Carmen

Featured Artists

Composer-Conductor Sung Jin Hong is the artistic director of One World Symphony. The New York Times described Hong’s From The Alchemist as transforming “a novel to a lush Mahlerian sound.” Mr. Hong’s upcoming composition commissions include a piano concerto for Lloyd Arriola and the symphonic poem The Architect for Ramakrishna-Vivekananda. His recent commissioned and performed symphonic works include Eye of the Storm (2010–2011) and Sidewalk Sketches (2010). His compositions have been performed at the New York International Fringe Festival, the central New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue, Bard College, and Palai Corbelli in Vienna, Austria. Mr. Hong’s guest conducting engagements include Lyrique-en-mer in France, Stadt Wien Konservatorium in Vienna, Royal Northern Conservatory in Manchester, Tulsa Symphony, Tulsa Ballet, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes, Redlands University, Bradley University, Western Illinois University, and Great Music for a Great City. Mr. Hong had the honor of being chosen by Kurt Masur to participate in a series of masterclasses and conduct in a concert with Manhattan School of Music Symphony. He made his international recording debut as a conductor with classical music’s largest record label, Naxos.

Praised for “elegant, power-packed mezzo” and “lustrous tone,” Gulnara Mitzanova was educated and trained in Moscow Conservatory, the Juilliard School, and Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadephia on postgraduate program. Most recently she performed Eboli in Don Carlo and Zita in Gianni Schicchi. She was a featured artist with One World Symphony as Dalila in Samson et Dalia, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, and most recently as Maurya in Riders to the Sea, which the New York Times praised her: “a moving performance.” Her other roles include Laura and La Cieca (La Gioconda), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Olga (Eugene Onegin), Rosina, and Carmen among others. Ms Mitzanova recently returned from Mexico, where she was featured as a solo recitalist at the FAOT International Festival, in line with Jessie Norman and Frederica von Stade, and earning acclaim. As an oratorio soloist and a recitalist, she also has performed in Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, and Bard International Music Festival. Her competition successes include New York Oratorio Solo Competition, Parkinson Bel Canto Competition, and the Albanese-Puccini Foundation. Ms Mitzanova is also a professional pianist and a choral conductor, and maintains an active voice studio in NYC.

Making her debut with One World Symphony, mezzo-soprano Anna Yelizarova is originally from Moscow, Russia, now residing in New York. She has appeared in varied roles including Carmen, Dorabella, Dido, Prince Orlofsky, Olga, Marina, Ulrica, Mistress Quickly, La Zia Principessa, Smeton, 3rd Lady, Flora, Mother in Amahl, and Suzuki. She has sung with Opera in the Heights, Natchez Music Festival, Golden Gate Opera, Center City Opera, Bay Area Summer Opera, Long Island Opera, Opera Company of Brooklyn, Opera Manhattan, Martina Arroyo Foundation, New York Lyric Opera Theater, Queens Opera, and Intermezzo Opera Festival. She has been soloist in numerous concert performances, including orchestra concerts with Gateway Classical Music Society, and opera scenes at Carnegie Hall with Pacific Encore Opera. A finalist in the Opera at Florham Vocal Competition, Ms. Yelizarova holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in voice from the Manhattan School of Music and NJCU. In Russia, she received BM in Conducting from the Schnittke Moscow State Institute of Music.

Adrienne Metzinger is a founding member, graphic designer, managing director, and stage director of One World Symphony. Ms. Metzinger had the honor of singing our National Anthem to begin New York City’s televised 2003 Veteran’s Day Parade as well as at a ceremony honoring then-Senator Hillary Clinton held by the United Spinal Association. She made her Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall debut singing the music of Kurt Weill in a benefit concert for the American Red Cross. Ms. Metzinger’s most recent performance with One World Symphony was the critically-aclaimed all-Gluck program performing as Paride in Paride ed Elena. She has made numerous appearances in One World Symphony’s opera productions: Wagner’sTristan und Isolde (Brangane), Poulenc’s The Dialogues of the Carmelites (The First Prioress), Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus (Orlofsky), Barber’s Vanessa (The Baroness), Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos (Dryade) and Elektra (Clytemnestra’s Trainbearer), Verdi’s Otello (Emilia), Janácek’s The Cunning Little Vixen (Forester’s Wife, Dog), Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin (Larina), and Handel’s Giulio Cesare (Cornelia). Her solo concert repertoire with One World Symphony include Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’Été, Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, Bach’s Magnificat, and Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ms. Metzinger has also performed world premiere works by Kyle Gann, Joan Dawidziak, and Stan Grill. Ms. Metzinger sang Sibelius’s Kaiutar with world premiere orchestration by Sung Jin Hong in Legends from the North.

Nicole Buggé returns to choreograph and perform with One World Symphony. Her work was described by the NY Examiner as “actively engag[ing] its audiences through innovative musical demonstrations, a brilliant touch”. Ms. Buggé holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Dance from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance and Choreography from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. She performed with the Richmond Ballet in works by George Balanchine, New York City in dances by Charles Weidman as well as original works by Deborah Jowitt, Cherylyn Lavagnino, and Sydney Skybetter. Additionally she performed internationally at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland and the Accademia dell’Arte in Arezzo, Italy. She choreographed for the Second Avenue Dance Company, and was commissioned to present work at Lincoln Center. Ms. Buggé is excited to be working again with One World Symphony.

Making his debut with One World Symphony, John Tedeschi is an emerging artist known for his captivating stage presence and endearing acting coupled with a ringing and versatile tenor instrument. Mr. Tedeschi has performed with Opera Theater of Connecticut, Osh Opera, New Britain Symphony, Wichita Grand Opera, New Orleans Opera, Center City Opera, and Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance. Most recently Mr. Tedeschi was Lt. B.F. Pinkerton in the U.S. premiere of Butterfly’s Trouble, a re-telling of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly from the perspective of the grown-up son, Trouble. FigandFlan of Theatermania wrote: “He sang beautifully… [his] Pinkerton is one of the best we have seen, and he brings real life to a character we usually see at a distance. He also hints effectively at all the reasons we should dislike Pinkerton while simultaneously maintaining a rosy demeanor.” Mr. Tedeschi will premiere his first Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana this month at a benefit performance with the West Side Opera Society.

Baritone Shannon A. De Vine’s upcoming performances include Pietro in Simon Bocccanegra in March with Placido Domingo at Avery Fisher Hall. With One World Symphony, he’s been heard as Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana, Iago in Otello, Valentin in Faust, Count di Luna in Il Trovatore and Marcello in La Bohème and Captain Balstrode in the critically acclaimed and uncut production of Peter Grimes. He was recently seen as Ceccho de Vecchio in Wagner’s Rienzi also at Avery Fisher Hall and sung Michonnet in Adriana Lecouvreur under Maestro Alberto Veronesi. He was also invited to participate as Nelusko in L’Africaine with Maestro Eve Queler and The Opera Orchestra of NY also in Lincoln Center. He has appeared with the Aspen Opera Theater Center as Michele in Puccini’s Il Tabarro as well as the roles of Ford in Falstaff both with Maestro Juluis Rudel and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with Maestro Sian Edwards. Mr. De Vine made his Houston Grand Opera debut as Morales in Ron Daniel’s new production of Carmen under Maestro Alain Lombard. Other roles with HGO include Riolobo in Florencia en las Amazonas, Top in Copland’s The Tender Land, and Guglielmo in Così Fan Tutte. He joined the Tanglewood Music Center for his debut as Jose Tripaldi chosen by the composer Osvaldo Golijov under the baton of Maestro Robert Spano in participation with world premiere opera Ainadamar. While earning his Master’s degree from the Juilliard School, Mr. De Vine performed the roles of Demetrius in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Silvio in I Pagliacci. Among his many awards and recognitions include winner of the Licia Albanese – Puccini Foundation Awards, a semi-finalist in the Marseille International Voice Competition in France, the International Voice Competition of Francisco Vinas in Barcelona and finalist in the Opera National de Paris de la Bastille International Voice Competition the MacAllister Awards, the Rosa Ponselle International Voice Competition and winner of the Verdi Concerto Competition at the Aspen Music Festival.

Making his debut with One World Symphony, Luke Scott received his musical training from The Hartt School, Chautauqua Institution, Aspen Opera Theater Center, Martina Arroyo Foundation, and Voice Experience Foundation. Performances include Sam in Trouble in Tahiti at The Hartt School, Count Almaviva at Dicapo Theater in NY with the Martina Arroyo Foundation, Spinelloccio/Amantio in Gianni Schicci with the Yale Opera New Haven Symphony, Peter in Hansel und Gretel with Opera Theater of Connecticut, Bass Soloist New Haven Choral in Handel’s Alexander’s Feasat, and singer for The Archipelago Project with the El Sistema orchestra of Acarigua, Venezuela. Mr. Scott has appeared in several productions with CT Opera, presented two concerts of opera/broadway favorites with the WHSO, the title role in Gianni Schicci CT Lyric Opera, and Bass soloist New Haven Chorale. Other engagements include Ich habe genug, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Faure’sRequiem and Messiah, Schubert’s Magnificat, Daddy Warbucks in Annie, and Emile de Becce in South Pacific. This past season Mr. Scott sang the title role in Le Nozze di Figaro at Opera on the Avalon in Newfoundland, Guglielmo in Così fan Tutte with CT Lyric Opera, and Brahms’s Requiem with the Newburyport Chorale society. Mr. Scott has performed in the U.S., Austria, Germany, Venezuela, and Canada. He has received awards from the Hartt School, Chautauqua Institution, Aspen Music Festival, Martina Arroyo Foundation, and the Voice Experience Foundation, and was a finalist in the Soma International, New Jersey Association of Verismo, Violetta Dupont, and second place in the American Opera Idol, the Amici Competition, and the Friedrich Schorr Memorial Award.

Making her debut with One World Symphony, Christine Browning, soprano, from Dayton, OH recently graduated with her Master’s Degree in Classical Voice from Manhattan School of Music in New York City where she currently lives and studies with Ashley Putnam. In August, she sang Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro in Vancouver, Canada. This past spring semester she sang Mother in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel with MSM Opera Theatre. Last fall with the MSM Opera Theatre she sang Lady Billows in a scene from Britten’s Albert Herring. In the summer of 2011 she sang with OAC in San Francisco where she portrayed Beth in Little Women, and sang in many scenes, including Die Fledermaus (Roselinda) and Don Giovanni (Donna Elvira). Last year she was seen in Mignon Dunn’s Opera Workshop where she sang scenes from Così fan Tutte (Fiordiligi), Carmen (Micaëla), and The Merry Widow (Hannah).

Soprano Shannon Jones is very excited to be making her One World Symphony debut. A recent graduate of Mannes The New School for Music, Mrs. Jones’s past roles include Adina, Pamina, Donna Elvira, Gretle, Mimi, and Cio-Cio San. She has sung with such companies as Opera in the Ozarks, Sarasota Opera, Martha Cardona Theater, and Houston Grand Opera. Mrs. Jones is a student of Beth Roberts.

 

 

 

 

Soprano Jane Hoffman, originally from Los Angeles, CA, received her Masters degree from the Manhattan School of Music, where she studied with Hilda Harris. She has appeared as Oberto in the Satori Opera production of Handel’s Alcina. This fall she will be appearing in the Martha Cardona Theater’s production of Gianni Schicchi as Lauretta. She also appeared as Daniel in the New York premiere production of Handel’s Susannah. She has performed roles such as Blondchen (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Olympia (Tales of Hoffmann), the Princess (L’Enfant et les Sortileges) and Giulietta (I Capuleti ed i Montecchi). Ms. Hoffman also holds a Bachelor of the Arts from Sarah Lawrence College, where she performed the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Missa Brevis in C with the Sarah Lawrence Orchestra. She currently studies with David Jones. Ms. Hoffman made her debut as a featured soloist in One World Symphony’s critically acclaimed production of Janácek’s The Cunning Little Vixen.

Making her debut with One World Symphony, Asuka Uchida joins the cast of Carmen as Frasquita. Ms. Uchida’s opera highlights include Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Clorinda (La Cenerentola) with Capitol Heights Opera, Alice (Le comte Ory) with West Side Opera Society, Adele (Die Fledermaus), Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) with Opera Avanti, and Gilda (Rigoletto) with Académie Internationale d’Été de Nice. As a versatile artist, Ms. Uchida was presented as an aspiring opera signer on the website of Maybeline New York. Her voice was featured for short films for NEC. She was interviewed by Jewish Weekly News Television as a finalist of Opera Idol Competition at Lincoln Center. Ms. Uchida was a featured model for Zipit in Israel. Her international credits include Académie Internationale d’Été de Nice, France; Daniel Ferro Vocal Program in Italy; International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel; and Young Artist Concert Series in Japan. She is a finalist of Hariclea Darclée Voice Competition in Romania.

Puerto-Rican born José Pietri-Coimbre has distinguished himself as an orchestral, chamber music, and solo violinist, and as a vocal soloist. He made is operatic debut as Forester in One World Symphony’s critically-acclaimed production of Janácek’s The Cunning Little Vixen in May 2010. He later performed as Chevalier in Poulenc’s The Dialogues of the Carmelites in January 2011. As a violinist and violist, he has held principal positions at One World Symphony, Puerto Rico Sinfonietta, the National Orchestral Institute Orchestra, Bronx Opera, and the Queens Philharmonia. A founding member of Cuarteto Ensue–o, he is dedicated to the performance of Spanish and Latin American art music of instrumental and vocal genres. Mr. Pietri-Coimbre performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician at the Con Vivo Chamber Players concert series in Jersey City, NJ, and as violinist and tenor for the Luci Toscane Music and Cultural Arts Festival, in Italy and in Wisconsin. He has performed at the Chamber Music Live Series at Flushing Town Hall and the Lefrak Concert Hall, and at in several notable music festivals. He served as concertmaster as part of the Siena Summer Session for the Music and the Arts in Italy and Switzerland.

Alex Wang is pleased to perform again with One World Symphony with which he previously sang Roderigo in Verdi’s Otello and Uriel in Haydn’s The Creation. A tenor with an eclectic performance history, Mr. Wang has sung and danced on the marquee of Radio City Music Hall with Celine Dion (Celine Dion: A Decade of Song on CBS/VH1); sung backup for Aretha Franklin on the Grammy Awards; appeared as soloist in Lowell Liebermann’s Missa Brevis, Op. 15, at Alice Tully Hall; sung for American Ballet Theatre, Mark Morris Dance Company, and Dance Brazil; and played “punk rock guy” in a commercial for VH1. This past spring, he appeared at three Baroque music festivals in Mexico with the vocal quintet A Viva Voce and rang one hand bell once as a member of the male chorus for the American Symphony Orchestra’s performance of George Crumb’s Star-Child at Carnegie Hall.

Making his debut with One World Symphony, David Claps, a New Jersey native, is a graduate of The Ailey School/Fordham University with a BFA in Dance and minor in Business Administration. While in attendance, Mr. Claps performed repertory by numerous choreographers including Alvin Ailey, Lar Lubovitch, Paul Taylor and Bill T. Jones, and also performed with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Memoria during their annual New York City Center Season. Additionally, Mr. Claps had the privilege to study Ohad Naharin’s “gaga” movement language and repertoire at the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance. He has worked professionally with Kazuko Hirabayashi Dance Theatre, ZviDance (apprentice), Alexis Convento & Artists and Exit 12 Dance Company, among others. He has also performed and presented choreography throughout Central America with JUNTOS Collective. Furthermore, Mr. Claps serves as the Director of Fiscal Services at Pentacle/Danceworks, Inc. where his client roster includes notable companies such as Buglisi Dance Theatre and Complexions Contemporary Ballet.

Ohio native Paige Grimard moved to New York to pursue her dreams of performing. For the past two years, she has been dancing and touring with Exit 12 Dance Company along with many other freelance jobs she has been thrilled to participate in. She toured nationally with L’Oréal as a model and dancer, performed in the 2011 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, competed in the 2012 Yoga Asana championship, and most recently, Ms. Grimard has taken a role in the off-Broadway show Awesome ’80s Prom. She made her debut with One World Symphony with the critically-aclaimed all-Gluck program.

 

 

 

Making her debut with One World Symphony, Caroline Kehoe received her early dance training in Princeton, NJ from American Repertory Ballet’s Princeton Ballet School under the direction of Maria Youskevitch and Graham Lustig, and intensive training from Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Boston Ballet, NYU, and Complexions Ballet. She graduated from Ailey/Fordham in 2010 with a BFA in dance, where she had the privilege of performing works by Alvin Ailey, LarLubovitch, Larry Keigwin, Paul Taylor, Ron K. Brown, and Pedro Ruiz. She performed in Memoria with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at NY City Center in 2009–10 and for their 50th Anniversary season in 2008–09. Ms. Kehoe’s additional performing credits include American Repertory Ballet, BEings Dance, and Flexicurve, and her broadcast and print credits include the PBS series IN THE LIFE/Voices of Pride: Pas de Deux, as well as a photo series called Beautiful Dancers on the Town, and the photography book Dance Magic, both of which were shot by dance photographer Richard Calmes. Ms. Kehoe is currently an apprentice with Jennifer Muller/The Works.

Paulette Lewis is a Wisconsin native and discovered her love and passion for dance at the age of five. She recently completed her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Dance from Point Park University in three years and moved to New York City to pursue her performing dream. She has performed in works at Broadway Dance Center’s ISVP and Summer Intern Program, MOVE Benefit, and Point Park University performances, among others. Ms. Lewis is excited to be performing for the first time in works by Nicole Buggé and with One World Symphony.

 

 

Brittany Testone began her training as a scholarship recipient at Center of Ballet and Dance Arts, under the direction of Deborah Boughton in Syracuse, NY. She spent summers training with Complexions Contemporary Ballet, LINES Ballet, Washington School of Ballet, and Boston Ballet. Ms. Testone graduated with honors from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Dance and minor in history. While at Tisch, she was a member of the Second Avenue Dance Company and had the privilege of performing original works by Sean Curran, Cherylyn Lavagnino, and Deborah Jowitt, as well as repertory by Keigwin+Company, David Dorfman Dance, Kate Weare Company, and Battleworks Dance Company. Ms. Testone is currently an apprentice with the Sean Curran Company and a member of ToUch Performance Art and XAOC Contemporary Ballet. She has also danced in several music videos including Charlene Kaye’s “Animal Love,” and has performed as a featured back-up dancer in concerts. She made her debut with One World Symphony with the critically-aclaimed all-Gluck program.


Sunday, September 23, 2012
Holy Apostles Church
Manhattan

Monday, September 24, 2012
Holy Apostles Church
Manhattan