Leah Inger as Norina
Leah Inger, soprano, has been praised by The Baltimore Sun for her “limpid tones,” “bright, flexible soprano” and “bell-like voice.” She has performed with Opera Vivente, Young Victorian Theater Company, Peabody Opera Theater, and Towson University in such roles as Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring, the title role in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Yum Yum in The Mikado, Judy in This is the Rill Speaking (Hoiby), and the title role in the children’s opera Sid the Serpent Who Wanted to Sing. Leah was a featured soloist and narrator (Woman 3) in Cole with the Maryland Arts Festival and appeared in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Spectacular and Sci-Fi Spectacular. She has performed Handel’s Messiah with the Danbury Music Centre, Annapolis Chorale, and Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.
 
An interest in music of our time has led Leah to a number of premieres, including Damon Ferrante’s Super Double Lite and Jefferson and Poe, both performed at Symphony Space in New York City. She sang in the Baltimore premiere of Ned Rorem’s song cycle Evidence of Things Not Seen and made her debut recording with Curt Cacioppo’s Songs for Paternina (“Burning with the Muse,” MSR Classics). She has twice performed Ginastera’s Cantata para América Mágica, conducted by Jonathan Haas and Eduardo Leandro.
 
A native of Tennessee, Leah holds degrees from Georgetown College, Towson University, and Peabody Conservatory where she studied with Phyllis Bryn-Julson. She is the recipient of numerous honors including the George Castelle Memorial Award, Peabody Merit Scholarship, Henry Sanborn Vocal Competition Scholarship, Adda F.Layton and Ruth Hilke Music Scholarship, and Ruth Kerr LaRue Music Scholarship. She has been a finalist in both the Kentucky and Mid-South Region NATS auditions and was a finalist in the Sylvia Green Voice Competition in 2004.
 
Leah sings with the Washington National Opera Chorus and is a quartet member in Opera Vivente’s ongoing education outreach initiative I Hear America Singing. In May 2010 she will appear as Pamina in The Magic Flute with Opera Vivente. In addition to performing, Leah is on the faculty at Towson University.

Tim Augustin as Ernesto
The Washington Post describes Timothy Augustin as an “outstanding performer” who possesses a “particularly lovely voice.”  Hailed for his artistry, Mr. Augustin has won numerous awards and competitions including The Washington International Competition for Singers.  He is a past national finalist in the Ryan Opera Center for American Artists of the Lyric Opera of Chicago auditions, as well as winning several awards from The Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions among many other honors.   He has performed in such venues as Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York, on all of the stages at The Kennedy Center in Washington, The Mormon Tabernacle, The Ordway Theater in St. Paul and many others.  Tim’s numerous television appearances include, ABC’s Good Morning America, NBC’s Today Show, The CBS Morning Show and ABC’s World News Tonight.  His many radio broadcasts include:  Tenor Soloist in the world premiere of Nick White’s Full Freedom at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall which was broadcast on NPR.   A much sought after artist, Tim is a regular performer with many of Washington’s most respected musical organizations including the National Symphony Orchestra, The National Chamber Orchestra, the Master Chorale of Washington, the Cathedral Choral Society, Masterworks Chorus and many others.  A regular with The Washington National Opera, Mr. Augustin’s numerous past productions include more than a twenty roles and more than 250 performances.

Adam Fry as Don Pasquale
Pennsylvania native, Adam Fry, is making a name for himself as one of the most promising young basses of his generation. This summer, Mr Fry was a member of Glimmerglass Opera’s esteemed Young American Artist Program, where as a cover he went on stage to perform Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola, and both Marchese d’Obigny and Dottore Grenvil in Jonathan Miller’s La Traviata.  While pursuing both his Artist Diploma and Masters of Music at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, he performed such roles as Colline in La Boheme, Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Man with a Cornet Case in Argento’s Postcard from Morocco, and Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore.  Since making his Dayton Opera debut as the Imperial Commissioner in Madame Butterfly, Mr. Fry has continued his strong relationship with the company also appearing as the Mandarin in Turandot, and as the Doctor/Servant in Macbeth.  Mr. Fry has also been a member of the Chautauqua Young Artist Program and the Lake George Opera Studio Program.  Recent accolades include First Prize and Audience Favorite in the Dayton Opera Guild College Competition, CCM’s Andrew White and Norman Treigle Award, and winner  of the Harold Haugh Light Opera Vocal Competition.

Aaron Sherber Conductor
Aaron Sherber has been Music Director of the Martha Graham Dance Company since 1998 and has led them in acclaimed performances at venues throughout the United States, England, and China, including City Center and the Joyce Theater in New York, the Kennedy Center and the Library of Congress in Washington DC, Sadler’s Wells in London, and the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. In recent seasons, his appearances with the Graham Company have included performances with the American Sympony Orchestra, the Albany Symphony Orchestra, the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, the San Diego Symphony, the Virginia Symphony, and the Eugene Symphony. Mr Sherber’s work with the Graham Company has been called “a special joy” by the Village Voice, and Dance Magazine  praised the “authority [and] balance” he brings.

From 1998 until 2003, Mr Sherber was the music director of Opera Vivente, a company specializing in innovative productions of chamber opera. His performances there included his own orchestral reductions of operas by Mozart and Puccini, as well as other repertoire ranging from the baroque era to the late twentieth century.
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James Harp Pianist
James Harp is well known in the Baltimore area as a stage director, pianist, organist, singer, composer, lecturer, writer and conductor. He holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of Music. He has been the Artistic Administrator of the Baltimore Opera Company since 1989 and has been the Chorus Master since 1993. Since 1983 he has served as organist for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and since 1987 has been the Cantor (Organist/Choirmaster) for Baltimore's historic St. Mark's Lutheran Church, where he also serves as Artistic Director of the St. Cecilia Society Concert Series.

His stage direction credits include such well known operas as Madama Butterfly, Don Giovanni, Cosi Fan Tutte, and Carmen, as well as less well-known American works: Buxom Joan (Raynor Taylor); Slow Dusk(Carlisle Floyd); Beauty and the Beast (Vittorio Giannini); The Village Singer (Steven Paulus); Too Many Sopranos (Edwin Penhorwood); The Music Shop (Richard Wargo). As a solo singer he has performed with Baltimore Opera Company, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, Summer Opera Theatre of DC, Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia, and the Contemporary Music Forum of Washington, DC. He has appeared with the Young Vic in three productions: Ruddigore (Sir Despard Murgatroyd); The Gondoliers (Don Alhambra); and Iolanthe (Earl Mountararat).