Lark Opera: A Flight of Opera
$30 general, $75 VIP ($20 ages 18 & under/college student)
- Allison Kim-Yok Knotts, mezzo-soprano
- Angelica G. Hesse, soprano
- Anthony Nguyen, tenor
- Eileen Grey, bass
- Elizabeth Winship, mezzo-soprano
- Erin Mikelle Walker, soprano
- Jenna Elise Skarphol, mezzo-soprano
- Lindsey Rae Johnson, soprano
- Lisa Neher, soprano
- Megan Wakefield, soprano
- Pascal Matheis, bass-baritone
- Phoebe Gildea, soprano
- Colin Alexsei Shepard, piano
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Die Zauberflöte ("The Magic Flute"), K. 620 (selections)
Gioachino Rossini — La Cenerentola ("Cinderella") (selections)
Charles Gounod — Roméo et Juliette ("Romeo and Juliet") (selections)
Antonín Dvořák — Rusalka, Op. 114 (selections)
An exciting evening of opera scenes.
There's sure to be something for every everyone in this lively evening of entertainment. Our program features highlights from beloved favorites like Carmen, The Magic Flute, and Rossini's Cenerentola ("Cinderella") — along with the dramatic death of the famed lovers, Romeo and Juliette, and achingly beautiful music from Dvorak's fairytale opera, Rusalka.
There will be 2 performances of this program: Saturday, June 17, and Sunday, June 18 at Lady Hill Winery.
About Allison Kim-Yok Knotts, mezzo-soprano
https://www.portlandopera.org/about/people/chorus/allison-kim-yok-knotts/
About Elizabeth Winship, mezzo-soprano
About Erin Mikelle Walker, soprano
Erin Mikelle Walker is a classically trained soprano and music teacher in the Portland area. She performs with Opera on Tap Portland, Portland Summerfest Opera Chorus, Astoria Music Festival Opera Chorus, Ping and Woof Opera, Lark Opera, and Renegade Opera, as well as solo recitals. She is available as a soloist for hire for events and sings as a paid section leader/soloist/sub for churches.
Erin has been teaching voice and piano lessons since 2013. She loves working with ages 5 and up and adults. Given her classical background, she focuses a lot on technique in vocal lessons, but she trains students to sing in many styles. She enjoys helping to cultivate a love for making music starting at any age.
Erin received her Master's in Vocal Performance at Portland State University and her Bachelor's in Vocal Performance from Northern Arizona University. She studies voice with renowned baritone, Richard Zeller.
http://www.erinmikellewalker.com/About Lindsey Rae Johnson, soprano
About Lisa Neher, soprano
Dr. Lisa Neher (she/her, "NEER") is an award-winning composer and new music mezzo on a mission to transform audiences through sound, story, and vulnerability. With a voice praised as "full and rich" and "especially alive" (Oregon ArtsWatch), Neher's performance credits include Third Angle New Music, Really Spicy Opera, Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Opera Theatre Oregon, New Music Gathering, Resonance Ensemble, Experiments in Opera, Renegade Opera, and Big Mouth Society. She is a member of Portland Opera Chorus and President of New Wave Opera.
Described as a "supremely talented," "visionary composer" (Willamette Week), "maestro of beautifully wacky noises" (Oregon ArtsWatch), and author of "liquid, impressionist piano writing and fluent melding" of voices (New York Classical Review), Neher's compositions are inspired by the climate crisis, the tender love of family and friends, and the eerie mystery of deep ocean life. She is Composer in Residence for the Beaverton Community Band. She has been commissioned and performed by the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Cincinnati Song Initiative, Third Angle New Music, FearNoMusic, Dinosaur Annex, New Opera West, Mirror Visions Ensemble, Alma Ensemble, Opera Elect, and Opera Santa Barbara, among others.
Her awards include the Flute New Music Consortium Competition, ICDA/ICF Choral Competition, Mirror Visions Ensemble Young Composer Competition and the Celebris Ensemble Choral Competition.
http://www.lisanehermusic.com/About Pascal Matheis, bass-baritone
About Phoebe Gildea, soprano
About Colin Alexsei Shepard, piano
Pianist Colin Alexsei Shepard was born and adopted from St. Petersburg, Russia and started studying choir and piano at an early age. He is currently the principal keyboardist of the Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra, the main accompanist for Opera Theater Oregon, and is a regular accompanist and coach for vocal studios at Portland State University. Additionally, he plays piano for the Portland State Chamber Choir under the director of Dr. Ethan Sperry and is a music director for Kairos-Milwaukie United Church of Christ.
https://www.resoundnw.com/colin-alexsei-shepard.html