Paul Bower works as a freelance musician in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a professional singer, he has been heard with Opera Southwest, the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Albuquerque Chamber Orchestra, Santa Fe Symphony, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and the opera companies of Santa Fe, San Diego, Amarillo, Pittsburgh and Des Moines in roles such as Schaunard, Marullo, Pistola, Mercutio, Figaro (Barber), Dancairo, Baron Douphol, Yamadori, Angelotti, Pish-Tush, Guglielmo, Dr. Falke, and Silvio. He is director of music at Rio Rancho Presbyterian Church, he teaches music at Central New Mexico Community College, and has a voice studio with twenty-five private students. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Paul has degrees in music from the University of New Mexico and Northern Kentucky University. Bower plays Schaunard in El Paso Opera’s “La Boheme.”
Scott Guinn, a native of Corsicana, Texas and a 2005 Metropolitan Opera National Semi-Finalist, has won accolades for his performances in a repertoire ranging from Purcell to Puccini and Mozart to Verdi. He has performed leading and supporting roles with New York City Opera, Sarasota Opera, Opera Memphis, Pro Cantus Lyric Opera, Lyric Opera Cleveland and Knoxville Opera. He has also performed with the Knoxville Symphony, the South Carolina Philharmonic, the Memphis Symphony and the Augusta Symphony. This season he sings Marcello in La Bohème with El Paso Opera followed by concert appearances in Columbia, SC and Memphis. Guinn plays Marcello in El Paso Opera’s “La Boheme.”
Jenny Lynn Heidtman, mezzo soprano, has been on the stage since she was 4 years old, singing, playing the piano and eventually finding her way to the operatic stage. She has an extensive repertoire of classical and contemporary art song, oratorio, opera and jazz. She has been a finalist in several regional competitions, including the Orpheus Competition, National Society of Arts and Letters and Sun Coast Opera Guild among others. Favorite stage roles include Dame Quickly (Falstaff), Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica), La Muse/La Voix de la Tombe (Les Contes d'Hoffman), Vera Boronel (the Consul), Lorca (Ainadamar) and Charlotte (A Little Night Music). As the RN, she debuted Milton Grainger's “Bluebeard's Waiting Room” at the National Opera Convention in Los Angeles; and as Aunt Cecilia in Mark Adamo's “Little Women,” the Atlanta Journal described her as "a scene stealer....with great dramatic skills." It is certain that her friends and family would regretfully agree. Jenny studied extensively with world-renowned mezzo soprano, Beverly Wolff. Her love of travel and musical pursuits led to summer studies in Salzburg, graduate courses at the Royal Academy of Music in London and performances in La Festival della Spezia throughout the northwest region of Italy. Jenny's accomplished performance career has diversified with her recent development as a comedic cabaret entertainer, singing at private parties and fundraisers, remaining true to the philosophy passed down to her--where two or more are gathered, let me sing! Jenny is the stage director for El Paso Opera’s “La Boheme.”
Sharon Kim, soprano, is currently a student at the University of Texas at El Paso with a concentration in vocal performance. She has performed solo and in ensembles including concerts and productions at the Walt Disney Hall, the University of Southern California, and the University of Texas at El Paso. She is a winner of the regional National Society of Arts and Letters Vocal Competition and the Walker Competition. Sharon plays Musetta in El Paso Opera’s “La Boheme.”
Kate Mangiameli’s 2009-10 season includes Musetta in La bohème with both Syracuse Opera and El Paso Opera. In 2008-09 she sang Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Florida Grand Opera; Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni with Eugene Opera; Countess in Le nozze di Figaro with Green Mountain Opera Festival; and Sibelius’s Luonnotur, Dvorák’s “Song to the Moon” from Rusalka, and Verdi’s Requiem, all with Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Recent highlights include Angelica in Handel’s Orlando at Chicago Opera Theater, Countess with Shreveport Opera, and performances of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 14 with Atlantic Classical Orchestra. Ms. Mangiameli has performed with Florida Grand Opera as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte and High Priestess in Aida. On the concert stage Ms. Mangiameli has sung Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Bernstein’s Arias and Barcarolles with Opera Omaha, Sandström’s The High Mass at Indiana University, as well as Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire with Worn Chamber Ensemble (San Francisco). Ms. Mangiameli plays Mimi in El Paso Opera’s “La Boheme.”
Wesley Morgan is a Sarasota, Florida native who received his BM at Florida Southern College where he studied with renowned mezzo-soprano Beverly Wolff. He recently received his MM in voice from Georgia State University where he played the title role in Candide. Last season Wesley made his Atlanta Opera debut as the Mayor in Cold Sassy Tree, and spent this past winter touring in the company's educational outreach show. As a part of St. Petersburg Opera's Emerging Artist Program, Wesley has sung the roles of Nemorino in l'elisir d'amore and Almaviva in il Barbiere di Siviglia. This past season Wesley appeared as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi and Mr. Cash in The Impressario for Capitol City Opera. The Atlanta Journal Constitution described Wesley’s performance as Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance for Atlanta Lyric Theatre as "flawless...[and] quite literally had the young and not so young members of the opening night audience swooning." Atlanta's Sunday Paper said "[the production was] only fresh and engaging thanks to...especially Wesley Morgan as...Frederic." Wesley is also an accomplished oratorio singer, having sung the tenor solos in Handel’s Messiah with the Imperial Symphony Orchestra in Lakeland, FL. Other oratorio solo engagements with orchestras include the Bach and Saint Saens Christmas oratorios, Dubois Seven Last Words of Christ and Schubert’s mass in G. Morgan plays Rodolfo in El Paso Opera’s “La Boheme.”
Luis Alejandro Orozco is currently attending the Cincinnati Conservatory Of Music where he is pursuing a masters degree in voice performance, and he is also a proud University of Texas at El Paso alumni. Performing credits include Betto In Puccini's Gianni Schicchi with UTEP, Elder McLean in Susannah, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte in Seoul Korea, and he will be performing the role of Collatinus in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia in Cincinnati Ohio. Luis A. Orozco has also performed many shows with the UTEP dinner theater, and other venues in the city of El Paso. In 2008 he was a participant in the music program Scuola Italia in Urbania Italy. Luis A. Orozco has also proudly performed with the UTEP Dinner Theater. Orozco play Marcello in El Paso Opera’s “La Boheme.”
Christian Reinert, tenor, was recently seen as Cassio in “Otello” with Kentucky Opera, Edmondo in “Manon” with New Orleans Opera, and Alfredo in “La Traviata” with Opera Birmingham. Upcoming engagements include a return to Minnesota Opera as Narraboth in “Salome.” Other highlights include Armfelt in “Un ballo in maschera,” Roméo in “Roméo et Juliette” and Eliates in “The Fortunes of King Croesus.” In the summer of 2008 Reinert sang the role of Arturo and covered Edgardo in “Lucia di Lammermoor” for Ft. Worth Opera and debuted the role of Don Jose for Ashlawn Opera’s “Carmen.” Christian plays Rodolfo (in Italian) in El Paso Opera’s “La Boheme.”
Dan Saunders is becoming increasingly well known to audiences around the world as an accomplished conductor and pianist. An assistant conductor to James Levine and Seiji Ozawa and a recitalist with many of the world's finest soloists, Saunders served as the Associate Conductor of the Virginia Opera from 2000 until 2006 and is now based in New York. In 2007 he returned to the Metropolitan Opera as an Assistant Conductor for the Met's new production of Hansel and Gretel and served in the same capacity for last season's Salome, Rigoletto and ll Trovatore. He has been invited to return for this coming season’s new production of Armida, in addition to Tosca and Hansel. Internationally this season, he made his debut at the Dresden Opera, conducting Gershwin's Porgy and Bess produced by Harlem Productions. In addition to the Met, Saunders will join in preparing and performing a Lincoln Center Theater workshop production of Nico Muhly’s new opera Two Boys. This summer Mr Saunders served as Music Director for the Harrower Opera Workshop at Georgia State University in Atlanta. The previous summer, as Associate Conductor of Glimmerglass Opera, he conducted Young Artist performances of Wagner's Liebesverbot and Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate, making his debut there conducting the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra. He led the Manhattan School of Music Opera Theater Scenes Program in the school's 90th anniversary year and for two seasons has conducted the MSM Graduate Orchestra, featuring Lauren Flanigan, Soprano. At the invitation of Placido Domingo, Saunders made his debut with the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center in 2006, serving as Cover Conductor for the Francesca Zambello Production of Gershwin's Porgy & Bess and returned in May 2007 for Verdi’s Macbeth. In the summer of 2006, he conducted West Side Story at the Ash Lawn Opera Festival followed by appearances with the New York All-State Orchestra at the famed Eastman Theater and with the Manhattan School of Music Opera Theater. Saunders then joined the distinguished faculty of the International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel. Saunders is the music director/conductor for El Paso Opera’s “La Boheme.”
Jennifer Valle, soprano, was most recently seen as the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with Dicapo Opera Theatre in New York City. Other Dicapo credits include Elvira in L’Italiana in Algeri, Mavis the Tractor in the New York premiere of Tobias Picker’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, Masha in The Music Shop, Beauty in Giannini’s Beauty and the Beast, and her Lincoln Center debut with the company as a soloist in Puccini’s 150th Anniversary Gala. At the 2008 Opera Competition and Festival with Mezzo Television in Hungary, she sang Ann Putnam in The Crucible, which was voted the event’s best production. At the esteemed International Institute of Vocal Arts in Italy, Ms. Valle sang the role of Euridice in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice under the direction of Mignon Dunn, performed as a guest artist with the Accademia di Perfezionamento del Teatro alla Scala, and appeared in concert at the Teatro Sociale in Brescia. Ms. Valle’s concert engagements have included the Carmina Burana with the Rockland County Choral Society, Mozart’s Requiem with Camerata New York, and song recitals in the greater New York and Chicago areas. She made her professional debut as the Countess with DuPage Opera Theatre near Chicago, and she held apprenticeships with Sarasota Opera, the Pine Mountain Music Festival, and the Alan Stone Debut Artists. Ms. Valle’s singing has been honored by the Opera Index Competition of New York, Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition, Bel Canto Foundation of Chicago, Verna Ross Friends of Austria, International Institute of Vocal Arts, Northwestern University, and the Iowa Center for the Arts. Valle plays Mimi in El Paso Opera’s “La Boheme.”
Christopher Dickerson is an alumnus of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Center for American Artists, who is excited to start off his 2009-2010 season with the Caramoor Festival to perform Oroe in Semiramide, the Kalamazoo Symphony as Timur in Turandot, and the El Paso Opera as Colline in La Boheme. Mr. Dickerson’s 2008-2009 season took him to San Antonio Opera to play Zuniga in Carmen and Ferrando in Il Trovatore, Toledo Opera as the 5th Jew in Salome. He also reprised the role of Tom Morgan and debuted the role of Billy Bones in Marc Robin’s Treasure Island. His 2007-2008 season included Colline in San Antonio, he returned to Connecticut Opera as Angelotti in Tosca, and played the role of Tom Morgan in the world premiere musical Treasure Island with the Fulton Theatre. In 2006-2007 he performed at the Lyric Opera of San Antonio as Dr. Grenvil in La traviata, and as the Pirate King in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance. He made his Connecticut Opera Debut in as Zuniga in Carmen and his Connecticut Grand Opera debut as the Bonze in Madama Butterfly. In 2005-2006 he appeared as Sam in Un Ballo in Maschera at the Opera Company of Philadelphia and made his debut at the Minnesota Opera as Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni, immediately following with the role of Vecchio Orazio in Mercadante’s Orazi e Curiazi. His roles in 2004-2005 also included Alidoro in La Cenerentola and Commendatore in Don Giovanni in San Antonio, Angelotti in Tosca in Ft. Worth, and Colline in La Bohème in Milwaukee. Mr. Dickerson closed the season at the Caramoor Festival with La Traviata and La Sonnambula. While a member of the Lyric Opera Center, Mr. Dickerson created the role of Nimrod Baruch in the world premiere of Lovers and Friends (Chautauqua Variations) by Lyric’s then Composer-in-Residence, Michael John LaChiusa. Other credits in Chicago have included Dottore Grenvil in La Traviata, Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera and the Commissioner in Madama Butterfly. He made his debut at Opera Memphis as Ramfis in Aida, sang Il Re in the same opus with the San Jose Symphony, returned to Memphis as John Potts in Michael Ching’s Corps of Discovery, made his San Francisco Opera debut in Doktor Faust, and his San Antonio Opera debut as Sparafucile in Rigoletto. Dickerson studied at Texas Tech University before joining the professional Resident Artist Program of Opera San José, where he excelled in the Rossini roles of Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Selim in Il Turco in Italia, and Alidoro in La Cenerentola. His many Opera San José credits include Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Zuniga in Carmen, Friar Laurence in Roméo et Juliette, Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin, Candy in Of Mice and Men, Father Trulove in The Rake’s Progress, the Father in the world premiere of Craig Bohmler’s The Nutcracker. He studied with John Gillas, James Toland, and Gianna Rolandi. Dickerson plays Colline in El Paso Opera’s “La Boheme.”
