzig (Scarpia, Kaspar), the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden (Scarpia, Hans Sachs, Holländer), the Staatsoper Hannover (Kezal), the Staatsoper Hamburg under Kent Nagano (First Nazarene in Salome), the Theater Bremerhaven (Pizarro in Fidelio), the Theater Detmold (Hans Sachs) and he took over performances on short notice at the Theater Chemnitz (Hans Sachs) and Theater an der Wien – Kammeroper (Mephisto).
He had already performed more than 50 roles in the US before making his European debut in 2005 as Biterolf in Tannhäuser at Berlin’s Staatsoper Unter den Linden. Subsequently, he joined the house ensembles of the Staatstheater Kassel (2005 to 2009), the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater (2009 to 2011) and Munich’s Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz (2010 to 2012), where his repertoire included Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Mustafà in L’italiana in Algeri, Dulcamara in L’elisir d‘amore, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Kaspar in Der Freischütz, Kezal in Die verkaufte Braut, Forester in Cunning Little Vixen, Méphistophélès in Faust and Wotan in Die Walküre. Guest engagements at that time brought him to the Oper Leipzig (bass soloist in Pax Questuosa), the Oper Graz (König Heinrich in Lohengrin, Gessler in Guillaume Tell), the Aalto-Theater Essen (Dulcamara; Prince Gremin in Eugen Onegin), the Staatstheater Mannheim (Dulcamara), the Staatstheater Cottbus (bass soloist in Mahler’s 8th), the Theater Bremen (Sarastro) as well as the Staatsoper Hannover, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the Theater Dortmund (all as Mustafà).
Derrick Ballard has also triumphed with baroque repertoire in roles such as Joas in Il Gedeone (Staatstheater Kassel), Achilla in Giulio Cesare (Florentine Opera Milwaukee), the title roles in Handel’s Hercules (Aalto-Musiktheater Essen, Staatheater Kassel, Theater Gera) and Saul (Staatstheater Oldenburg). In 2011 he performed in An Occasional Oratorio at the Händel-Festspiele Halle.
Derrick Ballard studied at the University of Denver and continued his training with Mark Oswald in New York. He began his career as an apprentice with Santa Fe Opera and in the renowned Merola Opera Program of San Francisco Opera. In addition, he has won several prizes at the Metropolitan Opera Auditions.
