Kelsey Betzelberger, soprano, 2009, is currently a student at Northwester University. She was a winner of the Metropolitan Opera auditions in the Chicago area in 2009 and will be an Artist Fellow at Chautauqua Opera in the summer of 2010.
Erica Brookhyser, mezzo-soprano, 2004, a University of Oregon graduate, completed her master's degree at the New England Conservatory of Music. She won the Metropolitan Opera national auditions in New York in 2005. Hailed by Opera News for her "vivid, rich voice," and by The Boston Globe for her "radiant stage presence and exquisite musicality," mezzo-soprano, she is rapidly garnering the attention of audiences and critics nationwide. Operatic appearances include the title role in Cendrillon with Central City Opera, Waltraute in Die Walkure with Los Angeles Opera, Tisbe in La Cenerentola with Utah Opera, and Myrtale in Thais with Boston Lyric Opera. As a concert soloist she has performed with the Utah Symphony and Boston Symphony orchestras in repertoire ranging from Handel's Messiah to Schoenberg's Moses und Aron. In addition to her concert and stage work, Ms. Brookhyser has been a featured performer on the Marilyn Horne Foundation's art song program, The Song Continues at Carnegie Hall, has collaborated with the Mark Morris Dance Group, and has premiered numerous chamber works by living composers. Ms. Brookhyser's future engagements include Brangane in Tristan und Isolde with the Debut Orchestra of Beverly Hills, and the title role in Carmen and Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro with Staatstheater Darmstadt. A native of Oregon, Ms. Brookhyser is currently in residence at Los Angeles Opera as a Domingo-Thornton Young Artist, where she will be performing in the up-coming productions in the up-coming productions of Die Gezeichneten and Die Walkure.
Brooke Cagno, soprano, 2009, a University of Oregon alum, made her debut with Eugene Opera in 2010, singing the role of Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro.
Natalie Gunn, soprano, 2004, was a national winner at both the National Opera Association Artist's Competition and the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition. In 2008 she was an Adams Fellow at the Carmel Bach Festival and will sing in the world-premiere of Story of an Hour with Portland Chamber Orchestra in 2010.
Anna Jablonski, mezzo-soprano, 2003, who did her graduate work at Portland State University, was a Young Artist at Minnesota Opera for three years, where she appeared in a number of roles including Rita in the American Premiere of The Handmaid's Tale, Flora in La Traviata, Mary in Der Fliegende Hollander, Maddelena in Rigoletto, Second Lady in Die Zauberflote, Mercedes in Carmen and Nancy T'aang in Nixon in China. She participated in San Francisco Opera's Merola Opera Program, Chautauqua Opera's Studio Artist Program, and appeared with The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment at Glyndebourne Opera. She debuted with Los Angeles Opera in their production of The Fly, Pittsburgh Opera in their production of The Grapes of Wrath, and the Mozart Requiem with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra. Last spring, she sang the world premiere of Alessandro Cadario's Cantata for Revival with Musica Sacra at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater. Other concert appearances of note include performances of Honegger's Le Roi David and Stravinsky's Mass with the Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie Hall, You can hear her in the original cast World Premiere recording of The Grapes of Wrath on PS Classics.
Valery Saul, mezzo-soprano, 2007, completed her undergraduate studies at Portland State University and her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of British Columbia. While at UBC,she performed the role of Sesto in Giulio Cesare and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel.
Leah Yorkston, soprano, 2007 & 2008, was featured in Opera Theater of Oregon's production of Three Penny Opera, singing the role of Polly Peachum.
Jacqueline Shoda-Iwasaki, 2007 & 2008, a Portland State University graduate, was recently selected as a Young Artist at Opera Tampa for 2009-10. She will make her professional debut with that company in Puccini's La Rondine in 2010. She won the audience favorite award at the Metropolitan Opera Oregon District auditions in 2009 and an encouragement award in 2007 & 2008.
