A Social Evening
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The Cast
in order of appearance
The Announcer
Mezzo soprano Sandra Krueger currently sings with the Virginia Opera, and has regularly performed with the College of the Albemarle and the Rocky Hock Playhouse since her arrival here in 2015. Highlights include: Mama Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana with Winter Opera St. Louis, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Zita in Gianni Schicchi, and La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica with Opera in the Ozarks, Berta in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with the Southern Illinois Music Festival, Mary in Crown of Thorns with Rocky Hock Playhouse, Alice Beane from Titanic, Lady Beaconsfield from Jekyll and Hyde, and Lady Thiang from The King and I with Fort Findlay Playhouse, alto soloist for Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man with the University of Findlay, alto soloist for Handel’s Messiah with Bluffton University, and a featured artist for the 2012-2013 Artists’ Series at First Presbyterian Church in Findlay. In Ohio, Ms. Krueger was the Vice President and Artistic Director of the Findlay Light Opera Company (FLOC). In 2014, FLOC premiered her adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic operetta Patience. 2013 saw her Star Trek adaption of HMS Pinafore entitled The Lass who Loved a Redshirt: USS Pinafore, as well as the premiers of her original creations A Dating Game (2012) and A Dating Game, Season 2 (2013) featuring Gilbert and Sullivan’s music. Ms. Krueger earned her Bachelors of Music from Whitworth University in Spokane, WA, and her Masters in Opera/Music Theatre performance from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. She was on the voice faculty at the University of Findlay, and currently teaches for the College of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, NC. |
Dr. Gregg
Baritone Trevor Martin was seen most recently as a Lesley Apprentice Artist in the 2016/17 season of Fort Worth Opera. In its world premiere performance, he created the baritone roles in Voir Dire in the 2017 Fort Worth Opera Festival, as well as performed the role of Moralès in Carmen. In the Fall of 2017, he will be creating the role of Mark Twain in the world premiere production of TESLA with SoBe Arts in Miami Beach, FL. In the Spring of 2018, he will make his Opera San Antonio debut as Schaunard in La bohème. Performance Highlights include: Fiorello and the Officer in Il barbiere di Siviglia, in addition to covering the title role with Fort Worth Opera Festival, Patrick Dennis in Mame, Sir Sagramore in Camelot, Senator Jones in Of Thee I Sing and Earl in the workshop of the new musical Pure Country with Lyric Stage, soloist with the Fort Worth Symphony, Opera North, Madison Opera, an Apprentice Artist at Des Moines Metro Opera, an Emerging Artist at Virginia Opera, a Young Artist at Seagle Music Colony, Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center, and Opera in the Ozarks . Other performance credits include Masetto in Opera in the Heights‘ production of Don Giovanni and in Kingwood Summer Opera’s production of La bohème as Marcello. Trevor is a native of Fayetteville, GA and has received a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Georgia Southern University and his Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from University of Houston’s Moores School of Music. |
Lola
Soprano Kelly Balmaceda is a native of Southern Maryland, and has enjoyed the opportunity to move around the country and perform in a variety of venues. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to bring OPERA to Elizabeth City and incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support and generosity of this coastal community. Life on the road has catapulted her success not only as a performer, but entrepreneur and educator. Performance Highlights include: Teaching artist with The Metropolitan Opera Guild in New York City and Boston Lyric Opera, Frasquita in Carmen with San Antonio Opera Company, Barbarina in Marriage of Figaro with Lafayette Symphony Orchestra, soloist for the Southern MD River Concert Series, National Finalist for the prestigious NATSAA Competition, soloist at the Cathedrals of St. John the Baptist in Savannah, GA & St. Mary Cathedral in Lafayette, IN, soloist in the world premier “Corpus Christi” by Brandon Goff with the Corpus Christi Chorale, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, Lola in Gallantry, Pamina in The Magic Flute with Sparkling City Light Opera, Dorine in Tartuffe with the Moores Opera Center, soprano soloist for Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem and Hanne in Haydn's The Seasons with Houston's Choral Artists, soloist in Pergolesi's Stabat Mater for the Cathedral Concert Series in Savannah, GA, and the Artist of the Year the Concert Series at St. Mary Cathedral in Lafayette, IN. In addition to her extensive performance career, Ms. Balmaceda has founded mini MAESTROS, a music program for infants and toddlers (multiple locations), founder of the former Sparkling City Light Opera in Corpus Christi, TX, and co-founder of the Cantare Workshop (multiple locations). Ms. Balmaceda has been on the voice faculties at Georgia Southern University, GA and Saint Joseph's College, IN. Additionally, she maintains a private voice studio. Her students have been accepted into top conservatories and universities, performed on National Tours, Young Artist Programs, regional/professional operatic and theater productions, and have won numerous competitions. She received a BM in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA and a MM in Vocal Performance from the Moores School of Music, University of Houston in Houston, TX. |
Donald
Leggiero tenor Alexander Scheuermann is a native of Merritt Island, Florida who now lives and works in Houston. Recent operatic roles include Le Jeu in Les Plaisir de Versailles, with Ars Lyrica, The Barber in Man of La Mancha with Central City Opera, and Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore at the Moores Opera House. Concert work includes regular performances as a soloist with the Houston Bach Society, the Three Texan Tenors, and the Lone Star Lyric cabaret series. Alex holds a BM in voice performance from Florida State University, an MM in voice performance from The University of Houston, and currently studies under Cynthia Clayton. This spring Alex will perform the role of Laurie in Mark Adamo’s Little Women, with Opera in the Heights. |
Accompanied by Rachel Gragson, piano
Rachel Gragson, CAGO, received the BM degree with Honors from the College of Wooster (Ohio) and the MM and DMA degrees in Piano Performance from West Virginia University. Dr. Gragson retired from Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, NC, where she held the rank of professor and was a member of the Honors Faculty. She was a recipient of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award, and is now a Professor Emeritus. Following retirement, she began coaching with Dr. Janette Fishell at East Carolina University and in May 2006, she received the MM in Organ Performance degree. Rachel has presented recitals at Bruton Parish Church, Williamsburg, VA, the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, St. Philip’s Cathedral in Atlanta, Old Salem, NC (on the restored Tannenberg organ), St. Thomas, 5th Avenue, New York City, and Grace Church, Charleston, South Carolina, as part of Piccolo Spoleto. An active member of the American Guild of Organists, she performed at the 2009 AGO Region III Convention and served as the coordinator for the Regional Competition for Young Organists. She has been a church musician for over 4 decades and is currently the Director of Music/Organist at Cann Memorial Presbyterian Church. Active as a free-lance pianist and organist, she lives in Elizabeth City with husband Dr. Wesley Gragson and 3 feline friends. |
We need YOUR Support!
We are incredibly grateful for your contribution to the arts. Please list your name as you would like it to be recognized in the program. If you are interested in being a sponsor for a specific portion of the production, for example: artist sponsor, travel sponsor, housing sponsor, props, venue, etc., please contact Kelly.
[email protected]
[email protected]