Meet the 2009-2010 Opera Tampa Apprentices!

The 2009-2010 Opera Tampa Apprentices are Marcelo Ferreira, Alexandra Wiseman, Jacqueline Shoda-Iwasaki, Guedye St. Jean, Courtney McKeown, Ian O'Brien, Alexander Tyink and Alexandra Rafalo.

MARCELO FERREIRA (Baritone) was born in Recife, Brazil, started his musical studies at age 7 at the Music Conservatory of Pernambuco. Since then, he has received many academic awards, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Music in Voice and Opera at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University. He was first place winner at the Aldo Baldin International Singing Competition, finalist at the seventh Bidu Sayão International Singing Competition, first place winner in the post advanced division of the NATS student auditions, received the Cynthia Vernardakis Award at the Orpheus National Music Competition, and was Kentucky State Winner for the NATS Artist Awards competition in 2008. He was featured as a soloist with many orchestras performing opera, chamber, symphonic and sacred works. Ferreira is a student in the studio of Andreas Poulimenos. He will be singing on the opera workshop of Carol Vaness, and in the role of Taddeo, in the IU Opera Theatre upcoming production of Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri. Listen to Ferreira sing "I've got a ram, Goliath" from The Devil and Daniel Webster. Go here to read more about Ferreira.

ALEXANDRA WISEMAN (Soprano) is an up and coming soprano who is known for her strong acting ability as well as her vocal stamina, and has already portrayed some of opera’s greatest heroines. Wiseman made her professional debut with the Knoxville Opera singing Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and returned the following year in La Bohème, presenting a feisty Musetta. Given the opportunity to sing Violetta in La Traviata early in her career, Wiseman was praised by The Oak Ridger as being “magnetic” and “never losing her artistry or projection.” She will reprise this role in 2010 with the Oak Ridge Symphony in a concert version. Other roles include the Tennessee premier of Little Women as Meg, Mimi in La Bohème, Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte and Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella. Wiseman was a district finalist in the Metropolitan National Council Auditions and a member of the Knoxville Opera Studio for two years. This is Wiseman’s second year as a young artist with Opera Tampa, making her debut here last year as the Second Cercatrice in Suor Angelica, while also covering the title role. She can be seen as a soloist in the Arias and Encores concert in March with Opera Tampa. Listen to Wiseman sing "Ah, fuggi il traditor" from Don Giovanni. Listen to Wiseman sing "Sempre libera" from La Traviata. Go here to read more.

JACQUELINE SHODA-IWASAKI (Soprano) received her BA in Music from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. Her major operatic roles include Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte directed by guest artist, Tito Capobianco. Partial roles include features in Portland State University’s Opera Apprentice Program as Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte, Annina in Menotti’s The Saint of Bleeker Street, Konstanza in Mozart’s Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, Susannah in Floyd’s Susannah, Chloe in Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame and Bastien in Mozart’s Bastien und Bastienne. While at Portland State, Shoda-Iwasaki sang the soprano solos in Mozart’s Requiem with full orchestra. Ms. Shoda-Iwasaki also appeared as the soprano soloist in the North Coast Chorale’s production of Handel’s Messiah and the Southwest Washington Symphony’s production of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. For the Astoria Festival of Music, Shoda-Iwasaki has performed the soprano solo in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasie, Donna Anna in scenes from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Poppea in scenes from Monteverdi’s Il Coronazione di Poppea, and Hero in scene from Berlioz’s Beatrice et Benedict. Shoda-Iwasaki has been the recipient of an Oregon Laurel’s Music Scholarship, and received special awards and recognition from the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Monday Musical Club, Beaux Arts Society, Louis and Violet Lang Opera Memorial Scholarship, MetroArts Incorporated Young Artists at The Schnitz Concerto Competition, and a recipient of The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Encouragement Award in 2006 and 2007. Listen to Shoda-Iwasaki. Go here to read more.

GUEDYE ST. JEAN (Mezzo-Soprano) The Haitian-born mezzo-soprano, Guedye St. Jean’s voice has been called “Round, sensuous, and deeply emotional” by critics and conductors. In the summer of 2008, St. Jean sang the roles of Mastrilla in La Perichole, andLa Baronne de Gondremarck in La vie Parisienne with Opera du Périgord. That same fall, she sang the role of Ellen in the one-act opera called Three sisters who are not sisters by Ned Rorem. Chicago audiences heard her sing the role of Meg Page in Falstaff in the spring of 2009.  She also covered the role of Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro.  St. Jean grew up in Miami, Florida. She attended The Boston Conservatory studying with German soprano, Elizabeth Phinney. After graduating in 2007, she went on to graduate studies at the Chicago College of the performing Arts at Roosevelt University studying with internationally renowned countertenor Mark Crayton. She received her Masters degree in voice performance in 2009. She recently participated in the V.O.I.C.Experience program under the direction of Sherrill Milnes and Maria Zouves. Go here to read more about St. Jean.

COURTNEY McKEOWN (Mezzo-Soprano) is a graduate of DePaul University (BM) and Northwestern University (MM) where she frequented the stages of both institutions. She has sung with Kentucky Opera (Emilia in Otello, Inez in Il Trovatore, Kate in The Pirates of Penzance, Charlotte(c) in Werther), Opera New Jersey (Olga in The Merry Widow) and has been seen at Opera Tampa as La Zelatrice in Suor Angelica and La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi. Ms. McKeown spent the summer with Chautauqua Opera where she sang Vera Boronel The Consul, and reprised the role of Kate in The Pirates of Penzance. Ms. McKeown was most recently seen as Flora in Dayton Opera's production of La Traviata and she is thrilled to be back at Opera Tampa to sing Alisa in this production.

IAN O'BRIEN (Tenor) is a student at Rhode Island College. He began his study of music on the viola at age 9 before making his transition to vocal studies in his senior year of high school. Since then, he has enjoyed performances on many of the country’s greatest stages, including Jordan Hall and Symphony Hall in Boston, Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York City. Recently, O'Brien was the featured performer at an ASCAP-sponsored event celebrating the life and works of prolific American composer George M. Cohan in Providence, Rhode Island. Ian is a student of Maria Spacagna.

ALEXANDER TYINK (Baritone) is a recent graduate of Northwestern University. Tyink has been performing in the Chicago area for five years. At Northwestern, he studied voice under the direction of Karen Brunssen and coach Alan Darling. There, he sang the leading role of Dr. Dulcamara in The Elixir of Love, Starveling in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Thierry in a production of Dialogue of the Carmelites directed by Fabrizio Melano. Tyink is also an advocate of new operatic works and has sung the roles of Micheal Reagan in Reagan’s Children and Mago in Goldsmith of the Kingdom through the Chicago Opera Vanguard. In 2005, Tyink had the privilege to sing the role of Papageno in The Magic Flute at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in his hometown Appleton, Wis. Listen to Tyink sing "Deh, vieni alla finestra." Go here to read more about Tyink.

ALEXANDRA RAFALO (lyric soprano) started a a flutist at a young age, and pursued her own musical education, taking piano lessons, and coaching with local conductors. She studied for many years with Winifred Faix Brown ion Chicago. Alexandra made her opera debut as Servillia in La Clemenza di Tito with CandleOpera of Chicago. Shortly after, Alexandra was chosen to be an apprentice artist at the Sarasota Opera, where she progressed dramatically and settled into her fach. At Sarasota opera, Alexandra performed scenes as Tosca (Tosca), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Fiordiligi (Cosi fan tutte), and Madame Lidoine (dialogues of the carmelites). Even though Ms. Rafalo was the youngest member of the company, she received an award for outstanding performances from the Sarasota Opera guild.  From there, Ms. Rafalo went on to cover the role of Micaela in Carmen at Opera Fresca in California, and was invited back the following season to sing the role of the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, with much success. Equally at home singing concert repertoire, Ms. Rafalo has performed in many concerts across the U.S. Her oratorio performances have included Handel's Messiah (soprano soloist) with the Iliana Oratorio society, and Elijah (soprano soloist) with the community church of Wilmette. Most recently Ms. Rafalo performed concert arias and duets at Woolsey Hall in Connecticut, to great acclaim. In 2008, She covered the title role of Tosca at DuPage Opera. She also won several competitions that year, including Grand Prize of the Elgin Opera competition, and First Prize of the Sherrill Milnes Opera Idol competition. Her next apprentice program was with Opera Tampa, where she covered Suor Genevieffa in Suor Angelica, and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi. Miss Rafalo now studies with Patricia McCaffrey in New York, and splits her time between Miami and New York City. In the upcoming year she is touring Europe doing concerts and returning to Opera Tampa for the role of Yvette and Georgette in La Rondine. Go here to read more.

The 2009-2010 OTAPs. Not pictured: Courtney McKeown, Ian O'Brien, Alexandra Wiseman

ABOUT THE OPERA TAMPA APPRENTICE PROGRAM

The Opera Tampa Apprentice Program, which began in the 2007-08 season, serves the Tampa Bay community by educating and communicating the beauty of opera to its residents. The program will feature five singers, chosen after taking part in the Patel Conservatory’s excellence program, V.O.I.C.Experience. They will serve as ambassadors of opera and song for the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center throughout the season. The Apprentice Program’s director, soprano, Maria Zouves, world-renowned baritone, Sherrill Milnes, and other internationally acclaimed artists will help the apprentices with career development, while educating the community and providing musical workshops, master classes and performances.

Sidenote: Opera Tampa is proud to announce that one of its former apprentices, Micaela Oeste, debuted with Washington National as Nanetta in Falstaff, personally chosen by Milnes’ friend and colleague, opera legend Placido Domingo.

Interested in the show but not sure you want to commit?

Education events are for everyone, novice and expert alike. They’re overviews of our upcoming performances, including excerpts with live performers, interesting information about the origins of the story and the composer, and a question and answer session. Coordinated by the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Education and Humanities Department, education events offer an in-depth look at artists and our upcoming productions.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this great opportunity to learn about, and support, live opera in our community.

Maria Zouves, Vice President/Associate General Director, Opera Tampa
In her new position with the opera company, Maria Zouves has been getting exciting wheels in motion. Her fresh perspective has created innovative programming, nurtured new audiences and launched a highly successful apprentice program. As a singer soprano, Zouves has been hailed by the Stuttgart Zeitung as a "beautiful, lyric voice" and "a not to be surpassed 'piano' in the high register." Opera News, in her debut recording with VAI Audio, described her voice as "creamy". This Greek-American soprano shows great versatility in opera, concert stages and cross-over, specializing in classical and popular Greek music. Zouves has sung leading roles with the Baltimore Opera, Memphis Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, New Jersey State Opera, Orlando Opera and the Florentine Opera. 

As an educator, Zouves focuses primarily on training young artists. She is the director of the operatic training organization, V.O.I.C.Experience, having founded the program in 2001. She teaches and produces outreach all around the world.

Sherrill Milnes, Artistic Advisor, Opera Tampa 
Five-time Grammy® nominated and three-time Grammy® winner Sherrill Milnes is internationally recognized as the leading Verdi Baritone of his time. Milnes has conquered all of the great opera capitals of the world: the Royal Opera, Covent Garden; La Scala, Milan; Berlin's Deutsche Oper; the Paris Opera; Buenos Aires' famed Teatro Colon; the Liceu in Barcelona; the Bavarian State Opera in Munich; the Salzburg Festival; the Hamburg Opera; and Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre. He has had the honor of performing for every United States President since Gerald Ford. 

Milnes has worked extensively with young singers throughout his career. He has led master classes at the Juilliard and Manhattan Schools in New York, at most major universities throughout the country and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. More extensive teaching has been done at the Yale University School of Music; Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow; the Northern Royal College of Music in Manchester, England (where he is a fellow); the Israel Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv; Montreal; and Puerto Rico; and the International Institute of Vocal Arts in Italy.

Sherrill Milnes is the Artistic Director of V.O.I.C.Experience, the organization from which the Opera Tampa Apprentices come.

	DAN GETTINGER, musical co-director, is returning to work with the Opera Tampa Apprentices again this year, having worked with them last year during The Barber of Seville, Suor Angelica/Gianni Schicchi, and Faust. He has served on the faculties of both Manhattan School of Music and Brooklyn College in New York, and The Hartt School in West Hartford, Connecticut, conducting productions at these schools that include Into the Woods, Side by Side by Sondheim, City of Angels, A Little Night Music, Brigadoon, 42nd Street, She LovesMe, and Little Shop of Horrors. He has toured the United States as assistant conductor with the national companies of both No, No, Nanette and A Little Night Music. At Shreveport Opera, Dan has conducted productions of My Fair Lady, Carousel, and Sweeney Todd, and this summer he conducted a production of Maury Yeston’s  milestone musical, Nine, in Brugge, Belgium. He is engaged regularly on the faculties of vocal workshops and institutes that include Sherrill Milnes and Maria Zouves’ program VOICEXPERIENCE; the International Vocal Arts Institute in both TelAviv and Montreal; the International Institute of Vocal Arts in Chiari, Italy, and the Intermezzo Foundation in Brugge, Belgium. As a pianist, Dan has served as a coach on the staffs of Florida Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and Chautauqua Opera, as well as having played classical voice recitals for Heidi Grant Murphy and Florence Quivar, among others. Dan frequently serves as a judge for various prestigious vocal competitions, including the Licia Albanese — Puccini Foundation and the Loren Zachary Society for the Performing Arts. He was also staff music arranger for the Emmy Awards for ABC Television, dance arranger for the Blake Edwards motion picture S.O.B., and pianist and arranger for both Debbie Reynolds and Diahann Carroll’s Las Vegas nightclub acts. In addition to conducting and performing as a pianist, Dan maintains an active coaching studio in New York.
	CONSTANTINE GRAME, staff pianist, studied music with his father, Theodore Grame, and holds and Advanced Certificate in Piano from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in London.  He is Artistic Director of the New Century Opera, Staff Pianist for Opera Tampa and Music Director of the Gilbert and Sullivan Players.  In recent years he has served as stage and musical director for "Das Rheingold," "Die Walküre," "Siegfried," "Hänsel und Gretel" and "Babes in Toyland."  His edition of the original Herbert/MacDonough text of "Babes in Toyland" has been recognized as the most authoritative version available today.  As music director he has directed "Tosca," "HMS Pinafore," Utopia, Limited," and many other works.  As piano accompanist he has accompanied such distinguished artists as Sherrill Milnes, Maria Zouves, Stella Zambalis, Carole Cook, and Enrico di Giuseppe.  He has appeared as tenor soloist in such works as "Il barbiere di siviglia" and "The Mikado."  He is an accompanist/voice coach and serves as organist at First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Dunedin.  Mr. Grame's own opera, "The Spoiler," premiered in Tarpon Springs in 2004 and was revived there in 2008.