MEET THE CAST

ANGELA BILLINGS (Kathleen O'Leary) Is thrilled to be joining the talented cast of A.F.R.A.I.D. Favorite recent performances include Sally in Die Fledermaus, Minerva in Orpheus in the Underworld (highlights), the Mikado at Pleasant Valley Park Ampitheater, and the Durufle and Faure Requiems with the Morris Conservatory Symphonic Chorus. Favorite musical theater performances include Rapunzel in Rapunzel, Stephani in Joe's Bar, Estelle in The Full Monty, Star Fairy in Sleeping Beauty, Titanic at the Count Basie Theater, West Side Story, Best of Broadway, and Music Man, to name a few. Angela lives in Manhattan where she owns a fitness business and is the Health & Fitness Correspondent for NJ's Courier News.

STEFANIE BLOCK (Kathleen O'Leary) recently moved to New York from Santiago, Chile. While studying on a Fulbright Scholarship there, she regularly performed opera and musical theatre on a public bus designated by the Chilean government as "a place for the diffusion of art." Stefanie's New York credits include the role of "Mageara" in the new musical Wake Her Up, Yeoman of the Guard with the Village Light Opera Group, and regular performances with Opera On Tap. Previous roles include "Gretel" in Hansel and Gretel and "Knabe" in The Magic Flute with the El Paso Opera Company, and "Stacy" in Prom at the Fresh Terrain Festival, a collaboration between Performance Space 122, the Rude Mechanicals, and the University of Texas at Austin Theater Department.

MARY BOPP (Assistant Music Director/Pianist) has a busy career as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician. She has performed in the Los Angeles Bach Festival, the Adirondack Festival of American Music. Recent appearances include solo performances at St. Pauls Festival of the Arts, Dance Theater Workshop, Roulette and the Sunday Afternoon Concert Series at St. Peters Church (Citicorp building) and ensemble performances with Friends and Enemies of New Music at Weill Recital Hall. In 2001-2002 she was a coordinator and regular performer in the three times daily concert series for World Trade Center rescue workers at St. Pauls Chapel and will be performing on a CD commemorating that series.

HARDIN BUTCHER (Conductor) is pleased to be making his operatic conducting debut with Brooklyn Repertory Opera. Mr. Butcher is an accomplished trumpet player and tours on a regular basis with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. He is accomplished in jazz, classical and operatic music on trumpet. His conducting has included a world premier work at the opening of the rebuilt library in Alexandria Egypt, and numerous 20th century pieces for orchestra as well as orchestra and voice.

CORDELIA CHENAULT (Fanny Fern) a native of Kentucky, particularly relishes singing contemporary music. This past year she premiered Peter Winklers Remembering with the chamber ensemble Silken Rags, in addition to solo appearances with the Pro Arte Chorale, the Stonewall Chorale, and Pacific Opera. She has performed with the Boston Lyric Opera, the Longwood Opera, and at the Aspen Music Festival, and her favorite roles include Konstanze, Juliette, and Cleopatra. Ms. Chenault has been honored at the regional Metropolitan Opera auditions, and she holds degrees from The New England Conservatory and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Currently a doctoral student at Stony Brook University, Ms. Chenault also lives and teaches here in Park Slope.

BARRET COBB (Luna Simon) has performed as soloist with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Chorale, the Sine Nomine Singers and Baroque Orchestra, the AIMS Orchestra and the Orchester Landesteater Dessau. Operatic roles include Azucena, Suzuki, Gertrude (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), Enrichetta (I Puritani) and Mrs. Trapes (The Beggar's Opera), among others.  She has appeared extensively as a recitalist in the NY area and Europe.  Ms. Cobb's singing was "deeply moved and moving" Bernard Holland for The New York Times

TRACEY ADELE COOPER (Liza Dulin) has appeared in productions with Ithaca Opera, Virginia Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, New Jersey Verismo Opera, The Natchez Opera Festival, Harlem Opera, Danbury Opera, Norwalk Opera, and the Bregenzer Festspiel in Bregenz, Austria, among others. Her voice has been described by renowned accompanist and coach Dalton Baldwin as a "diamond". Tracey was awarded a grant from the New York Wagner Society and was a winner in the YWCA Studio Club Competition.

FRANCES DEVINE (Luna Simon) is insanely pleased to join BRO as Luna Simon in AFRAID. Her repertoire includes Rossini's coloratura heroines Rosina, Angelina, and Isabella and Mozart's Cherubino ( Figaro) and Dorabella( Cosi fan tutte) among others. This summer's credits also include Alto solo in Blind Date with Alter Egos by Davide Zannoni and Daeron in Leithian by Adam Klein, two composers who are also alive. Miss Devine studies with Dr Michael Warren.

MEGHAN DIBBLE (Bridget OMalley) mezzo soprano, is a southern California native, and has enjoyed portraying the roles of Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro, Mother Marie in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Siebel in Faust, and Fidalma in Il Matrimonio Segreto. Ms. Dibble was honored to reprise the role of Mother Marie at the request of the Chicago Cultural Center. Ms. Dibble was seen at the New York City Fringe Festival production of A.F.R.A.I.D. last summer and in Suor Angelica with Garden State Opera last fall. She was pleased to work with Opera Company of Brooklyn and composer, Thomas Pasatieri, on his opera, Signor Deluso. She lives with her gorgeous husband, three cuddling cats, and fun loving box turtle in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

MARY JANE DINGLEDY (Rachel Stitcher) a resident of Park Slope for the past 22 years makes her operatic debut this summer as Rachel Stitcher in A.F.R.A.I.D. An attorney for the City of New York, Mary Jane has spent many years pursuing her singing talents, primarily as soprano soloist for the choir at St. John's Episcopal Church of Park Slope, where she performed many solos such as 'The Virgin Slumber Song.' Also, she sang in duets including 'Recordare' from the Verdi Requiem. Last summer she was invited to perform in concert in Germany for the churches at Neunkirchen and Dilsberg singing the Bach cantatas 'Jesu bleibet meine Freude (Jesu Joy)' and 'Dir, Dir Jehova will ich singen,' and the English Elizabethan songs, 'The Lowest Trees Have Tops' and 'Now What is Love,' accompanied by the organ. Mary Jane studies voice in Manhattan, and is a graduate of Empire State College and SUNY Buffalo Law School.

ELIZABETH EIEL (Fanny Fern) an Iowa native, received her Master of Music Degree at Manhattan School of Music and her Bachelor in Music at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton WI. Ms. Eiel has performed Suor Angelica with American Singers Opera Project, Chelsea Opera, and Garden State Opera. At the Bay View Music Festival in Bay View, MI Ms. Eiel played Lady Billows in Benjamin Britten's Albert Herring. Ms. Eiel has sung scenes with One World Symphony in New York City performing the roles of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni and Nannette in Falstaff. With Opera Company of Brooklyn Ms. Eiel sang Clara in Pasatieri's Signor Deluso. She sang the role of Anna Gomez in Mennott's The Consul with Bronx Opera. To a full house Ms. Eiel made her Town Hall debut with One World Symphony singing Maria in West Side Story Suite #1. Ms. Eiel lives in Manhattan where she studies with Hilda Harris.

IVY FRENKEL (Maddy Broadbrim) a native New Yorker, is a dramatic soprano specializing in Verdi and Verismo opera roles. Her repertoire includes such roles as Aida, Amelia (Ballo in Maschera), Leonora (Trovatore), Elisabetta (Don Carlo), Tosca, Santuzza, Giorgetta(Il Tabarro) and Maddalena (Andrea Chenier). She has sung lead roles with opera companies such as the Empire State Opera and New York Opera Forum. After joining the Wagner Program at Mannes College of Music, she added Wagner Roles such as Sieglinde and Senta. Recently she was a finalist in the Liederkrantz Wagner Competition. Ms.Frenkel very much enjoys song literature (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian) and performs regularly in recital. In addition, to her singing, Ms. Frenkel has an established career as a psychotherapist and is an Associate Professor in family therapy.

SHANNON ELIZABETH HUNT (Liza Dulin) Originally from Oakland, CA, Ms. Hunt has performed many opera roles including Adina, Pamina, Celie, Susanna, and Alexandria. She has performed in concert in venues throughout the United States and Italy. Ms. Hunt has been acclaimed by Dr. J. J. Penna for her performance of Schoenberg's Das Buch der Haengenden Gaerten.and by Mr. Dalton Baldwin for her performance of Wolf's Moerike Lieder and Poulenc's Fiancailles pour rire. Ms. Hunt holds a Bachelor of Music from Birmingham-Southern College and a Master of Music from Westminster Choir College.

NIKA LEONI (Mary Lee) Nika Leoni began her operatic career in Europe, performing in the Czech Republic as Zerlina (Don Giovanni) and Oscar (Un ballo in maschera) at the State Theater in Opava, and later as Zerlina at the Usti nad Labem City Theater. She then toured internationally with the Opera-on-Tour Company, singing the roles of Micaela (Carmen) and Gilda (Rigoletto). She also appeared in concert at the Gasteig Philharmonie in Munich, Berlin Philharmonie, the City Theater in Usti nad Labem in the Czech Republic, and Filharmonia Sudecka in Walbrych, Poland. In the United States, Ms. Leoni performed with the Lake George Opera Festival, Opera Domani, Salon Opera, Opera Company of Brooklyn, and Classical Presentations in New York, as well as Pocket Opera Company in San Francisco. In November, Ms. Leoni will perform the role of Bastienne (Mozart's Bastienne und Bastien) as part of the Mozart's Anniversary Celebration performance in Stuttgart, Germany. Ms. Leoni was a Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in San Francisco and has received First Prizes and Awards from the East Bay Opera League Competition, the NATS Competition, Contemporary American Art Song Competition, and Santa Clara Art Song Festival.

KATHLEEN KESKE (Senza Bliss) A native of Chicago, Ms. Keske has sung with opera companies and symphony orchestras over wide areas of the United States and abroad. Her operatic appearances have included such leading roles as Bruennhhilde in Siegfired and Goetterdaemerung, Ariadne, Leonore (Fidelio), Desdemona, Sieglinde, Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, and a wide range of other roles in five languages. Ms. Keske now resides in New York City and was a semi-finalist in The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a finalist in the Liederkranz Foundation Competition.

Fidelio

"Three gave outstanding performances... Soprano Kathleen Keske eased her way into a remarkable rendition of the title role (Fidelio). She and Ward received numerous bravos for their efforts."

Anchorage Daily News

LIORA MICHELLE (Maddy Broadbrim) has performed the roles of Mimì, Musetta, Leonora (Il Trovatore), Micaela, Zerlina and Nedda to critical acclaim with Melbourne City Opera in her other country, Australia, as well as in the tri-state area.

Highlights of orchestral concerts, in which she has performed excerpts from numerous other roles, include the international Verdi commemoration Va Pensiero Day (Nabucco, Aida) and Australian EMI's tribute to Callas (Norma, Medea). She has just sung her first Desdemona for Center Stage Opera, Pennsylvania and looks forward to her debut Giorgetta (Puccini's Il Tabarro) with the Delaware Valley Symphony.

"The best of the evening is Liora Michelle musically elegant, impish, sensual and elusive."

The Age, Australia

LORENE PHILLIPS (Mrs. Hunter Fortune) is proud to return to A.F.R.A.I.D in a new role for her. She was previously Maddy Broadbrim at the FringeNYC production of the show. She has performed with Opera New York, Opera Nova , Syracuse Opera, and Mohawk Valley Opera. In addition to singing, Lorene has worked as a conductor (Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall) and voice coach and currently maintains a professional studio of Broadway and regional singer/actors in NYC. She is a graduate of Indiana University's School of Music and Syracuse University's School of Visual and Performing Arts.

CHRISTINE REIMER (Luna Simon) has brought her versatile mezzo-soprano voice to a wide variety of venues. Comfortable in both opera and musical theater, she has performed Rosina in Barber of Seville, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte as well as Marian in Music Man and Melissa in Princess Ida. Ms. Reimer's international credits include performing with the Wexford Opera Company in Ireland, the Graz Festival Orchestra in Austria, the Spoleto Festival in Italy, and in a Broadway review in Interlaken, Switzerland. Ms. Reimer also works as a voice teacher at NYU and at the Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy.

CHRISTINA RIVERA (Bridget O'Malley), is incredibly excited to make her NYC operatic debut with the Brooklyn Repertory Opera. She has taken on many roles in various operas, operettas, musical theatre and scenes productions throughout New Jersey, in works such as The Old Maid and the Thief (Laetitia), The Pirates of Penzance (Mabel), The Mikado (Peep Bo), Kiss me, Kate! (Hattie), The Magic Flute (2nd Lady), The Ballad of Baby Doe (Kate). She been recorded during a successful Senior Recital, and also works as a church soloist/substitute, private voice teacher, and diction coach, and is currently taking students for this summer and next year. She is currently finishing her Music Education degree at The College of New Jersey, with concentrations on Opera and Choral studies, and looks forward to her future in Graduate Studies in Opera Performance.

PAMELA SCANLON (Bell Fortune) is originally from California and has performed on both coasts in such roles as Gretel in "Hansel & Gretel", Zaide in Mozarts "Zaide" both Silberklang and Goldentrill in "Impresario", Despina in "Cosi fan tutte", Adele in "Die Fledermaus" and the Forest Bird in "Siegfried." Organizations she has performed with include the Trinity Church concert series, West Side Opera, Singing Actors Atelier and Pacific West Coast Opera. She has sung over 200 performances of opera excepts for the Educational Opera Association in Los Angeles. She has also performed several of the Gilbert and Sullivan heroines and done backup for films.

COURTENAY SCHOWALTER (Constance Purity) Lyric Soprano Courtenay Schowalter received a Bachelors of Music at the University of Michigan and graduated with a Masters of Music in Vocal Performance at New England Conservatory in Boston, MA. In Boston, she performed numerously with Opera Boston, understudying Adina in L_elisir d_amore and Mabel in Pirates of the Penzance. She is also an avid recitalist, including singing Boston_s premiere of William Bolcom_s Let Evening Come, and performing for the French Ambassador in Washington, DC. She is a reoccurring soloist with The Hillyer Festival Orchestra in both Salem and Boston, MA. Recent New York appearances include singing with Cantiamo Opera and Chelsea Opera. She works at the New York Philharmonic and teaches private voice at the Henry Street Settlement in New York City.

KRISTINA A. SEMOS (Bell Fortune) is a Greek-Texan soprano who recently graduated from Brown University with degrees in both Music and Italian Studies. She spent a year in Italy touring as a soloist with the University of Bologna's chamber choir and singing with Opera Lirica in Orvieto. Ms. Semos was seen last fall in a one-singer, fully-staged production entitled 'Sempre Libera' Always Free: An Aria Concert Against Queer Domestic Violence, which benefited the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project. She can sometimes be found soloing at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in the West Village. When she is not performing, Ms. Semos works as a financial analyst. She is a devout voice student of William Glazier.

MERYL SHER (Senza Bliss) Dramatic soprano, Meryl Sher joined the cast of A.F.R.A.I.D. as Senza Bliss. She has performed Brünnhilde in Die Walküre with The Valkyrie Project and Abigaille in Verdi's Nabucco with Operesque Classical Concerts after her success as Leonora in Il Trovatore with the same company. She soared as Brünnhilde in the Immolation Scene from Götterdämmerung with The New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble. Prior to that, she sang the title role of Tosca with Regina Opera to great accolades. Miss Sher sang the Verdi Requiem with the New Rochelle Chorale and Beethoven's Ah, perfido! with the New York Symphonic Arts Ensemble. In addition, Miss Sher sang the Die Walküre Brünnhilde at Liederkranz, Leonore in Fidelio with the Westside Opera, Aida with Amato Opera and Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana with New Britain and New Rochelle Opera companies. Miss Sher performed in a Master Class with Placido Domingo singing the first act duet from Tosca and was covered by television, radio and newspaper. She was a recipient of a grant from the Wagner Society of New York and was a finalist in the DiCapo Competition. In addition, she won a 92nd Street Y Concerto Competition that resulted in an opera concert with their orchestra. A native of New York, Miss Sher graduated Oberlin College and received her early musical training at The Juilliard School where she was awarded a scholarship for her musical excellence.

ILYA SPERANZA (Constance Purity) performed major roles with New York City Opera National Company, New Jersey State Opera the White Barn Theater in Westport, CT, " Opera Theatre of New York, The State Repertory Opera of New Jersey, the American Music Theater Festival in Philadelphia, Cincinnati Opera, Long Beach Opera and the Manhattan Opera Ensemble. Ilya created the role of "Ondine" in Seymour Barab's new opera Ondine for the Center for Contemporary Opera. In New York, she sang in the Joseph Papp production of Mozart's The Magic Flute for Opera at the Academy, and won critical praise in the Vineyard Theater's revival of Donizetti's Gianni di Parigi.

A soprano with "attractive intensity...resilient technique"

The New York Times (Bernard Holland)

SUSAN STODERL (Composer/Librettist) recently came to composing after having scored and adapted over 30 works from the seasonal, concert and operatic repertoire. Susans compositional debut was in January 2002 at the Pulse Ensemble Theatre Company in a program entitled "Under Construction". Her song cycle, Songs from a Jade Garden was premiered at St. Peter's Church in the Citicorp Building in 2003, with repeat performances at the The Ouluska Pass Chamber Music Festival and the Lake Placid Center for the Arts in 2004. Ms. Stoderl composes almost exclusively for voice. One of her chief goals is to create music which is classically based, but which has popular appeal, using fully trained, exceptional voices.

Lucy, Vampire of Lammermoor

(adaptation of score) "... the music itself, was performed with consistent respect for the score -- no transpositions, wrong tempos, unwritten held notes, etc. In addition, the use of two synthesizers taking the orchestral part in the Mad Scene originally composed for the glass harmonica came across with a chilling presence."

The Westsider (2001)

DEBORAH THOMAS (Mrs. Hunter Fortune) appeared in OPERA ON THE GOs televised production of Seymour Barabs Little Red Riding Hood, and later repeated her performance with The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and on Off-Broadway. As a recitalist, she has sung in Europe and been broadcast on National Public Radio. Deborah is currently a teacher artist sponsored by Project Arts and presents programs of Opera Enrichment to the public school students in New York City.

JANNA TUSA (Bridget O'Malley) (soprano) attended LaGuardia High School of Music and Art, training under Peter Ludwig, Anna Ext, Michelle McBride (City Opera), world famous tenor Pasquale Marchese, and Arturro Spinetto (DiCapo Opera). She sang Amore (U.S. premiere of Antonio Caldara's La Costanza in Amore Vince L'Ingranno) in 1996 under the direction of Peter Ludwig and Michelle McBride. Other roles: Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Mimi (LaBoheme), Liu (Turandot), Adriana (Adriana Lecouvreur). In 2001, she sang the National Anthem for the grand opening of the Brooklyn Cyclones (division of The Mets), in 2002, she was invited as a guest to perform various arias for the Lou Gehrig's Disease Society Annual Gala Benefit Concert in Edmonton, Canada. She also performed and studied in Siena, Italy and Andermatt, Switzerland under the direction of Joseph DelPrincipe. In 2004, she was invited by Congressman Vito Fossella to perform as a principal artist for his inauguration as well as a benefit for juvenile diabetes. In June 2006, Janna performed I Pagliacci with the Chelsea Opera Company. She is currently working with Carmine Aufiero in upcoming performances with the Martina Arroyo project.

AMANDA WHITE (Mary Lee), at home in Paris and New York, has performed with such varied organizations as the Boston Conservatory Opera Theatre, the MIT Gilbert and Sullivan Players, and the Boston Rock Opera. Paris concerts include a Messiah with the Paris Choral Society and selections from Pierrot Lunaire at the Conservatoire National de Région Boulogne-Billancourt.  Recent solo recitals have included works such as Gliere's Concerto for Coloratura Soprano, Rorem's "Sun," and Messiaen's Poèmes pour Mi, as well as the world premiere of the song cycle "Res Miranda" by American composer Jennie Gottschalk.