First Coast Opera kicks off its 2018-19 season with Bernstein’s Broadway, a concert highlighting the musical legacy of iconic American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. Part of the international Leonard Bernstein at 100 celebration, Bernstein’s Broadway will feature hit tunes from his wildly successful Broadway musicals – West Side Story, Candide, On the Town, Trouble in Tahiti, and Wonderful Town. The event takes place on Thursday, October 11 at 7:30pm at the Lightner Museum.
MEET THE ARTISTS
Soprano Elena Galván returns to FCO after singing the role of Kay in The Stranger’s Tale. The Ithaca, New York native recently relocated to South Florida, where she will perform the role of Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro during Florida Grand Opera’s upcoming season. A graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, she recently made her role debut of Blondchen in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Livermore Valley Opera in California, where she also debuted as Lisette in La Rondine with Opera San Jose. Other company credits include Virginia Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, and Opera Saratoga.
Baritone Luis González has enjoyed a diverse performing career, singing with Opera Tampa, St. Petersburg Opera, Bronx Opera, Opera San José, The Florida Orchestra, Crested Butte Music Festival, Sarasota Festival of Vocal Arts, and the Metropolitan Opera Guild. This season, he sings The Gardener in Opera Tampa’s world-premiere of Anton Coppola’s Lady Swanwhite and makes his recital debut with Sarasota Music Club. A conductor and vocal coach based in the Florida Gulf Coast region, he serves as Associate Director and Assistant Conductor for Choral Artists of Sarasota and is former Chorus Master at St. Petersburg Opera.
Tenor Matt Morgan last sang with FCO three years ago in Opera Paris. The Gainesville resident maintains a busy performing and teaching schedule around the country. His performing credits include leading roles with New York City Opera, Florentine Opera in Milwaukee, Opera Colorado in Denver, and many others. He has sung in concert with numerous orchestras including the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. An alumnus of the Pittsburgh Opera Center, National Opera Company, and Louisiana State University, the frequent masterclass instructor is a faculty member at the University of Florida.
Mezzo-soprano Sarah Nordin returns to FCO after singing in last fall’s Opera’s Most Haunting Melodies concert. Her notable recent engagements include Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Orlando and Geneva Light Opera, Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with Opera Tampa, Charlotte in Werther for Gulfshore Opera, the title role in Carmen for the Livingston Symphony Orchestra, and Dorabella in Così fan Tutte for Opera Tampa, Winter Opera of St. Louis, and Opera Orlando. As alto soloist, she has sung in Handel’s Messiah with The Villages Philharmonic and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, among others. She received performance degrees from the University of Tennessee and Lee University.
Bass Tyler Putnam recently relocated to Florida and makes his First Coast Opera debut. His busy 2018 has included singing Sparafucile in RIGOLETTO with Gulfshore Opera, Colline in LA BOHÈME with the Missouri Symphony and with Salt Marsh Opera, Commendatore in DON GIOVANNI with Divaria Productions, Sicario in MACBETH with Opera Tampa, Angelotti in TOSCA with the Gulf Coast Symphony, and Ceprano in RIGOLETTO with Berkshire Opera Festival. Mr. Putnam has won prizes from the Sullivan Foundation, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and the Schuyler Foundation for Career Bridges. He grew up on Chebeague Island, Maine and is a graduate of Dartmouth College.
Soprano Carrie Thornton has been involved in the local musical theatre scene for the past twenty years. Her favorite roles include Margaret Johnson in The Light in the Piazza, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, Maria in The Sound of Music, and Lily in The Secret Garden. She majored in Music and Education at North Park University in Chicago and has worked for the past ten years as an interpreter at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. Carrie is thrilled to be a part this tribute and to work with the great talent of FCO. She is also grateful to her amazing husband, kids, and family for their continued support.
Artistic Director Curtis Tucker has conducted local productions of I Pagliacci, Don Giovanni, La Vie Parisienne, Trial by Jury, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and his two original one-act operas, The Stranger’s Tale and The Trial of B. B. Wolf. His other conducting credits include Cincinnati Opera, Opera Memphis, Opera Saratoga, Syracuse Opera, Mobile Opera, and the University of North Florida. In January, he will lead FCO’s The Marriage of Figaro, and in February he paces The Consul for the University of Mobile. He serves on the music theater faculty of the Florida School of the Arts.
Tickets are $35 for adults and $10 for students. They are available at www.firstcoastopera.com or by calling 904-417-5555.
