Tyson Deaton, pianist
Based in New York, Tyson Deaton has gained attention as one of the busiest young collaborative artists and coaches of opera and recital literature of this generation. He is sought out by singers and instrumentalists alike who represent some of the best possible artistic collaborators. Most recently, he appeared in a recital with both singers and instrumentalists from the Metropolitan Opera. A former faculty member of the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music, Mr. Deaton’s various appointments have yielded productions garnering critical acclaim with Opera News, among many other professional publications. His 2007-08 season includes productions of Of Mice and Men and Angels in America with Fort Worth Opera, Carmina Burana with the Long Bay Symphony, in addition to Così fan tutte and La Rondine with Sarasota Opera. He returned to The Seagle Colony to conduct an acclaimed run of La bohème after a successful performances of The Merry Widow in the 2007 season.
Lea Woods Friedman, soprano
Lea Woods Friedman is thrilled to cross boundaries with music. With her background a mix of global cultures, Ms. Friedman knows how to relate to audiences around the world, and with her lyric soprano voice, described as “spotless”, “exquisite” and “touching”, encourages them to feel the music she so loves to perform.
Last year, Lea made her role debut of Musetta in La bohème with the Augusta Opera, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Hong Kong, and Liu in Turandot with Hawaii Opera Theater. She also performed two solo recitals in Portland, Oregon, at the famous Japanese and Chinese Gardens, and in October returned to Asia for Gala concerts in Singapore and Shanghai. Her current repertoire also includes Juliet in Gounod’s Romeo & Juliet, and Marguerite in Faust.
Other recent engagements include the role of Micaela in Carmen with Opera Hong Kong, Shanghai Symphony, and the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in China; Valencienne in The Merry Widow with Fresno Grand Opera, Singapore Lyric Opera, and Opera Malaysia; and Zerlina in Chautauqua Opera’s Don Giovanni. Her earlier roles include Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro and Papagena in The Magic Flute, with Michigan Opera Theatre, Hawaii Opera Theater, and the Beijing Music Festival. She has sung with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra in Carmina Burana at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, as well as with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and Rutter’s Gloria. Just this past Spring she performed with the Maui Choral Arts Association at the Maui Cultural Center.
Ms. Friedman was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is an alumna of Cornell University. She lived in Italy for three years studying with Maestri Franco Corelli, Maurizio Arena, Claudia Pinza and Maria Chiara. She has participated in the International Vocal Arts Institute in both Tel Aviv and Puerto Rico where she worked frequently with Sherill Milnes and other renowned opera greats. While based in New York for the past seven years, she has studied with Diana Soviero, Bill Schuman, Mark Oswald and Joan Dornemann.
Fenlon Lamb, mezzo-soprano
American mezzo-soprano Fenlon Lamb consistently garners critical acclaim for her “dynamic, rich vocal sound” and “polished acting abilities.” This past season Ms. Lamb made her Seattle Opera debut as Enrichetta in I Puritani as well as her company and role debut with Berkshire Opera singing Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro. She also returned to the Bar Harbor Music Festival as Carmen and Sacramento Opera for Mrs. Grose in Turn of the Screw. In 2009, Ms. Lamb will sing Meg Page in Falstaff and Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Opera Cleveland. The following year she will sing the title role in La Cenerentola with Opera Vivente.
During the 2006/2007 season, Ms. Lamb portrayed the title role of Carmen for both the Mississippi and Granite State Opera companies. For the latter performance, Opera Online described her as a singer “gifted with a wonderful, resonant voice that packs plenty of punch in all the right places in the score.” Other recent engagements include Maddalena in Rigoletto with Opera Vivente, Flora in La Traviata at Opera Grand Rapids, Dorabella in Così fan tutte with Opera Santa Barbara, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Sacramento Opera, Stephano in Roméo et Juliette with Opera Cleveland, and the title role in Agrippina with Opera Vivente.
Ms. Lamb debuted with the Cleveland Orchestra as Angelina in La Cenerentola. Performing the title role of Iolanthe for Cleveland Opera she sang with “fetching dignity and vocal allure,” while she brought “dry wit and knowing understatement” to Ilona in She Loves Me with Lyric Opera Cleveland. She also sang the Wife for the world premier of Come to Me in Dreams with baritone Sanford Sylvan. She has sung the Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd for both the Toledo and Cleveland Opera.
Concert appearances have included Beethoven’s Mass in C with Hartford Symphony, Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with both the Toledo and Akron Symphonies, and the Opus 91songs of Brahms for the Toledo Symphony Chamber Music series. Additionally, Ms. Lamb has performed as soloist in Mozart’s Mass in c for Cleveland Choral Arts, Handel’s Messiah with Loyola Symphony, and Mozart’s Requiem with Santa Cruz Symphony.
Victor Ryan Robertson, tenor
Internationally acclaimed tenor Victor Ryan Robertson has appeared as Rodolfo in both Baz Luhrmann’s production of La bohème and Francesca Zambello’s production of La bohème at The Royal Albert Hall in London, as well as Sportin Life in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess at The L.A. Opera, again with Francesca Zambello. He has previously performed Sportin Life with Oper Berlin, Capetown Opera, and Dallas Opera, the title role in Les Contes d’Hoffmann with Dallas Opera, Count Almaviva in Rossini’s Barber of Seville with Detroit Opera, PORT Opera, Opera Carolina, Minnesota Opera, and Arizona Opera. Audiences have enjoyed Mr. Robertson’s portrayals of Ramiro in Rossini’s La Cenerentola with Spoleto Festival, Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’amore with Tulsa Opera and Tri Cities Opera, and Fenton in Verdi’s Fallstaff with Opera Cleveland. Additionally, he has sung Prunier in Puccini’s La Rondine with Detroit Opera, Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Opera Carolina, Tybalt in Gonoud’s Romeo and Juliet with Spoleto Festival and Atlanta Opera. Mr. Robertson has also been featured in “Three Mo’ Tenors” off-Broadway and with the Sunshine Pops Pavarotti Tribute Concert in Miami.
Ryan Taylor, baritone
Baritone Ryan Taylor recently performed the role of Sharpless in Madame Butterfly and in Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle in Fort Worth Opera’s Inaugural Festival Season, celebrating the company’s 60th Anniversary. He has previously sung Germont in La Traviata with the Bar Harbor Music Festival, Dandini in La Cenerentola with both Opera Carolina and Opera San Antonio, Marcello in La bohème with Jacksonville Symphony and Dayton Opera, and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with Piedmont Opera and the Bar Harbor Music Festival. Additionally, he has performed Carmina Burana with the Bryan Symphony Orchestra, and Reno Philharmonic. For the Minnesota Opera, he has bowed as Ping in Turandot, Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Silvio in I Pagliacci, and Sharpless in Madame Butterfly. Mr. Taylor originated the role of Voltore in the world premiere of John Musto’s opera Volpone for the Wolf Trap Opera Company. He has portrayed Taddeo in L’Italiana in Algeri, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Escamillo in Carmen, Harry Easter in Street Scene, and Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro.
On the concert platform, he has appeared in the Holocaust Cantata, Songs and Dances of Death, Handel’s Messiah, Mahler’s Symphony No.8, Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, Schubert’s Mass in G Major, Saint-Saëns’ Oratorio de Noël, and the Fauré and Duruflé Requiems. Mr. Taylor has also appeared in concert in Shanghai, Beijing, Manila, and Singapore under the auspices of “Singers Beyond Borders.” With that ensemble, he travels this fall to Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, and Manila. Other upcoming engagements include Ping in Turandot and Owen in Dead Man Walking with the Fort Worth Opera, and Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Carolina. Mr. Taylor makes his home between Atlanta, Georgia and Lenox, Massachusetts where he serves as General Director of the Southeastern Festival of Song (www.sefos.org), and as the General Director of the Berkshire Opera (www.berkshireopera.org).
2005 - 2007 Artist Roster
2007
Lea Woods Friedman, soprano
Fenlon Lamb, mezzo-soprano
Victor Ryan Robertson, tenor
Ryan Taylor, baritone
Kim Pensinger Witman, pianist
2006
Lea Woods Friedman, soprano
Lauren McNeese, mezzo-soprano
Scott Scully, tenor
Ryan Taylor, baritone
Joshua Winograde, bass
Mary Dibbern, pianist
Recording Project - “The Stars are Brightly Shining”
Lea Woods Friedman, soprano
Jennifer Hines, mezzo-soprano
Todd Geer, tenor
Ryan Taylor, baritone
Jason Hardy, bass
Kathryn Olsen, pianist
2005
Lea Woods Friedman, soprano
Jennifer Hines, mezzo-soprano
Scott Piper, tenor
Ryan Taylor, baritone
Joshua Winograde, bass
Carrie-Ann Matheson, pianist