TIER I

Elizabeth Baldwin • Soprano
Sylvania OH

Elizabeth Baldwin has performed Erste Dame in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with Opera San Jose, Amelia in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera with Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Viclinda in Verdi’s I Lombardi with the Opera Orchestra of New York at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, Ellen Orford in Britten’s Peter Grimes with San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and Chautauqua Opera, Puccini’s heroine Tosca with Kentucky Opera and Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, as well as title role of Ariadne auf Naxos with Opera Theater of Pittsburgh. On concert stages, she sang the Widow in Elijah at Boston’s Symphony Hall, John William’s Seven For Luck at Tanglewood Music Center Festival, and Strauss' Vier Letzte Lieder with the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. In competitions, she was a Finalist in the Francisco Viñas International Singing Competition, Semi-Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and Grand Prize winner in The William Matheus Sullivan Musical Foundation.

Jason Duika • Baritone
Bloomington IN

Praised by Oregon music news for having a “big, warm voice” and “spot-on comic timing”, Jason Duika recently completed his first year at Palm Beach Opera as baritone artist where he covered the roles of Marcello and Schaunard in Puccini’s La Bohème, and Herman in the world premier opera, Enemies; A Love Story, by Ben Moore. In addition, Mr. Duika performed the role of the Corporal in Donizetti’s comedy, La Fille du Regiment. He will be returning to Palm Beach Opera for this coming season and will be performing the roles of Dancairo in Carmen, by Bizet, and Dr. Malatesta in Don Pasquale, by Donizetti, as well as cover the roles of Escamillo (The Toreador) in Carmen, and Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos, by Strauss. Mr. Duika has also performed at Utah Festival Opera and Wichita Grand Opera. 

Sara LeMesh • Mezzo-Soprano
San Rafael CA

A native of San Rafael, California, mezzo-soprano Sara LeMesh is equally passionate about recitals, chamber music, new music, Baroque, and opera. The “plush mezzo” (NY Times) recently premiered the role of Anna in Shawn Jaegar’s opera Payne Hollow at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College and performed “Au cimetière” from Berlioz’ Les nuits d’été under the baton of Stéphane Denève at the Tanglewood Music Center. Recent summer engagements include the Music Academy of the West and the Aspen Music Festival and School, which she attended as a New Horizons Fellow. Ms. LeMesh currently sings in the chorus of the San Francisco Opera.

Jennifer Lindsay • Soprano
Long Beach CA

Jennifer Lindsay is a past laureate of the Redlands Bowl Competition and the National Association of Negro Musicians Vocal Competition, and she has been a featured soloist with the Pacific Symphony and the Bakersfield Symphony. In July she will make her role debut as Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Prague Summer Nights Festival, under the direction of renowned baritone Sherrill Milnes, and this fall she will premiere the role of Lucha in Marc Lowenstein's opera Hopscotch, presented by The Industry in Los Angeles. Other roles include Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata, Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte, as well as Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Alice Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff, and Giorgetta in Puccini’s Il Tabarro. Jennifer studies voice with Marvellee Cariaga and coaches with Peter Mark.

Clarissa Lyons • Soprano
New York NY

Lauded by the Los Angeles Times for her “luxuriant large soprano,” Clarissa Lyons has been selected as a two-time Tanglewood Music Center fellow, Marc & Eva Stern Fellow at SongFest, and Bel Canto Young Artist at Caramoor. Ms. Lyons holds degrees from UC Berkeley, Manhattan School of Music, and Bard College Conservatory. She has been named the winner of the Henry & Maria Holt Competition, Carmel Music Society Competition, and the Young Patronesses of Opera Competition. 

Emma McNairy • Soprano
Berkeley CA

Lauded by the San Francisco Chronicle for “a virtuosic display as Zerbinetta”, in West Edge Opera’s production of the Richard Strauss opera, Ariadne auf Naxos, Emma McNairy is enjoying a blossoming career. A 2013 and 2014 fellow at Marilyn Horne’s Music Academy of the West, she sang Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen where she was noted as "...particularly charismatic..." (Opera News). She has performed with West Edge Opera, Livermore Valley Opera, Opera New Jersey, Bangkok Opera, Brava! Opera Theater, VocaalLAB (The Netherlands), iSING! Young Artists Festival (China), and the JSB Ensemble (Germany & Chile). She received 2nd Prize in the Internationaler Gesangswettbewerb des Opernfestivals Gut Immling in 2015.

Brent Turner • Tenor
New York NY

American tenor Brent Reilly Turner has been critically acclaimed across the United States as having a full, dramatic timbre, energetic personality and unique honesty. Turner recently received 3rd place honors at the 2015 National Opera Association Vocal Competition. He was also awarded a coveted study grant from the Wagner Society of New York and was an encouragement award recipient in the Wagner Division of the 2014 Gerda Lissner Vocal Competition. Last year, Turner received the Grand Prizes at the 2014 Peter Elvins Vocal Competition and the 2014 Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition hosted by Shreveport Opera. Turner received 2nd place honors at the 2014 Dallas Opera Guild Competition, and 3rd place in the 2014 Irma M. Cooper Competition hosted by Opera Columbus. 

TIER II

Clare Demer • Soprano
Tucson AZ

Clare Demer is an undergraduate vocal performance major at The University of Arizona, where she performed the role of Monica in Menotti's The Medium last Spring. This summer, Clare will be a fellow at the Toronto Summer Music Festival and a participant in the International Vocal Arts Institute in Montreal. Other training includes the Aspen Music Festival, SongFest at Colburn and Saarburg Chamber Music Festival. Among her awards are Encouragement Award in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions - Arizona (2014), winner of both the undergraduate and graduate divisions of the Amelia Rieman Opera Competition (2012, 2014), and second place in the American Prize in Art Song (2013).

Samuel James Dewese • Baritone
La Grange Park IL

Baritone Samuel James Dewese has been praised as a “skillful and moving” performer by critics in the US and abroad. After his international debut singing the title role in the 2011 Kunming Opera Festival production of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Samuel was a 2013 District Champion in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a MONC Midwest Regional Finalist in February 2014. Mr. Dewese made his Chicago debut singing Marcello in Puccini’s La Bohème with Windy City Opera in March 2015 under Cathy O’Shaughnessy and will next be seen as Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte with Floating Opera Company.

Aaron Gallington • Tenor
Goleta CA

Aaron Gallington, is distinguishing himself throughout California as a powerful and communicative vocal artist. As a recent graduate from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Mr. Gallington appeared as Duke Orsino in the West Coast premiere of the opera Twelfth Night by Joel Feigin and Javier in Federico Moreno Torroba’s opera Luisa Fernanda. As an emerging classical vocalist Mr. Gallington continues to be engaged for concerts and recitals throughout California. In August 2015 Mr. Gallington will make his Bay Area debut with the Lamplighters Music Theatre company singing Ralph in the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, H.M.S. Pinafore.

Angela Jarosz • Soprano
San Francisco CA

“As Candide's long-lost and much-compromised love Cunegonde, coloratura soprano Angela Jarosz absolutely nails the insanely difficult vocal heights of the hysterical aria 'Glitter and Be Gay' with aplomb." – Sam Hurwitt, San Jose Mercury News. Coloratura soprano Angela Jarosz is bursting onto the local opera scene – frequently performing with companies including Solo Opera, Douglas Morrisson Theater, Opera on Tap, and Bay Area Classical Harmonies. Angela holds degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Roosevelt University. She continues to study with the esteemed Jane Randolph.

Bradley King • Tenor
Arlington VA

Advancing in his vocal career, Bradley King is a tenor holding Masters Degrees from the University of North Texas in Voice and Conducting and a Bachelor of Music from DePauw University. As a student, Bradley distinguished himself as a graceful, versatile and intelligent musician either as ensemble performer or soloist and was recently praised by reviewers as “a singer with profound style.” On the stage he has performed such diverse roles as Anthony in Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd and Colin in the one act French opera Le Devin du Village by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Bradley is an alumnus of prestigious training programs, such as Bel Canto Institute; BEMF Young Artists Program, and Fall Island Vocal Seminar.

Emma Rosenthal • Soprano
San Francisco CA

Emma Rosenthal’s repertoire ranges from Baroque to twenty-first century music and includes opera, oratorio and art song. Recent operatic performances include Cobweb in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Giulietta in scenes from Bellini’s I Capuleti ed i Montecchi, and Susanna in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. Recent oratorio performances include Haydn’s Creation, and Messiah with San Jose Symphonic Choir. This summer, she will join the Russian Opera Workshop in Philadelphia to perform the role of Brigitta in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta.

Claire Weber • Mezzo-Soprano
Baltimore MD

Mezzo-soprano Claire Galloway Weber has become a frequent performer on opera stages and in recital and concert halls throughout the Baltimore area. Ms. Weber just received her Masters of Music at Peabody Conservatory studying with Steven Rainbolt. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Bard College where she was a recipient of the Theodor Presser Foundation Award and Bard Outstanding Vocal Award. Ms. Weber has attended young artist programs including the Russian Opera Workshop, Bel Cantanti Opera, Lyric Opera Studio of Weimar, and Chicago Summer Opera.  An avid linguist and proponent of contemporary composition, Ms. Weber is passionate about presenting modern works alongside more standard opera and art song repertoire. This past season Ms. Weber premiered the role of Barbara Thames in Frances Pollock’s Stinney and performed the role of Prince Charmant in Massenet’s Cendrillon. Past operatic performances include the Mother, Dragonfly, and Squirrel in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, Olga in Eugene Onegin, by Tchaikowski, Hippolyta in Brittin’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro as well as Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte by Mozart, and the title role in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.