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Artist-in-Residence Training Program

 

Meet Dayton Opera’s Artists in Residence

Four of today’s rising young opera singers and members of Dayton Opera’s Artist in Residence Program are in town from February through May and are in rehearsal for Dayton Opera’s mainstage production of “Romeo and Juliet” as well as for the “Opera on the Road” in- school programs. It’s all part of the variety of experiences they will receive as members of this important program. But don’t be misled: they may be young but they are long on talent! 

“Each year the residency of our young artists is one of the most exciting times of the season.  Their presence in our community helps us to fullfill our company’s mission to provide high quality educational programs as well as training and professional experience for young artists,” commented General and Artistic Director Thomas Bankston.

Soprano Jennifer Cherest, a native of La Plata, Maryland, recently completed her Masters in Music from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, and received her BFA from Carnegie Mellon.  She has been praised for her “beautiful voice of crystal clarity” by musicincinnati.com. She was recently a resident artist with Kentucky Opera and will join the Merola Opera Program this summer. Singing and performing since she was six, Jennifer is a professional horseback riding trainer and has been competitor. 

Mezzo-soprano Julia Mintzer will join Washington National Opera as a Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist for the 2012-2013 season, and will be an apprentice at Santa Fe Opera this summer.  She has sung with Wolf Trap Opera Company, Boston Baroque, and was a Regional Finalist for the Metropolitan National Council Auditions (New England.)  Also an active stage director, Ms. Mintzer’s production of La Cenerentola was hailed as “just the sort of thing that keeps opera alive and relevant.”  A Philadephia native, Julia is a graduate of The Juilliard School.

Argentinean-born tenor Matias Eduardo Mariani grew up in South Caroline and is a received his Masters Degree in Opera from The Boston Conservatory. He says singing chose him when, as a child, he would sing along to Pavarotti. Equally comfortable with oratorio and opera, he will engage Dayton Opera audiences with his “Italian sound” and stage presence.

With a double major in Chemistry and Music, baritone Patrick McNally worked as a chemist for a year before he decided he loved music too much to keep it as a hobby. His voice has been described as “robust” and “standout” by the Denver Post and with a “lively” stage presence by Opera News. McNally hails from Newton, Mass, and performed as n Apprentice Artist at the Central City Opera.

Before the “Opera On the Road” programs begins traveling to area schools, Mintzer, Mariani and McNally will appear in the upcoming Dayton Opera production of Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet.”  The artists will also perform in the Wintergarden prior to the Dayton Opera Star Gala starring Metropolitan Opera Tenor Marcello Giordani. Then in May, all four artists will perform the  leading roles  in “The Tragedy of Carmen” the Peter Brook/Marius Constant adaptation of Bizet’s “Carmen”,  at the Victoria Theatre.

 

History of Dayton Opera’s Artists In Residence Program 

The Artist-in-Residence Program (AIR) was established in 1987 to serve as a professional training program for young singers as a bridge to move from the university/conservatory education experience into the arena of a professional opera company.

Each year, the four artists in the program are selected from national auditions and reside in Dayton for 8-15 weeks. AIRs receive supporting and sometimes principal roles in a main stage production, and perform in elementary and secondary in-school educational and community programs. Valuable training is offered through operatic coaching and master class sessions from regional opera professionals.

AIR enables Dayton Opera to offer a very high level of talent in its educational programs and provide career advancement opportunities for aspiring young singers, helping to contribute to the future health of our art form.

Many former members of the AIR have been invited back in subsequent seasons to perform leading roles with Dayton Opera.

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