Great Voices: from Broadway to Opera, a concert with vocal soloists and orchestra, will be at the Koger Center for the Arts for one performance only on Sunday, May 21, 2023 for a special 3:00 pm matinée.
Tickets are on sale at the Koger Center Box Office.
Great Voices: from Broadway to Opera is a celebration of best-loved songs from the stage of La Scala to the lights of Broadway. The concert features international soloists singing some of the most well-known selections from famous operas such as The Barber of Seville, Daughter of the Regiment, and Turandot. Musical theatre selections will also be featured from Rogers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Leonard Bernstein, and much more.
There will be a “Meet the Cast” reception immediately following the performance.
Ticket Pricing:
$55 Premium Orchestra
$50 Side Orchestra
An additional $5 Off Seniors
$45 Accessible Seating
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MEET THE ARTISTS OF GREAT VOICES: FROM BROADWAY TO OPERA
Soprano Susanne Burgess
Susanne Burgess, British-American soprano, began the 22/33 season with her Metropolitan Opera debut as Countess Ceprano in Verdi’s RIGOLETTO, also joining the company for Cherubini’s MEDEA, after debuting the role of Helena in Britten’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM at Des Moines Metro Opera in summer 2022. In the Spring of 2023 Susanne performed in the final rounds of the illustriousTenor Viñas Competition at Liceu Opera Barcelona. Later this year she will debut the role of Magda in LA RONDINE at SI Music Festival before returning to The Atlanta Opera to reprise her role of Helena in a new production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM.
In 2022, Susanne performed the leading role of Mabel in Gilbert & Sullivan's classic PIRATES OF PENZANCE, also joining the company for Handel's GIULIO CESARE, covering Cleopatra. Shortly thereafter, Susanne made a role debut as Gilda in RIGOLETTO with Boheme Opera NJ. For the 2020-2021 season, Susanne joined The Atlanta Opera for their "Reimagine Opera" series singing Lucy Brown in THE THREEPENNY OPERA, covering Micaela in CARMEN and Nedda in I PAGLIACCI. Earlier in 2020, she performed the role of Violetta Valéry in LA TRAVIATA, starring in 8 performances of the USA Tour with Teatro Lirico d’Europa. Susanne was scheduled to make many role debuts in 2020 as Gilda in RIGOLETTO at Opera North, Woglinde in DAS RHEINGOLD, and Berta in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA at Atlanta Opera before the COVID19 pandemic sadly canceled these performances. In lieu of live theater during the pandemic, she took part in the Summer Season at Opera Theater St. Louis, presenting arias and ensembles in a virtual festival.
Tenor Fabián Robles
Tenor Fabián Robles has been hailed by critics as having "a voice of uncommon liquidity and resonance, with a sure way with coloratura" (The Financial Times, London) and described as having a "top range with ring and flexibility… with real squillo in his tone, spinning a belcanto line elegantly" (South Florida Classical Review), tenor Fabian Robles is quickly establishing himself in the belcanto and lyric tenor repertoire. Fabian started 2021 with a series of concerts in his native Puerto Rico that included a varied repertoire ranging from opera, zarzuela, musicals and romantic popular standards. He was then part of the cast in the zarzuela LOS GAVILANE for Culturarte de Puerto Rico alongside Internationally-acclaimed soprano Ana Maria Martínez and concluded the year with a series of concerts honoring Latin-superstar singer Luis Miguel with rave audiences and sold-out venues.
Year 2022 started as the male lead in the Zarzuela/Spanish operetta LOS CLAVELES, and then continue with a series of concerts and performances of the operas RIGOLETTO & L BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA in the USA. Before the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic struck, Robles was the 2020, 1st-place winner of the Mozart Division at the Lyra International Vocal Competition. In 2019 he was part of a stellar cast that included superstar tenor Roberto Alagna, soprano Aleksandra Kurzak and baritone Roberto Frontali in Leoncavallo’s I PAGLIACCI for Culturarte Puerto Rico. He also returned to Palmetto Opera in an OPERETTA GALA and reprised Almaviva in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA for Opera New Hampshire, as well as performing as a soloist in various concerts including A TRIBUTE TO PAVAROTTI.
In previous years, Fabian returned to Opera New Hampshire as Alfredo in LA TRAVIATA and Miami Lyric Opera as Almaviva in Rossini's IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA after great acclaim as the principal tenor role in the Spanish opera MARINA. After his debut as Rodolfo in LA BOHÈME in New York, Robles was invited to the Cairo Opera House in Egypt and many cities in the USA with Teatro Lirico D’Europa, which also included Edgardo in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR and Nemorino in L'ELISIR D'AMORE. Other debuts include LA CENERENTOLA at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival, LES PECHEURS DE PERLES and the title role in Rossini’s OTELLO at Houston’s Opera in the Heights. In his native Puerto Rico, Fabian was featured on tour with the Philharmonic Orchestra and a Gala re-opening the iconic "Teatro La Perla".
A revelation in the title role of EL BARBERILLO DE LAVAPIÉS, he was also part of Ballet Concierto’s 25TH ANNIVERSARY GALA, singing the difficult tenor part of Orff's CARMINA BURANA, reprised later with the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra in Alaska. Career highlights include a Zarzuela Gala at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, semi-finalist in PLACIDO DOMINGO’S OPERALIA 2007 in Paris and the "Francisco Viñas Competition 2008" in Barcelona. Awards include winner of the Concerto Vocal Competition at the Aspen Music Festival, Honorary Award by the Senate and "Tenor of the Year Award" by UNESCO. A four-time Regional winner at the MET National Auditions, Robles received the "Best Male Performer" and "Audience Prize" awards. His accomplishments also extend to the recital and concert platform and have served as the voice in various TV commercials; performed the National Anthem at sports events to official Government ceremonies in the presence of important dignitaries. Mr. Robles graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with degrees in Biology, Pharmacy and Music.
Baritone Michael Nansel
Michael Nansel is an award-winning singer and actor. Best known as an opera singer, he is also an accomplished recitalist and concert artist, and appears frequently in musical theater classics. Between Opera and Musicals, Mr. Nansel has over 80-roles to his credit. He sings music from the Mozart to Sondheim, from Verdi to Rodger & Hammerstein. He was the Wichita Grand Opera’s Singer of the Year in 2012 and was the dual winner in 2003 of the Washington Area Theatre Community Honors for Outstanding lead actor in a musical and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical. He has also twice been a member of Casts nominated for Helen Hayes Awards.
His voice has been described as “stentorian”, “rich” with “great vocal and emotional power”. Reviewers have also remark that his acting “communicates deep humanity”, can be “tender and anguished” and that he is “the top banana”. Mr. Nansel possesses a diverse repertoire ranging from the comedic Figaro (BARBER OF SEVILLE), DON GIOVANNI (DON GIOVANNI) and Belcore (L'ELISIR D'AMORE) to the dramatic Count Di Luna (IL TROVATORE), the title role of RIGOLETTO and Escamillo (CARMEN). Among his most widely acclaimed roles are the Di Luna, Iago (OTELLO), Figaro, as well as Danilo (THE MERRY WIDOW), and the Title Character in SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET. He has also performed the roles of Giorgio Germont (LA TRAVIATA), Marcello (LA BOHEME) Scarpia in (TOSCA) and Sharpless (MADAMA BUTTERFLY) with opera companies all over the USA.
His concert credits include: Mendelsohn’s ELIJAH, Haydn's CREATION, Mozart's REQUIEM, Faure's REQUIEM, Handel's MESSIAH, Brahms’ REQUIEM, Beethoven’s MASS IN C MAJOR, and Block’s SACRED SERVICE (Avodat Hakodesh).
He has been conducted by several Maestros of note include Julius Rudel, Plácido Domingo, Eugene Kohn, Marin Alsop, Steven Mercurio and Gregory Buchalter. Directors of note include Stephen Lawless, Jonathon Loy, Jayme McDaniel, James Marvel and Scott Schwartz. He has shared the stage with Joyce DiDonato, Salvatore Licitra, Yunah Lee, Denise Graves, Lucas Meachem, Samuel Ramey and Paul Plishka.
Mr. Nansel studies with Andrea DelGiudice and resides in the Washington, DC area with his wife of 36 years and their pack of dogs, lizards, and various fosters.
Upcoming Engagements for 2022-23 include LOHENGRIN (Fredrick), MESSIAH, VERDI SCENES (Aida/Falstaff), MACBETH & THE SHAKESPEARE RIOTS (William Charles Macready), MACBETH (Macbeth) as well as performances as Sharpless in Teatro Lirico’s MADAMA BUTTERFLY at major USA venues. Engagements during the 2021-22 included La Boheme (Marcello), Elektra (Orest), RIGOLETTO (Rigoletto), MADAMMA BUTTERFLY (Sharpless), TRIAL BY JURY (The Usher)
Soprano Ashley Galvani Bell
Hailed by Opera News as “delightful,” soprano Ashley Bell started as a member of the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus and has since performed as a soloist in the United States, Italy, Spain, France and Russia. Most recently she made her debut with ABAO Bilbao Opera singing Fiordiligi in COSI FAN TUTTE where she was hailed by ProOpera as having a "superabundance of talent" and she sang Cio Cio San in MADAMA BUTTERFLY with both Bohème Opera New Jersey and Teatro Lirico D'Europa. In 2022, she made her debut with Seville’s Teatro Maestranza as Violetta in LA TRAVIATA, originated the title role in the world premiere of Pedro Halffter’s opera KLARA in both Spain and Harvard University and joined ABAO Bilbao Opera for productions of LA VOIX HUMAINE & Zemlinsky’s EINE FLORENTISCHE TRAGÖDIE. Other 2022 engagements included Mimí in LA BOHÈME with California’s Opera Modesto, Violetta in LA TRAVIATA in the Semana Lirica Lucrecia Arana in Spain's La Rioja & Soprano Soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with both Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid and in the Festival de Villafranca del Bierzo. Last season, as in-person performances resumed, she sang one of her signature roles, Elle, in a critically-acclaimed production of LA VOIX HUMAINE both at Spain’s Rioja Forum & Bay Street Theatre. During the pandemic, Ashley produced & starred in the documentary film RIVAL QUEENS featuring music from MARIA STUARDA, which has won 20 awards in international film festivals including Best Documentary at Tokyo Film Festival.
In recent seasons, she made her Carnegie Hall debut as soprano soloist in Hadyn’s “Lord Nelson” Mass and Schubert’s Mass in C with MidAmerica Productions, debuted as Cio-Cio-San in MADAMA BUTTERFLY with California’s Townsend Opera, sang Mimí in LA BOHÈME with both Mississippi Opera and Natchez Festival, sang Donna Anna in sold-out performances at Bay Street Theatre, and debuted with New York City Opera as a principal artist in L'AMORE DEI TRE RE. Other notable performances have included her debut as Gilda in RIGOLETTO with New Jersey Verismo Opera, Anna in LORELEI with Teatro Grattacielo, productions of MADAMA BUTTERFLY and DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES with Sarasota Opera, Fiordiligi in COSÌ FAN TUTTE and Donna Anna in DON GIOVANNI with Orchestra Filarmonica di Roma, Norina in DON PASQUALE in Logroño, Spain, Violetta in LA TRAVIATA with Mid-Atlantic Opera, Isabella Colbran in the premiere of DISCOVERING MRS. ROSSINI at the Sheen Center in NYC, and Musetta at the National Opera Center.
Ms. Bell’s other projects have included the lead in Serrano’s zarzuela LA DOLOROSA with Rioja Lirica, soprano soloist in the Italian Cultural Institute & Basilica of St. Patrick Old Cathedral’s commemoration of the 175th Anniversary of Lorenzo da Ponte, Dorothée in the U.S. premiere of Offenbach’s LA BONNE D’ENFANT with Salome Chamber Orchestra, and Molpe in Choreo Theatro’s world premiere of ODYSSEY at the 92nd Street Y.
Ms. Bell is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Yale University & speaks five languages fluently. She is a recipient of Yale’s Browne Irish Performing Arts Award & a Scholarship Award at the Crested Butte Music Festival. Upcoming engagements include the title role in Klara at Teatro Perez Galdos in Gran Canaria & Violetta in LA TRAVIATA in Villafranca del Bierzo, Spain.
Tenor Jeremy Brauner
A finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council competition north east region (2019), and a grant recipient of both the Wagner Society of New York (2020) as well as the Olga Forrai Foundation (2022), Jeremy Brauner has been receiving recognition and accolade as an up and coming dramatic tenor.
In 2012, Jeremy received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theatre from Montclair State University where he had his first experience with opera. He began his opera career as a baritone starring in Rossini’s LA SCALA DI SETA and LA CAMBIALE DI MATRIMONIO
In 2016 he made his debut as a Tenor performing the role of Alfredo LA TRAVIATA with dell’Arte Opera Ensemble. Since then he has performed such roles as Cavaradossi (TOSCA), Ricardo (UN BALLO IN MASCHERA), Calaf (TURANDOT), Manrico (IL TROVATORE), and Canio (PAGLIACCI).
In 2020 he debuted as B.F Pinkerton (MADAMA BUTTERFLY) with Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre and starred in Teatro Grattacielo’s filmed production of (FEDORA) as Loris. In 2021 he joined New Amsterdam Opera and performed the role of Arrigo
(I VESPRI SICILLIANI), a performance described by OperaWire as “a voice of unbridled power, with a spine-tingling squillo”.
In 2022 Jeremy made numerous role debuts. He joined New York City opera in the World premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s THE GARDEN OF THE FINZI CONTINIS as Giorgio and Teatro Grattacielo as Il Montecchio in Zondanai’s GIULLETTE E ROMEO. He joined with Boheme Opera of New Jersey as the Duke of Mantua (RIGOLETTO) as well as Opera Modesto as Rodolfo (LA BOHEME). He later revived his performance as the Duke in RIGOLETTO with Resonance Works and Nickel City Opera, and in the summer of 2022 he joined Opera North in their 40th season as Alfredo (LA TRAVIATA).
So far in 2023 he has performed with Teatro Lirico D’Europa as B.F. Pinkerton in
MADAMA BUTTERFLY, has upcoming performances in March as B.F. Pinkerton with both Boheme Opera, NJ and Teatro Lirico D’Europa and makes his debut with Opera Tampa as Canio in I PAGLIACCI.
Maestro Jason Tramm – CONDUCTOR
Maestro Jason C. Tramm currently holds the following positions: Artistic Director and Principal Conductor with the MidAtlantic Philharmonic Orchestra with whom he made his Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium) debut in 2015, Executive and Artistic Director, Light Opera of New Jersey, and Principal Guest Conductor, Long Island Concert Orchestra.
He served as Artistic Director of the New Jersey State Opera from 2008 to 2012, where he collaborated with some of the finest voices in the opera industry. His 2009 HDTV broadcast with PBS affiliate NJN of “Verdi Requiem: Live from Ocean Grove,” garnered an Emmy Award nomination. Maestro Tramm is the currently the Executive Director of the Light Opera of New Jersey, with whom he conducted Mozart’s DonGiovanni in February of 2023.
The busy maestro is busy planning his 17th season as Director of Music, in Residence, of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association in the summer months, where he leads the choral, orchestral, and oratorio performances in the historic 6,500-seat Great Auditorium. In addition to the Ocean Grove Choir Festival, a beloved event in its 65th year and attended by thousands, he has appeared on two National Public Radio broadcasts with organ virtuoso Gordon Turk and symphonic orchestra.
An accomplished educator, Maestro Tramm is an Associate Professor and serves as Director of Choral Activities at Seton Hall University where he leads the University Chorus, Chamber Choir, Orchestra, and teaches conducting. In 2017, Seton Hall University awarded him the University Faculty Teacher of the Year. Educating and mentoring the next generation of musicians has always been a central part of Jason Tramm’s career. He is also actively sought as a clinician and regularly presents lectures on a wide variety of musical topics.
A frequent guest conductor, he has led operatic and symphonic performances in Italy, Romania, Albania, and in Hungary, where he recorded an album of rarely heard French operatic arias with the Szeged Symphony. Guest conducting/Masterclass engagements for the 2022-23 season include the Estrorchestra (Rome and Florence, Italy), Adelphi Orchestra (Oradell, NJ), the Long Island Concert Orchestra, Nickel City Opera (Buffalo, NY), and a European concert tour with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra (Performances in Salzburg, Klangenfurt and Budapest) in March of 2023.
Jason Tramm and his son Quinton -(Videographer/producer) founded Music Matters with Jason Tramm, a musical culture podcast, which has well over 250,000 views on YouTube. In two years since its founding, has featured over 300 interviews with distinguished artists from a multitude of genres, and focuses on artistic creativity and self-discovery during the most challenging times. For more information, visit www.JasonTramm.net.
GIORGIO LALOV
(Artistic Director/Stage Director)
TEATRO LIRICO D'EUROPA
About Teatro Lirico D’Europa
Teatro Lirico D’Europa was created in 1988 by the late Yves Josse, a former ballet divo and brilliant French arts promoter, and Giorgio Lalov, a young Bulgarian opera singer who made his debut at Teatro alla Scala, Milan, at the age of 25, while participating in Scala’s famous international training program for young singers. The collaboration between Josse and Lalov was a huge success in a very short time, resulting in tours with over 250 performances a season throughout France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Sicily and Portugal. Performances included those for Opera Dijon, at Salle Pleyel and Pavillion Baltard in Paris; Okinawa Performing Arts Center; Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen; Theatre Carre in Amsterdam, Congresshaus in Zurich; Theatre Trinidade in Lisbon; Teatro Atlantida in Barcelona; Salida de La Compania, Teatro Cervantes, Teatro Bueno Vallejo in Madrid; Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville; Le Cirque Royale in Brussels, and L’Atrium Theatre on the Island of Martinique.
Mr. Lalov created the sets and costumes for the productions and organized the chorus and orchestra in Bulgaria. He drew the soloists for the productions from a huge reservoir of operatic talent in Bulgaria, central Europe and the United States, where he held yearly auditions that resulted in the engagement of well over a hundred American singers. Mr. Josse booked the performances for the company from his office in Paris. From the very beginning, the company established itself as highly competent in delivering traditional, full-scale productions featuring a professional orchestra and chorus and outstanding soloists who performed at the top national theatres in their native countries. The unusual chemistry of the company proved to be very popular with European audiences.
Teatro Lirico D’Europa had completed over 2,000 performances worldwide before embarking on its first U.S. tour in the winter 2000 season. Teatro Lirico D'Europa had developed a well-documented history of success with a portfolio of hundreds of rave reviews for full-scale opera productions that had been presented at 180 different venues, including Italian summer festivals such as Festival Busetto, Festival San Giovanni Valdarno, and open-air festivals in Spello, Montecatini Terme, Siena, Chianciano Terme, Cortona, Padova and Aimini.
The company also has a fine collection of outstanding, professionally mastered live CDs. The response to the debut tour from both press and theater management was very positive. The popular company has now completed 17 consecutive U.S. tours with over 800 performances at 140 different venues, including performances for 11 American regional opera companies. The February 2002 issue of OPERA NEWS presented a four-page article on Teatro Lirico D'Europa entitled “Road Warriors,” written by former BOSTON GLOBE opera critic Richard Dyer that stated:
In the past couple of years, the company has presented TURANDOT, AIDA and NABUCCO in Boston. The physical productions and Lalov's stagings were reassuringly traditional. Lalov's stagings tell the story clearly. The solo and ensemble singing in all three operas was lusty, whole hearted-full throated and honest. Something personal and passionate that is often missing from evenings of opera. OPERA NEWS–Richard Dyer
Most recently, in addition to its tours in the USA, the company has toured in in Europe, in France, Spain and Italy at major venues and summer festivals with CARMEN, LA TRAVIATA, RIGOLETTO and NABUCCO, including five performances in Paris presented in collaboration with Opera de Massy.