The Medium/Gianni Schicchi

Maryn West is a 21-year-old lyric soprano from Houston, Texas studying voice at the University of North Texas with Dr. Carol Wilson. Maryn was recently awarded second place in the San Antonio Tuesday Musical Club Competition in Voice. She is a past finalist in the Schmidt Undergraduate Vocal Competition as well as a semi-finalist in the UNT Concerto Competition. Recent roles include the Littler Zegner Daughter (Proving Up) with UNT Opera, Zerlina (Don Giovanni) at Varna International Music Academy, the Sandman (Hansel und Gretel) with UNT Opera, and Desirée and Voice Student (Notes on Viardot) with Music On Site, Inc.

Val Chong is a distinguished 22-year-old Singaporean soprano known for her light and expressive voice. In 2023, Val earned second prize at the Vocal Concerto Competition at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. Her roles include Soprano soloist for Bach's Easter Oratorio (Red Dot Baroque Singapore), Mozart's Coronation Mass (National University of Singapore Symphony Orchestra), Zerlina in Don Giovanni (Vienna Opera Academy), Monica in The Medium and Serpina in La Serva Padrona (Conservatory opera scenes), and Despina in Così fan tutte (Classic Lyric Arts Italy opera scenes). She has sung in the chorus of La Sonnambula (The Opera People Singapore) and La Cenerentola (The Opera Lab Singapore). She was a scholarship recipient of a university exchange programme at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland of 2024 fall. She previously trained under esteemed coaches such as Julian Tovey, Stephen Robertson, Donald George, Glenn Morton, and Roger Vignoles.

London Witherwax, a soprano from West Des Moines, is an upcoming sophomore at Drake University, majoring in Vocal Performance and Public Relations. Studying under Dr. Ann Cravero, she has already performed in ensemble roles in Die Zauberflöte and an Opera Gala, as well as participating in opera scenes and a masterclass with Andrew Ryker. Passionate about both her vocal craft and academic pursuits, London looks forward to continuing her growth as a performer and communicator.

Soprano Alana Blankenship is a native of Americus, Ga. She is a junior at Mercer University where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance studying voice under Dr. Richard Kosowski. She has also previously studied with Beau Palmer of Georgia Southwestern University while in high school from 2020-2022. Alana regularly performs with the Mercer University Opera, having performed roles such as Armida in Rinaldo (March 2025), Laurencia in The Beautiful Bridegroom (February 2024), and various characters in opera scenes including Mrs. Grose (Turn of the Screw) and Pitti-sing (The Mikado). She has also in the GANATS and SERNATS National Student Auditions. She was awarded state finals winner for her category at GA NATS in 2022, Honorable Mention at SERNATS in 2023, and has also been a preliminary audition winner for her category at GANATS and a semifinalist for both classical and musical theatre categories at SERNATS. In addition to solo and opera performances, Alana has also been performing with the Mercer Singers since 2022 and has had the opportunity to travel with the group to France to perform the Duruflé Requiem and more recently to New York to perform Ola Gjlelo’s Sunrise Mass at Carnegie Hall.

LaTetra Lewis is a Mezzo-Soprano hailed for her "rich voice and magnetic stage presence." Her operatic studies began at the renowned Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, VA. LaTetra has performed many roles such as Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, Madame Flora in Menotti’s The Medium, and Third Lady in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte. A frequent soloist in concerts, conferences, and festivals; she has been featured in a special performance for the Governor of Virginia at the Virginia State Capitol Building for their 2024 Independence Day celebration.

LaTetra has performed in many shows as a member of the Virginia Opera chorus beginning in their 2008 season, with recent performances including La Traviata and Madama Butterfly. She will tour with the company in their 2025 production of the new world premiere opera by Damien Geter, Loving v. Virginia. In addition to her professional work, she performs at events in support of the arts and the community.

Award-winning mezzo soprano, Ashley Leparik, captivates audiences with her velvety tone and powerful performances. Born in Milford Connecticut, she began her musical journey in choir. Ashley's a sophomore at East Carolina University, honing her craft and making debuts in Italy and England. Ashley is excited to explore the world of classical music and share her talents with audiences.

Aileen Conner (Mezzo-Soprano) is 20 years old and a sophomore at the University of Southern California, majoring in Vocal Arts and Opera at the Thornton School of Music, where she studies with Professor Derrick Lawrence. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, she has placed in multiple regional and state vocal competitions, including Third place at the Schmidt Vocal Arts Ohio Regional Competition and first place at the Kentucky Regional NATS competition. She has performed through the Thornton Chamber Opera, including Cherubino in Le Nozze de Figaro scene, mezzo-soprano chorus member in Dido and Aeneas, and Joanne in Company, the Musical scene. She was recently invited by the Los Angeles Clippers to sing the National Anthem and won an encouragement award and Frampton Runner-up People's Choices Award at the Opera Buffs Young Artists Vocal Competition. An alum of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Vocal Program (2022) and Kentucky Governor's School of the Arts Vocal Arts (2021), she is excited to be playing Ms. Nolan in the Medium and looking forward to her time at the Chicago Summer Opera Program!

Ryan Kelly is a baritone currently studying music education and opera at Texas State University. He is a rising senior and has been involved with Texas State opera since his freshman year. With a strong passion for performing and education he seeks to continue his growth as a performer with Chicago Summer Opera. Mr. Kelly hopes to attend a master's program after graduation focusing on vocal performance and pedagogy.

Daisy Dalit Sigal is a young Canadian soprano from Montreal. She is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree in Classical Vocal Performance at the Manhattan School of Music, where she was awarded the Presidential Scholarship, under the guidance of Cynthia Hoffmann.

Throughout her artistic journey, she has interpreted various pieces ranging from musical theatre to operatic repertoire. After winning First Prize in the American Protégé International Vocal Competition in 2018, she was inspired by the idea of pursuing a career in opera. In June 2023, she was named a Future Star by the Fondation de la Place des Arts and was invited to perform as a soloist in the 12th annual edition of the Future Star’s Grand Premiere gala on the biggest stage of Place des Arts in Montreal.

In January 2023, Daisy appeared as Une Bête in her school’s concert production of Maurice Ravel’s L’Enfant et les sortilèges. She had her official role debut as the Sorella Infermiera in Puccini’s Suor Angelica on the Chautauqua Institution Amphitheatre stage and performed the roles of Sutton/Marine/Mrs. Foster in Kurt Weill’s Lady in the Dark in the summer of that year. Last summer, Dalit Sigal appeared again on the CHQ Amphitheatre stage as Maria in Nino Rota’s I due timidi.

She is thrilled to perform the role of Princess Ida in Manhattan School of Music’s upcoming UGOT production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Princess Ida: the Glow Up this spring, as well as the role of Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi with the Chicago Summer Opera this summer.

Tatum Murphy is an incoming sophomore at Drake University in Iowa, studying for her BM in Vocal Performance. She has been studying under Dr. Ann Cravero for the past three years who has been a great teacher and mentor as she continues learning. Tatum debuted her first opera role as a mezzo-soprano in the chorus of Die Zauberflote at Drake University, but she has many musical theater credits: most recently, Betty Haynes in White Christmas, Sr. Mary Roberts in Sister Act, and Ursula in The Little Mermaid.

Brynnan Brooks is a mezzo-soprano from Lubbock, Texas with a Bachelor's in vocal performance from Texas Tech University. She has performed Orfeo in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice at Maedgen Theater (Lubbock) and Centro Nacional de los Artes (Mexico City), Mrs. Herring in Albert Herring, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, 3rd Lady/3rd Spirit in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Rapunzel in Into the Woods, among others. She also participated in the Music in the Marche program in Mondavio, Italy.

Jon ‘Dirk’ Ross is a Music Performance Major at Angelo State University (ASU). In the Spring of 2025, Mr. Ross competed in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and earned a Young Artist Encouragement Award. At 18 years old, Mr. Ross competed and earned first place as well as the Harold Stark Encouragement award during the 2023 Southwest Region NATS Competition. Mr. Ross has sung in multiple opera scenes within the newly revived opera program at ASU, led by Dr. Mark Covey. These scenes include roles such as ‘Papageno’ from Die Zauberflöte, ‘Figaro’ from Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and ‘Don Giovanni’ from Don Giovanni. Mr. Ross has also performed notable roles since beginning his musical theater career with the San Angelo Broadway Academy (SABA) in August 2022, including the ‘Phantom’ in Phantom of the Opera and ‘Shrek’ in Shrek the Musical, under the direction of Angela Shanks. Mr. Ross was a featured soloist at the San Angelo Symphony’s Holiday Jubilee, in December 2024, as well as the Permian Basin Opera Company’s Gala at the Gardens in April 2024 and 2025. Mr. Ross was an emerging young artist at the 2024 OperaMaya International Music Festival. Mr. Ross serves on the faculty of Emmanuel School of Fine Arts in San Angelo, Texas.

Auden Svoboda is going into his third year at Lawrence University as a double major in music and creative writing. This will be his second opera role, after appearing as Secret Police in Lawrence's production of The Consul (Menotti). Most of his performing background is in musical theater, having appeared in many productions in his hometown of Berkeley, CA. In addition to singing, Auden enjoys writing poetry, costume design, and pickleball.

Wang Zi, Prince,Bass

Graduated from the Vocal Opera Department of the Central Conservatory of Music in China, and is now enrolled in the Professional Performance Diploma of the Vocal Department of Manneschine, 2024 Semi-Finalist of the 2024 Première Opera Foundation, and has previously portrayed Gremlin in Yevgeny Onegin, Sarastro in The Magic Flute, and Melisso in Arsina.This time he will be portraying Simmone in Gianniszkyky, and Sarastro in Magic Flute. Simmone in Gianni Schicchi, and Sarastro in Magic Flute.

Christopher Jonathan Comanescu is a Romanian American clarinetist and bass singer. Christopher learned how to play the clarinet in the sixth grade and solo singing in his senior year of high school. He is a versatile musician having played a variety of different music genres on the clarinet. In the area of voice, Christopher has also sung art songs, arias, musical, and choral music in Romanian, German, Swedish, Italian, and English.