Cast

MARIA LUIGIA BORSI – CIO-CIO SAN(12/16 & 12/18)
Soprano Maria Luigia Borsi was born in Sora, Italy and completed her formal musical studies with highest honors from the “P. Mascagni Music Institute” in Livorno, where her vocal instructors included Renata Scotto.  In 2004 she performed the role of Liù (Turandot) at the Teatro alla Scala and Micaela (Carmen) at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo. In the same year she also made her debut at La Fenice interpreting the role of Violetta (La Traviata) with Lorin Maazel. She also recently returned to La Fenice for Donna Elvira. Maria Luigia’s success is not only confined to Europe, as she has also sung Fiordiligi (Cosi fan Tutte) with the New National Theatre Tokyo and La Traviata with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Myung-Whun Chung.  Maria Luigia was also invited to the Salzburg Festival by Riccardo Muti to sing Desdemona in Otello, where she had a great success. This was also the role with which she made her debut in America at the Cincinnati Opera last season to enormous acclaim, and she has already been invited back for Gianni Schicchi this summer.  Other future engagements include La Boheme (Liceu,Barcelona), Don Giovanni (Atlanta Opera), Turandot (Choregies d’Orange, France) and soloist in Cantaloube’s Chants D’auvergne with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, an orchestra she regularly collaborates with after her success in Beethoven 9 with Yannick Nezert-Seguin. Coming seasons see Maria Luigia return to the UK for Resphighi’s Il Tramonto (London Philharminic Orchestra) after her previous success in the repertoire with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra,continuing with Mahler’s 2nd Symphony (Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen) and Otello (Oviedo Opera/ Yves Abel). Maria Luigia will also return to the Royal Danish Opera to revive her performance as Cio Cio San, after she made her stunning debut in the role there last season.

MICHELE CAPALBO – CIO-CIO SAN (12/17)
Soprano Michele Capalbo recently held roles including Leonora in Il Trovatore with the Manitoba Opera and Teatro Real Madrid; as well as Lady Macbeth with Opera de Montreal and Dayton Opera. She has been seen in Tosca with New York City Opera, Seattle Opera and Calgary Opera; and as Elisabetta in Don Carlo with Grand Theatre de Geneve. Ms. Capalbo’s past engaments also include performances of Aida with Opera de Nice, Houston Grand Opera, Palacio de Bellas Artes (Mexico), Teatro Sociale Mantova, Theatre du Capitole Toulouse and at Le Festival de Musique de Strasbourg. She appeared in Madama Butterfly with Houston Grand Opera, Un Ballo in Maschera with Opera de Quebec and has triumphed as Leonora in La Forza Del Destino with Festival delle Terre Verdiane in 2004. In concert Ms. Capalbo has performed in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with National Chorale, Messa per Rossini with Festival International de Lanaudičre and Verdi‘s Requiem with Nashville Symphony and Eugene Symphony.

JAMES VALENTI – LT. PINKERTON (12/16 & 12/18)
American tenor James Valenti has been hailed for having a voice of Italianate beauty, for his handsome stage presence, ardent singing and for his elegant musicianship in performances with the leading opera companies of the world.  He studied at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and made his professional debut at the age of 25 as Rodolfo in La boheme (Rome Opera).  Other performances include Alfredo Germont in La traviata (Royal Opera House London and Japan Tour with Anna Netrebko, Metropolitan Opera New York with Angela Gheorghiu, Canadian Opera Company Toronto, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Salzburg Festival), Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto (Maggio Musicale Florence, Dallas Opera, Palm Beach Opera), Rodolfo (La Scala Milan, Dresden Semperoper, Miami, Santander Spain, Tokyo Japan), Werther (Opera de Lyon in Tokyo), Faust (Trieste), Lt. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly (Royal Opera House filmed in 3D on DVD, Paris Opera Bastille, Genoa, Marseilles, Chicago, Vancouver, San Francisco and on a PBS ‘Live from Lincoln Center’ telecast), Maurizio in Adriana Lecouvreur (Washington DC).  James has recorded for Virgin/EMI records with Ms. Gheorghiu.  Considered one of the brightest rising stars of his generation, James was the winner of the prestigious 2010 Richard Tucker Award and 2009 Maria Callas Award.  Plans include concerts in Toronto, Copenhagen and St. Petersburg Russia, Alfredo (Royal Opera House London, Bavarian State Opera Munich, Dallas Opera), Faust (Royal Opera House London), Werther (Minnesota Opera) and Lucia di Lammermoor (Opera Australia Sydney).

RAFAEL DAVILA – LT. PINKERTON (12/17)
Tenor Rafael Davila was last seen on the Palm Beach Opera stage as Don Jose in Carmen. The 2011-2012 season has Mr. Davila making his role debut as Otello with the Sarasota Opera, a Washington National Opera debut as Pollione in Norma, his debut in Bilbao ABAO as Ismaele in Nabucco, and  a return to Sarasota for Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly. In the 2010-2011 season Mr. Davila returned to the Lyric Opera of Kansas City for Pollione, made his Amsterdam debut as Rodolfo in La Bohème with the Reisoper, and returned to Sarasota Opera for the role of Oronte in I Lombardi.    Mr. Davila has also toured with Teatro Lirico D’Europa singing the roles of Don Jose in Carmen and Alfredo in La Traviata. His concert experience includes Verdi’s Messa da Requiem for PBS, Berlioz’s Beatrice et Benedict, Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. His recording of Misa Criolla was nominated for a Grammy Award.

MICHAEL CHIOLDI – SHARPLESS
Michael Chioldi is one of the world’s premiere operatic baritones. He has performed at nearly every major American opera house, including The Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, New York City Opera, Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, San Diego Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Spoleto USA and Santa Fe Opera. Internationally he has traveled extensively in Japan, and has recently appeared in Brazil, France, Germany, Canada, Macau and Spain. Recently he has performed with the Washington National Opera in his EMMY-Award winning role of Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and in the leading role in Glory Denied . Great critical acclaim followed his interpretation of Hamlet, as well as that of Richard Nixon in Nixon in China. Mr. Chioldi received his Bachelors’ degree from West Virginia University, and his Masters’ degree from Yale University. His recordings appear on the Sony Classical, BMG, Accord and Newport Classics labels.

IRENE ROBERTS – SUZUKI
This past season, mezzo soprano Irene Roberts, made critical acclaim singing Siebel in Faust with the North Carolina Opera, and here at Palm Beach Opera as Amore in Orfeo ed Euridice. Ms. Roberts’ recent engagements include two summers at the Castleton Festival performing in Suor Angelica, The Beggar’s Opera and The Turn of the Screw. She made her debut at the Townsend Opera as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly at the Opera Western Reserve.  A recent graduate of the Palm Beach Opera’s Young Artist Program, she performed Emilia in Otello, Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Mercédès in Carmen. In 2012, she will return to the Townsend Opera to make her debut as the title role in Carmen.  A native of Sacramento, California, Ms. Roberts holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music in Stockton, California.  She completed her graduate studies with a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music.

JULIUS AHN – GORO
Versatile Korean-born tenor, Julius Ahn has made multiple noted role and company debuts with critical acclaim over the past season. With the Aspen Opera Theater Center he performed Bégearss in Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles, with Chicago Opera Theater as Demo in Cavalli’s Giasone, and with Boston Lyric Opera as Tanzmeister and Brighella in R. Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos. Mr. Ahn concluded the 2010-2011 season with additional acclaim as A Soldier in Viktor Ullmann’s The Emperor of Atlantis with Boston Lyric Opera. Upcoming engagements in the 2011-2012 season include additional role and company debuts as he will perform Sellem in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress at the Princeton Festival, Basilio and Curzio in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Fiagro with Lyric Opera Baltimore (formerly Baltimore Opera), followed by a return to Boston Lyric Opera as Ruffiano in John Musto’s The Inspector. Mr. Ahn attended the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with the world-renown tenor Vinson Cole and performed a wide range of operatic roles.

VALENTIN VASILIU – BONZE
Valentin Vasiliu, baritone, is a native of Bucharest, Romania. Mr. Vasiliu received hi Master’s Degree from the Music University of Bucharest in vocal performance and pedagogy. He made his operatic debut with the role of Schaunard in “La Boheme” at the Romanian Opera in Cluj-Napoca. Mr. Vasiliu has made appearances on the opera and symphony stages in Europe, the U.S. and the Far East. He regularly performs the roles of  Giorgio Germont in Verdi’s La traviata, Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen, Sharpless in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Schaunard in La Boheme, and Peter in Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel. Mr. Vasiliu toured Japan, South Korea, and China performing the roles of Figaro in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and Leporello in Don Giovanni. Recent engagements include Sacristan in Tosca with the Washington Opera, Mozart Requiem with the Catholic University at the Kennedy Center, the four villains in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann with the Summer Opera Company, as well as Alfonso in Donizetti’s La Favorita , and Stalin and Kutuzow in the world premiere of Raoul.

KENNETH STAVERT – PRINCE YAMADORI
Baritone R. Kenneth Stavert, a native of Southern California, has been hailed for his strong sense of theatrics as well as commanding vocal prowess. Kenneth has performed with companies such as Glimmerglass Opera, Opera North, Center City Opera Theater, Cincinnati Symphony, Pasadena Pops Orchestra and the Northwest Young Recitalist Association. This season at Palm Beach Kenneth will sing Yamadori in Madama Butterfly and Gregorio in Roméo et Juliette. Recent roles include Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Schaunard in La bohemé, Dancaïro in Carmen and Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte. Kenneth has been a Metropolitan Opera National Council Regional Finalist, a Houston Grand Opera Semi-Finalist, and a Finalist in the Jensen Competition. He has twice been a Prize Winner in the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition, the first Place winner in the Opera Birmingham Vocal Competition and the Grand Prize Winner of the Florida Grand Opera Young Patronesses of the Opera Vocal Competition.

BENJAMIN CLEMENTS – IMPERIAL COMMISSIONER
Benjamin Clements holds a Master of Music in Voice from The Juilliard School and a Bachelor of Music in Voice from Michigan State University.  Mr. Clements returned this summer to the Santa Fe opera as a member of the young artist’s program.  For the SFO he performed the role of the First Apprentice in Alban Berg’s Wozzeck, and the role of the Catholic Priest in Menotti’s The Last Savage.  Last year Mr. Clements performed the role of Zuniga in Bizet’s Carmen with the Florida Grand Opera.  In 2009 at the Music Academy of the West he sang the role of Lothario in Thomas’ Mignon.  In the same year Mr. Clements appeared as Figaro in Juilliard’s production of Le Nozze di Figaro.  At Juilliard he also performed a recital with pianist and coach Margo Garrett.  In the summer of 2008 he appeared as Blitch in the Chautauqua Institution’s production of Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah.  During that year Mr. Clements made his Carnegie Hall debut as the bass soloist for Musica Sacra’s production of Handel’s Messiah.

JESSE ENDERLE – OFFICIAL REGISTRAR
Baritone Jesse Enderle, originally from Fargo, ND, enjoys performing as concert soloist as well as on the operatic stage, and has recently completed his tenure as a Tulsa Opera Studio Artist.  Performing with companies such as Central City Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Tulsa Opera, Arbor Opera Theatre, and others, his roles have included the grand Pooh-Bah in The Mikado, Baron Douphol in La Traviata, Masetto in Don Giovanni, Escamillo in Carmen, Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, and Sid in Albert Herring.  Concert work has included works such as Brahms’ Requiem, Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony, and Ralph Vaughan-Williams Five Mystical Songs.  This season at Palm Beach, Jesse will sing the role of the Imperial Commissioner as well as Paris in Romeo and Juliette.  He will also sing the role of Mercutio in this season’s family performance of Romeo and Juliette and cover the role of Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. He has twice been a district winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and has been a finalist for the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center.

RON DANIELS – DIRECTOR
Director Ron Daniels was born and educated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and was a founder member of the Teatro Oficina, in São Paulo. He is a former artistic director of The Other Place Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s experimental theater in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, and after 15 years directing for the Royal Shakespeare Company he was named an honorary associate director of the RSC. In 1991 he moved to the United States and became the associate artistic director of the American Repertory Theatre, in Cambridge, MA. His work in opera includes new productions of Il Re Pastore (Boston Lyric Opera), Carmen (Houston Grand Opera, Opera Pacific, Michigan Opera Theatre), Madama Butterfly (San Francisco Opera, Opera Pacific, Austin Lyric Opera, Opera Colorado and Florida Grand Opera), The Turn of the Screw (Berkshire Opera), Tosca (Teatro Municipal of Rio de Janeiro), Così fan tutte (Arizona Opera and Pittsburgh Opera), La Forza del Destino (San Francisco Opera).  His first feature film The War Boys has just been picked up for distribution by Maya Entertainment.

ANDREA DORF MCGRAY – ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Andrea Dorf McGray is a graduate of the Washington National Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, where projects included directing Così fan tutte, Reincarnations of Faust, (Un)Spoken Desires, and Romeo & Juliet: Explored, as well as the Young Artist mainstage performances of Don Giovanni and Gianni Schicchi, and the “Look-in” performances of Madama Butterfly and Don Giovanni. Her latest production was Let Freedom Sing: the Story of Marian Anderson at THEARC in Washington, DC. She has directed workshop productions of Kafka-Fragmente and Wachsfigurenkabinett for the Aspen Music Festival, and staged concerts for the Greenwich Music Festival and Sing for Hope. As an Assistant Director, she has worked with San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Washington National Opera, Portland Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Chicago Opera Theater, Utah Opera, Wolf Trap Opera Company, The Juilliard School, and the Aspen Music Festival. She received her BA in English, magna cum laude, from Amherst College, studied with the Shakespeare Programme in London, and holds an MFA in Directing from Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.