Giulio Cesare

Brenden Lengsfeld (he/him) is a countertenor from Calgary, Alberta, Canada with a passion for exploring repertoire that breaks expectations of gender and vocal Fach. This spring, he completed his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Calgary, under the direction of Dr. Laura Hynes, and will begin his Master’s studies this fall at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec with Dr. Tracy Smith Bessette. In July 2023, Brenden attended the Orfeo Vocal Arts Academy in Dresden, Germany, an intensive three-week voice training program and concert series. Brenden has performed alongside the Calgary Opera chorus for the past two seasons, appearing in shows such as Carmen and Le nozze di Figaro, and has made professional appearances with the Early Music Voices concert series, performing works by Handel and Schütz. He made his role debut as Cupid in John Blow’s Venus and Adonis at the University of Calgary in fall 2023, and is excited to be performing the role of Giulio Cesare with Chicago Summer Opera.

Arthur Keast, originally a baritone, embarked on his countertenor journey amidst the pandemic. Arthur earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music in Vocal Performance from Pacific Lutheran University in 2023. He has performed principal roles in 12 full opera productions, including Ottone of Handel’s Agrippina, a 2023 Chicago Summer Opera production, and the title role of Handel's Giulio Cesare, Papageno in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, and Belcore in Donizetti’s L'elisir d'amore, all produced by PLU Opera. His passion for growth led him to American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria, during the summer of 2022. At PLU, Arthur sang with the acclaimed Choir of the West, serving as a soloist for their 2021 and 2022 PLU Christmas concerts, including a performance at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. Since 2018, Arthur has been in demand, having performed nearly 200 solo concerts in the Puget Sound area. His repertoire spans classical, 1930-60s oldie, and violin pieces. He is thrilled to be back at CSO!

Brigid Mack, Mezzo-Soprano

Brigid Mack is a junior in Purchase College Conservatory of Music's Opera Performance/Vocal Studies Program. She recently performed as Hamlet in Ambroise Thomas’s Hamlet, and played Hänsel from Humperdinks’s Hänsel und Gretel at Purchase College last semester. Brigid has previously performed as Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Le Prince Charmant in Purchase College’s production of Cendrillon and played one of the two young girls in Le nozze di Figaro. She appeared as Octavian from Der Rosenkavalier, Der Sandmann in Hänsel und Gretel, Rosina from Il barbiere di Siviglia and Cornelia from Giulio Cesare in Purchase Opera’s Italian & German scenes recital. She is a student of Ms. Bonnie Hamilton.

Born in Tucson, Arizona, soprano Heather Knox is an emerging artist with a passion for new music and historic vocal practices. Her vibrant voice and sincere storytelling have captivated audiences in roles such as Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, Sandrina in La finta giardiniera, Ariane from Martinu’s Ariane, and Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro. She most recently made her role debut as Königen der Nacht at Queens Summer Vocal Institute in August of 2023. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Susquehanna University in 2018, and her Master’s degree in the same from Binghamton University in 2020. Heather is passionate about the composition and performance of new music, and has worked with multiple living composers to premiere new works. She has also won several district and regional honors at the National Association for Teachers of Singing competitions. Heather returns to Chicago Summer Opera to make another role debut as Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare in Egitto, and she’s excited to tackle this master work with the amazing faculty and singers there.

Hannah Ernst is a Soprano from the UNESCO town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Hannah has graduated from UBC’s School of Music with both a bachelors degree and a masters degree in Opera Performance. Prior to attending UBC, Hannah has enjoyed roles in both musical theatre and opera playing Anne in the musical Anne of Green Gables, Joanne in Godspell, as well as the role of Mrs. Shem in the Lunenburg Opera Society’s production of Noye’s Fludde. During her undergraduate degree Hannah enjoyed her chorus work in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Die Zauberflöte, and Passazhirka. The highlights of her undergraduate degree include singing the roles of Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro, Maria in Mansfield Park, and Casilda in The Gondoliers. As a masters student, Hannah has enjoyed participating in several of Opera West’s productions, including Tosca in 2022 and Cavelleria Rusticana in 2023. During her graduate degree, Hannah has had the pleasure of singing the roles of Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, Elena in Il Capello di Paglia di Firenze, with her most recent performance being Despina in Così Fan Tutte.

Mia Stulac is a soprano from Chicago, currently pursuing a B.A. in Vocal Performance at Pepperdine University. At Pepperdine, she has performed in Lehar’s The Merry Widow and Gilbert & Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore. Mia toured with the Pepperdine Chamber Choir in Europe last summer. She also recently won 2nd place at the NATS Cal-Western Regional Competition. She currently studies under Dr. Louise Lofquist. Mia is incredibly grateful and excited to be a part of the Chicago Summer Opera program this year!

Madison Chambers is a 20 year old mezzo-soprano from Atlanta, Georgia, currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Voice Performance at Georgia State University. She has recently performed the roles of Mercedes in Carmen and Zita in Gianni Schicchi and is a member of The Atlanta Opera Chorus where she recently performed in La Boheme and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Her favorite part of the opera process is preparing new roles and is very excited to be diving into the role of Tolomeo in Giulio Cesare with CSO!

Marco T. Rivera Rosa is a 20-year-old Countertenor born in Honduras and raised in Miami. Marco is a sophomore at DePaul University’s School of Music where he is studying with Viktoria Vizin. This August, Marco will be performing the role of Tolomeo from Handel’s Gulio Cesare with Chicago Summer Opera. He sang the role of Nursemaid #2 from Kurt Weill’s Street Scene in March of 2024 with director George Cederquist, and Harry from Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring in May of 2023 with director Harry Silverstein, both with DePaul Opera Theater and Maestro Cathrine O’Shaughnessy. Marco had the opportunity to sing for Tenor Everett McCorvey in a masterclass January of 2024, where he learned of his love for spirituals. In high-school, Marco went to Miami Arts Charter to study voice. He also sang with the Master Chorale of South Florida (MCSF) under Brett Karlin as a choir member from 2019 – 2021, and as a Countertenor soloist for Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms 23 in October of 2019. Through MCSF Marco was able to perform in Andrea Bocelli’s 2019 Valentine's Concert at the FTX Arena as part of his choir. Marco thanks his family’s unwavering support for his success in the world of music.

Liz Winship is a Mezzo-Soprano living and working primarily in Oregon. She studied voice at Portland State University and graduated with a B.M. in Vocal Performance in 2014. She graduated from the Schwob School of Music (Columbus, GA) with a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance in 2019. In the summer of 2022, she had her international Debut as Marcellina in “Le Nozze di Figaro” and La Badessa in “Suor Angelica” at FIO Italia in Urbania, IT.

When she’s not performing, Liz sings as a section leader under Grant Edwards at First Congregational UCC in Portland. She also teaches violin, piano and voice to all ages. When not making music, Elizabeth enjoys reading, hiking, and videogames.

Anastasia Antropova is a classical singer, also trained as a pianist and vocal coach. She performs in European and American venues. Anastasia graduated from Saint Petersburg Conservatory in 2017 (MM in Piano Performance) while studying voice privately, and went to Milan to continue mastering her piano and voice skills. The solo performance venues included Casa Verdi, Sala Santa Maria, Palazzina Liberty in Italy, Academic Capella, and Steinway Piano Gallery in Saint Petersburg.

In 2023 Anastasia graduated the master’s degree of Vocal Performance at the Chicago College of Performing Arts. She studied voice with Judith Haddon and worked on her repertoire with Dana Brown. In 2022 she made her Chicago Symphony Center debut as a soloist performing Mahler’s Symphony N 3.

Anastasia performed her first opera role in the USA in the production of "Bertha" by Ned Rorem in 2021 (Chicago, Roosevelt University). She performed NYC Care Worker in Shendon’s “On Call: Covid-19” and RN in “Bluebeard’s Waiting Room” by Granger. In 2023 she performed in “Suor Angelica” by Puccini. One of her latest highlights is a role of Carmen in “Carmen” by Bizet during Chicago Summer Opera in 2023. Anastasia identifies her voice as a high mezzo-soprano voice versatile enough to sing some soprano parts and concentrates more on Italian and French operatic repertoir. Upcoming opera roles include Donna Elvira and Sesto. Anastasia is performing Carmen at Morelia Opera Festival in 2024.

Anastasia also enjoys performing art song repertoire and singing recitals with piano and ensembles. In 2023, she debuted her author project Melodie in Chicago with piano and string quartet. She also performed a set of Rachmaninoff songs during the Chicago Piano Fest in a duo with Junghwa Moon Auer and debuted her Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff recital in Chicago Temple in 2024.

Macanese – Canadian Mezzo - Soprano Natalie Vong is a first year D.M. Voice Performance student at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music studying under the tutelage of Dr. Brian Gill. Vong is an active performer and teacher of opera, classical singing and music of all ages. Having performed across Canada, Italy and the United States, some of her past experiences include Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Ruggiero in Alcina, Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Praskowia in The Merry Widow, Suor Mathilde in Dialoghi delle Carmelitane and opera choruses of Die Zauberflöte and Le Nozze di Figaro. Opera scene credits include Romeo in I Capuleti e I Montecchi, Annina in La Traviata and Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro. She earned both her Master of Music in Performance and Literature and a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance at the University of Western Ontario studying with Dr. Sophie Roland.

Grace Hebeisen, mezzo-soprano, is an artist who strives to inspire people to feel and empathize through storytelling and music. Grace, age 23, received her BM from Peabody Conservatory and is currently completing her MM with Elizebeth Bishop.

Last year, Grace performed in Peabody’s Opera Etudes, a unique program in which student composers collaborate with vocalists. She debuted the role of Granny in Micheal Mills’ opera Take Me Down. Recently, Grace Hebeisen has performed with Maryland Opera in their summer concert series at the Boordy Vineyards. She also performed the Role of Mother in Hansel and Gretel in 2022 and the role of Lola in Cavalleria rusticana, 2019. Grace recently completed her senior recital; she performed solo works such as Zigeunermelodien by Dvořák and chamber works by Brahms and Holst. She has also participated in the Lyric Opera of Baltimore Summer Program (2019 and 2017), the Washington National Opera Young Associate Program (2018), and the WNO Summer Institute (2018).

Chelsea Alberda is a Lyric Mezzo-Soprano who first discovered her love for Opera at the age of 15, when she performed for the first time with the Pensacola Opera Choir. Since that time, Chelsea has continued to perform with the Pensacola Opera in productions to include Lucia di Lammermoor, The Magic Flute, Carmen and Die Fledermaus, to name a few. In tandem with performing in these productions, Chelsea has also attended and graduated from The University of West Florida, where she earned her degree in Music Performance with a concentration in Voice.

In addition to the numerous productions and recitals that Chelsea has performed in over the years, Chelsea as a passionate artist has also furthered her craft proudly at the Voice Studio of Deborah Ross. She currently lives in Pensacola, and has made her dream to take her talents across the country and globe to share her love of Opera with the world.

Jiahao Fu is a baritone native to Shandong, China, currently pursuing his doctoral degree at Michigan State University, where he also serves as a teaching assistant. His passion for vocal artistry began at the age of 15, and since then he has distinguished himself through his performances in opera and received recognitions. Since came to MSU, He studies under the tutelage of renowned baritone, Mark Rucker. His belief in the power of music as the most beautiful language in the world fuels his desire to share his talent and energy with a wider audience, hoping to bring positivity and inspiration to all who hear his voice.

Briona Robinson is a mezzo-soprano and native of North Charleston, South Carolina. She recently got her Bachelor's of Music with an emphasis in Vocal Performance from the University of South Carolina and is a current student of Rachel Calloway. Briona's previous roles include Tituba in Robert Ward's The Crucible with Opera at USC, Rona Lisa Peretti in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with University of South Carolina Musical Theatre, Missus Herring in Albert Herring with Harrower Summer Opera Program, Kate in Pirates of Penzance with Columbia Operatic Laboratory, Ilona Ritter in She Loves Me with Opera at USC, as well as Rosina in FBN Productions commissioned performance of The Red Song Bird.

Esther Yi-An Tien, Taiwanese mezzo-soprano, is a doctoral student at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and maintains a full voice studio at Taylor University. This season, Esther joins the world premiere of Climate Opera with the American Opera Project in New York City in lead roles in April, premieres a chamber opera (All of US) commissioned by The Center of The Performing Arts (Carmel, IN) as a principle in June, and sings Cornelia in Giulio Cesare with award-winning company Chicago Summer Opera in August. Earlier this season, she portrayed Hiroko Kobayashi (Mama) in IU Opera and Ballet Theater's production of An American Dream. Esther's past roles include Edka (Out of Darkness), Satirino (La Calisto), Grandma (Little Red Riding Hood), and Second Lady (The Magic Flute). Her scene performances have included memorable portrayals of Cherubino (Le Nozze di Figaro), Ormindo (L'ormindo), and Zulma (L'italiana in Algeri). She also performed Linfea and Il Destino from Cavalli's La Calisto at the Huntington Theater and participated in Le Nozze di Figaro's ensemble at Paramount Theater in Boston. Esther has performed as a soloist throughout the US, Europe, and Asia in venues such as the Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, Jordan Hall, and the National Concert Hall of Taiwan. She was chosen worldwide to participate in masterclasses with Sumi Jo in Salzburg in 2019, and she was a Professional Fellow at Songfest in 2023, where she worked directly with notable musicians such as Roger Vignoles, John Musto, Amy Burton, and Javier Arrebola. A recipient of many prestigious scholarships and prizes, Esther earned her BM from Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University with the George Woodhead Prize in Voice and MM from New England Conservatory as a Graduate Assistant, where she was the elected Commencement Student speaker. Esther studies with Dr. Brian Gill and is a certified Vocologist.