Cast Elise Quagliata - Jo Hanan Tarabay - Meg Ami Vice - Amy Most recently as a James Collier Young Artist, Ami performed in various scenes and concert work with the Des Moines Metro Opera. She will reappear in the role of Bo-Peep in Babes in Toyland at Avery Fisher Hall in December 2009 with the Little Orchestra Society. She competed as Miss Maine at the 2005 Miss America Scholarship Pageant. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice from the University of Oklahoma and completed her Artist Diploma in Voice on a Dean's Scholarship to Oberlin College. Sheila Murphy - Beth Howard Reddy - Friedrich Bhaer Gwendolyn Jones - Cecilia March Praised by the New York Times for her "commanding presence" and "innate lyricism", Gwendolyn Jones appears frequently with New York City Opera at Lincoln Center - most notably as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, the Witch in Hansel and Gretel and Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro. Noted for her detailed characterizations, she has sung a wide variety of roles throughout the United States including: Carmen, Amneris (Aida), Cherubino, Fricka (Die Walküre), Venus (Tannhäuser), Charlotte (Werther) and Orfeo. |
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In 2008, Ms. Quagliata was heard at Florida Grand Opera as Cornelia in Guilio Cesare and Carmen in La Tragedie de Carmen with Opera Omaha. Her 2006 performance of Carmen
with Pensacola Opera captivated the critics, one of whom pronounced her "one of the finest Carmens I have ever seen”and another "simply riveting.”
A Pensacola native, mezzo-soprano Hanan Tarabay graduated with a Masters in Music in 2006 from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where she studied with Marlena Malas. In Pensacola, Hanan studied with Trudy Sherwood and was an active member of the Pensacola Children’s Chorus. Performance credits for the Curtis Opera Theatre include Alcina (Bradamante), The Rape of Lucretia (Lucretia), Cosi fan tutte (Dorabella), The Death of Klinghoffer (Austrian Woman), The Consul (Vera Boronel), L’incoronazione di Poppea (La Fortuna) and Le Nozze di Figaro (Barbarina) among others. Hanan has also sung roles for Palm Beach Opera, Chautauqua Institute Opera Festival and Interlochen Arts Academy.
In concert, Hanan has sung with the Opera Orchestra of the Teatro Regio, Turin, Italy; at the Spoleto Festival, Italy and in Gala Concerts in Holland and Ireland. Later this year she plans to release a recording of duets with her husband, Howard Reddy.
Soprano Ami Vice is a recipient of the Fellowship Award at the Music Academy of the West. There she engaged in concerts with Warren Jones, performed Lieschen in Bach's Kaffee Kantata, as well as recital work in his Tuesdays@8 concerts. Ami was a 2010 Pensacola Opera Artist in Residence, singing Ellie in Show Boat.
Pensacola native and soprano, Sheila Murphy, will be returning this year to perform as a featured soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in their Yuletide Celebration concert series. In 2008, Ms. Murphy was a member of the distinguished apprentice artist program at Chautauqua Opera. Career highlights include performances with Nevada Opera, Lake George Opera and Pensacola Opera. Roles include Eurydice (Orpheus in the Underworld), Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Costance (Les Dialogues des Carmélites), Blonda (Abduction from the Seraglio), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Despina (Cosí fan tutte), Monica (The Medium), Barbarina (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Papagena (Die Zauberflöte). Ms. Murphy holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Oberlin Conservatory of Music and both a Master and Doctor of Music in Vocal Performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where she studied with Chancellor's Professor, Costanza Cuccaro.
Howard Reddy is a baritone from Carlow, Ireland. He holds a Law degree from University College Dublin and a Masters of Music from the Curtis Institute of Music. Performance credits for the Curtis Opera Theatre include Le Nozze di Figaro (Il Conte Almaviva), La Boheme (Marcello), The Death of Klinghoffer (Captain), Miss Julie (John), L’heure espagnole (Ramiro), The Consul (John Sorel) and The Rape of Lucretia (Tarquineas) among others. He has sung Il Conte Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro with Grange Park Opera, UK and Opera North, UK. He has also sung roles with Wexford Festival Opera, Opera Festival of New Jersey, Chautauqua Institute and Music Academy of the West. In Oratorio he has performed numerous works with Princeton University Choir, The Oratorio Society of New York and St. James Choir, Dublin among others. He has appeared in concert with the Irish Symphony Orchestra and Irish Concert Orchestra. Later this year he will release a recording of duets with his wife, Hanan Tarabay.
Oklahoma native Gwendolyn Jones first came to attention as the youngest winner of the national Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions at age nineteen. Following graduation from Oklahoma City University, Miss Jones began a nine year residency with the San Francisco Opera appearing in both Fall and Spring Seasons in roles as diverse as Genevieve in Pelleas et Melisande, Sextus in Guilio Cesare, the Gymnasiast in Lulu and creating the role of Paulina in John Harbison's Winter's Tale among others.