The Turn of the Screw

Lara Lignitz is a Soprano and citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Her blend of experience along with a keen insight into the many sides of humanity informs her work as a multi-disciplinary artist. It is Lara’s belief that opera uniquely expresses the most human of experiences and it is her job to bring those to life on stage. She graduated from Loyola University-New Orleans as a Master of Music in Vocal Performance in May 2023. During her time there she sang the role of First Lady in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, stage directed Suor Angelica by Giacomo Puccini, and covered the title role of Suor Angelica for Loyola Opera Theatre. Lara is thrilled to dive into the role of The Governess in The Turn of the Screw at Chicago Summer Opera, which requires her to draw on her training as an actor as well as her vocal talents.

American soprano Lena Goldstein graduated cum laude from Yale University in Spring 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology. She will begin her master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in the fall, studying with Susanne Mentzer. At Yale she performed regularly with the Opera Theatre of Yale College, Yale Undergraduate Chamber Orchestra, and Yale Glee Club. Recent operatic credits include La Fée in Viardot's Cendrillon, Maurya in Vaughan William's Riders to the Sea, and Laurie in Copland's The Tender Land. In concert settings, Lena has recently been a featured soprano soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 and Ravel’s Trois poèmes de Mallarmé. This summer she looks forward to studying as a Professional Artist at Songfest (performing works by Heggie, Berlioz, and more) and returning to Chicago Summer Opera to perform The Governess in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, with support from the Schmidt Vocal Arts Alumni Grant.

Nate was born and raised in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, and is the first in his family to pursue post secondary education. He is a current student of world renown voice researcher, vocologist, and teacher, Dr. Brian Gill. Nate is also a certified vocologist and is currently in the last semester of his master’s degree in voice performance at The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and will be starting his doctorate this fall. He has worn many hats in the music industry including being a performer in operas, musicals, plays, films, a studio recording artist, an award-winning music director, a composer, a songwriter, an arranger, a non-profit arts administrator, and most notably, a voice teacher and pedagogue who instructs other teachers and students around the world. Nate's voice has been described as “show-stopping and nothing less than thrilling” and as having the presence of a “stage-struck powerhouse”. (Jef Ellis- Broadway World: Nashville). His most recent performances include being the tenor soloist in Beethoven’s Mass in C, Telemann's Die Donner-Ode, a finalist in the Georgina Joshi Fellowship Competition, La Cage aux Folles (music director/conductor/accordionist), Sweeney Todd (Adolfo Pirelli), and being in the chorus for the world premiere of Pulitzer prize winner, Shulamit Ran's, operatic staging of The Diary of Anne Frank.

Zoe Zdrojewski, soprano, holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from Eastern Michigan University. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Zoe sang with the EMU Choir, the university's top-performing ensemble, serving as both the choir’s Secretary and Vice President, as well as joining the ensemble on multiple domestic and international tours. Additionally, Ms. Zdrojewski was awarded both the Muriel J. Gilbert Music Scholarship and the Manilow Music Award while studying as an undergraduate. Throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic, Zoe seized the opportunity to create opportunities for herself in the world of virtual opera, making her international opera debut as a member of the fully online ensemble in Ravel’s L'enfant et les sortilèges with the virtual company VOPERA, in collaboration with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Furthermore, in the summer of 2020 Zoe was selected as a virtual participant in New York University's Classical Voice Intensive, an experience that further shaped her artistry and strengthened her love for classical music. Zoe's most recent engagements include singing the role of Virtù in FIO Italia's production of L'incoronazione di Poppea, taking the stage with the Ann Arbor Comic Opera Guild as Princess Minutezza in John Philip Sousa's The Bride Elect, and joining Detroit's Opera MODO in their rendition of #SuperFlute (The Magic Flute) as Toadette (Spirit #2). In the summer of 2023 Zoe will be singing the role of Miles in Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw with Chicago Summer Opera. Zoe is currently a graduate student at The Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University where she is working towards a Master of Music in Vocal Performance with a concentration in Vocal Pedagogy.

Soprano Julia Coutant is thrilled to be making her Chicago Summer Opera debut. This spring, Julia completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Opera Performance from the University of British Columbia, and had the pleasure of performing Maria Bertram in 'Mansfield Park' with Opera Nuova this June. With UBC Opera she has sung Fiametta and Gianetta understudy in 'The Gondoliers', Flower Girl in 'Le nozze di Figaro' twice, and chorus in 'Il Viaggio a Reims'. Julia has been awarded several scholarships, including the Elizabeth Lamberton Scholarship in Voice, the Erika Nalos Kurth Scholarship in Voice, and the Norah Mansell Music Scholarship. Julia would like to thank her parents for the unending support and Elizabeth Cushnie for her inspiration and guidance.

Abbey Diana Engelmann is a young soprano and choreographer. This is her second time performing with Chicago Summer Opera after playing Erster Knabe in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte last year, and she is very excited to be back! Most recently, Abbey Diana performed the role of Nella in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Despina in W.A. Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte with Millikin University’s Opera Production. During her time at Millikin University she has also performed in Dido and Aeneas, Trial by Jury, and Lorenzo Da Ponte & W.A. Mozart: An Opera Scenes Sampler. Abbey Diana recently graduated from Millikin University receiving her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and certificate in dance under the instruction of Terry Stone. She is excited to be attending Longy School of Music in the Fall, pursuing a master's in vocal studies and music administration under the tutelage of Corrine Byrne.

Tara Kitchelt, soprano, is a growing young artist based in the Washington D.C/Maryland area. Her most recent project was Zweite Dame in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with Prague Summer Nights’ Alexandria program. Other roles include Marianne from Romberg’s The New Moon, Noémie from Massenet’s Cendrillon, Mrs. Fiorentino from Kurt Weill’s Street Scene. Tara has completed her Masters of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of Maryland, College Park studying with Carmen Balthrop and Jennifer Casey-Cabot.

Helena has received international praise for her unique vocal beauty, expressivity, and versatility as a singer and performer. She has performed in opera theaters and recital halls across the US and Europe and has recently made her film debut with the Brooklyn Telemann Chamber Society. Helena is a graduate of Indiana University and the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, and is completing her Artist Diploma at Montclair with Beth Roberts.

Courtney Fitzgerald, soprano, is currently working towards her Master’s degree at Boston University in the studio of soprano Lynn Eustis. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Florida studying with James Hall, tenor. She has performed Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro with both the European Music Academy in the Czech Republic and with the UNF Opera Department, as well as the title role in Barab’s Little Red Riding Hood with UNF Opera Outreach. Additionally, she has been seen in many musical theatre performances portraying roles such as Jo in Little Women, the Witch in Into the Woods, and Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables. She has been a soloist for several masterworks including Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Howell’s Requiem, Ray’s Gospel Mass, and Faure’s Requiem. When not on stage, Courtney taught voice, piano, music theory, and drama at Mason’s School of the Arts as well as assistant directed several local theatre productions.

Jennifer Watson is an adjunct voice professor at Oklahoma Baptist University, University of Central Oklahoma, and Rose State College, where she actively enjoys participating in concerts and recitals. She recently joined the Tulsa Opera’s chorus for Aida in February 2023, and performed Chopin with the OKC Ballet and Philharmonic’s “Lady of the Camellias.” She is looking forward to a summer of studying Britten’s “Turn of the Screw” with the Chicago Summer Opera in July and Painted Sky Opera in September.

New York/Boston based soprano Stephanie Foster has begun a vibrant artistic career as a multifaceted musician and teacher. She recently graduated with both a Master's Degree and an additional Performance Certificate from the Manhattan School of Music, after having completed her BA in Music at Connecticut College. Over the past several years, Stephanie has been awarded a variety of performance opportunities in the United States and Europe, from full-scale operatic and musical theater productions to recital and oratorio. Recent operatic roles include Zerlina and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Frasquita (Carmen), Musetta (La Bohème), Morgana (Alcina), Erste Dame (Die Zauberflöte), and Adele (Die Fledermaus), while concert appearances include Peabody Massachusetts’s annual Holiday Pops Concert, and multiple presentations of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. In addition to performing, she has begun taking on projects in the production realm, most notably serving as assistant stage director for operas at the Manhattan School of Music and the Aspen Music Festival. She also has a passion for education and outreach, currently working as a teacher and tutor specializing in music theory, ear training, sight singing, and voice, and having participated in two outreach ensembles during her time at MSM.

Veronica Koz is an upcoming Senior BM Voice Performance major, minoring in Business at Ross at The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her most recent credits include Tricia in A Chorus Line, the Chorus of The Cunning Little Vixen, A Novice/The Mistress of the Novices in Sour Angelica at the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia. When she is not performing, she thoroughly enjoys performing arts management. She currently stage manages and produces shows at the university. She is grateful for her friends and family who graciously support her in her endeavors!

Jessica Blomberg is a soprano pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she studies under Professor Dawn Harris. Her performance credits at UIUC include Trial by Jury by Gilbert & Sullivan (Bridesmaid), Carnaval! (Nina/Consuelo/Ensemble), A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim (Mala/Liebeslieder cover), and Lyric Under the Stars (Laurey/Ensemble). This past summer, she performed the role of Papagena in The Magic Flute for Northwestern University’s Summer Vocal Performance Seminar. Jessica is a member of the University of Illinois Women’s Glee Club and a recipient of the 2021-22 Voice Achievement Award from the UIUC School of Music. In her hometown of Farina, Illinois, she has been the main pianist at Friedens United Church of Christ for four years. She would like to thank her family, friends, and teachers for their endless enthusiasm and support.

Grace McMahon is a light lyric soprano originally from Jefferson, Wisconsin. She is currently a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee studying Vocal Performance. This past March she played Adele in UWM Opera Theater’s performance of Die Fledermaus. In November she was awarded 1st place in the Third Year Treble Division at the Wisconsin State Chapter of NATS auditions. Grace had the opportunity to sing the national anthem at American Family Field for a Brewers game in September. She has also appeared in the UWM Opera Theater’s Spring 2022 production of Little Women as Beth, as well as the Spring 2021 performance of Le nozze di Figaro as a Bridesmaid.

Nicole Bittner is a Sophomore Soprano at Loyola University New Orleans, where she’s studying Vocal Performance. She was born and raised in Haubstadt, Indiana where she began her vocal development training in 2011. Throughout middle school and high school, she was in numerous choirs and Theater productions. During this time she competed in the Indiana Solo & Ensemble competitions where she placed gold at the state level in 2018 - 2020. Nicole had the honor of receiving the Encouragement Award in the spring of 2020 from the Schmidt Vocal Competition. She has also competed and placed 1st in the National Association of Teachers of Singing competitions at the State level for 2022 and 2023 competitions as well as the Southern Region level in 2022. Since she has been at Loyola University New Orleans, she had the opportunity to debut her Opera career as “Nella” in Gianni Schicchi by Puccini and the role of Papagena in The Magic Flute by Mozart. Nicole has been in scene programs in the role of Despina in“Alla Bella Despinetta” from Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte and as Adina in “Caro Elisir” from Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. She has had the opportunity to work with the New Orleans Opera Association in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” and “Madama Butterfly” by Giacomo Puccini as an ensemble member. Nicole is honored to be working with Chicago Summer Opera to study the role of Miss Jessel in Benjamin Britten’s “Turn of the Screw”. This opportunity has been an experience of a lifetime for her, and she is excited to share it with everyone.