JOHN PACKARD- Rigoletto

American baritone John Packard garners international prominence on the opera stage. Creating the acclaimed role of Joseph de Rocher in the San Francisco Opera world premiere of Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally's Dead Man Walking, the San Francisco Chronicle proclaims his voice to be full of “ferocious power and insistence,” and The New York Times affirms his characterizations as “deeply and vividly affecting.” He recently reprised the role with Semper Oper in Dresden, Vienna at Theater an der Wien, Pittsburgh Opera, New York City Opera, Baltimore Opera, and can be heard on the world premiere recording on the Erato Disques label.

In his recent debut as Rigoletto, Opera Magazine said, “a superb Verdi baritone in John Packard – a seamless voice, with character and a gleaming upper register. There are surely big things ahead for him.” He has recently added several new roles to his repertoire including Lescaut in Manon Lescaut, Ezio in Attila, Count DiLuna in Il Trovatore, Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera, Iago in Otello, Michele in Il Tabarro and Di Posa in Don Carlo.

In the fall 2008, he made his Wexford Festival debut as Braxton in Richard Rodney Bennett's The Mines of Sulphur. In 2009 and beyond, he performs the title role in Sweeney Todd at Teatro Rossini in Lugo, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and Teatro Comunale di Modena; reprises Joseph de Rocher in Dead Man Walking with Semper Oper in Dresden; and makes his debut as Owen Hart in Dead Man Walking with the Houston Grand Opera.

In the 2007-2008 Season, he performed Joseph de Rocher in Dead Man Walking with Semper Oper in Dresden and Vienna at Theater an der Wien, Germont in La Traviata with the Duluth Festival Opera, Dandini in La Cenerentola with Opera Columbus, and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Baltimore Opera. In the recent 2006-2007 Season, Mr. Packard performed Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with Kentucky Opera, Germont in La Traviata in Theatre Erfurt in Germany, High Priest in Samson et Dalila with Dayton Opera, Emille de Becque in South Pacific with Fresno Grand Opera, and Germont in La Traviata with the Akron Symphony.

Previous noted engagements include Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with New York City Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Dallas Opera and in his Italian debut with Venice's prestigious La Fenice; the title role in Rigoletto with Hawaii Opera Theater; Don Alfonso in Così Fan Tutte with Opera Pacific; Henri in Chabrier's Le roi malgré lui with the American Symphony Orchestra; the title role in Death of Klinghoffer with Opera Onafhankelijk Toneel in Rotterdam; Silvio in I Pagliacci with Nashville Opera; George in Of Mice and Men with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City; and Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.  In addition, he made his New York City Opera debut as Marcello in La Bohème, and toured twice with the company as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and as Marcello in La Bohème.

His European debut took place in Paris with Orchestre Colonne as Silvio in a concert performance of I Pagliacci, under the baton of Antonello Allemandi. He added Valentin in Faust to his repertoire in a new David Alden production at the Wiener Volksoper. As Marcello in La Bohème, he appeared with the Opera Company of Philadelphia and with the New Israeli Opera in a production directed by Franco Zeffirelli. In Israel, Mr. Packard also sang his first performances of Carmina Burana with the Haifa Symphony.

Mr. Packard is the recipient of a recipient of the Robert Jacobson Grant from the Richard Tucker Foundation, and he has been a winner of the Puccini, Loren Zachary, MacAllister, and Liederkranz competitions.

 HEATHER BUCK- GILDA

Praised as "the kind of performer who makes it all look easy," Heather Buck has established herself internationally as a consummate singing actress, "combining agile, liquid soprano, a bright, natural stage presence, and the timing of an expert comedienne," (Opera News).

Heather Buck's 2009-10 season currently includes singing Lulu Baines in Elmer Gantry with Florentine Opera; Adina in L'elisir d'amore with Toledo Opera; the title role in The Ballad of Baby Doe with Intermountain Opera; and as Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Maria in West Side Story (both semi-staged), and soloist in a concert titled "Stars Under the Stars," all with Opera Naples. She has also been engaged by the New York Philharmonic for its performances of Ligeti's "Le Grand Macabre," and sings as featured soloist in an evening of opera highlights with Kentucky Symphony Orchestra. In 2008-09 Heather Buck joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera, sang Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte with Florentine Opera, Ännchen in Der Freischütz with Opera Boston, and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance with Indianapolis Opera. On the concert stage she performed songs by Thomas Larcher and George Crumb for the American Composers' Forum, and Previn's Vocalise for Soprano, Solo Cello and Orchestra at New York's Le Poisson Rouge in celebration of the composer's 80^th Birthday.

Recent highlights include her English National Opera debut singing the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, her returns to Opera Birmingham as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia and to Arizona Opera as Queen of the Night, her first performances of Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Connecticut Opera, Valencienne in The Merry Widow with Florentine Opera, Esa-Pekka Salonen's Five Images after Sappho with the Utah Symphony, Schubert's Mass in E-flat with North Carolina Symphony, Bach's Magnificat at Duke University, her debut with Central City Opera as La Fée in Cendrillon, and her appearance as Angel in Pascal Dusapin's Faustus, the Last Night with Spoleto Festival USA.

Heather Buck made her New York City Opera debut creating the title role in Charles Wuorinen's Haroun and the Sea of Stories, for which New York City Opera presented her with the 2005 Kolozsvar Award, recognizing artists who excel at new and unusual repertory. She returned the following season as the Comtesse de Folleville in Il viaggio a Reims. Ms. Buck's first performances of Maid in Thomas Ades' Powder Her Face occurred at Aspen Opera Theater and she subsequently reprised the role with Brooklyn Philharmonic, at London's Almeida Theatre, Opéra-Théâtre de Metz at the Aldeburgh Festival, and Boston Modern Opera Project. Other international credits include appearing with De Vlaamse Opera as Olympia in Les Contes d'Hoffmann, and with Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu as both Echo in Ariadne auf Naxos and First Niece in Peter Grimes. She also performed at the Britten-Pears School (UK) in the role of Tytania in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Other opera highlights include Ms. Buck's performances of Iris in Semele with Arizona Opera; Laoula in L'Étoile with Opera Boston; and Belinda in Dido and Aeneas in a re-engagement with Boston's Handel and Haydn Society, also with the Spoleto Festival USA. She appeared as Adina in L'elisir d'amore and Amor in Orfeo ed Euridice with Opera Birmingham, and as Stella in Andre Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire with Washington National Opera. She has performed the role of Queen of the Night with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Opera Birmingham, Opera Delaware, Wolf Trap Opera, Calgary Opera, and for her Santa Fe Opera debut.

Ms. Buck's concert credits include performances of Messiah with the Handel and Haydn Society and Pacific Symphony; Carmina Burana with San Antonio Symphony Orchestra; Handel's Jeptha with Choral Society of Durham; Tan Dun's Water Passion after St. Matthew at the White Nights Festival in Russia; and both Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and Mozart's Requiem with Westchester Philharmonic. She has sung Mahler's Symphony No. 8 at the Bard Music Festival; Beethoven's Die Ruinen von Athen with the American Symphony Orchestra; Mozart's Mass in C Minor with the National Arts Centre Orchestra; Bach's Mass in B Minor with Baltimore Choral Arts Society; and the world premiere of Ezra Laderman's Brotherly Love with the Philadelphia Singers.

Ms. Buck holds a Master of Music degree from Yale, where she studied with Doris Yarick-Cross. She received her B.A. in music from Tufts University and a B.F.A. in studio art from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

 ERIC FENNELL- Duke of Mantua

Lyric tenor, Eric Fennell has firmly established himself as a young professional in the world of opera and classical music. Born into a musical family, his father, a conductor, and mother, a pianist instilled in him a strong sense of musicality at an early age. At 6’ 3,” he is known for his dominant stage presence and sympathetic acting which the Boston Globe has described as “touchingly vulnerable” and “his sweet lyric tenor is not only capable of great nuance but ready and able to trumpet out thrilling high notes." A Metropolitan Opera National Counsel regional finalist and prize winner in the Licia Albanese Competition, Mr. Fennell’s versatile tenor voice has allowed him to perform leading roles with some of North America’s top companies. He is most closely associated with New York City Opera where he has sung six seasons and 13 roles. Operatic highlights include Rodolfo in La Bohème with New York City Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Lake George Opera Festival, Pensacola Opera, and Baz Luhrman’s La Bohème on Broadway; Alfredo in La Traviata with New York City Opera, Green Mountain Opera Festival, and Annapolis Opera; Tamino in Die Zauberflöte for Sarasota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Wichita Grand Opera; Roméo in Roméo et Juliette for Toledo Opera and Opera North(USA); The Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto for Granite State Opera, Chattanooga Opera, and the Spokane Symphony; Don José in Carmen for Arizona Opera; Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly for Austin Lyric Opera; Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor for Des Moines Metro Opera and Granite State Opera; Nadir in The Pearl Fishers for Madison Opera; and Gerald in Lakmé for Sarasota Opera. Mr. Fennell has also sung and covered roles for San Francisco Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Seattle Opera, Washington Concert Opera, Tulsa Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Central City Opera, and the Spoleto Festival USA.

A distinguished concert performer, Eric Fennell has performed the tenor solos in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony for National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall, Tokyo City Orchestra (Japan), Buffalo Philharmonic Symphony, Virginia Symphony, and Allentown Symphony; Verdi’s Requiem for The Paul Hill Chorale in Washington, D.C. and in concert and recording with the Smith College Orchestra; Händel’s Messiah for National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall, Virginia Symphony, Allentown Symphony, and Tucson Symphony; Mozart’s Requiem for The New Haven Symphony, Dartmouth Glee Club, and National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall; Puccini’s Messa di Gloria with the Eugene Concert Choir; and William Maselli’s JFK Requiem at Carnegie Hall. Other concert appearances include New York City Opera in the Park, San Diego Symphony Opera Gala, Madison Opera in the Park, Buffalo Philharmonic Symphony in the Park, Opera Roanoke Opera Gala, Toledo Opera Gala, Virginia Symphony New Year’s Eve Gala, and Lake George Opera Gala.

Eric Fennell sings Sam in Street Scene for Chautauqua Opera this summer before creating the role of Tony in the world premiere of Paul Salerni’s Tony Caruso’s Final Broadcast in performance at Lehigh University and in recording for Albany Records fall 2008. He makes his Dallas Opera debut as the title character in Roberto Devereux in January 2009 and his China debut as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi for the Macau Festival in November 2008. Mr. Fennell returns to Opera Roanoke for Fenton in Falstaff (October 2008), Tucson Symphony for Messiah (December 2008), and Chattanooga Opera for Rodolfo in La Bohème (February 2009).

Originally from Allentown, Pennsylvania, Eric Fennell received a BA in music from Gettysburg College and a Masters in Voice and Artist Diploma from Boston University where he was a member of the Opera Institute. Eric splits his time between his residences in New York City and Easton, Pennsylvania. Mr. Fennell is a proud student of Arthur Levy. 

 VALERIAN RUMINSKI - SPARAFUCILE

a graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and of SUNY-Buffalo. A true basso cantante, his bold and powerful vocal lyricism and remarkable coloratura has created world-wide recognition for this exceptional talent.  An excellent musician and creative interpreter, he has performed with many of the great opera companies in the US and abroad including The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Dallas Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Seattle Opera, Miami Opera, Minnesota Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, Opera Ireland, Opera de Montreal, Opera de Monte Carlo, Birmingham Opera, and Festival de Belle-ile en Mer.  He can be heard on the Naxos label release of 'Night at the Opera' with other singers who have debuted at the Metropolitan Opera. Valerian recently portrayed Lord Walton in the highly acclaimed Metropolitan Opera high definition broadcast of ' I Puritani' starring Anna Netrebko in 2007. 

Mr. Ruminski has performed the roles of Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), Ferrando (Il Trovatore), Sparafucile (Rigoletto), Colline (La Boheme), Masetto (Don Giovanni), Feniscio (Ermione), Sarastro (Magic Flute), Sam (Ballo in Maschera), Ramphis & King (Aida), Zuniga (Carmen), King (Ariodante), Dr.Grenvil (Traviata), Prince Gremin (Onegin), Inspector Budd (Albert Herring), Lt. Ratcliffe (Billy Budd), Frank (Die Fledermaus), First Soldier (Salome) and Basilio (Barber of Seville).

Mr. Ruminski is the recipient of many prestigious grants and awards including the Lincoln Center Martin Segal Award, a Richard Tucker Grant, a William Mattheus Sullivan Foundation Grant, a Gerda Lissner Foundation Grant, the 2000 MacAllister Award, winner of the NJ Verismo Competition, the NYSTA Coloratura Competition and the Marcella Sembrich Vocal Competition sponsored by the Koscziuszko Foundation.

Upcoming for Mr. Ruminski ...Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro for Hawaii Opera Theatre, Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni for Calgary Opera, Nikititsch in Boris Godunov for The Metropolitan Opera and Ferrando in Il Trovatore for Opera de Montreal.  

 QUINN PATRICK - MADELLENA

Mezzo soprano Quinn Patrick makes her debut this season with the Cabrillo Music Festival as Meg in Little Women. She first performed the role of Meg last summer with the Ash Lawn-Highland Summer Festival in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she also appeared as Mercedes in Carmen. Other operatic credits include the roles of Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Hermia in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Meg in Falstaff, and the title role in La Cenerentola.

Ms. Patrick has sung with the Boulder Sinfonia, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and Western New York Chamber Orchestra. Her concert work includes Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and Brahms’s Alto Rhapsody. She recently sang the world premiere of a new work by Donald Bohlen, Missa Brevis, in Buffalo, New York.

An adjunct member of the voice faculty of the State University of New York, College at Fredonia, Ms. Patrick holds degrees in music from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and the University of Colorado at Boulder. In addition, she spent two seasons as a Young American Artist with the Glimmerglass Opera, and one season with the Baltimore Opera Studio. A Region Finalist twice for the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, she has also received awards from the Denver Lyric Opera Guild and the National Society of Arts and Letters. She currently lives in Grand Island, New York.

   ROSEMARIE SERRANO- GIOVANNA

Rosemarie Serrano has been performing in opera and concerts in the New York City Metropolitan area for the last decade. She is a dramatic soprano and has performed many “Verdi soprano” roles such as Violetta in La Traviata, Leonora in Il Trovatore, and Giselda in I Lombardi. She has also performed the title roles in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Tosca , and Suor Angelica, and Mimi in La Boheme. Other roles include the Countess in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Nedda in I Pagliacci, and Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana. Rosemarie will be performing Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello and Tosca in 2010.

 NADIA PETRELLA- Countess Ceprano

 Nadia Petrella is an extraordinarily gifted artist who at a relatively young age has already performed many leading soprano roles in opera, including “Dido” in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, “Soeur Constance” in Poulenc's Les Dialogues des Carmelites (2007), “Lola” in Douglas Moore's Gallantry, “Catherine” in Ralph Vaughan Williams Riders to the Sea, “Rosina” in Rossini's The Barber of Seville (2008), and the “First Lady” in Mozart's The Magic Flute. In June, 2009, Miss Petrella made her American and International professional débuts reprising the role of "Rosina" in the highly acclaimed Nickel City Opera production of Rossini's The Barber of Seville, performing alongside prominent international artists John Packard as "Figaro", Benjamin Brecher as "Count Almaviva", and Valerian Ruminski as "Basilio". With the Opera Lyra Ensemble she appeared in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, the Hamlet of Amboise Thomas, Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and Verdi's La Traviata. In concert, Miss Petrella has appeared as guest soloist for Theatre lyrique de Gatineau, Musica Viva and the Carleton University Choir, among other organizations, singing works such as the Vivaldi Gloria, Fauré Requiem and Zelenka Mass.

August 2009 found Miss Petrella competing in the Canadian National Music Festival in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where she placed third in the Vocal category - the first resident of the National Capital Region to place at the national level in over fifteen years. In April of 2008, she won second prize in the highly regarded Ottawa Chamber Orchestra Vocal Competition, finishing between two other sopranos much older than she, and in both June 2008 & 2009, Miss Petrella won her division in the prestigious Ontario Provincial Music Festival. In 2005, she won the Vocal Open Trophy and accompanying prize at the Québec-Ontario Festival of Youth and Music, triumphing over a very competitive field. She has received many other awards and prizes, including The Laura & Harris Arbique Memorial Grant, The Ottawa Welsh Society Award, The Adele Starcher Memorial Award, and The Laurentian Junior Music Club Award, among others.

Miss Petrella has twice been the guest soloist for the Celebration of Life Service, held annually during Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness week and performs for the benefit of charitable organizations whenever she can. She has also appeared frequently in recital and as a guest on recitals of others, most recently in January 2009 at Glebe St. James Church as part of their 2008-2009 concert series. In the summer of 2008, she enjoyed the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica, where she worked with internationally recognized vocal instructor and operatic director Gary E. Burgess. Miss Petrella holds a Bachelor of Music with Honours in Vocal Performance from Carleton University, where she was a student of tenor David MacAdam.