Eric Alexieff (Oronte) hails from Brooklyn, NY where he began his vocal studies at LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts. He then studied in NYU Steinhardt's Classical Voice program under Dr. Scott Murphree. He is currently a member of Staten Island based early music ensemble, Voyces with which he has had the tenor leads in their productions of L'Orfeo and Dido and Aeneas. He was also Don Basilio in OperaRox's previous production of Le Nozze di Figaro and is excited to reprise his role as the token tenor.
Brian J. Alvarado (Chorus/Melisso Cover) has recently been seen as Corporal Nym in Bronx Opera's 50th Anniversary season opener- Sir John in Love. He will soon cover Ludwig in Utopia Opera's March production of The Grand Duke, and sing Jacob in their May production of The Ballad of Baby Doe. He then intends to return to OperaRox in July in order to create the role of Jack Parkham in the world premiere of Cecil Price Walden's The Contract Player, double-billed with the NYC premiere of Griffin Candey's Sweets by Kate.
Mezzo-soprano Melanie Ashkar (Bradamante) appears this season with OperaRox Productions as Bradamante in Alcina, with International Brazilian Opera Company as Jons in a world premiere opera The Seventh Seal, and with Utopia Opera as Olga in Eugene Onegin. While pursuing her Master’s degree at Mannes College, she was featured as Jo in Little Women, La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica, Zita in Gianni Schicchi and Older Woman in Flight. Other credits include Lucretia (The Rape of Lucretia), Amastre (Serse), the Witch (Hansel and Gretel), and Cendrillon (Cendrillon). Please visit her website at www.melanieashkar.com.
Heather Bobeck (Chorus/Alcina cover) is a local freelance singer and is excited to take part in this project. Awards include Metropolitan Opera National Council District winner, Mary Ann and Spencer Everett Scholarship in Voice, and winner of the Richard Deas Concerto Competition with the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra February 2012. Recent performances include Queen of the Night, Musetta, Valencienne, Anne Page and Fairy Godmother; soprano soloist in Schubert’s Mass in G, Bach’s St. John’s Passion with the North Carolina Baroque Orchestra, Mozart’s Exultate Jubilate K. 165 and participation in the Laudate Dominum Conference in St. Polten, Austria.
A native of Queens, Tyler Diaz (Chorus/Oronte cover), received his BM in Voice Performance from Boston University. Recent performances include October, a song cycle for tenor set to the text of Robert Frost written by composer Vartan Aghababian as well as Missail in the Commonwealth Lyric Theater's production of Boris Gudounov.
Allegra Durante (Chorus/Morgana cover), a lyric coloratura soprano and Brooklyn native, has greatly enjoyed this opportunity to work within one of her favorite musical styles and become intimately acquainted with a Händel opera. Recent credits include Olympia (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Josephine (HMS Pinafore), Sally (Die Fledermaus), Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi, scenes), Euridice and Amore (Orfeo ed Euridice), Aline (The Sorcerer), First Lady (cover) and Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), Countess Ceprano (Rigoletto), and numerous concert performances in Germany. Many thanks to OperaRox for making this production a fantastic experience!
Kim Feltkamp (Producer) started the OperaRox blog in 2011. Since then, it has grown into an online community that spans over 13 countries and includes more than 4,000 members across multiple platforms. OperaRox Productions began in 2015 with a production of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro and continues into its second season with Alcina. Kim received a Masters of Music from Bard College in Dawn Upshaw's Graduate Vocal Arts Program and a Bachelor of Science in Music (Vocal Performance) from Hofstra University. For a full bio, go to kimberlyfeltkamp.com.
Dmitry Glivinskiy (Music Director) is a Ukrainian coach and conductor. He has participated in many festivals and performed in venues such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Ukrainian Institute among others around Europe and in China. He has performed with several orchestras in NY, including Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, Centre Symphony and South Shore Symphony.He is a graduate from Mannes College of Music and of the Peabody Institute where, among his teachers, were Genya Paley, Pavlina Dokovska, Boris Slutsky and Scott Jackson Wiley. Dmitry has worked with numerous opera companies as a répétiteur, coach and conductor. This year, he will conduct Eugene Onegin with Utopia Opera, return to Chicago Summer Opera as music director for the company's scenes program, and be on staff for the revival of Figaro 90210!
Zoe Hart (Chorus/Oberto cover) is a native New Yorker who is glad to be back after graduating from University of Michigan. As a cute soubrette, Zoe is familiar with playing high spirited roles, appearing as Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro, the spirit Philadel from King Arthur, Spirit 1 in Cendrillon, and Zwei Knabe in Die Zauberflöte, and now covering Oberto. Passionate about new opera, Zoe enjoyed creating the role of Little Red in Shatter the Mirror (Zac Lavender) and looks forward to singing Lady 1 in Sweets by Kate with OperaRox.
Kevin Miller (Melisso), from Lawrence, Kansas, is thrilled to sing with OperaRox again! His new favorite pastime is singing "Taci!" at strangers on the street. www.kevinmillersings.com
Alexa Rosenberg (Chorus/Bradamante cover) is currently finishing up her undergraduate degree in Voice at Purchase Conservatory. She has performed the role of Hansel at Purchase Opera. Alexa also appeared at the 6th spirit in Utopia Opera’s Cendrillon, and as Arnalta in L’incoronazione di Poppea with NY Lyric Opera. She is beyond excited to be working with this generous group of artists!
Chloë Schaaf (Ruggiero) is a Samling Scholar. She holds her undergraduate degree from The Juilliard School and her masters degree from The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In the 2014-15 season Chloë was a member of the Dutch National Opera Academy, where she made her debut at Dutch National Opera as demoiselle d’honneur in Chabrier’s L’Étoile and was seen as Cherubino in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with the Residentie Orkest. Summer seasons include Aspen Opera Theater Center, Songfest Professional Program, and The Victoria Bach Festival. Chloë is represented by Wade Artist Management.
Melissa Serluco (Ruggiero cover) most recently performed with Bronx Opera as Mistress Quickly cover in Vaughan Williams’ Sir John in Love. Upcoming engagements include the role Curra in Verdi’s La forza del destino with New Amsterdam Opera and Giannetta in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore with Regina Opera. Last season Melissa debuted as Carmen with Delaware Valley Opera and internationally with New Opera Singapore. Past credits include Jo in Little Women, Dido in Dido and Aeneas, Sesto in La Clemenza di Tito, Zita in Gianni Schicchi, Siebel in Faust, Meg Page in Falstaff, and Dorothée in Cendrillon.
Spencer Shen (Cello) is a recent transplant from Houston, where he attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. He has played cello for around ten years, without much fanfare. He studied comparative literature at Princeton University, where he played in the orchestra and a variety of chamber ensembles. He currently works as a software engineer, but remains heavily invested in music.
Anna Slate (Morgana), praised for “combining superb theatrical instincts with bright, enchanting vocal gifts,” (San Francisco Chronicle), has cultivated an eclectic performance career. Most recently Anna was seen in Heartbeat Opera’s production of Dido and Aeneas as Second Woman & First Witch. Other notable roles include Atalanta (Xerxes), Lucia (The Rape of Lucretia), Anne Egerman (A Little Night Music), Luisa (The Fantasticks), and the title role in the one-woman show Alice Unwrapped. A 2014 Stern Fellow at SongFest, Anna performed on recitals curated by Libby Larsen and Graham Johnson. Anna can next be heard as the soprano soloist in Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater.
Katie von Braun (Violin) received her Masters in Violin Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory, and her Bachelor of Music from the University of Michigan. She is currently on faculty at the Harmony Program, Fort Lee School of Music, Ethical Culture Fieldston School and Opus 118. In New York, Katie performs with the Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra, Bronx Opera Company, Chelsea Symphony and Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble. She held the position of Concertmaster at Opera in the Ozarks and San Francisco Conservatory Orchestra. When she isn't playing, Katie loves traveling and hiking.
Maayan Voss de Bettancourt (Stage Director) is primarily a singer, but has long flirted with the technical side of opera. She has previous experience as an assistant director, assistant producer, lighting designer/operator, stage manager, and choreographer. This is her first time directing a full-length opera and she is absurdly excited to be working with such a dream team of talented performers.
Ginny Weant (Oberto) is stoked to be playing the role of Oberto in Alcina with OperaRox! A recent graduate of Mannes at The New School College of Performing Arts, Ginny has spent her first year outside of school performing in operas, musical theater, and a variety of concerts around the New York and Chicago areas. Recent credits include Cecchina with On Site Opera's Premier of Marcos Portugal's Marriage of Figaro, The Shepherd Boy with Apotheosis Opera's production of Tannhauser, Soprano Soloist in Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, and Fiona in Brigadoon with St. Jean's Players.
San Francisco native Zen Wu (Alcina) is an American soprano lauded for her interpretations of 20th century and new opera. She started her professional career in the chorus of the San Diego Opera and has since established herself as a young artist in New York performing such mainstays of the bel canto repertoire as Lucia di Lammermoor and La sonnambula as well as dramatic coloratura roles of Mozart, Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) and Elettra (Idomeneo).