Opera is beautiful.  It is an art that takes music and blends it with drama and intrigue. To sing like an angel, one must undertake the extreme technicalities of opera singing, one must have an ease of stage movement and presence, and most importantly, a profound love of music.  Talent isn't everything, it takes a lot of hard work to make it to the top.  As my professor always tells me, "To become a great singer, you must know that everything's not going to happen overnight.  It takes long years of hard work and determination.  But it will happen."

Opera law #1- Sopranos are always beautiful.  Sopranos are young virgins.  Wagnerian Sopranos wear funny hats.  Sopranos are to blame for frightening newcomers from opera.  Sopranos have a propensity for going barmy.  Sopranos love tenors.

I'm a Soprano!  (Didn't you wonder...)  Currently, I am what you'd call a "soubrette."  I'm working towards a light lyric sound.

The WVU Opera Theatre has some awesome Sopranos! 
*Rose Boyce, senior
*Judith Cavendish, doctorial candidate
*Angela Ferraiuolo, senior
*Courtney Folden, sophomore
*Jessica Mariotti, sophomore
*Lynn McCormick, sophomore
*Hilary Ryon, sophomore
*Jill Skivington, junior
*Alison Show, junior
*Sherri Welch, junior
*Alissa Wyatt, sophomore

But, you gotta give credit to the fantastic WVU Mezzos!
*Ceci Grasso Dadisman, sophomore
*Jennifer Thompson, senior
*Kimberly Anne Weston, doctorial candidate

But then there's the guys...

The WVU Opera Theatre also has some great Tenors!
*Kent Fridley, senior
*Heath Mankey, freshman
*Brian Philage, junior
*John Tiranno, graduate student
*James Valenti, senior

And don't forget about the talented Baritones!
*Matt Enders, junior
*Michael Liebermann, freshman
*Jeremy Mikush, freshman
*David Peterson, junior
*Ryan Sizemore, junior
*Paul Workman, sophomore

Our wonderful director/vocal coach... Professor Robert W. Thieme and our pianists Eun-Suk Jung and Pei Sien Lim.

Would you like to learn more about opera and why it interests me so much?  Do you want to see certain opera synopses?  Click on the button to the right.

PERFORMANCE!

The WVU Opera Theatre is presenting an evening of opera scenes on April 5, 6, and 7, 2000, at 7:30pm and on April 8, 2000, at 3:15pm in the Falbo Theatre at the WVU Creative Arts Center.  Admission is FREE.  This program includes excerpts from Rossini's "La Cenerentola" (Cinderella), Mozart's "Die Zauberflote" (The Magic Flute), and "Don Giovanni," Strauss's "Der Rosenkavalier" and his complete prologue to "Ariadne auf Naxos."  Don't miss some fantastic singers perform some of the greatest scenes ever!  All excerpts will be sung in ENGLISH!

To read more about the cast list and the particular scenes being performed, please click here.