Opera Santa Barbara resumes its Noontime Concert Series at public libraries throughout the Central Coast starting this month. Programs will feature the Chrisman Studio Artists: Ashley Kay Armstrong, Michael Kollmorgen, Jennifer Lindsay and Yazid Gray.
The four are in residence January-May, performing small roles and covering principal artists in the opera’s mainstage productions this season, Eugene Onegin (March 1-3) and The Crucible (April 26-28).
The Noontime Concert schedule is:
March 8, Thousand Oaks Library – noon-1 p.m.
March 11, Santa Maria Library – noon-1 p.m.
March 12, Lompoc Library – noon-1 p.m.
March 13, Oxnard Library – noon-1 p.m.
April 1, Goleta Library – 12:30-1:30pm
The studio artists are the backbone of OSB’s educational outreach programs, performing free noontime concerts throughout the Central Coast from Santa Maria to Thousand Oaks, and serving as the improvisational talent for the popular in-school opera workshop called The Opera Lab, designed for grades three through six.
For more information about the studio artist residence program, auditions and schedules, visit operasb.org.
Soprano Lindsay joins the Chrisman Studio Artist Program for Opera Santa Barbara’s 2018/19 season, covering Tatiana in Eugene Onegin and both Mimì and Musetta in La bohème, and singing Mary Warren in The Crucible.
Prior to joining Opera Santa Barbara, she will make her role debut as Mimi in La bohème with Opera Connecticut. She holds degrees from Harvey Mudd College (BS in mathematics), Columbia University (MS in operations research), and Johns Hopkins University (MS in computer science).
Lindsay worked as a software developer for the U.S. Department of Defense before pursuing a career in music.
Tenor Kollmorgen, has been performing since he was seven years old as a member of the The Tulsa Boy Singers. He attended Oklahoma State University, where among other productions, he sang the role of Rodolfo in La Bohème.
Kollmorgen attended the University of Houston for graduate studies, earning a master of music degree in vocal performance in May. He has won first place in both the junior and senior Men’s Division at the Oklahoma National Teachers of Singing competition and was a recipient of the Vocal Music Scholarship at OSU and the Winifred and Maurice Hirsch Memorial Scholarship at UH.
Mezzo-soprano Armstrong makes her Opera Santa Barbara debut as Olga in Eugene Onegin as a member of the Chrisman Studio Artist program. This past season she was a Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre Young Artist, and sang in Brigadoon and Turandot.
She was also an apprentice artist with Sarasota Opera and sang in the world premiere of Cosmic Ray and the Amazing Chris with Thompson Street Opera. She attended the Chicago College of Performing Arts, where she performed in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, Bluebeard’s Waiting Room, The Women, and The Nightingale.
Gray is a recent graduate of University of Michigan where he received his master’s in vocal performance. While there, he performed in several mainstage productions including the premiere of William Bolcom’s newest opera, Dinner at Eight.
In summer 2018 he participated in the Studio Artist Program at Opera Maine. He is also an alumnus of DePauw University. He has worked with such composers as Mark Adamo, John Corigliano, Roberto Sierra, Adam Guettel and Gabriela Frank.
— Lex Benes for Opera Santa Barbara.