STP’s “Barber of Seville” Opera Brings Extraordinary Talent to The Soo!

After a fantastic run of “The Music Man” this past weekend, The Soo Theatre Project focuses on the next upcoming big event Rossini’s “Barber of Seville” on August 10, 12, and 14.

The extremely talented group Soo Opera Director Karen Hughes Beacom has gathered for these performances is extraordinary…and quite interesting. These performers are top notch in their fields and are coming to The Soo for Rossini’s “Barber of Seville.”

Just a few tidbits of extraneous and interesting facts: one performer has sung the national anthem four years in a row for the finals of The 2010 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic Bodybuilding Competition. One vocalist performed in China, plays harp, and works at The Little Stone Church on Mackinac Island. Another performed in 300 Broadway shows, while one actor recently performed “Jack” in “Jack and the Beanstalk” for 2,000 children. There’s a unique feature of one of the performers…striking red hair!

When you read the biographies of these talented performers, remember that each production listed includes hours and hours and months of preparation. Tremendous memorization, sore feet, and late rehearsals that sometimes burn the midnight oil…yes, these people have passion for opera!


Daniel WebbDaniel Webb – Dr. Bartolo

Bass – Baritone

Resident of Knoxville, TN

Daniel Webb, bass-baritone, has racked up more than 300 performances as Colline in the Baz Luhrmann production of La Boheme on Broadway.  His time in the Broadway community also including performances in the 2003 Tony Awards and the annual Easter Bonnet Competition.   He can be heard on the cast album of La Boheme put out by Dreamworks Records. Other roles include Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Bottom in Midsummer Night’s Dream, the title role in Don Pasquale and The Most Happy Fella, Sarastro in The Magic Flute, the Bonze in  Madama Butterfly,  Bhear in Mark Adamo’s Little Women, Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin and Zuniga in Carmen.  Daniel has performed with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Central City Opera, Tulsa Opera, Virginia Opera, Knoxville Opera, Opera North in Hanover, New Hampshire, Opera in the Ozarks, Oklahoma Light Opera and Jewel Box Theatre in Oklahoma City.  On the concert stage, he has performed as soloist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and the St. Louis Symphony.  Daniel is an active church singer and served in congregations in Tennessee, Oklahoma, Illinois and New York singing much of the oratorio repertoire including Elijah and the Mozart and Faure Requiem’s.

Webb returns to Soo Opera for the first time since 2009 where he played the role of Prison Worden Frank in Die Fledermaus.


Brian BanionBrian Banion – Basilio

Bass – Baritone

Resident Faculty Artist at Bay View in Petoskey

New York, New York

Soo Opera Debut

Bass-Baritone Brian Banion’s combination of physical and vocal acting combined with his versatile, warm, well-projected bass-baritone voice are demonstrated in a variety of roles including Leporello in Don Giovanni, Basilio Il barbiere di Siviglia, Figaro and Almaviva in Le Nozze di FigaroEscamillo and Zuniga in CarmenBaron Douphol, Marquis and the Doctor in La TraviataDoctor in VanessaNick Shadow in The Rake’s ProgressDick Deadeye in HMS Pinafore, Sparafucile in Rigoletto, Nourabad in Les Pêcheurs de Perles, and Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette.

This season includes a return to Piedmont Opera as Sparafucile in Rigoletto, a debut with the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra as Escamillo in Carmen, and a recital in Columbus, Ohio’s exciting new performance space, Notes. Brian returns to the Bay View Music Festival this summer, where he has been a Resident Artist for four years. 

Last season included a return to Piedmont Opera as Daland in Der fliegende Holländer, Leporello in Don Giovanni with the University of LouisvilleBeethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Central Ohio Symphony, and Zuniga and Morales in Carmen with The Columbus Symphony Orchestra. Recent seasons include a debut with Sacramento Opera as Simone in Gianni Schicchi, a return to Piedmont Opera as Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Escamillo in Carmen with The Springfield Symphony Orchestra, recitals in Sorel, Quebec and in Montréal. 2012 included a return to Piedmont Opera as Leporello in Don Giovanni, Handel’s Messiah with The Symphony Orchestra of Virginia Beach and The Boise Philharmonic, and a return to The Princeton Festival as Simone in Gianni Schicchi. Recent engagements include Zuniga in Carmen with Asheville Lyric Opera, Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette with Opera Columbus, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro and Dick Deadeye in HMS Pinafore with Piedmont Opera, and a debut with The Princeton Festival as Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

No stranger to modern music, Mr. Banion created the role of Reverend Arthur Baines in the world premiere of Robert Aldridge’s Elmer Gantry, making his Nashville Opera debut. He reprised Baines in Montclair, New Jersey. He also created the role of the Unnamed Bass in Edwin Penhorwood’s Too Many Sopranos. 

Additional engagements include a debut with the Spoleto Festival USA as Leporello in the internationally acclaimed Gunter Kramer production of Don Giovanni, Verdi’s Requiem on tour throughout France, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain with The Robert Page Festival Singers, a debut with The Lyric Opera of Kansas City as the title role in Le Nozze di Figaro, as well as returns to Opera Columbus in La Traviata, The Merry Widow, and as Leporello in Don Giovanni. Brian returned to kick off the finals of The 2010 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic Bodybuilding Competition, singing the National Anthem for the fourth straight year.

Brian has collaborated with a number of major opera companies, symphony orchestras and has been a featured soloist at festivals here and abroad. These include the Michigan Opera Theatre, Opera Columbus, Kentucky Opera, Greensboro Opera, Nevada Opera, Berkshire Opera, Opera Roanoke, Columbus Light Opera, the Cincinnati May Festival, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Halle Symphony Orchestra, the Mansfield Symphony, the Carmel Symphony, and the Anderson Symphony. His concert performances include Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Beethoven Ninth SymphonyVerdi RequiemMozart RequiemWalton’sBelshazzar’s FeastFauré Requiem, Bach Passionsand Schubert Mass in A-flat and G.

Brian Banion has won awards in several important vocal competitions, including those of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, the Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation, Opera Index Grant, Opera Columbus Vocal Competition, and the Bel Canto Vocal Scholarship. Brian performed graduate work at Indiana University, where he studied with the legendary Metropolitan Opera bass-baritone, Giorgio Tozzi. He completed his undergraduate degree from Capital University, where he studied Trombone.


Markel ReedMarkel Reed  – Figaro

Baritone

Resident Artist – Utah Opera

Baritone Markel Reed joins Soo Opera for a third year, having performed the roles of Leporello in Don Giovanni in 2015 and Dancaïre and Morales in Carmen in 2014.  He is currently going on to a second year in Utah Opera’s Resident Artist Program as a passionate interpreter of the operatic repertoire. Fast establishing himself as a wonderful conveyer of the works of Mozart, as well as those of French and Bel Canto composers, Mr. Reed portrays the various characters and their moods have leaving audiences in awe of his versatility. Recently, Mr. Reed travelled the state of Kentucky with SOOP (Schmidt Opera Outreach Program) and presented a colorful rendition of Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk to over 2,000 children, teaching the value of the Golden Rule. Other notable roles include Leporello in Don Giovanni, Morales and Dancaïre in Carmen, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Schaunard in La Bohème, and Guglielmo in Cosi Fan Tutte. He has performed with Kentucky Opera, Bronx Opera and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Mr. Reed is an alumnus of the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre program.


Adam SheltonAdam Shelton – Count Almaviva

Tenor

Resident of Madison, WI

Dr. J. Adam Shelton is a lyric tenor based in Madison, WI.  Recently, he served as the tenor studio artist in the inaugural year of the Madison Opera Studio Artist program performing in Un ballo in Maschera as “Il Giudice”, “Damon” in Acis and Galateaand covering “Don Ottavio” in Don Giovanni.  He also originated the role of “Prince Charming” for Opera for the Young’s adaptation of Massenet’s Cendrillion in English.  He apprenticed two seasons with Des Moines Metro Opera where he performed “Elder Gleaton” in Susannah with composer, Carlisle Floyd, in attendance and “Rinuccio” in Gianni Schicchi for the one-act festival.  He is a three-time recipient of the Ratcliffe award at the Southern Arizona Opera Guild’s Quest for the Bestcompetition as well as the grand prizewinner of the Amelia Reiman Opera Competition, and the second prizewinner at the Battle of the Tucson Tenors.

He has performed such roles as:  “Frederic” in The Pirates of Penzance, “The Magician” in The Consul, “Ferrando” in Così fan tutte, “Lyric Tenor” in Argento’s Postcard from Morocco, the title role in Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz, “Leicester” in Maria Stuarda, and “Nemorino” in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore.  Audiences have also heard Dr. Shelton perform the tenor solos in oratorio and concert settings including: Handel’s Messiah, Handel’s Esther, Haydn’s The Creation, Britten’s St. Nicolas, and Britten’s The Company of Heaven.

During the 2013 – ‘14 season, Dr. Shelton completed his doctorate at the University of Wisconsin where his dissertation, “The Singing Dream:  A 21st Century Critical Edition of Tauberlieder, explored the compositions of the great Austrian tenor, Richard Tauber.  Additionally, Dr. Shelton returns to the Opera for the Young touring cast as “Count Almaviva” in their unique adaptation of Il Barbiere di Siviglia.  His season draws to a close as he shares the Madison Opera stage with Susanne Mentzer portraying “Howard Boucher” in the riveting drama Dead Man Walking with composer, Jake Heggie, and Sister Helen Prejean attending.  Between engagements Dr. Shelton maintains a bustling private studio offering voice lessons in Madison, WI and its surrounding areas such as Janesville, Mt. Horeb, Fitchburg, Waunakee, Middleton, and Monona.  He also offers recitals with colleague, Dr. Kirstin Ihde,


Karen Hughes BeacomKaren Hughes Beacom  – Rosina

Lyric Soprano

Artist in Residence – Soo Theatre Project

Executive and Artistic Director – Soo Opera

Resident of Pickford, MI

With a voice and stage presence described as “warm and lyrical with a lot of dramatic power,” Karen Hughes Beacom has name for herself on the opera and concert stage. Her career has crossed borders, with recent her international performance at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, China as the soprano soloist in Bach’s Mass in B Minor with the Tianjin Symphony. Karen also appeared as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro under the baton of Joseph Rescigno in Novafeltria, Bellaria and Sant’Archangelo, Italy. Karen performs regularly with the Sault Symphony in Ontario, Canada, with solo appearances in Handel’s Messiah and in Orff’s Carmina Burana.

This versatile soprano has performed the roles of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, Pamina in The Magic Flute, Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte, Alexandra in O Pioneers!, Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly, and Micaela in Carmen, among others. Her opera credits include Des Moines Metro Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Opera Omaha, Sun Valley Opera, DuPage Opera Theatre, Soo Opera Theatre and the Chautauqua Institution.

Karen is the principal harpist for the Sault Symphony Orchestra and has played with Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, Marquette Symphony, Traverse Symphony Orchestra, Gaylord Chamber Symphony, Terre Haute Symphony and more.

In addition to performing, Karen is the founder and artistic director of the Soo Opera in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Founded in 2006 as a part of the Soo Theatre Project, Soo Opera has brought fully staged works with orchestra to the the Eastern Upper Peninsula for over ten years.  Past productions have included Don Giovanni, Carmen, Hansel and Gretel, La Boheme, That’s Amore, The Magic Flute, A Grand Night for Singing, Die Fledermaus and Cosi fan tutte, Gianni Schicchi, and The Marriage of Figaro.

A Metropolitan Opera National Council Regional Finalist and a Classical Singer Certified Singer Award winner, Karen is also an adjunct professor of music at Lake Superior State University and also serves as the Director of Music at Little Stone Church on Mackinac Island during the summer season.

Karen holds a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she studied under Metropolitan Opera Mezzo-Soprano, Ariel Bybee. A student of Bybee’s in New York City, Karen followed her mentor and teacher to earn her degree in the field of opera. Karen previously earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Harp Performance from DePauw University and attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.


Molly DahlbergMolly Dahlberg – Bertha, Opera Apprentice Director

Mezzo – soprano

Associate Director – Opera Louisianne

Resident of Baton Rouge, LA

Molly Dahlberg holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Music Performance from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Music and French from Grinnell College. Before joining Opéra Louisiane’s administrative staff in 2012, Dahlberg worked with Opéra Louisiane as Properties Assistant for The Barber of Seville in 2010 and as a Community Chorus member for Faust, Amahl and the Night Visitors and CHORUS! in the 2011-2012 season. On stage with Opéra Louisiane, she has sung Hansel in the 2012-13’s Hansel and Gretel and Flosshilde/Siegrune/Erste Norn in The Ring.  Dahlberg is also a voice teacher at Center Stage Performing Arts Academy in Gonzales, and a freelance mezzo-soprano.


Travis RichterTravis Richter – Fiorello, Opera Apprentice Director

Tenor

Resident of Baton Rouge, LA

Travis Archie Richter, tenor, has performed in more than 35 operatic and musical theatre productions on professional stages across the country with companies such as Ash Lawn Opera, Evansville Philharmonic, Rimrock Opera, Nevada Opera, Mobile Opera, Pensacola Opera, New Orleans Opera Association, Opéra Louisiane, Utah Opera, Central City Opera, and Des Moines Metro Opera. As a character tenor he has performed roles such as Reverend Parris and Giles Corey in The Crucible, Goro in Madama Butterfly, Bardolfo and Dr. Caius in Falstaff, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Sellem in The Rake’s Progress, Little Bat in Susannah, 1st and 3rd Jews in Salome, Sir Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore, King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte. His performance of Duffy in Carlisle Floyd’s Willie Stark at Louisiana State University is available on DVD (Newport Classic). This season he will return to Opéra Louisiane to perform Monostatos in The Magic Flute and Goro in Madama Butterfly.


Eric ShawEric Shaw – Stage Director

Lives in Toronto – Career as a professional tenor.

Originally from Sault Ste. Marie, ONT

Aunt and Uncle are Phyllis and Dave Bigelow of Sault, MI

Eric has performed at Soo opera in Die Fledermaus as Herr Eisenstein, led a Master class and performed in That’s Amore, Mike Dempsey and Friends and returns to direct his third opera for Soo Theatre.  Eric previously directed Carmen and Don Giovanni.

 


John WilkinsonDr. John  Wilkinson – Conductor

Conductor Sault Symphony Orchestra de Mexico

There’s always something for everyone at The Soo Theatre Project all year long. Call STP’s office at 906-632-1930 for more information. Or, visit at 534 Ashmun Street downtown Sault Sainte Marie, MI. Or, like us on Facebook at Soo Theatre Project, Inc.