2011 - 2012 Artists
Allyson Herman, Soprano
Allyson Herman, soprano, is a versatile emerging artist, comfortable in a wide range of styles and repertoire. Upcoming engagements include a year-long residency with Opera Singers Initiative, and the Mozart Requiem with the Astoria Symphony Orchestra. Recent credits include Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera on the Avalon; Pamina in Tony Amato’s Opera in Brief: The Magic Flute, Pascal in Randall Eng’sHenry’s Wife in conjunction with American Opera Projects, and Alma in Lee Hoiby’s Summer and Smoke, all at Manhattan School of Music. Other appearances include Barbarina and First Bridesmaid (Le nozze di Figaro), Damigella (L’incoronazione di Poppea), First Lady (scenes from Die Zauberflöte), and Josephine (scenes from HMS Pinafore). Ms. Herman holds a Master’s degree and Professional Studies certificate from Manhattan School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music from SUNY Purchase.
Barbara Porto, Soprano
Barbara Porto, soprano, has been praised for her bell-like tone quality and engaging stage presence. Most recently, Ms. Porto performed the roles of Petrovna in Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tsar’s Bride with Brooklyn College Opera Theater, and Servilia in Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito with the Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute. She also received an Honorable Mention award in the Opera Division of the Five Towns Music and Art Foundation Competition in May 2011. Equally at home performing new works, Ms. Porto created the roles of the Goddess and Andromache in the world premiere of George Tsouris’ contemporary opera Ektor. Her other operatic roles include Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Giannetta (L’Elisir d’Amore), Susanna, Barbarina (Le Nozze di Figaro), and Anna Gomez (The Consul.) Ms. Porto is currently earning a M.M.
Performance degree from the Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music, and is a student of Anna Skibinsky.
Charles Williamson Jr., Tenor
Charles Williamson, tenor, is dedicated to all musical genres from opera to recital to oratorio to spirituals. Reviewed by Classical Voice of North Carolina as “an audience favorite…with a robust voice,” Charles has portrayed Vasek in the The Bartered Bride, and King Kasper in Amahl and the Night Visitors with UNCG Opera Studio as well as Eisenstein in Der Fledermaus with North Carolina Central University. In May of 2009, Charles made his recital debut in Passaic, New Jersey and in Greensboro, North Carolina premiered two scenes from Criseyde, by contemporary American composer Alice shields. The North Carolina Federation of Music Clubs recently awarded Charles first place in their 2009 Competition. Charles’ most recent performances include roles with UNCG Opera Studio as Counselor in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury, La Rainette in Debussy’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, and Monsieur Triquet in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin with Opera Slavica New York City. Mr. Williamson is a current student of Claudia Friedlander, and has completed his Master of Music degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
LaMarcus Miller, Bass-Baritone
LaMarcus Miller, bass-baritone, recently graduated from Dallas Baptist University with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, where he studied with Wes Moore. He will begin his master’s degree work in the fall of 2011 at The Manhattan School of Music studying with Metropolitan Opera Baritone Mark Oswald. Mr. Miller has sung leading roles from La Boheme, Carmen, Don Giovanni and Gianni Schicchi, alongside many oratorio and sacred works such as; Zoltan Kodaly’s Te Deum, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s mass no.6 in G Missa Sancti Nicolai, Malcolm Archer’s Requiem and Mozart’s Requiem. Mr. Miller has also been a featured soloist with the Rockwall Philharmonic Orchestra in Rockwall Texas, and a 1st place winner of the vocal division at The 2009 Delta Symphony Concerto Competition at Arkansas State University and A 2nd place winner at the 2011 NANBPWC (African American Business and Professional Women’s Vocal Artist Competition) in Houston ,Texas. Upcoming : Madame butterfly with Sugar Creek Symphony/ Finalists Concert at Carnegie Hall (Weil Recital Hall) The Nico Castel Master Singer Competition (Feb 18, 2012).
Matthew Garrett, Tenor
Matthew Garrett, tenor is a graduate of the Juilliard Opera Center, Juilliard Masters Program, and Brown University. Operatic engagements for the internationally recognized tenor have included Scottish Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Opera Omaha, Glimmerglass Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Connecticut Opera, Eugene Opera, Syracuse Opera, Jacksonville Symphony, Center for Contemporary Opera, Opera Company of Middlebury, and Merola Opera. Recent concert appearances have included the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Cincinnati May Festival, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Arion Ensemble, National Chorale, Basel Festival Orchestra, Opera Orchestra of New York, Virginia Symphony, Musica Sacra, and the Oratorio Society of New York. He frequently performs at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall, and has presented a solo recital at New York’s Merkin Hall. Mr. Garrett has won awards from the Puccini Foundation, the Giulio Gari Foundation, Opera Index, and the Metropolitan Opera National Council, and was a Finalist in the 2007 Montreal International Voice Competition.
Narine Ojakhyan, Soprano
Narine Ojakhyan, soprano, received her Bachelor's degree and Post Graduate Diploma at Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory while studying with Marianna Harutyunyan. She was awarded a Raffy Manoukyan scholarship to attend the Royal Academy of Music in London. After three years in the Opera Program, she successfully gained her Master's degree and received the Royal Academy Honorary Diploma (DipRAM) while studying with Joy Mammen and Jonathan Papp. Narine is a winner of several competitions including Opera Rara Patric Schmid Bel Canto Prize (London), Ludmilla Andrew Russian song prize (London), Hennings - Fischer Burbank Philharmonic Young Artists’ Competition 2010 (Los Angeles). She was a Loren Zachary National Vocal Competition Finalist. Recently, she was awarded third place at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Western region). She is a recipient of the Opera Buffs award (Los Angeles), Solti foundation 2009 award (London), Sayan award (Armenia), K.Orbelyan award (Armenia). Narine participated in the Young Artist Summer Programs at Solti Te Kanawa Academy di Bel Canto in Italy, Samling Program in London and received master classes from many renowned opera singers such as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Frederica Von Stade, Barbara Bonney, Dennis O’Neill and many others. She also sang with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in Hong Kong. Narine sang the role of Mimi in Puccini’s La Boheme for the Verbier Festival 2010 in Switzerland. She also performed with Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival, Torrance Symphony, Marina del Rey Summer Symphony, Los Angeles Performing Arts Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Frank Fetta. Glendale Philharmonic, Cilicia Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mikael Avetisyan. Her operatic roles include Mimi (La Boheme) for the Verbier Festival in Switzerland; Susanna (Le nozze di figaro) under the baton of Sir Colin Davis and directed by John Copley; Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor) for the Iford Arts in England; Rosina (Il Barbiere Siviglia); Nella (Gianni Schicchi); Lusya (Paradise Moskow); Brigitta (Iolanta).
Nicole Haslett, Soprano
Nicole Haslett, soprano, is a second-year Master’s degree candidate at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Ashley Putnam. Previous credits include Le nozze di Figaro (Susannah) and scenes from A Little Night Music (Anne), both at Opera in the Ozarks; Cosi fan tutte (Despina) and Weill’s Down in the Valley (Jennie Parsons), both at New York University, from where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance. Nicole also sang as Eva in Die Shöpfung this past fall at MSM conducted by Kent Tritle. This spring, she will perform Florestine in The Ghosts of Versailles by John Corgliano, in it’s first New York production since 1991. She will also cover Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor with Tom Muraco in his singer’s seminar. Nicole was the first alternate last year for the Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition at MSM singing Milhaud’s Chanson de Ronsards.
Samantha Jeffreys, Soprano
Samantha Jeffreys, native New Yorker, “reveals a beautiful, easy high register balanced by a firm and substantial low voice” Barrett Cobb, NY Concert Review. Ms. Jeffreys is currently a second year Resident Artist of Dicapo Opera and will be performing the title role in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta with the company later this year. Recent engagements include: Flora in La Traviata and Violetta (cover) with The Belleayre Music Festival, Erste Dame in Die Zauberflote with dell’Arte Opera Ensemble, Beauty in Gianinni’s Beauty & the Beast with Dicapo Opera, and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni with New York Lyric Opera. In 2010, Ms. Jeffreys made her professional debut as Gretel in Hansel & Gretel with Nashville Opera after having been a 2009-2010 member of their Apprentice Program and sang Pamina in The Magic Flute. In 2009, Ms. Jeffreys was granted the opportunity to perform a Solo Recital Debut Concert at Carnegie Hall after winning the Artists International Competition.
Sarah Philippa, Soprano
Sarah Philippa, soprano, has performed the roles of Dido (Dido and Aeneas), Lucienne (Die tote Stadt), Witch and Mother (Hansel and Gretel), Clara (Signor Deluso), Second Lady (Magic Flute), Countess Ceprano (Rigoletto), and Mother (The Women). Ms. Philippa debuted and originated the roles of Constanza in Mozart and the Grey Steward, and Jezebel in Name on the door. In 2009, Ms. Philippa received critical acclaim for the role of Claire in the world premiere of Magnum Opus. Ms. Philippa has performed roles at the Kennedy Center, Summer Opera Theater, Opera Theater of Northern Virginia, Center City Opera Theater, Opera Alterna, Bel Cantanti, Victorian Lyric Opera Theater and the Catholic University of America. Ms. Philippa received her Masters of Music in vocal performance from Catholic University of America and she is a student of voice teacher Bill Schuman.
Briana Hunter, Soprano
Briana Hunter, Soprano, is currently a second year Master’s degree candidate at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Hilda Harris. Previous credits include Summer and Smoke (Rosa Gonzales) with Manhattan School of Music, Godspell (Joanne) with MSM’s American Musical Theater Ensemble, The Mikado (Peep Bo), Trouble in Tahiti (Girl, Trio), and HMS Pinafore (Josephine). Scene work includes Norma (Adalgesia), Les contes d’Hoffmann (Giulietta), Le nozze di Figaro (Countess) with La Lingua della Lirica in Italy, and A Betrothal in a Monastery (Louisa) at MSM. Additionally, she has worked under the direction of The Royal Shakespeare Company as both actress (performing the roles of Hippolyta Midsummer Nights Dream and Lord Westmorland Henry IV: Part I) and vocal soloist (performing Rossini’s “The Willow Song”) in an original production entitled For Every Passion Something premiered at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Ms. Hunter holds a B.A. in Theatre from Davidson College where she studied directing, and performed in plays including Thomas Middleton’s Women Beware Women (Livia) and Wonder of the World (Karla) by David Lindsay-Abaire. This fall she will sing Donna Elvira in the MSM Opera Studio’s production Of Love and Loss and in the spring she will sing the role of Sarah in the MSM American Musical Theater Ensemble’s production of Ragtime.
