50th Anniver­sary Legacy Opera Gala

ANGELA BROWN   soprano

Angela Brown personifies the ideal soprano: sheer vocal power; luxurious finesse; and shimmering, high pianissimos. She has graced the leading opera and symphonic stages on six continents including Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, National Opera of Paris, Vienna State Opera, Capetown (South Africa) Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Edmonton Opera, Calgary Philharmonic, Shanghai World Expo, Moscow Performing Arts Center, The Metropolitan Opera, Bilbao Opera, Teatro La Fenice, Hamburg Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Cincinnati Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, and more. She has been presented in solo recital throughout the United States, Canada, Spain, New Zealand, China, and Africa. She is a featured artist on the two-time Grammy Award® winning recording “Ask Your Mama” and is the original voice of the contemporary opera roles of Addie Parker (Charlie Parker’s Yardbird) and Cilla (Margaret Garner). Her repertoire includes the time-honored roles of Tosca, Aida, Amelia (Un ballo in Maschera), Elisabetta (Don Carlo), and Leonora (Il Trovatore).

Angela’s leadership in opera extends as the founder of Morning Brown, Inc., her nonprofit dedicated to the development of multicultural role models and audiences in the performing arts. (www.morningbrown.org) She received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts and The Willson Center for Humanities and the Arts of the University of Georgia named Angela the 2023 Delta Visiting Chair for Global Understanding. The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music presented her with the Centennial Award for meaningful contributions to the advancement of music education, performance advocacy, and philanthropy. Angela is the Artistic and Educational Ambassador of Indianapolis Opera.

​www.angelambrown.com

KEITH BUHL   tenor

Keith Buhl is a much acclaimed operatic tenor whose work keeps him busy throughout the United States and Canada. His most recent engagements have featured Mr. Buhl as Canio in I Pagliacci, Radames in Aida, Manrico in Il Trovatore, Don José in Carmen, Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera, and Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca. He has appeared with the Santa Fe Opera, Florentine Opera, Opera Hamilton, Kentucky Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Nashville Opera, Virginia Opera, Opera Illinois, Opera Memphis, Mississippi Opera, Knoxville Opera, the Opera Festival of New Jersey, and Des Moines Metro Opera. Mr. Buhl is a member of Actors’ Equity Association, Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, and the American Guild of Musical Artists.  Mr. Buhl is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music in New York City.

JIM CORNELISON   tenor

Jim Cornelison grew up in Washington State and came to Indiana in 1988 to attend the famed Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. There he pursued post graduate work in opera performance studying with Dale Moore which is how he met the General Manager of Indianapolis Opera, David Starkey. Jim was invited to join the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s apprentice program in 1995. Leaving in 1998 he was managed by Columbia Artists and over the next 9 years sang with San Francisco Opera, L’Opera de Bordeaux, English National Opera, Seattle Opera, Fort Worth, Minnesota, Baltimore, Hawaii, Anchorage, the National Opera of Belgium, more with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and many others.

In 2008 the Chicago Blackhawks asked Jim to sing all the National Anthems for their home games. This was a dramatic change of lifestyle and direction into the corporate and sports’ worlds. With the Blackhawks, Jim has received 3 Stanley Cup Championship rings, performed for 3 internationally televised Winter Classic hockey games as well as the NHL’s 2014 Stadium Series game. With the Bears, he has performed the anthem at each home opening game since 2010 as well as all the home playoff games and the opening day of the 100th Anniversary of the NFL.

Too many opportunities to list have come from this repeated national exposure of Jim’s unique but conservative rendition of the Star-Spangeld Banner. He has sung for or been featured on David Letterman’s webcast, the Harry Connick, Jr Show, the Colbert Report, NPR’s Morning Edition, the Today Show,  NBC Nightly News, NBC’s Newday Northwest, and nearly all Chicago and Indianapolis media outlets. The Boston Globe said “Francis Scott key wrote the words. Jim Cornelison has shaped them into an American rallying cry!”  While Harry Connick posted on Twitter, “That may be my favorite national anthem ever!”

There have been many opportunities to sing for major sporting events like the Ryder Cup, ESPN’s College Game Day, NASCAR races, the Indianapolis Pacers and Colts, Friday Night Fights, USA Rugby, and all of Chicago’s pro sports teams. As well as fun and unexpected ones like performing with the Smashing Pumpkins and jazz great Frank Catalano, being the master of ceremonies for the NBC broadcast of Chi-Town rising on New Year’s Eve and of course, singing for the 50 year gala celebration of the Indianapolis Opera! But no opportunity, emerging from Cornelison’s place as the Anthem Singer of the Chicago Blackhawks ,has been greater than the honor of singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” since 2017 for the hundreds of thousands of Indianapolis 500 fans every Memorial Day Weekend.

JANE DUTTON   soprano​

An Indiana native, Jane Dutton has sung in many of the top opera houses in the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Opera, English National Opera (London), Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona, Spain), and New York City Opera—first as a mezzo-soprano and now as a dramatic soprano.

She made her European opera debut at Barcelona’s Gran Teatre Del Liceu and was reengaged by the theater for 10 seasons. She has sung several seasons at London’s English National Opera, most recently appearing as Kundry in Parsifal. That appearance marked the start of her career as a Wagnerian soprano, and she has since sung many of the major Wagnerian roles in the United States, Germany, and Hong Kong.

In the United States, she has sung Jordan Baker in John Harbison’s The Great Gatsby and Stephano in Roméo et Juliette, as well as numerous other roles for the Metropolitan Opera. In addition to her appearances in major U.S. opera houses, she has sung with more than 25 U.S. regional opera houses, in more than 30 different major roles.

Dutton’s orchestral work highlights include appearances with the New York Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony, RTE National Symphony (Ireland), Prague Radio Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Houston Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, and the Korean Broadcast Symphony at the United Nations General Assembly. She has recorded under the Chandos and Albany Records labels.

Ms. Dutton now serves as a Professor of Music (Voice) at the prestigious Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Indianapolis Opera appearances include: Indianapolis Opera the Movies, Mezzo soloist; Meg Page / Falstaff, Giulietta & the Voice of the Mother/ Les Contes d’Hoffman; Der Komponist/ Ariadne auf Naxos; Senta / Der Fliegender Holländer

KIRSTEN GUNLOGSON   mezzo-soprano

Grammy nominated Mezzo-Soprano Kirsten Gunlogson’s voice has been described as “creamy” and “beautifully dramatic”.  Performing works by composers ranging from Mozart to Gilbert & Sullivan, Ms. Gunlogson has distinguished herself as an impressive singing actress. Ms. Gunlogson has performed with companies such as Palm Beach Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Arizona Opera, Utah Opera, Opera Columbus, Baltimore Lyric Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Tulsa Opera, Toledo Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Anchorage Opera, Nashville Opera, Kentucky Opera, and Sarasota Opera.

Recent performances include a solo concert with the OMSK Philharmonic in OMSK, Russia, as well as the roles of Mother, Chinese Tea Cup and Dragonfly in L’Enfant et les Sortilèges with Utah Symphony. Other recent highlights include the role of Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath with Anchorage Opera, Maddalena in Rigoletto with Utah Opera and Austin Lyric Opera, the title role of Bizet’s Carmen with Nevada Opera, and Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music with Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre.

As an oratorio soloist Ms. Gunlogson has performed with The Nashville Symphony, The Utah Symphony, The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, The Fort Wayne Philharmonic, The Pittsburgh Concert Chorale, Charlottesville Oratorio Society, The Cathedral of the Madeleine, The Fairfax Symphony, and Utah Chamber Artists in such works as Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Mass in C Minor and Missa Solemnis, Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, Bach’s St. John Passion and Christmas Oratorio, Elijah, The Messiah, In The Beginning, The Rachmaninoff Vespers and Mozart’s Requiem.

Ms. Gunlogson has two albums on the NAXOS label, both performed with Nashville Opera and The Nashville Symphony. Ms. Gunlogson sings the role of The Mother in Amahl and The Night Visitors and the roles of The Chinese Cup/A Herdsman/The White Cat on the GRAMMY nominated CD of Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges.

JEFFREY HARTMAN   tenor

Jeffrey Hartman is a celebrated tenor known for his compelling performances and versatility. In 2023, he notably won the Offenbach Opera Competition and sang Siegmund in a concert version of Die Walküre with Opera Classica Europa. That year, he also performed as Jean de Leyde in Meyerbeer’s Le Prophète at Bard University and sang Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos for MusikfürMusik, alongside Verdi’s Messa di Requiem.

His 2022 season was similarly distinguished, highlighted by his portrayal of Calaf in Turandot at Theater Regensburg, praised by Opera Magazine for his “thoroughly heroic tenor” and “compelling stagecraft.” At short notice, he also performed in Verdi’s Giovanna D’Arco in Utrecht and covered Calaf at Hamburg State Opera. Hartman’s Austrian and role debut as Jean de Leyde at the Landestheater Linz earned acclaim for his voice, described as “akin to expensive velvet.”

Hartman’s career features international appearances, including performing Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Musica Viva Hong Kong and debuting as Don José in Carmen at Poland’s Wroclawska Opera. His rendition of the title role in Les Contes d’Hoffmann at Berlin’s Passaggio Opera added to his growing reputation.

He made his European debut in 2016 as Calaf in Turandot at Theater Chemnitz, earning praise from Chemnitzer Morgenpost for his “soft, warm timbre.” He reprised this role in Chemnitz over subsequent years. In 2017, he debuted as De Grieux in Manon Lescaut at Theater Osnabrück and performed Rodolfo in La Bohème with Northern Ireland Opera. Earlier in 2015, Hartman was part of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, covering the role of Cavaradossi in Tosca. His career exemplifies dynamic range and exceptional talent across major operatic roles worldwide.

AMY JOHNSON   soprano

Critics have praised soprano Amy Johnson as one of America’s finest singing actresses, known for her believability and versatility. Ms. Johnson’s repertoire encompasses over two dozen roles ranging from Donna Anna in Don Giovanni to Salome. She has earned special praise for her portrayal of Tosca in productions worldwide, notably with New York City Opera on PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center. She has performed leading and title roles alongside major international artists with Vlaamse Opera Antwerp, Glimmerglass, the BBC Proms, Spier Festival South Africa, Indianapolis, Portland, Palm Beach, Detroit, Arizona, Kentucky and Santa Barbara, among others.

Ms. Johnson has been sought out for numerous premieres. She is known for her work with renowned composer Thea Musgrave, who tailored the leading soprano role in Simón Bolívar for Ms. Johnson, and later asked her to debut her orchestral work Three Women: Queen, Mistress, Slave (Women’s Philharmonia, San Francisco). Ms. Johnson has commissioned works by Judith Shatin and Evan Mack. In 2021, Ms. Johnson was honored with the American Prize as a Distinguished Vocal Artist, in recognition of a career of sustained artistic and pedagogical excellence. Her solo recording, Amy Johnson – Portrait of an Artist contains never-before recorded arias by Stephen Schwartz, Robert Aldridge, Thea Musgrave and Anton Coppola.

She is currently a Professor of Voice and the J. Ralph Corbett Chair of Opera at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

ROBERT McFARLAND   baritone

Winning the National Metropolitan Opera Auditions in 1979 led to Robert McFarland’s eight-year, twenty-seven-role career at New York City Opera under the leadership of Beverly Sills. Since that time, Mr. McFarland’s vocal artistry has been showcased in nearly every major opera house in the world in the roles of Rigoletto, Macbeth, Scarpia (Tosca), Tonio (I Pagliacci), Germont (La Traviata), Iago (Otello), Carlo Gerard (Andrea Chenier), The Dutchman, Barnaba (La Gioconda), Blitch (Susannah), Mephistopheles (Faust), Friar Lawrence (Romeo & Juliette), Enrico (Lucia di Lammermoor), Alfio (Cavalleria Rusticana), Riccardo (I Puritani), Sharpless (Madama Butterfly), Four Villains (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Renato (Un Ballo in Maschera), Rodrigo (Don Carlo), Simon Boccanegra, Il Conte di Luna (Il Trovatore), Frank Maurant (Street Scene), Nabucco, Jochanaan (Salome), George (Of Mice and Men), Jack Rance (La Fanciulla del West), and Don Giovanni.

Other career highlights include Mr. McFarland’s recording of Donizetti’s Maria de Rudenz that was hailed by critics as the new “gem of Donizetti,” his European debut as Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff at the Glyndebourne Festival, his performance at the Festival Dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy, where he performed the role of Major Kavalioff in Shostakovich’s The Nose (in the original Russian), and performances of San Francisco’s production of Andrea Chenier in 1993 as well as Nabucco in 1998. He met with outstanding success in Opera North 2002 production of Tosca (Leeds, UK) and was named “Artist of the Year” for his exceptional portrayal of Scarpia. In 2003, Robert McFarland’s singing and portrayal of the hunchback Rigoletto at the Cleveland Opera was one of his most recent great successes.  

Some of the opera companies Robert McFarland has performed with include The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opera North (U.K.) Opéra de Nice (France), Spoleto Opera Festival, Italy, Deutsche Oper Berlin (Germany), among others. Mr. McFarland is frequently engaged for oratorio performances of Elijah, Joshua, Messiah, Verdi’s Requiem, Brahm’s Requiem and modern works such as Penderecki’s Passion of Christ According to St. Luke. 

ERIC McKEEVER   baritone

American operatic baritone Eric McKeever has won consistent praise for his voice of “power and brilliance” (Chicago Tribune) and “considerable flexibility and a communicative presence enhanced by expressive, crystalline diction.” (Opera News) 

Eric’s 2024-2025 season includes a return to Opera Project Columbus as The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance. He makes his Memphis Symphony Orchestra debut in a concert of music by Mozart, presented in partnership with Opera Memphis. He also returns to On Site Opera as Dante in the world premiere of Laura Kaminsky’s opera Lucidity. He’ll then take on the same role in his Seattle Opera debut. In 2025 he returns to Nashville Opera making his role debut as Sir Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore, joins Indianapolis Opera as a soloist on their 50th Anniversary Legacy Gala Concert, returns to Opera Baltimore in his role debut as Talbot in Maria Stuarda, then makes his Fort Worth Opera debut as Alidoro in La Cenerentola. Last season included reprising Monterone (and covering Rigoletto) with Opera Delaware and Opera Baltimore. He also made his Princeton Symphony debut in Mozart’s “Requiem,” returned to Opera Columbus as Papa (Papageno) in a re-imagined take on Mozart’s Magic Flute and made his debut with Opera Memphis as Schaunard in La bohème.

Other roles include Don Alfonso in Così Fan Tutte at Opera Delaware, Falke in Act II of Die Fledermaus with Maryland Opera, title role in Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Michele in Il Tabarro, William Still in Paul Moravec’s Sanctuary Road with Penn Square Opera, Monterone in Rigoletto with Opera Columbus, the title role in Don Giovanni with Indianapolis Opera, the Banditore in Zandonai’s Giulietta e Romeo with Teatro Grattacielo, Monforte in New Amsterdam Opera’s I Vespri Siciliani, Leporello in Don Giovanni with Teatro Grattacielo, Marcello in La bohème with Opera Columbus, and Charlie in the world premiere of Kamala Sankaram’s Looking at You with HERE Arts, Tonio in Pagliacci with Salt Marsh Opera, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opera Columbus, David in L’amico Fritz with Baltimore Concert Opera, Germont in La traviata with Pacific Opera Project, Malatesta in Don Pasquale with Anchorage Opera, the Speaker in The Magic Flute with Florentine Opera, and Frank in Die Fledermaus with Nashville Opera, Finger Lakes Opera, Florentine Opera, and Baltimore Concert Opera. On the concert stage he  has recently appeared as a soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth with the New Albany Symphony, performed Bernstein’s Songfest with Skidmore College, and with the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra in Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice.

DANIEL NARDUCCI   baritone

Daniel Narducci has appeared across the globe on opera, concert, and musical theatre stages from New York’s Lincoln Center to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Mr. Narducci has performed with many of the world’s most prestigious orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Pops, Chicago Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Houston Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, and the Detroit Symphony. He portrayed Lancelot on two national tours of Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot, most notably opposite Robert Goulet’s Arthur. Daniel’s role debut as Arthur in Camelot was with the Indianapolis Opera for which he was awarded Best Actor in a Musical by the BroadwayWorld Indianapolis Awards. Other roles with the Indianapolis Opera include Marcello in La Bohème and Escamillo in Carmen. He has appeared in principal operatic roles with the Washington National Opera, New Orleans Opera, Central City Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Kentucky Opera, Nashville Opera, and Opera Santa Barbara.

Daniel co-starred with Frederica von Stade and the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra in a program broadcast internationally by PBS entitled Pops at the Phil: A Century of Broadway. He created the role of Captain Hook on the world premiere complete recording of Leonard Bernstein’s Peter Pan, co-starring Linda Eder and was featured on the BBC television documentary Kurt Weill in America: I’m a Stranger Here Myself. Daniel received his Doctor of Music in Voice from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and is Assistant Professor of Voice Performance at Ball State University.

www.danielnarducci.com

LAURA PEDERSEN   soprano

The internationally acclaimed American singer Laura Pedersen brings to opera houses and concert halls an intense lyric soprano voice, beauty of line, and a rare ability to make each role come alive. Coming up this season, Ms. Pedersen will reprise the postponed role of Tosca and debut the role of Anna in Le Villi.  Most recently Laura debuted the role of Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera, returned to BlueWater Chamber Orchestra with Mozart’s Concert Aria “Misera, dove son! – Ah! Non son io che parlo”,  broadcast by NPR.

Highlights from last season include: Ms. Pedersen debuted excerpts from Othello (Desdemona) and Fidelio (Leonore) with the newly formed SnowBelt Symphony Orchestra, rejoined BlueWater Chamber Orchestra, this time with Beethoven’s concert aria “Ah, Perfido” Op. 65, appeared in Orchestra galas singing Madame Butterfly, Violetta, as well as crossover favorites. Laura also brought back Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, sang in Opera orchestral galas showcasing her with Puccini’s Tosca and Mimi, both Verdi Leonoras, and  Beethoven’s Leonora. Laura  continues to inspire as featured soloist.

Ms. Pedersen has sung many leading roles with Indianapolis Opera, Cleveland Opera, Di Capo Opera, Opera Delaware, Florida Opera, Sacramento Opera, Panama Opera, Atlantic Opera, Opera Project Columbus, Opera Shorts Troupe. Some of the roles include: Tosca, Donna Anna, Nedda, Santuzza, Hanna Glawari, Mimi, Musetta, Violetta, Susannah, Juliette, Rosalinde, Donna Elvira, Musetta, Antonia, Giorgetta, and Micaela.

During her four years as fest soprano in Bremen, Germany, she sang countless performances with at least six leading roles each season, all in the original language, running the gamut from well known beloved operas like Don Pasquale, Die Fledermaus, Carmen, Marriage of Figaro, Orpheè, Un Ballo in Maschera,  to musicals such as West Side Story, and a yearly premiere of commissioned modern Operas. Symphony appearances include soprano soloist in Beethoven Ninth, Verdi Requiem, Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Faurè Requiem (Carnegie Hall), Mozart Requiem, and Brahms Requiem.

KEVIN SHORT   bass-baritone

American bass-baritone Kevin Short sings around the globe in repertoire ranging from Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Monteverdi’s L’Coronazione di Poppea to Verdi’s Attila, Bizet’s Carmen, and Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer.  North America appearances include performances with the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opera Pacific, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Festival of New Jersey, Sarasota Opera Company, Spoleto Opera Festival, Canadian Opera Company, Vancouver Opera, Edmonton Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theater of St. Louis, and the Opera de las Americas.

His European and Asian credits include appearances with multiple opera companies, orchestras, and festivals: Opera Comique (Paris), Welsh National Opera, Kazan State Theater-Russia, Theatre Caen, Grand Theatre du Luxembourg, Oper der Stadt Köln, Semperoper Dresden, Stadttheater Stuttgart, Theater Aachen, Theater Basel, Theater Bern, Theater St. Gallen, Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos, Teatro di Catania, Teatro di San Carlo, Maggio Musicale, Savonlinna Festival-Finland; Bregenzer Festspiele-Austria, Baden-Baden Festspiele-Germany, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence-France, Festival Montpellier-France, l’Opéra de Rouen-France, l’Opéra de Reims-France, Saito Kinen Festival in Matsumoto, Japan, and festivals in Beijing, China; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Granada, Valencia, Gran Canaria, and Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Short also has an active concert and recital schedule and has performed with the Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Handel and Haydn Orchestra-Boston, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague Radio Symphony, Netherlands Filharmonisch Orkest, Swiss and Italian RAI Orchestra, Radio France Orchestra, Marseille Philharmonie, Gulbenkian Orchestra-Lisbon, Portugal, Parma Reggio Emilia Orchestra, Malta Philharmonic, Transylvania Symphony, Thüringen Symphony Orchestra-Germany, Jena Symphony-Germany, Moscow Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Symphony, Russia, Omsk Philharmonic-Russia, Siberian State Symphony, New Japan Philharmonic, Hiroshima Symphony, the Kazan Symphony for the opening of the Universiade Games in Kazan, Russia, and the Winter Olympics (Nagano, Japan) Festival Orchestra in 1998.

GREGORY TURAY   tenor

Gregory Turay, an internationally acclaimed tenor and recipient of the prestigious Richard Tucker Award, is celebrated for his artistry on the opera and concert stages worldwide. Gregory has performed with many of the world’s leading opera companies, including The Metropolitan Opera, English National Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, San Francisco Opera, and The New National Theatre of Tokyo. Recent highlights include his portrayal of Luigi in Il Tabarro with Lithuanian Opera.

A winner of The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Gregory’s career has included roles in operas spanning Mozart to Puccini and contemporary works. He is featured on recordings such as The Merry Widow (San Francisco Opera, DVD) and William Bolcom’s A View from the Bridge (CD), where he originated the role of Rodolfo.

Equally celebrated on the concert stage, Gregory has performed with renowned orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony, under the direction of maestros such as James Levine, Seiji Ozawa, Donal Runnicles, Robert Spano, and John Williams. His festival appearances include Ravinia, Salzburg, Spoleto, and Edinburgh.

In addition to being awarded the Richard Tucker Award, Gregory has been a winner of The Aria Award, The Young Concert Artists, the Catherine Pope Foundation, and the Richard Gaddes Award from Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Known for his dynamic performances and compelling interpretations, Gregory continues to bring his artistry to audiences worldwide.

GRAN WILSON   tenor

A native of Bessemer, Alabama, tenor Gran Wilson has a professional career spanning four decades and four continents. He has performed with the New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Washington National Opera, Australian Opera, Opéra de Montréal, Oper Frankfurt, Netherlands Opera, Vlaamse Oper, Teatro di San Carlo Lisboa, Opera de Nice, Teatro Galdos Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, L’Opera de Toulon, L’Opera Royal de Wallonie, Theatre Graslin Nante and L’Opera de Nancy et de Lorraine. His oratorio and festival performances include the Lincoln Center Festival, Mostly Mozart Festival, Edinburgh Festival, Boston Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and Trondheim Symphony.  Mr. Wilson sang many leading tenor roles with Indianapolis Opera, including Don Pasquale, The Merry Wives of Windsor, La Fille du Régiment, Lucia di Lammermoor, Faust, Roméo et Juliette, and The Rake’s Progress.

Mr. Wilson has been featured on CBS Morning, NPR’s All Things Considered, Live From Lincoln Center, and worldwide on the American Armed Forces Television Network. He has recorded on the Delos label, and can be seen on Kultur Video. As a Professor of Voice he has served the University of Maryland for 25 years, performing with the University’s Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra, Faculty Jazz Band, and Maryland Opera Studio. Retiring from the university this summer, he will enter his newest role, that of grandfather of two.

JESSICA BURTON   director​

As a military brat, Jessica Burton likes to say she is from  everywhere and no where. Most recently she is from Austin, Texas, where she received her Doctor of Musical Arts in Opera Direction from the University of Texas. She also has a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Technical Theatre from West Texas A&M University. During the pandemic, she taught private voice and musicianship classes at Orpheus Academy of Music in Austin. She has worked in almost every aspect of theatre, as director, performer, designer, and administrator.

Most recently, Jessica directed IO’s fall 2024 production of The Barber of Seville, and this past March, directed the Indiana premiere of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird at the historic Madam Walker Legacy Center, both to great acclaim. Other directing credits include Gallantry, & Veteran Journeys  with Indianapolis Opera; Little Women, At the Statue of Venus, Speed Dating Tonight, & Das Lied von der Erde with UT Austin; Cendrillon & Pomme d’api with FAVA France; Angels in America, The Laramie Project, & Bent with Avenue 10; and numerous scenes programs. She has also assistant directed at Austin Opera, Amarillo Opera, LOLA (Local Opera Local Artists), UT Austin, Spotlight on Opera, FAVA France, and now Indianapolis Opera. As a performer, notable past roles have included the Witch in Into the Woods (Stage Right Theatre, Amarillo), Fastrada in Pippin, and Morgana in Alcina (West Texas A&M University). Past costume designs have included The Magic Flute, Dido and Aeneas, Suor Angelica (Texas State University), Metamorphoses, The Who’s Tommy, and Aida (Amarillo Little Theatre). Jessica’s passion is cultivating community engagement among the next generation of opera goers. Jessica would also love to thank Emily Hancock for being a wonderful host and all around fabulous human being during her time in Indianapolis!

JAMES CARAHER   ​past artistic director

James Caraher (Conductor/Pianist) began his career as a rehearsal accompanist for Tri-Cities Opera in Binghamton, NY. Within a few years, he held the position of Music Director for the opera companies of Syracuse, NY, Memphis, TN, and Indianapolis, IN, and was a frequent guest conductor for many other regional opera companies, including Nashville Opera, New Jersey Opera, Opera Saratoga, and The Opera Company of Philadelphia. Since his departure from Indianapolis Opera after 33 years in April of 2014, he now devotes his time to guest conducting, coaching, recital accompanying, and teaching. He is currently Music Director for the Opera Program at Butler University in Indianapolis, and Artistic Director/Conductor for The International Opera Performing Experience, a summer opera-language program located in Mercatello sul Metauro, Italy, and has been the principal guest conductor for the Imperial Symphony Orchestra in Lakeland, Florida for the past 20 years.

Awards include Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana’s most prestigious civic award, Distinguished Citizen of the City of Indianapolis, and Hamilton College’s Alumni Medal for significant contributions to the performing arts.

MAESTRO ALFRED SAVIA   ​principal conductor

Recently appointed Artistic Advisor and Principal Guest Conductor of the Indianapolis Opera, Alfred Savia is no stranger to the Indianapolis musical scene.

Savia served as Associate Conductor of the ISO and Artistic Director of Symphony On the Prairie from 1990 to 1996. In 2019-20, Maestro Savia celebrated his 31st and final season as Music Director of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. Under his leadership the Orchestra added a Youth Orchestra program, Philharmonic Chorus, and Eykamp String Quartet. He initiated many new programs including Messiah, Nutcracker, Music Alive residencies, and fully staged opera presentations.

Savia’s American guest conducting appearances include the Orchestras of Saint Louis, Detroit, Phoenix, Columbus, Memphis, San Antonio, Louisville, New Orleans and Naples (FL). Internationally, he has conducted orchestras extensively in Europe (Florence, Belgrade), Central and South America (Santiago, Montevideo, Quito; Toluca, and Jalapa in Mexico), and Asia (Korea Philharmonic). Festival appearances include Chicago’s Grant Park Symphony and the Wintergreen Summer Music Festival. He recorded Russell Peck’s The Thrill of the Orchestra with London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and, with pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi and the Evansville Philharmonic, Respighi’s Piano Concerto.

A native of Livingston, New Jersey, Savia graduated from Butler University. Conducting studies at the ASOL Institute of Orchestral Studies and the Tanglewood Music Center led to his first professional appointment as Assistant Conductor of The Omaha Symphony. Subsequently, he served as Resident Conductor of the Florida Philharmonic and New Orleans Symphony Orchestra, Associate Conductor of the Florida Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Orlando Opera.