Saturday, March 3 & Sunday, March 4, 2012
The Medium – an opera in one act
Gordon Porth, music director | Michael Arve, stage director
Preceded by a selection of Opera Scenes directed by Cecile Saine

Rochester Association for Performing Arts
Saturday 7:30 pm | Sunday 2:00 pm
Admission: $10

Artist Bios

Director/“Guiletta” – Cecile Saine enjoys an active career as both a soprano soloist and vocal instructor. She has earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, and a Performer’s Certificate in Opera and Oratorio from the Eastman School of Music. Her performances as soprano soloist with The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, The Buffalo Symphony Orchestra, and many more orchestras under the direction of Julius Rudel, Isaiah Jackson, Enrique Demeck, Paul Freeman, Erich Kunzel, and Peter Dubois, have earned her critical acclaim in concerts throughout the Eastern United States. She has delighted audiences with her brilliant soprano in performances in over 1200 Concerts of opera, oratorio, musical theatre, and cabaret, Pops’ Concerts and Television and Radio. Many of her vocal students have performed on the stages of well-known opera companies, and on Broadway. Cecile’s teaching career includes The Hochstein Music School, Mansfield State College and Nazareth College in Rochester, New York. She is currently a Senior Vocal Instructor at the Eastman Community Music School, where she holds a full Vocal studio, and also directs Theatre for Singers.

Production Coordinator/“Alice” – Susanna M. Adams teaches voice and piano at her studio in Rochester. She has appeared on stage with many local professional and amateur theatres, including GEVA in My Fair Lady, Opera Theatre of Rochester in The Little Thieves of Bethlehem, Madame Butterfly and Die Fledermaus, Off Monroe Players in Iolanthe, Princess Ida, The Grand Duke, The Mikado, Ruddigore, HMS Pinafore, The Yeomen of the Guard and The Pirates of Penzance, Masque Enterprizes in Marry Me a Little, Blackfriars in Sweeney Todd, Cobblestone Arts Center in I Do, I Do, and with Rochester Productions, Geneseo Community Players, Brighton Theatre Guild, Rochester Community Players, and Unitarian Drama. She has performed as a soloist with the New Haven Symphony, the Genesee Valley Orchestra and Chorus, the Irondequoit Chorale, the Equinox Symphony, Brockport Symphony and Penfield Symphony. In addition to performing and teaching, Susanna has been music director of operettas and musicals in Rochester, Connecticut and Maine. She is a founding member of the Rochester Vocal Arts Collaborative, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Yale University and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music. Susanna lives in Rochester with her husband, two sons and three cats.

“Count Almaviva” – Thomas Beach Thomas, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee moved to Rochester two years ago. He currently studies voice with Susanna Adams. He has played dramatic and operatic roles in The Crucible, The Fantasticks, Evita, Candide, Così fan tutte, Faust, and The Magic Flute. Since arriving in Rochester, Thomas has performed with Irondequoit Traveling Cabaret and Eastman-Rochester Chorus, and appeared in Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced (Footlight Players), Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience and Iolanthe (Off-Monroe Players), and Liam Henrie’s Reformation (Geva Nextstage). He’ll be appearing in the JCC Center Stage production of Parade in May.

“Ensemble” – Tania Beghini currently studies voice and her performance career is just getting started. In the past two years she has held roles in three Gilbert & Sullivan operettas with the Off-Monroe Players, she presented her own solo vocal recital performing works from Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, and Vivaldi’s Gloria. She performed in several recitals of the Rochester Vocal Arts Collaborative and sang in the chorus in ESLT’s production of Il Pagliacci. She is studying and performing works from such roles as Despina in Cosi fan Tutte, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte. She has been a soloist in her Ukrainian church and has performed at Ukrainian cultural events her whole life. Tania is a native of Rochester, served in the U.S. Peace Corps, has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Syracuse University and is now married and a stay-at-home Mom.

“Susanna”/“Antonia”/ “Lucy”– Patricia Carpenter, soprano and native of Rochester NY, is a young professional singer. She received degrees in Music Education and Performance from SUNY Fredonia. She performed the roles of Olympia (Les contes d'Hoffmann), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), and Frasquita (Carmen) with the Hillman Opera Company in Fredonia. In Fredonia's Opera Scenes program, she performed the roles of Abigail Williams in (The Crucible), Prima Cercatrice (Suor Angelica), and Baker’s Wife (Into the Woods). She also appeared as an emerging artist at the Vianden International Music Festival, Luxembourg, and the Vancouver International Song Institute. This season, Patricia has been singing with the Syracuse Opera Company while working as a music teacher in Rochester. Patricia is thrilled to be singing opera for the first time in Rochester and hopes that the venue will continue to grow.

“Mother” – Carla Cogliandro Carla has performed ensemble, producer, and principal roles with the Off-Monroe Players and Gatesinger Co, Ltd. since 2005/2006. Current credits with OMP include: The Yeomen of the Guard (Elsie Maynard), Patience (Patience), and The Mikado (Yum-Yum). Current credits with GCL include: Trial by Jury (a TANYS award winning Bridesmaid) and A Gilbert & Sullivan Revue (Dueling Mabel). She was part of Empire State Lyric Theatre's I Pagliacci (ensemble) last spring. In September 2011, Carla achieved a personal and heartfelt dream by directing and performing the leading role in An Afternoon of Opera With Friends. Carla has been taking private voice lessons with Susanna Adams since 2006 and is active in the Rochester Vocal Arts Collaborative. Carla wishes to thank Sue and Susanna for letting her participate in the Chamber Opera Weekend.

“Falke” (Sunday Only) – Don Davis Baritone Don Davis joins the Chamber Opera Festival after having had a successful career singing all over the United States. A 3 time Met Regional Winner, Don started his career with the NYCO Touring Production of La Traviata as Germont. From there, a 15-year career with companies such as Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Indianapolis, Austin Lyric, Fort Worth, Portland and Arizona Opera was born. Amongst his favorite and most frequently performed roles are Figaro in the Barber of Seville, Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Valentin in Faust, and Papageno in The Magic Flute. Still an avid concert performer, Don makes his living as an Engineering Supervisor for Cortland Regional Medical Center.

“Lucia” – Zalina Fedotov A native of Moscow, Russia, Zalina Fedotov is a new face on the Rochester musical scene. Zalina strongly believes that music is a powerful language that transcends all ages, nationalities and backgrounds. It has a tremendous effect on our lives, potentially changing us for the better. That is why she is passionate about bringing emotionally deep, thought provoking music to her audiences.

After studying for seven years in one of Moscow's music schools for gifted children and later at the Moscow Regional Music College, Fedotov graduated in 1987 with a degree in piano pedagogy and chamber ensemble performance. Since then she has led an active musical life as a piano teacher, songwriter, worship leader (alongside her husband at Koinonia Fellowship of East Rochester), and accompanist. She has recorded a number of sacred music albums both in Russian and in English. One of her songs is featured in the documentary God of Wonders. During the past few years Fedotov has embarked on a new journey of studying classical voice. Guided by her teacher and mentor Dr. Robert Shewan, she has enjoyed singing the classical soprano repertoire. In December of 2011 Fedotov had a privilege of singing a number of solo compositions with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for their Holiday Regional Concerts.

“Dr. Miracle”/ “Basillo” – Kurt Griffen This is Kurt Griffen's first production with ESLT. He is very thankful for the opportunity to perform this music. Since high school Kurt has been performing with various local groups such as the Off-Monroe Players, Robert Shewan Chorale, Roberts Wesleyan College Community Theater, the Gregory Kunde Chorale, the Shakespeare Co. of Greater Rochester, Mercury Opera and more. Kurt will be playing the part of Cyril this May in the Off-Monroe Players' production of "Princess Ida".

Kurt has been studying voice since high school. He attended Roberts Wesleyan College (B.A. Religion/Philosophy), Northeastern Seminary (M.Div.), and SUNY Brockport (MA. History). He has been a voice student of Dr. Robert Shewan since college.

Kurt teaches guitar and voice lessons, substitute teaches, has been involved with various church music ministries, is an avid reader, especially of G.K. Chesterton. He is married to his long time friend Becky. They have one baby with another on the way!

“Adele”/ “Fiordiligi”– Emily Helenbrook 17-year-old lyric-coloratura soprano Emily Tworek-Helenbrook has been recognized by the Am-pol Eagle with the Citizen of the Year Award in Music and also by Go Art! for “raising the bar musically, creatively, and altruistically for young artists in the community”.
Emily has won the American Prize (Opera and Art Song), Hal Leonard International Competition, Schmidt Vocal Competition, Barry Alexander International Voice Competition resulting in a debut at Carnegie Hall, Rochester Philharmonic Auditions and just recently at the Jonathan Angelone Competition in Rochester.
Emily appeared on the CBS “Sunday Morning” show during a segment on Renee Fleming.

Ms. Helenbrook performed as a soloist for the Rochester Philharmonic, Genesee Symphony, Cheektowaga Symphony, and in several appearances with Ars Nova Musicians in the Viva Vivaldi Festival and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

“Emma”/“Dorabella” – Tess Klibanoff is a senior at Pittsford Mendon High School. This is her first production with Empire State Lyric Opera. Tess has been in numerous productions at Pittsford Mendon, and will play the part of Norma in the spring play "Plaza Suite", which is currently in rehearsals. Tess has also performed with Pittsford Musicals and played the role of Louise in "Carousel." Tess enjoys singing and dancing, and she plans to pursue a degree and career in vocal performance. She would like to thank Katherine Ciesinski, Judith Ranaletta, and her loving parents for their support.

“Prince Orlofsky” – Ann Rhody has been a frequent performer in the Rochester area for many years. She sang with Madrigalia for 15 seasons, and has appeared in numerous musical theatre and opera productions with Webster Theatre Guild, Off-Monroe Players, NAC, the Gatesinger Company, Rochester Boy Choir, and the JCC. Favorite roles include co-narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Dolly in Hello, Dolly, Golde in Fiddler on the Roof, Miss Hannigan in Annie and Mother Superior in Nunsense, Nunsense II, and Nunsensations! Ann’s next theatre appearance will be with the ensemble in the JCC’s production of “Parade” in May. Ann is in her 33nd year of teaching music in the Greece Central School District.

dennis rosenbaum “Falke” (Saturday only) – Dennis W. Rosenbaum Dennis W. Rosenbaum began his musical training with flute lessons at age nine. He continued to pursue his interest in music throughout high school. He attended Oberlin College, graduating in 1984 with a BA in Mathematics and Music. His musical studies at Oberlin included music theory, music history, oboe, and voice. He has continued his vocal training since college, working part time as a church musician, and occasionally as an oratorio soloist.

Dennis joined Rochester Opera Factory in 2001, and continued with Mercury Opera Rochester when it formed in 2005. In addition to singing in the chorus for all productions, he sang the role of Lord Tolloller in a concert version of Iolanthe and the roles of Dr. Caius (Falstaff), Hoffman (Tales of Hoffman), Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), and Frederick (Pirates of Penzance) in various scenes and ensemble programs with the company. He has been a frequent tenor soloist at the Eastman Summer Sings, and sang the First Prisoner in a concert version of Fidelio with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. He currently studies with Chris Jones.
Dennis is also a published composer, with twenty-two pieces published by Yelton Rhodes Music, Inc.

“Nicklaus” – Allyn Van Dusen, mezzo-soprano, is a versatile professional singer/actor who has appeared as soloist to critical acclaim with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Oratorio Society, Eastman-Rochester Chorus, and many other prominent ensembles. Often appearing onstage in opera and musical theatre productions, she has also co-designed and performed in numerous musical theatre revues. Among her lead operatic roles are Lucretia in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, Prince Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus, Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica, Ramiro in La Finta Giardiniera, Kirstin in Ratcliff’s Beside the Golden Door: The Story of Ellis Island, the title role in Ratcliff's Eleni, Elmire in Mechem's Tartuffe, The Drummer in The Emperor of Atlantis, and Mother in Menotti's Amahl & the Night Visitors. Ms. Van Dusen is an active recitalist and recording artist, with two solo CDs on Songburst Records (songburst.net) and contemporary works on Albany Records. She won the Audience Prize in CyberSing 2002, a global Internet art song competition, and was a winner in the Jesse Kneisel Lieder Competition at the Eastman School of Music, where she earned a Master’s degree and Performer’s Certificate. A founder and manager of the Rochester Vocal Arts Collaborative, which has recently joined forces with Empire State Lyric Theatre, she also co-directed and performed in the innovative Fortissimo! Chamber Music Series for several seasons, and has sung with Madrigalia since the mid-90s. She enjoys teaching voice privately and on the faculty of Hochstein Music School, adjudicating vocal competitions, and sharing the gift of song – the language of the heart – in a wide variety of public performances.

A Selection of Opera Scenes directed by Cecile Saine

Artist Bios