Il Tabarro &
Gianni Schicchi

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José Sacín, Peruvian Baritone and Artistic Director of Opera NOVA, has performed in companies such as The Washington National Opera, Opera Delaware, Caramoor Festival, Opera Camerata of Washington, Teatro Municipal de Lima, Mediterranean Opera Festival, Maryland Lyric Opera, Auditorio Nacional de Madrid and the Rachmaninov Hall in Moscow, Teatro Nacional de San Jose, Opera North and the Baltimore Opera. Main opera roles include Scarpia in Tosca, Giorgio Germont in La Traviata, Dr. Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, Tonio in Pagliacci, Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana, Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola, Marcello in La Bohème, Count Di Luna in Il Trovatore, Don Alfonso in Cosi fan tutte, Vidal in Luisa Fernanda and the title roles in Gianni Schicchi, Don Giovanni, Macbeth, Falstaff and Rigoletto. Sacin is very active in the recital stage performing Schubert’s Winterreise, Schumann’s Dichterliebe and programs of Latin American Art Songs and Italian Art Songs. He appears in the Naxos recording of Ramirez’s Misa Criolla with the Choral Arts of Washington. 

As a conductor, Sacin has performed in Hansel and Gretel, La Cenerentola, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Treemonisha, Die Zauberflöte, Verbena de la Paloma, Monkey See Monkey Do and El Barberillo de Lavapies.

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Jill Gardner sits among today’s leading operatic heroines. Gardner is hailed for her portrayals of the leading ladies of verismo repertoire and Puccini heroines alike. Considered one of the great interpreters of the title role of Tosca, she has performed the role with many opera houses, including Opera Carolina, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Arizona Opera, and Boston Lyric Opera in her role début. This season, Ms. Gardner performs in concert with Tabor Opera House, performs the role of Giorgetta/Santuzza in Tabbaro/Cavalleria Rusticana with Maryland Lyric Opera, and the title role of Tosca with Tri-Cities Opera and Eugene Opera. Last season, Ms. Gardner performed the role of Anna Maurrant in Kurt Weill’s Street Scene with Virginia Opera, Minnie in La fanciulla del West with Maryland Lyric Opera, and Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly with Greensboro Opera. She also performed as Minnie in La fanciulla del West with Virginia Opera, the Marquise of Berkenfield in La fille du Regiment with Hawaii Opera Theatre, and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth with Opera Tampa. 

Ms. Gardner has quite a history as a leading lady in opera’s most infamous repertoire. Some highlights from these include the title role of Manon Lescaut with Opera Grand Rapids; Madama Butterfly in her role début with Arizona Opera; Suor Angelica with Opera Carolina; Tatiana in Eugene Onegin with Eugene Opera; Mimì in La bohème with Boston Lyric Opera; Marguerite in Faust with Madison Opera; and Nedda in Pagliacci with Michigan Opera Theatre and her début with Lyric Opera of Chicago.

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Proving himself a formidable talent and a rising star to watch in the opera world, Tenor Yi Li is quickly gaining attention across the globe. Most recently, Li débuted the role of Cheng Quing in Meredith Monk’s ATLAS with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and moved into bigger repertoire, debuting the role of Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West in Maryland Lyric Opera’s inaugural season. He subsequently returned there as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor and Turridu/Luigi in Il Tabarro/Cavalleria Rusticana as well as returned to The Metropolitan Opera as the Young Lover in Il tabarro.

Upcoming engagements include a return to Maryland Lyric Opera for Turandot and his debut at Opera Tampa in Cavalleria Rusticana.

Other operatic engagements include the role of Nadir in Les pêcheurs de perles with Toledo Opera; Nicias in Thaïs with China National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing; Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with Intermountain Opera Bozeman, Nashville Opera, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Cassio in Otello at The National Center Performing Arts in Beijing; the role of Alfredo in La traviata with Finger Lakes Opera; and his performance in Huang Ruo’s innovative contemporary opera, Paradise Interrupted. Mr. Li has also joined the esteemed roster of The Metropolitan Opera for productions of Manon Lescaut, Roméo et Juliette, and Der fliegende Holländer.

Concert engagements include Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with Canterbury Chorale at Carnegie Hall, Indianapolis Opera’s Opera’s Rising Stars Concert and a Chinese New Year Concert with Shenzen Symphony Orchestra at The Kennedy Center.

Mr. Li recently graduated from Washington National Opera’s revered Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program where his assignments included Rodolfo in La bohème and productions of Die Zauberflöte and Dialogues des Carmélites. At San Francisco Opera’s world-renowned Merola Program, assignments included Belfiore in La finta giardiniera, Smith in Bizet’s La jolie fille de Perth, and Lionel in Martha.

Mr. Li’s training includes an Artist Diploma in Voice from University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music (CCM), where he performed Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, and Ruggero in La rondine. During his time there, he also performed The Duke in Rigoletto at Cincinnati Opera and Don José in Carmen at CCM Spoleto Festival. He also holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Sichuan Conservatory in China, where performances include Alfredo in La traviata, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Rodolfo in La bohème, and Cavradossi in Tosca.

Finding success on the emerging artist competition circuit, Yi Li’s talent has been recognized by several elite foundations and organizations. Mr. Li was a Grand Final Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, a finalist at Operalia: The World Opera Competition, Winner of the Sullivan Musical Foundation Award, China’s representative at the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, 3rd Prize at the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition, Finalist in the 49th International Singing Competition of Toulouse, and won the Grand Prize in Opera Columbus Irma M. Cooper Vocal Competition and CCM’s Corbett Scholarship Competition. He also received a grant from Giulio Gari Foundation and performed at their annual gala.

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Tenor Joseph Michael Brent, a native New Yorker, began his operatic career as a doctoral student at the University of Georgia, Athens. Since graduating in the fall of 2014, Dr. Brent’s lyric tenor voice has continued to gain recognition around the United States and abroad. Most recently, he became the inaugural tenor resident artist of the Michigan Opera Theatre Studio, under the artistic direction of internationally acclaimed tenor Richard Leech and opera impresario Dr. David Dichiera. He completed two seasons as resident artist, ending his tenure at the Michigan Opera Theatre in the spring of 2017.

As a member of the Michigan Opera Theatre Studio Dr. Brent’s roles included Theodore “Laurie” Lawrence (Little Women), Martin (The Tender Land), the Kronprinz (Silent Night), Malcolm (Macbeth), Trin (La Fanciulla del West), and Remendado (Carmen).

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Boasting a career which includes performances with major opera companies and orchestras worldwide, bass-baritone Jake Gardner remains one of opera’s most sought-after singing actors. Recently making forays into opera’s greatest buffo roles, Gardner has performed, to critical acclaim, roles such as Benoit/Alcindoro in La bohème with Virginia Opera, Baron Zeta in The Merry Widow with Los Angeles Opera, and Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia with San Antonio Opera and Mill City Opera, among others. Of his Benoit/Alcindoro, critics hailed “Bass-baritone Jake Gardner also stands out when he brings his acting chops to bear on creating distinctive characters in the garret’s morally questionable landlord in Act 1 and Musetta’s sugar daddy in Act 2.” This season Mr. Gardner will reprises the roles of Benoit/Alcindoro in La bohéme with Lyric Opera Kansas City and Arizona Opera, and performs the role of Talpa in Tabarro with Maryland Lyric Opera.

Last season, Mr. Gardner reprised the roles of Benoit/Alcindoro in performances of La bohème with the Lyric Opera Chicago, performed Sir Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore with Eugene Opera, Le Bailli in Werther with Florida Grand Opera, and Narrator in a Wagner Concert with Binghamton Philharmonic. Recent engagements include Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd with Houston Grand Opera and Virginia Opera, the Dutchman in Der fliegende Holländer with Piedmont Opera; Sir Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore with Virginia Opera, and productions of Manon Lescaut as Geronte de Ravoir with Washington National Opera and as Monsieur de Brétigny with Lyric Opera of Chicago.

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Born in Ukraine, Olga Syniakova made her opera debut at Dnipro opera house, singing Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro; then Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana and the title role in Carmen. Ms. Syniakova studied in opera studio in Valencia in 2017-2019. There she made her debut in the Palau de Les Arts Valencia in roles of Ernesto (Il Mondo della Luna) under the baton of Jonathan Brandani, stage director Emilio Sagi; Second lady (The Magic Flute), conductor Lothar Koenig, stage director Graham Vick; Laura (Iolanta), conductor Henrik Nánási, stage director Mariusz Treliński; Contessa di Ceprano (Rigoletto), conductor Roberto Abbado, stage director Emilio Sagi; Alisa (Lucia di Lammermoor), stage director Jean-Louis Grinda, conductor Roberto Abbado. Under the baton of Fabio Biondi, Olga Syniakova sang in Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle (role for alt). In September 2018, she did this part with orchestra “Europa Galante” in St. Petri Dom in Bremen, closing Bremen Musikfest. In 2019 Olga sang Anfinomo ( Il Ritorno d’Ulisse) in Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, under Fabio Biondi.

Ms. Syniakova is a prize winner for the best mezzo-soprano, season 2018-2019, in the Palau de Les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia. Olga also has 1st prize in 2nd Singing Competition “Compostela Lírica”; and 2nd prize in 2nd Singing Competition “Ciudad de Albacete”. She was a finalist in Concours international de Belcanto Vincenzo Bellini competition, where she was awarded in three nominations: The Best Voice, Choice of Jury and Choice of Public.

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Tenor Mauricio Miranda has recently performed with MDLO as The Emperor Altoum in Turandot by Puccini, as Il Conte di Lerma in Don Carlo by Verdi, as Don Curzio in Le nozze di Figaro by Mozart, and as Joe in La fanciulla del West by Puccini. His future roles with MDLO include The Judge in Un ballo in maschera and Doctor Caius in Falstaff by Verdi.

During his career, Miranda has performed at the Kennedy Center, Strathmore Music Center, Palacio Euskalduna and Teatro La Laboral (Spain); Teatro Goldoni (Italy), Teatro Municipal de Santiago (Chile), among others. His oratorio repertoire includes works by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Mozart, Rossini, Beethoven and Schubert, and he has given concerts in Chile, Argentina, Peru, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and the United States. He performed with conductors such as Louis Salemno, Dimitry Jurowsky, Jan Latham-Koenig, Roberto Rizzi-Brignoli, and Daniele Rustioni; and directors such as Emilio Sagi, Anne Bogart, Hugo de Ana and Jean Louis Grinda. Miranda has sung Mozart's Requiem at the Washington National Cathedral, and the role of Eros in the U.S. premiere of Debussy's opera Diane au bois. His soloist career began in South America, and he continued his training in Europe and North America with Bruno Pola in Germany, Isabel Penagos in Spain and Diana Soviero in the U.S.

He graduated from the Cafritz Young Artist Program at the Washington National Opera. Miranda received his degree in Music Theory from the National Conservatory of the University of Chile and was the winner of the prestigious FONDART scholarship.

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Celebrated for his “richly shaded” (Operawire),“booming voice, and full range” (Houston Press) baritone Daniel Scofield is quickly garnering attention as a young Verdi baritone on the rise. This season, Mr. Scofield makes several role debuts, including Scarpia in Tosca for Tri-Cities Opera, Jack Rance in La fanciulla del West for Opera Orlando, Monforte in I Vespri Siciliani with New Amsterdam Opera, Amonasro in Aida with Raylynmor Opera, and the title role in Gianni Schicchi with Maryland Lyric Opera.He also returns to Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Baltimore Concert Opera, Belcore in L’elisir d’amore with Opera Project Columbus, and Tonio in Pagliacci with the Savannah Opera. Last season, Daniel performed Tonio in Pagliacci with Opera Orlando and Phantasmagoria, a collaboration that received high critical praise and national recognition as a must see production. In concert with the Rapides Symphony he performed Germont in La traviata, and in Oklahoma with the quickly rising Painted Sky Opera, he portrayed Rigoletto. Other performances included a return to Marcello in La bohéme with Opera San Antonio, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with St. Petersburg Opera, and Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor in his company debut with Maryland Lyric Opera.

Other recent performances include Rigoletto with Gulfshore Opera and Independent Opera, Germont in La Traviata with Hudson Opera Theater, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with Pacific Opera Project, Ford in Falstaff with Pacific Opera Project, Valentin in Faust with Tri-Cities Opera, Il Conte in Le nozze di Figaro and Tonio in Pagliacci with Opera Columbus, and Tonio in Pagliacci with Opera Idaho.

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Born in South Korea, Hayan Kim returns to MDLO fresh off perfroming Crobyle in Thaïs. Kim was recently an apprentice artist at The Santa Fe Opera covering Despina Così fan tutte and Jano Jenůfa. Hayan graduated with her Professional Studies and Master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music and holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Korea National University of Arts. Previous credits include Gilda Rigoletto with Garden State Opera, Servilia La Clemenza di Tito and Sabina Hadrian with the Aspen Music Festival, Konstanze Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Dew Fairy Hansel and Gretel for the Manhattan School of Music and Adina L’elisir d’amore, Musetta La Bohème, and Despina Così fan tutte for companies in Korea. Concert credits include Soprano Soloist in Haydn's Die schöpfung and Harmoniemesse and Händel’s Messiah. Hayan was recently chosen as the finalist for the Concurso de Canto Tenor Vinas, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Eastern Region and Marcella Sembrich International Voice Competition. Ms.Kim has received awards and recognitions from the Opera Index Competition, Berliner International Music Competition, East Coast International Competition, Verismo Competition and also been awarded the AOC Fellowship, in honor of Renée Fleming in Aspen Music Festival.

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Bio coming soon...

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MELISSA MINO is a versatile and engaging performer in opera, oratorio, operetta, and in concert.  She made her Washington National Opera debut singing the Dew Fairy in Hansel and Gretel. Concert engagements have included Midsummer Night’s Dream with American Ballet Theatre at the Kennedy Center, Brahms’ Requiem and Vivaldi’s Gloria at the National Cathedral, Creation with the Sylvan Chorale, and a return to the Kennedy Center to perform Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise. 2018-2019 engagements included Lord Nelson Mass with York Symphony, Franck’s Beatitudes with Bucks County Choral Society, and a G&S review with Young Victorian Theatre Company. In 2019-2020, she returns to Bucks Choral as soprano soloist for Brahms Requiem, and joins Maryland Lyric Opera as Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro and Nella in Gianni Schicchi.

A proponent of contemporary opera, she covered Rosalba in Washington National Opera's Florencia en el Amazonas, sang Sylvia in Douglas Pew’s A Game of Hearts at the Opera America New Works Forum, premiered the title role in Maurice Wright’s Galatea Reset, and sang in the world premiere of Lost Childhood at Strathmore. In operetta Melissa has been heard as Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore, Yum Yum in The Mikado, and Casilda in The Gondoliers. Other roles include Zerlina, Pamina, Despina, Janacek’s Vixen, and Monica in The Medium. She trained as an apprentice artist at Sarasota Opera, in the young artist institute at Maryland Lyric Opera, and at the CoOPERAtive program. She holds an M.M. from Temple University and a B.M. in music education, summa cum laude, from Bucknell University.

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Bass-baritone Michael Pitocchi has been described as a brilliant singer with a powerful, rich voice. Hailing from New York, he is a graduate of the Mannes Conservatory, where he performed leading roles including Dr. Bartolo and Antonio in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Nick Shadow in Stravinsky’s The Rake's Progress, Prince Gremin and Zaretsky in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, and Frank Maurrant in Weill’s Street Scene.

In the summer of 2018, Michael was invited to perform with the prestigious Glimmerglass Festival. There, he performed in productions of Put’s Silent Night, Janáček‘s The Cunning Little Vixen, and Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia.

In 2019, Michael was awarded top prize in the Gerda Lissner Foundation’s concert series. Brooklyndiscovery.com described his “rich basso” as a voice that will “fill the void today of a lack of great dark voices.” He was later invited to attended the 2019 ICAV Institute in Montreal, Quebec where he was featured as Barbemuche in Leoncavallo’s La Bohéme.

Michael has been a featured soloist with the Fairfield County Chorale in Connecticut. Recent concerts include Mozart's Mass in C minor, J. Christian Bach's Magnificat a 4 in C major, and Handel’s Messiah.

Michael was featured in the 2019 MDLO Institute Concert performing lead roles in scenes from Beethoven's Fidelo, Gounod's Faust, and Verdi's Falstaff. Michael was privileged to cover the role of Timur in MDLO's 2022 production of Puccini's Turandot. His most recent performance with MDLO was singing the role of Antonio in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro.

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Alexander Boyd is from Purcellville, Virginia. As Moruccio, he "melded a firm baritone with moody acting" (Classical Voice America) in D’Albert's Tiefland at Sarasota Opera, where he has also performed Monterone (Rigoletto), Le Dancaire (Carmen), and Haly (L’Italiana in Algeri). At Pittsburgh Festival Opera, he performed Robert Redgate and King Kittypuss in their 2019 world premier double bill of Mr. Rogers' Operas, as well as Donner (Das Rheingold), while covering Wotan in Das Rheingold and Die Walküre. This summer, he will return to sing Wanderer and Gunther in highlights of Siegfried and Götterdämmerung.

As a young artist at Tulsa Opera, he sang the Imperial Commissioner while covering Sharpless (Madama Butterfly), and at Opera Maine, he performed Mr. Gobineau (The Medium) while covering Le Daincaire. In 2017, he made his international debut in Cyprus, performing King Melchior (Amahl and the Night Visitors) with Kyrenia Opera.

On the more modern side, he performed Jensen in a revival of Jeeyoung Kim’s 2012 opera From my mother’s mother at Flushing Town Hall in Queens, recorded scenes for John Young’s 2019 opera The Death of Ivan Ilych, and performed Jess in Carlisle Floyd’s Slow Dusk, with the Little Opera Theater of NY.

Mr. Boyd has received scholarships from both the Bradenton and Sarasota opera guilds in Florida, placed second in the New York Lyric Opera’s 2016 vocal competition, and was a semi finalist in both the Mildred Miller 2018 vocal competition, and Opera Tampa's 2019 D'Angelo young artist competition.

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Praised by Opera News for her "relish and energy," mezzo-soprano Max Potter is an artist known for her beauty, warmth of tone, and dramatic presence. 

This season Ms. Potter made her debut at Manhattan’s prestigious 92nd Street Y, for concerts with The Phoenix Ensemble, featuring repertoire by Mozart, Bizet, and Massenet. Max was a semi-finalist in the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition at Pittsburg Festival Opera. This summer she joins Chautauqua Opera for her main stage debut as Jenny Reefer in The Mother of Us All.

During the 2018/2019 season Ms. Potter made her debut with Opera Southwest: she sang Clarina in Rossini's La Cambiale di Matrimonio, covered the role of Ortrud, and also sang Dritte Edelknabe in Wagner's Lohengrin. She joined Salt Marsh Opera as Zweite Dame and Papagena in Die Zauberflöte. Max made role debuts as Dorabella in Così fan tutte for The North Shore Music Festival and as Damigella in L'incoronazione di Poppea with Bare Opera. Previous roles include Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther, Concepcion in L’heure Espagnole, Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi, and covering the role of Sister Helen Prejean in Heggie's seminal opera Dead Man Walking.

Next season, Ms. Potter makes her company debut with Opera Santa Barbara as Flora in La Traviata and Meg in Little Women; she makes her symphonic debut as the alto soloist in Elijah at the Washington National Cathedral, and will return to sing Ned Rorem’s Ariel with the Phoenix Ensemble.

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Adam Cioffari recently returned to the Pittsburgh Festival Opera Fasolt in Rhinegold and Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd, followed by Handel's Messiah, and the Mozart Requiem with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. Other appearances include the Commentator in the world premiere of Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg at the Castleton Festival, the Musiklehrer in Ariadne auf Naxos at The Glimmerglass Festival, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte at the Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Colline in La Boheme with Knoxville Opera, and Masetto with Austin Opera. He has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Theatre Capitole de Toulouse, Staatsoper Stuttgart, and Komische Oper Berlin. A former member of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, he was also a participant of the Merola Opera Program, the Music Academy of the West, Aspen Opera Theater, and is a graduate from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.