Cast of Suor Angelica and Cavalleria Rusticana

Cast of Suor Angelica and Cavalleria Rusticana, 2010-2011 Season

Evelyn Santiago (SuorAngelica/Santuzza)

"Evelyn Santiago...wowed the audience all night with her rich, thrilling sound" (Intelligencer Journal, 2008). Such was the reception to Evelyn's performance of Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony with The Lancaster Symphony. On the operatic stage, Ms. Santiago has been featured as a soloist with the Opera Company of Philadelphia's (OCP) mainstage productions and numerous community outreach performances. In 2009, she was featured as a Lady-in-Waiting in the cast of Turandot and was consequently chosen to cover the title role in their avant-garde production of Madama Butterfly. Always active with the company, Evelyn was featured in Hip H'Opera, a twentieth century composition combining the poetic writings of inner city youth with the talents of well known composers. This work was so well received, that it was repeated for a third time at the renowned Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in 2008. Ms. Santiago's talent was singled out at this event and she was subsequently invited to sing for the Governor of Pennsylvania at the Governor's Mansion. Additional appearances as a soloist with the OCP include, Verdi Outreach Program, A Taste of Opera: Madama Butterfly and Brambilla in their production of La Périchole.

Additional opera roles are: Mercedes in Bizet's Carmen, Antonia's Mother in Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Santuzza in Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana, Lady Billows in Britten's Albert Herring, Flora in Verdi's La Traviata, and the Governess in Barab's Fair Means or Foul with the Utah Festival Opera Company, Opera Festival of New Jersey and Mozart and Friends Opera Festival. She has also sung the Prima Cercatrice in Puccini's Suor Angelica at the Spoleto Festival Dei due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy where she had the privilege to work privately with Maestro Gian Carlo Menotti in preparation for the performances.

Not a stranger to the concert stage, Evelyn Santiago, has sung with The Philadelphia Orchestra in concert performances of Sondheim's A Little Night Music in the role of Mrs. Anderssen, for which she was personally coached by Mr. Sondheim himself.

She has also been the featured soprano soloist in works such as Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem, Mozart's Vesperae Solemnes de Confessore, Mascagni's Regina Coeli, Verdi's Missa Solemnis, Beethoven's Choral Fantasy, and Mendelssohn's St. Paul Oratorio with The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Symphonic Orchestra of Bayamon(Puerto Rico), Philomusica Chorale, Irvington Presbyterian Concert Series and Trinity Presbyterian's Concert Series.

Ms. Santiago is a second place winner of the James Parkinson Opera Competition and a winner of the Metropolitan Opera District Auditions in Puerto Rico. She currently resides in New Jersey with her husband Dale.

Paula Rivera-Dantignan (Zia Principessa/Mamma Lucia)

Mezzo-soprano Paula Rivera-Dantagnan was born in Chile, South America. She studied voice at the University of Chile and later received her Masters degree in Vocal performance from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. At home in the full lyric mezzo repertoire as well as lighter coloratura mezzo roles, Ms. Rivera-Dantagnan brings a wide variety of performance experience to the stage. She was recently heard as Mallika in Lakme with ConcertOPERA Philadelphia and her operatic roles include Emilia in Verdi's Otello, Fortuna and Pallade in L'incoronazione di Poppea, Principessa in Suor Angelica, Amastre in Xerxes and Carmen's title role.

Ms. Rivera-Dantagnan is also comfortable in oratorio and recital and has performed in Chile, Argentina, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. She has been featured as soloist in works such as Handel's Messiah, Bach's Magnificat, Beethoven Missa Solemnis, Pergolesi's Stabat Mater and Schubert's Mass in G and E flat. She is a core alto with the Opera Company of Philadelphia chorus and The Philadelphia Singers and has also been core alto and soloist with the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia. Ms. Rivera-Dantagnan is a 2004 semi-finalist of the prestigious New York Oratorio Society International Solo Competition.

Ms. Rivera-Dantagnan is also an active voice teacher. She teaches Voice and Opera at Darlington Arts Center and has her own Voice Studio in Philadelphia. She has a passion for education and is the Artistic Director of the newly formed Children's Opera Box, a performance group that brings abbreviated operas to schools in the Greater Philadelphia area.

David Gordon (Turiddu)

Tenor David Gordon is pleased to be returning to Concert Opera Philadelphia after his appearance last year as Pedrillo in Die Entfurung aus dem Serail. David made his New York City Opera debut in 2005 in Rossini's Il viaggio a Reims. He has also performed with New Rochelle Opera, Vertical Repertory Players, One World Symphony, Center City Opera, Boheme Opera, American Opera Projects, Central City Opera, Lake George Opera Festival, Opera on Tap, Octavia Cup Dance Theatre, the Ontological Hysteric, and Cirque Boom (as Hoffmann in an aerial adaptation of The Tales of Hoffmann). A native of Kalamazoo, MI, he is featured in Boiling Water Productions' Kalamazoo, River: US, a musical film about the pollution of the Kalamazoo River.� Also an active stage director, he recently collaborated on Charles Mee Jr.'s Trojan Women 2.0 at Ramapo College and Boresi and Hilliard's The Filthy Habit with Opera on Tap.

Ralph Schatzki (Alfio)

Ralph Schatzki last fall performed the role of Michele in Garden State Opera's production of Il Tabarro, and the role of Guglielmo in Le Villi with Empire Opera two months before that.� Since his return to the United States in 2005 he has also made appearances with Chelsea Opera and Espresso Opera in New York City, and with Center City Opera in Philadelphia.� Prior to this, Mr. Schatzki lived for many years in Thailand, where he taught and performed lead roles with the Bangkok Opera, Singapore Lyric Opera and Lyric Opera Malaysia.� In addition to those already mentioned, he has performed the roles of Scarpia, Don Giovanni, Tonio, Sharpless, Nick Shadow, di Luna, Alfio and Figaro (Barber), as well as several others.� Having been a member of several vocal programs, he has worked within the Hartt School of Music and with the Florida Grand Opera, Sarasota Opera and Chautauqua Opera companies.

Trained as a lawyer and as a teacher as well, Mr. Schatzki has been a member of the Connecticut State Bar and is certified to teach in the Pennsylvania schools.� He currently lives with his wife and children in the Lehigh Valley.

Melinda Benson� (Mistress of Novices/Lola)

Melinda Benson graduated from the University of Iowa with a Master of Arts degree in voice in 2005. She is currently revising her thesis paper and plans to graduate with her Doctorate in May 2011. Melinda has been teaching private voice for 10 years.
Melinda currently resides in Newark, DE where she maintains a voice and piano studio out of her home and is the music director of Pencader Presbyterian Church. She is an active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), College Music Society (CMS) and Music Teachers National Association (MTNA). Melinda recently competed in the Austrian American Society Competition in Wilmington, Delaware and was awarded a cash prize for second place. Recent performances include: The role of Isabella in L'Italiana in Algeri with Center Stage Opera, alto soloist with the Delaware Valley Chorale, and the role of Second Touriére in Suor Angelica with Center City Opera in Philadelphia, PA. Melinda also performs with the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Most recently, she was seen in the chorus of Otello. Upcoming performances include: the role of Olga in The Merry Widow with Delaware Valley Opera Company and a recital both planned for this summer.

Rebecca Fetrow (Sister Genovieffa)

Ms. Rebecca Fetrow is an emerging lyric coloratura soprano with a voice of distinctive quality.� A graduate of Westminster Choir College, she most recently performed with the Tri-Cities Opera as a 2009-2010 resident artist, appearing there in numerous roles, including Adina in L'elisir d'amore and Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi.� Other roles include Gretel from Humperdinck's Hansel und Gretel, Juliette in Delaware Valley Opera Company's production of Romeo and Juliet, Frasquita in an adaptation of Carmen with Bay View Music Festival, Ermione from Handel's Oreste, and Beth in Mark Adamo's Little Women, both with the Westminster Opera Theater.� Ms. Fetrow has extensive stage experience participating with various professional opera choruses, including the Opera Company of Philadelphia and the Spoleto Festival, USA.�

Jennifer Beattie (Abbess/Monitor)

Hailed by Opera News Online for her "exuberant voice and personality," mezzo-soprano Jennifer Beattie is a versatile and dynamic performer in styles ranging from opera to chamber music and musical theater to cabaret. Her 2010-2011 season includes mezzo-soprano soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Rossen Milanov (Holst), and a solo recital on the Stotsenberg Recital Series in Malibu, CA with composer and pianist John Musto.

Ms. Beattie is a sought-after recitalist dedicated to the performance of art song, appearing in concert at such venues as Lincoln Center, The National Arts Club, The Mozarteum, The Juilliard School, San Francisco's Old First Series, the Texas Music Festival and Riverside Church. On the opera stage, Ms. Beattie has created the roles of the Mermaid in Mermaid in a Jar (2nd Avenue Songbook, NYC) and Mrs. Pinch in The Araboolies of Liberty Street (Manhattan School of Music). She was also a featured soloist in a newly-staged production of Grieg's Peer Gynt with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. In the summer of 2009 she appeared in the premiere of Tom Cipullo's Insomnia at the SongFest music festival in Malibu, CA. Ms. Beattie is also a regular artist-in-residence at Yale College of Music with pianist Adam Marks. Ms. Beattie holds a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and is a student of Elizabeth Daniels

Maja Lisa Fritzhuspen (Nursing Sister)

Maja Lisa FritzHuspen has appeared with Delaware Valley Opera Company, Cedar Rapids Opera Company, Center City Opera Theater, St. Georges Choral Orchestra, and Bismarck Symphony Orchestra. Recent performances include Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Lay Sister in Suor Angelica, La Chiesca in The Tenderland, Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Mercy Lewis in The Crucible. With the Martha Ellen Tye Opera Theater she was cast as Mimi (cover) in La Boheme. She has performed as a Young Artist with the Cedar Rapids Opera outreach company in the role of Wife of the Giant in Jack and the Beanstalk, and also was also awarded first place in The Schubert Club Intermediate Category competition. Maja Lisa has been a soloist in the Messiah and featured at the ND Capital Gala Concerts. She has been the Mezzo soloist in the Vivaldi Gloria with the St. Geroge's Orchestra. This season she will be performing the Nursing Sister in Suor Angelica �with Concert Opera Philadelphia and Proscovia in Merry Widow with Delaware Valley Opera Company. �Maja Lisa has been teaching private voice since 2005 and maintains a private voice studio in Philadelphia.

Christina Manon (1st Lay Sister/Cercatrice)

Chrisina Manon, a Philadelphia area native, received her Bachelor of Music, with Music Education concentration, from Immaculata University. Her love for opera and the art of singing grew during those years of classical voice training. She continued vocal studies with Diana Borgia-Petro, and has worked with coaches, Louis Menenedez, Lisa Harer de Calvo, and Ben Blozan. Currently Ms. Manon is the Music Teacher at Martin Luther School in Plymouth Meeting, PA, the church soloist for Calvary Episcopal Church of Conshohocken and is working towards completing her Masters Degree. Ms. Manon has been the featured soloist on numerous ocassions. Most notably she performed on last years Main Line MLK Association Annual Program which was featured on NBC 10 and in the Mainline Times. She has performed in recitals in Philadelphia and suburbs the last three years and has participated with the COPA chorus since 2006. She debuts in her first operatic experience this season, essaying the comprimario role of First Lay Sister.

Samantha Geraci-Lee (2nd Lay Sister/ Cercatrice)

Soprano Samantha Geraci-Yee is on the verge of becoming an experienced artist in the music scene as both an avid opera performer and recitalist. Ms. Geraci-Yee made her professional debut as Barbarina in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the Stocker Arts Center in Lorain, Ohio in 2006. Since her debut, she completed her Bachelor of Music Degree at Cleveland Institute of Music and her Master of Music Degree at Temple University. While at Temple, she appeared as the Fox in Janácek's The Cunning Little Vixen. During her summers, Ms. Geraic-Yee supplements her operatic studies, attending prestigious musical festivals such as American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, Brevard Music Center, and Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute. This past summer, Ms. Geraci-Yee performed Suor Genovieffa in Pucinni's Suor Angelica with Emerald City Opera in Steamboat Springs, CO.

Renee Scattolini (Suor Dolcina)

Renee Scattolini, makes her stage debut with COPA as Suor Dolcina in the current production of Suor Angelica. She has been a featured soloist for many years in the Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethlehem, PA and has recitaled frequently in Lehigh Valley and Delaware Valley venues over the past few years. Upcoming projects include performing at the Artwalk Festival, Bethlehem, Pa. in Spring, 2011 with classical guitarist Michael Wall. A graduate of Bloomsburg University in Special Education, she currently works to assist infants and toddlers with developmental delays through the Lenape Valley Foundation's Early Intervention program, while continuing vocal studies in her pursuit of a career in singing.

Photo credits: (left to right) Penny Shumate, soprano; Ernest Jackson, tenor; Michelle Asadourian, soprano; Madeleine Grey, mezzo-soprano; Margaret O'Connell, mezzo-soprano; Frank Patrick Hampton, baritone