Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as "superbly stylish" tenor Oliver Camacho specializes in repertoire of the 17th and18th century. He has studied Early Music performance practice with Ellen Hargis and Julianne Baird. His other principal mentor is Christopher Hustert with whom he trains in mask work, pantomime and clown. Oliver is a member and soloist with Bella Voce. An active recitalist, he can be heard regularly in the annual Pianoforte Foundation Schubertiade in Chicago. The musings, rants and recommendations of the artistic director of the OC are in abundant display as the co-host of OperaNow Podcast.
William Bouvel is a tenor who specializes in Baroque and Renaissance music as well as German and French art song. He is a member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus, and the Chicago Chorale. Mr. Bouvel made his debut with the Opera Company singing concerted Monteverdi madrigals and The Night Sequence from Purcell's The Fairy Queen in the program Mary/MARIA. William's unique ability in french baroque repertoire made him an obvious choice for "Summer Nights." He will make his debut this summer in Charpentier's Les Arts Florissants at the Amherst Early Music Festival.
Baritone Michael Brown is an alumnus of the University of Kansas, The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, and the Young Artists Program of Chicago Opera Theater. Recent performances have included leading roles in Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte, Haydn's Il Mondo della Luna, and a triuphant solo turn in the Monteverdi Vespers with Bella Voce and The Callipygian Players. Michael has been a founding member of The Opera Company appearing in "Bleuet", as Aeneas in the all-male cast of "DIDO," and in "CYCLE." He is a native of Perry, Kansas and can also be credited as OC carpenter and cook.
Born and raised in Strasbourg, France, Soprano Nathalie Colas started her musical education at age 6 at the Conservatoire National de Strasbourg. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Depaul University in Chicago. In 2007, Ms. Colas left the US to continue her studies in Belgium where she completed her Masters in Vocal Performance at the Royal Flemish Conservatory. Now a young artist in the Studio Suisse d'Opera in Bern, Nathalie will make her debut as Despina at the Theater Biel Solothurn. Nathalie sang Armida Abbandonata in the Opera Company's "Project:HANDEL."
Soprano Amy Conn is in demand throughout the Midwest. She is known for her pure tone, communicative warmth and musical intelligence. Amy appears on both the concert and theater stage in music of many periods, with a special love for baroque repertoire. The Chicago Tribune praised her recent performance in Handel's Acis and Galatea as "fresh, agile, {and} sweetly lyrical." Amy's diversity as actress and first class lieder-singer make her the anchor for The Opera Company "CYCLE."
Greer Davis has been hailed as a "vibrant" performer by Chicago Time Out Magazine and is a frequent performer in the Midwest. This season she made her regional opera debut in productions of Handelâs Soprano Greer Davis has been hailed as a "vibrant" performer by Chicago Time Out Magazine and last season made her regional opera debut at Milwaukeeâs Florentine Opera in Handelâs Semele (Iris) and Mozartâs The Magic Flute (Papagena). She will return to Florentine in 2011 for a double bill of Purcellâs Dido and Aeneas (Belinda) and John Blowâs Venus and Adonis (Venus). Recent roles include Gretel in Humperdinkâs Hansel and Gretel, Frasquita in Bizet's Carmen and Phyllis in Sullivanâs Iolanthe. Greer first appeared with the Opera Company singing the rage aria from the Lucrezia cantata in "Project:HANDEL."
Mezzo-soprano Julia Elise Hardin, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, has been touted as a "powerful" and "expressive" singer drawing from her extensive acting background. Ms. Hardin holds a bachelors degree from the University of Kansas and a masters from Northwestern University. She has completed young artist apprenticeships through Central City Opera and Chicago Opera Theater, and is currently a resident studio artist with Florentine Opera.
Engagements in 2010 include performances with Florentine Opera as Mrs. Baines in Elmer Gantry and Giovanna in Rigoletto, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro at the Peninsula Music Festival, and performances at the 2010 Castelton Festival in Suor Angelica and The Beggar's Opera. For the Opera Company, Julia contributes her expertise in stage make-up, costume design, and catering. AND she is deliciously demented in "CYCLE."
Soprano and dancer Jennifer Haworth has been seen recently in leading roles with Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre and Millennium Chamber Players. She holds degrees from Northwestern University and the Chicago College of Performing Arts. The Opera Company exploits her dance ability in the Purcell Masque "Food of Love" - a performance which was reprised for the Chicago Cultural Center Day of Opera Festival in 2010.
Male Soprano and composer Gregory Peebles is one of the original OC muses. Dubbed "Manprano" by the artistic director, Mr. Peebles captivated the early OC audiences singing soprano repertoire from Daughter of the Regiment, Cosi Fan Tutte, The Coronation of Poppea, and Dido and Aeneas. A native of Hartselle, Alabama, Gregory holds degrees from University of Mississippi and the Chicago College of the Performing Arts. Currently, Gregory is enjoying his second season with the prestigious ensemble CHANTICLEER. The OC is Madame Butterfly and The Manprano is Pinkerton.
Mezzo-soprano Laura Quest has performed with many of its most compelling companies. She was a Young Artist at Chicago Opera Theater performing in Don Giovanni, John Adamsâ A Flowering Tree and covering the role of Annio in La Clemenza di Tito. She returned in 2010 to cover the role of Amenofi in Mose in Egitto. With Chicago Opera Vanguard, she helped to premiere Eric Redaâs Reaganâs Children and at Light Opera Works she appeared in Nol Cowardâs rarely-performed Bittersweet. Laura has performed at the acclaimed Castleton Festival of Maestro Lorin Maazel in Brittenâs A Beggarâs Opera. She will return there in June 2010, to reprise the role of Jenny Diver and join the ensemble of Pucciniâs Il Trittico. She has performed with the Utah Festival Opera as Mercedes in Carmen, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, and covering the role of Amneris in Aida. She also portrayed the role of the Bakerâs Wife in Cedar Rapids Opera Theatreâs production of Into the Woods. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Laura began her career as a professional clown and actress. She received her vocal training at Northwestern University, where she pursued a B.A. in Vocal Performance, a B.A. in English Literature, and a Certificate in Musical Theater Performance. Laura is the collaborator and star of the Opera Company's "Summer Nights."
Mark Shuldiner, historical keyboards and musical director for the Opera Company's baroque repertoire, is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory's Historical Performance program, where he studied harpsichord with Webb Wiggins. Recent projects have included playing harpsichord, celeste, and organ for staged productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream by Benjamin Britten as well as a production of Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppeaunder the direction of Stephen Stubbs. Mark recently led a performance of CharpentierâsLes Arts Florissants to great acclaim on a fringe concert at the 2009 Boston Early Music Festival. A native of Chicago, Mark is pleased to be back in his home town, where he regularly performs with The Opera Company, the Bach & Beethoven Ensemble and other historical instrument ensembles throughout the greater Chicago area. Mark has prepared and led the Opera Company in the Purcell Masque "Food of Love," the concert "Mary/MARIA" , and "Summer Nights."
Copyright 2006 - 2009 All Rights Reserved, The Opera Company info@theoperacompany.org