Under a continuing expansion of its popular Noontime Concert program, Opera Santa Barbara will present free performances at the Solvang and Santa Maria public libraries in October.
Featuring this year’s newly named Mosher Studio Artists singing a variety of operatic repertoire and musical theatre selections with piano accompaniment, the intimate concerts will take place in Shepard Hall at Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland Street, on Monday, Oct. 10, and at Solvang Public Library, 1745 Mission Drive, on Wednesday, Oct. 12.
Both performances will begin at noon; admission is free.
The performers also will preview Opera Santa Barbara’s upcoming production of Carmen.
For additional information about the Solvang concert, call (805)688-4214; for information about the Santa Maria concert, call (805)925-0994, ext. 8562.
Serving as Mosher Studio Artists this year are soprano Elizabeth Kelsay, mezzo-soprano Molly Clementz, baritone Evan Bravos, and pianists/coaches Christopher Turbessi and Catherine Miller. Biographies appear below.
Opera Santa Barbara also will present Noontime Concerts at public libraries in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Thousand Oaks, and Ojai.
For a complete list of concert dates and times, visit www.operasb.org.
About Opera Santa Barbara
Founded in 1994 by Marilyn Gilbert and Nathan Rundlett, Opera Santa Barbara is committed to presenting productions and educational programs of the highest quality.
Over more than two decades the company has staged some 50 operas and devoted thousands of hours to community outreach.
The organization remains dedicated to the core passions that animated its founding: celebrating and championing the breadth and beauty of opera, and contributing to the cultural enrichment of the Santa Barbara community.
Additional information is available at www.operasb.org.
2016-17 Mosher Studio Artists
-Praised by Opera News for her “warm, Italianate sound,” soprano Elizabeth Kelsay studied at Westminster Choir College and Florida State University.
This season she will appear with Opera Santa Barbara as Frasquita (Carmen), the Rooster and Bluejay (The Cunning Little Vixen), and Lisette (La Rondine).
Previously a studio artist at Tulsa Opera, Ms. Kelsay performed with the Metropolitan Opera Chorus for three seasons.
While in New York, she made her Carnegie Hall debut in the title role of Puccini’s Suor Angelica with New York Lyric Opera.
-Born in St. Charles, Illinois, mezzo-soprano Molly Clementz is returning to Opera Santa Barbara as a Mosher Studio Artist.
This season she will sing the roles of Mercédès in Carmen, Lapak the Dog and the Woodpecker in The Cunning Little Vixen, and Suzy in La Rondine.
She made her Opera Santa Barbara debut in 2014 as Page in Rigoletto, and last year participated in the company’s productions of Don Giovanni, Suor Angelica, and Gianni Schicchi.
Recently a finalist in the American Institute of Musical Studies’ Meistersinger Competition in Graz, Austria, Ms. Clementz is a doctoral candidate at UC Santa Barbara.
-A native of St. Charles, Illinois, baritone Evan Bravos has been described as a “young talent to watch” (Chicago Tribune).
His recent notable performances include Count Almaviva (The Marriage of Figaro) with Central City Opera, Figaro (The Barber of Seville) with Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Martin (Candide) at the Aspen Music Festival.
Mr. Bravos received the 2014 Apprentice Artist Award at Central City Opera and an Encouragement Award in the 2014 Metropolitan National Council Auditions.
–Christopher Turbessi is a freelance collaborative pianist, vocal coach, and conductor based in Houston.
Last season he served as assistant conductor and musical supervisor of Houston Grand Opera’s HGOco outreach program, where he shepherded world premiere performances of Carlisle Floyd’s Prince of Players, Gregory Spears’ O Columbia, and David Hanlon’s After the Storm, among other new works.
In July he coached and conducted for the inaugural American Opera and Musical Theatre Summer Institute at Augusta University.
Mr. Turbessi also has served as a staff member at the Castleton Festival.
–Catherine Miller is a staff member at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and serves as an artistic consultant for the Pasadena Opera Guild.
Active as a recital accompanist, she has performed in Wigmore Hall (London), the Modavi Center (Davis, California), and the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.
Ms. Miller also has worked with Los Angeles Opera, Opera Pacific, Santa Fe Opera, the Spoleto Festival, Teatro Municipal in Santiago, Chile, and the San Diego Opera Ensemble.
She participated in Opera Santa Barbara’s productions of Aida (2013) and The Consul (2014).
– Tim Dougherty represents Opera Santa Barbara.