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Suor Angelica
&
THE MEDIUM

Thursday, June 18 2015
7:30 PM
Saturday, June 20, 2015
7:30 PM

Edgebrook Lutheran Church  
5252 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60646

CONDUCTOR
CODRUT BIRSAN 
STAGE DIRECTOR
GEORGE CEDERQUIST

Purchase Tickets


SUOR ANGELICA 
A CONVENT
FULLY STAGED WITH ORCHESTRA

Sister Angelica and two lay sisters are late for chapel. The Monitor chides them for not doing penance as Sister Angelica has done. Some of the sisters confess they still long for worldly pleasures—Sister Genovieffa for the lambs she used to tend and Sister Dolcina for sweet things to eat. Sister Angelica denies she has any such desires, but the others know she desperately longs for some word from her family. For seven years she has heard nothing from them, and the sisters speculate that she was a princess, banished to the convent for reasons they have been unable to discover. Soon alms collectors arrive, distributing the food they have gathered. One of them mentions that a magnificent coach bearing a visitor stands outside the convent gate. Angelica is startled and, with increasing anxiety, asks her to describe the coach in detail. A bell rings announcing the visitor. The Abbess enters and tells Angelica that her aunt, the Princess, has come to see her. Approaching, the Princess rejects Angelica’s gestures of affection. The Princess explains that when Angelica’s parents died, she was made guardian of both Angelica and her sister, Anna Viola, and was given control over their inheritance (“Il principe Gualtiero”). Anna Viola is to be married and the Princess demands Angelica sign her share over to her sister. Having brought disgrace on the family name, the Princess declares, Angelica is no longer entitled to any part of the inheritance. Crushed by her aunt’s cruelty, Angelica swears she has repented. She cannot, however, erase the memory of her little son, who, she learns, died two years ago. Her will now broken, Angelica sobs and signs the document. The Princess withdraws and Angelica grieves that her son died without his mother by his side (“Senza mamma”). Resolving to join her child in heaven, she drinks poison. She is then struck by the reality of what she has done and prays for salvation. A celestial choir is heard and Angelica sees a vision of the Blessed Virgin with her child.

The Medium

Act I

Monica, the daughter of Madame Flora ("Baba"), and Toby, a mute boy living with them, are playing while Madame Flora is away. When she returns, she is furious that they are not ready for the seance she has planned; Monica prevents her from striking Toby. They busily prepare, and when the three guests arrive for the seance, Monica pretends to be the teenage daughter of one and the baby son of another, while Toby works the mechanical devices that control the motion of the lights and the furniture in the room. Suddenly, Madame Flora stops the seance and sends the customers away. She tells Monica she felt a spectral hand clutch her throat during the seance. She suspects Toby at first, but as Monica tries to comfort her Flora hears a voice imitating Monica's performance at the seance.

Act II

A few days later, Monica is watching Toby perform a puppet show for her; then she dances for him. Monica realizes he is trying to tell her that he loves her; pretending to be his voice, she says it for him. She runs off as Flora reenters; the medium tries cajole Toby into confessing that he was the one who touched her during the seance, or that he knows something about it. When he does not answer, she begins to whip him, but is interrupted by the doorbell. The three clients from the previous seance enter; Flora gives them their money back and tries to convince them they have been cheated, even showing them the wires and microphones, but they refuse to believe her. She throws them out, and despite Monica's protests, throws Toby out, too. Monica goes to her room, and Flora, frightened by what she has experienced, drinks herself to sleep. Toby returns; Flora awakes, and Toby hides from her; Flora, thinking he is the spirit she felt, shoots him.


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Suor Angelica
Sarai Cole

International Soprano Sarai Cole holds a BA in Acting and a Masters in Opera Performance from Temple University.  While at Temple University, Sarai was featured in Temple University Opera Theater's productions as The First Lady in The Magic Flute, Suor Angelica in Suor Angelica, and Lady Billows in Albert Herring.  

Sarai also performs regularly with The Opera Project and Sunday Opera.  Roles performed with these two companies, include Tosca, Santuzza, large excerpts from Aida, and La Bohème.  Mrs. Cole has performed in many distinguished venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Kimmel Center (Verizon Hall & Perelman Theater), Teatro Sodre (Montevideo, Uruguay), Auditorio Astengo (Rosario, Argentina), Auditorio Juan Victoria (San Juan, Argentina), as well as numerous auditoriums, churches, and synagogues in the US, South America, Austria, and Spain.         

Mrs. Cole has won a number of competitions and grants including the Barry Alexander International Voice Competition, the Harlem Opera Theatre Competition, Wagner Society of New York Encouragement Grant (2014), and the Frances E. Williams Artist Grants, 

Upcoming Sarai will be performing in The Opera Project’s concert series, as well as a recital with the Hatboro Baptist Church Spring Concert Series, and will perform lead roles this season in Il Trovatore, Suor Angelica, Don Giovanni, and La Bohème.  Learn more about Sarai at www.SaraiCole.com. 


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Suor Angelica
Sarah Guilmartin

Irish soprano Sarah is currently completing her Professional Studies Diploma at Mannes: The New School for Music, in New York. A graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAPPA) her musical achievements include: West Australian Opera Young Artist 2012-2014, Joan Sutherland Award 2014/2012 (Australian American Association) and Lisa Gasteen National Opera School Scholarship 2012/ 2013. 

Sarah’s opera credits include; Ciesca: Gianni Schicchi (Mannes Opera), 1st Lady: The Magic Flute (West Australian Opera) Nella: Gianni Schicchi (Opera Fringe Northern Ireland), Pisana: I Due Foscari (Lyric Opera Ireland), Sr. Catherine: Dead Man Walking (Opera Ireland), Phyllis: Iolanthe (National Concert Hall, Dublin), Casilda: The Gondoliers (National Concert Hall, Dublin), Valencienne: The Merry Widow (Gaiety Theatre, Dublin), Sarah Whitehead and Princess Caraboo: English Eccentrics (WAAPA), Rosalinde: Die Fledermaus (WAAPA), Soprano Soloist: Petite Messe Solennelle (St. Georges, Perth ), Soprano soloist: A Child of our Time (WAAPA). 

Scenes: 1st Lady: Die Zauberflöte (Lisa Gasteen National Opera School), Cio-Cio-San: Madama Butterfly (West Australian Opera), Antonia: Les Contes d’Hoffman (West Australian Opera). 

Concerts: Metropolitan Opera Club (New York), Morning Melodies (West Australian Opera), 4Art Festival (West Australian Opera), Exploring Opera (West Australian Opera), Art Song Perth, The Mandurah Proms, The Sound of Our Music (National Concert Hall, Dublin), Magic of the Musicals (National Concert Hall, Dublin), Romberg to Rodgers (National Concert Hall, Dublin), The Priests World Tour, The Cantabile Singers Dublin, The 3 Irish Tenors. 

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La Zia Principessa
Kimberly Hilton

Mezzo-soprano Kimberly Hilton has impressed audiences throughout the East Coast and Midwest with her dynamic performances in opera, jazz, film and theater. In addition to performing La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica with Chicago Summer Opera, she will be taking on the role of Marcellina in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro with Portland Summer Opera in July 2015.  Notable opera roles include Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro and Mrs. Nolan in The Medium. Scenes include Carmen from Carmen and Second Lady from Die Zauberflöte.   In addition to operatic repertoire, she also has extensive theater credits such as Roxy in Chicago, Girdy in Oklahoma and Elizabeth in Angel Street. Kimberly is currently pursuing her Master's in Vocal Performance at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, studying with Dr. Joseph Amaya.

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Zia Principessa & Madame Flora
Martha Anderson

Martha Anderson made her NY operatic debut last season with the New York City Metro Chamber Orchestra when she sang the role of "Mother" in the North American premier of All Quiet on the Western Front.  Her portrayal was praised by The New York Times as expressive and by the work's composer as rich and dark.  Anderson appeared previously with the New York City Metro Chamber Orchestra in 2013 when she sang alongside Metropolitan Opera star John Horton Murray in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.  Last season Anderson received multiple rave reviews for her portrayal of the cruel princess in Suor Angelica. The EDGEboston: "A true dramatic mezzo.  Her clarion voice has an even quality from the top to the very bottom and her voice is superb."  Anderson has also performed with the prestigious North Carolina Symphony ("Maude" in Music Man), and Bel Cantanti Opera in Washington, DC ("Marcellina" in Le Nozze di Figaro).  She has additionally performed the roles of "Mother” (Menotti’s The Consul), “Suzuki” (Madama Butterfly), "Duchess" (The Gondoliers), "Little Buttercup" (HMS Pinafore), "Julie" (The  Most Happy Fella) and “Nettie” (Carousel).  She has received numerous accolades, most notably by The Salzburg News, heralding her portrayal of "Maddalena" in Rigoletto as that of  a "future opera star."  Anderson has been heard in concert works as well including the Verdi Requiem, the Mozart Requiem, the Mozart Vespers, Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, the Rutter Requiem, the Vivaldi Gloria and Saint Matthew's Passion. Ms. Anderson is a winner of the Phi Beta Kappa Sophomore Book Award and is a magna cum laude graduate of NYU.  She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in music and has studied with Louise Toppin and John VanCura.


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The abbess
Loralee Songer

Loralee Songer is an active recitalist, opera and oratorio performer, and conductor. Loralee’s recital and art song work has led to working with some of today’s most prolific coaches and composers, including Jake Heggie, Libby Larsen, William Bolcom, and Martin Katz. Loralee participated in the summer program SongFest for two consecutive years and was a 2013 Stern Fellow. Also in 2013, Dr. Songer’s voice teaching was recognized by her participation in the NATS Intern Program. In 2014, Loralee was a vocal fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. She is a full-time voice faculty member at Coe College in Iowa. 

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Monitress & Madame Flora
Jessica Hiltabidle

Jessica Hiltabidle, mezzo soprano, has most recently performed the role of Laura in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta with Westminster Choir College’s Opera Theater. She was also a soloist with Westminster Kantorei’s Monteverdi Vespers of 1610. Jessica previously performed Gherardino in Gianni Schicchi, as well as in various opera scenes at Westminster Choir College. This summer she will also be performing Marcellina in Opera Theater of Pittsburgh’s Figaro Redux, and will take part in the world premier of A New Kind of Fallout by Gilda Lyons. Jessica received her Master of Music in Performance and Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College.

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Monitress & Mrs. Nolan
Caitlin Smykil

Caitlin Smykil recently returned to her native Chicagoland after receiving her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from The Boston Conservatory, where she studied with soprano, Kathryn Wright.  She has had numerous choral solos, musical theatre roles, and has spent years singing in jazz combos and big bands. As a well rounded musician, Caitlin plays jazz and classical piano, mallet percussion, and has an intense passion for music theory and composition.  Her interest in opera began while attending The College of DuPage, where she was a chorus member at DuPage Opera Theatre for four years.  Caitlin's partial roles include Papagena (Die Zauberöte), Oscar (Un Ballo in Maschera.), Mad Margaret (Ruddigore), Fidalma (Il Matrimonio Segreto), and Mother (The Consul).  She currently studies with renown bass, Álvaro Ramírez. This will be her full role debut.  

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Nursing Sister &  Mrs. Nolan
Nicolette Nazarowski

Mezzo-Soprano, Nicolette Nazarowski is a native of Chicago. She was a member of Chicago Opera Theater's Gallery 37-Opera Workshop for many years under the direction of A.J. Wester, Francesco Milioto, and Marta Johnson. Through the program, she was able to participate in a master class with mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung, perform at the Chicago Cultural Center, and sing on the stage of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Nicolette has worked and cantored with many churches around the Chicago area. She is a regular cantor at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, and sings with their wonderful choir. There, she has been an alto soloist for Messiah, Seven Last Words of Christ, and Durante's Magnificat. Nicolette has recently sung as an alto soloist with the Bar Association orchestra and chorus, and with organizations such as Theordore Theater, HHW Vocal Arts Ensemble, and Verismo Opera Theater. Nicolette received her Bachelors in Vocal Performance from North Park University in Chicago, where she studied with Dr. Karen Bauer. At North Park, she was a part of the Opera-Workshop, primarily under the direction of Nyela Basney, and has been a part of productions such as, The Beggar's Opera, played The Spinster in The Masque of Angels, and La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica. Nicolette is also a member of North Shore Opera Hour under the direction of Luis Galvez where she has sung scenes as Dolores in La Dolorosa, played Katisha in their fall production of The Mikado, and will be in their production of Show Boat this summer. Nicolette has worked with directors including Matthew Ozawa and Michael LaTour. Nicolette is currently pursuing a Masters of Music in Voice Performance at University of Kansas City-Missouri Conservatory, where she studies with Vinson Cole.

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Suor Genovieffa & Monica
Banlingyu Ban

Banlingyu is from Shandong, lives in Shanghai, China. Graduated in Shanghai Conservatory of Music for Bachelor and Master Degree. Ms. Ban is a first year Professional Studies Diploma  student at Mannes College for Music studying with Ruth Falcon.

Banlingyu has sung Nella in Gianni Schicchi with Burletta Opera Festival in Shanghai, Giannetta in L'elisir D'amore with the Third Brittany Opera Festival Carnac, France, and Dolcina in Suor Angelica with The Mannes Opera in 2014. She is the Tuscia International Opera Festival Competition Third Place winner and winner of the Best Puccini Performance Award 2012 in Italy, as well as the Excellence Award from Asia International Vocal Festival in Hong Kong.

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Suor Genovieffa 
Eunjin Jung

A native of Daegu, Korea, soprano Eunjin Jung is in her first year of Mannes College as a Professional Study Degree. She is a student of Amy Burton and gets coaching with Joshua Greene and Susan Caldwell. Most recently, she sang  Novis in Suor Angelica at The Kaye Playhouse (2014 Mannes Opera), and Lord of Heaven as a soprano soloist at Carnegie Hall (Isaac Stern Auditorium) with World Milal Choir and Orchestra (2014). Recent opera scenes include as Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Mathilde in Guillaume Tell (2014), Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte and Woglinde in Gotterdammerung (2012), Violetta in Traviata (2011). She, also, sang Lucy in The Telephone (2011) in Korea. In 2014-2016, she gets a scholarship from Mannes College. In summer 2013-2014 she attended Songfest and IVAI summer programs. She will sing Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor and Nanetta in Falstaff  in Mannes on May 2015. In summer 2015 she will sing Sour Genovieffa in Suor Angelica in Chicago Summer Opera.

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Suor Osmina
Kelly Bourget 

Kelly Bourget is a recent graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Vocal Performance. She is excited to start this new chapter in her life and is looking forward to all the experiences. She has performed in many places as a soloist and with an ensemble. Some of her more notable roles include Mimi in La Boheme, Pilar in Legally Blonde the Musical, Dorothy in The Wiz, Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast and many more. She is thrilled to be spending her summer in Chicago playing the roles of Suor Osmina in Suor Angelica and covering the role of Mrs. Gobineau in The Medium and learning from esteemed singers, conductors, and directors. She would like to thank her supportive family and friends for getting her this far.

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Suor Osmina 
Natalie Cochran 

Natalie Christina Cochran is a sought-after soprano, performer, and musician.  Performing throughout the city, she has been praised for her sparkling, vulnerable vocal qualities. She recently performed soprano works from Handel’s Messiah (2015), as well as the role of Daughter of Zion in Handel’s Brockes Passion, while covering the Soprano Soloist in Orff’s Carmina Burana at Orchestra Hall in Detroit (2014). In 2014, Natalie also joined Vox 3 Opera Collective in Chicago, performing works in concert by Poulenc, Foote, Chadwick, and Beach.  She also performed as a soloist with the Michigan Opera Theater at the Knight Foundation’s Random Act of Culture in 2013. She completed a Bachelor’s of Music in Voice at the University of Michigan in 2008 and a Master’s of Music in Vocal Performance at Oakland University in 2011, where she won the David Daniel’s Young Artist Concerto Competition in 2010, as well at the Music, Theater and Dance Department’s “Outstanding Student in Voice Performance” in 2011.  


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Suor Dolcina & Monica
Samantha Lax

Soprano Samantha Lax is a New Jersey native currently based out of Boston, Massachusetts. Samantha's roles include Papagena (Die Zauberflöte) with New England Conservatory; Antonia (Les contes d'Hoffmann) and Cobweb (A Midsummer Night's Dream) with Westminster Opera Theater. Partial roles include Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Amy (Little Women), and Nannetta (Falstaff) with New England Conservatory's Perkin Opera Scenes. 

Miss Lax is currently preparing for a performance of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro with Opera Theater of Pittsburgh where she will perform the role of Barbarina.
Miss Lax is an alumna of the Westminster Williamson Voices, under the direction of Dr. James Jordan and appeared on their two most recent album recordings as a member of the soprano section. She appears as the soprano soloist in the Son of God Mass: Kyrie on James Whitbourn: Living Voices and on the GRAMMY nominated James Whitbourn: Annelies.

While at Westminster Choir College, she was a member of The Deaftones, WCC's co-ed a cappella group, for which she performed and arranged music for four years.

Samantha holds her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Westminster Choir College and her Master of Music in Vocal Performance at the New England Conservatory.

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Suor Dolcina
Page Michels

Page Elizabeth Michels is currently pursuing her undergraduate studies at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; graduating in the Spring of 2018.  She holds the titles of OSAA Soprano Oregon State Champion 2014, OSAA 2nd Place State Soprano 2013 and First Place Finalist in the Classical Singer Competition with invitation to the Boston National Convention (May 2013).  Intensives she has attended include BU’s Tanglewood Institute YAVP, NYU’s Classical Voice Intensive and the Stangeland Family Youth Choral Academy at the Oregon Bach Festival.  Roles include the ensemble of Handel’s Alcina at CCM, Rosalinde in scenes from Die Fledermaus, the First Fairy in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Mendellsohn), among other solo opportunities. Page studied extensively with Angela Niederloh  (PSU) and currently with Dr. Gwendolyn Detweiler (CCM).


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Novice & Mrs. gobineau
Adriana Martínez

Adriana Martínez, soprano, is thrilled to be making her debut with Chicago Summer Opera. Previous partial roles include Leonora in Il Trovatore, Marianne in Tartuffe, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Miss Todd in The Old Maid and The Thief, Valencienne in The Merry Widow, Malika in Lakmé and Moppet in Paul Bunyan. 
Adriana has participated in several summer programs, including the Crittenden Opera Workshop and the Emerald City Opera Artist Institute, among others. Her past voice teachers include Renay Conlin, Patrick Howle, Ruth Drucker, and Charles Roe. She currently studies with Claudia Kennedy. 
An active choral singer, she has performed with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus, the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, the Handel Choir of Baltimore, and the National Philharmonic Chorale among others. Currently she is a member of The Phoenix Symphony Chorus.
Born in Mexico City, Mexico, Adriana holds a Bachelor's degree in Music from the University of Charleston (WV), and a Master’s and PhD in Musicology from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. She teaches music history courses at Arizona State University and Phoenix College.
Upcoming engagements include appearances at the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria later this summer.


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Novice
Beverly Thompson

Beverly Thompson earned her Master of Music degree from Brigham Young University in April 2015, where she performed the role of Susanna in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro as well as participated in numerous scene programs as Juliette (Romeo et Juliette), Mimi (La Bohème), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), and Lady Harriet (Martha). She won multiple awards including the BYU Farnsworth/Winterton award and the Luisa Wimmer award. She earned her undergraduate degree in vocal performance from Indiana University. Beverly has also been a participant in Dolora Zajick's Institute for Young Dramatic Voices, where she received coachings from world class teachers and performers, including Dolora Zajick, Anthony Manoli, and Kathryn LaBouff.

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alms Sister & Mrs. Gobineau
Laurel Beard

Young lyric soprano, Laurel Beard, excels in her interpretations of Mozart and romantic French and Italian roles.  With warm, robust phrasing, and brilliant fioratura, her performance capabilities extend to both the lyric coloratura and full lyric fachs.  Recent portrayals include Juliette (Roméo et Juliette), Musetta (La bohème), Fiordiligi (Cosí fan tutte), Leila (Les pêcheurs de perles), Giulietta (Les contes d’Hoffmann), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) and Violetta (La Traviata).  Laurel has appeared in productions with Illinois Opera League, Midwest Institute of Opera, Harrower Summer Opera Workshop and La Musica Lirica International Music Festival in Urbania, Italy. 
In addition to her operatic credits, Laurel performs frequently in concert throughout central Illinois and Chicago.  Most recently, she was featured as a guest soloist alongside accomplished artists Saundra DeAthos, soprano, and Megan Marino, mezzo-soprano, for “Shakespeare at the Opera”, an evening of arias and ensembles sponsored by the Illinois Opera League.  Laurel is also a featured soloist and chapter performing artist with Opera on Tap Chicago, a group with monthly performances dedicated to bringing opera out of the concert halls and into the community.
In contrast to her more traditional role interpretations, Laurel exhibits a capacity for the performance of modern, twentieth-century and contemporary operatic and chamber works.  In February of 2012, she was featured in the role of Sally Mae for the World Premiere of Baby Shower, an opera by Jason Charnesky and Bruce Trinkley with Illinois State University Opera Theater.  Additionally, Laurel performed as Singer #1 in the Southeast Premiere of Conrad Susa’s Transformations under the guidance of commended stage director, Vincent Murphy, with Georgia State University Opera Theater in May 2009.  In concert, she had the honor of performing the Georgia State University Premiere of Song of Songs, a contemporary chamber setting of biblical text, composed by faculty member, Curtis Bryant.
Summer 2015 plans include singing with the Chicago Summer Opera Workshop for productions of both Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Menotti’s The Medium.  As of January 2015, Laurel is proud to be named adjunct professor of voice at Illinois Central College in Peoria, IL.  She holds a M. Mu. in vocal performance with a full graduate assistance-ship from Illinois State University and a B. M. from Georgia State University.  Special awards include being named a 2010 finalist in the Lilian Ripley Koch Vocal Competition and consecutive 2nd place finishes at Georgia NATS in both 2006 and 2007.  Laurel studies under acclaimed tenor, Harold Meers, and coaches with international tenor and artist representative, Scott Flaherty.  

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Alms Sister
Sarah Draffen

Sarah Draffen is a soprano from Reinbeck, IA.  A student of Jeffrey Brich for eight years, she is finishing her master’s degree in vocal performance at the University of Northern Iowa.  Previous credits at UNI include Anne Page in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Papagena in The Magic Flute.  Sarah is also an active member of her local community theatre and has performed such roles as Laurie in Oklahoma and Nancy in Oliver at the Cedar Falls Community Theater.  


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lay sister 
hayley koch

Soprano, Hayley Koch is a Chicago native and thrilled to be performing in Chicago Summer Opera’s production of Suor Angelica.  She is a recent graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University where she received her Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance.  There, she studied with Dr. Carren Moham, Dr. Elizabeth Ducey-Moss and sang with the touring Collegiate choir as well as many other ensembles.  Some of her recent operatic roles include the Second Lady in Magic Flute, Nella in Gianni Schicchi, and the second witch in Dido and Aeneas.  She also appeared in Prairie Fire Theatre’s children’s opera as the Hare in Tortoise and the Hare’s Big Race, an opera piece designed to introduce young students to opera theatre.    Hayley has become a certified yoga teacher with the American Viniyoga Institute to incorporate body-awareness, breath practice, and general wellness into her work as a private voice teacher and performer.

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Lay Sister
Zoey Preston 

Mezzo-Soprano Zoey Preston has performed with many leading orchestras and companies including the New York Philharmonic,  and New York City Opera. A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ms. Preston has also been a soloist with the Breck Chamber Players. Her choral repertoire includes Handel's Messiah, Haydn's Creation, and Mendelssohn's Elijah as well as works by Prokofiev, Walton, and Holst.

Her operatic roles range from Lucy in Menotti’s The Telephone to Despina in scenes from Cosi Fan Tutte, Ms. Preston is currently playing the role of Franzi in Lehar’sThe Land of Smiles at the Manhattan School of Music (MSM), directed by Dona Vaughan. 

Zoey is a currently a Senior at MSM where she is studying with Catherine Malfitano, coaches with Kathryn LaBouff, Glenn Morton, and Marianna Barrett, and has performed under the baton of Kent Tritle, Jorge Parodi, and Alan Gilbert.

In upcoming months, Zoey Preston will be presenting her graduation recital at MSM, which will include works by John Duke, Clara Schumman, and Reynaldo Hahn. Following a deep interest in the works of female composers, Zoey is currently programming a recital of music highlighting the music of Rebecca Clarke and Clara Schumann, as well as the writings of Emily Dickinson and Virginia Woolf. In June Zoey will be performing the role of Lay Sister in Suor Angelica with Chicago Summer Opera, and in July she looks forward to performing Cherubino from Le Nozze di Figaro with Land of Enchantment Opera. 

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