Voice

Olga Makarina (Russia/ USA)

Born in Archangelsk, Russia, Metropolitan Opera soprano OLGA MAKARINA, made her first New York appearances at New York City Opera as Lucia di Lammermoor and has performed there as Gilda in Rigoletto, Konstanze in Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio and Olympia in Les Contes d’Hoffmann. Other roles in Ms Makarina’s repertoire include Ilia in Idomeneo (Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival), Violetta in La Traviata (Kirov Opera) and Eudoxie in La Juive (Opera Orchestra of New York). Ms Makarina has also appeared as Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos with the...

Jurate Švedaite (Lithuania/ USA)

Possesssing a vocal artistry and stage presence capable of “transfixing audiences with moments of opera magic,” Lithuanian soprano, Jurate Švedaite, has performed throughout Europe and the United States with the Lithuanian National Chamber Orchestra, the European Baroque Festival Opera, Connecticut Lyric Opera, Kaunas Chamber Orchestra, Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, the Lithuanian National Ensemble “Lietuva,” and Mystic River Chorale, among others, in venues as varied as Carnegie Hall, the Lithuanian Philharmonic, and Foxwood’s Resort and...

Thomas Harper

THOMAS HARPER, tenor, has performed for three decades in opera houses and concert halls in Europe and the Americas, including Deutsche Oper Berlin, Hamburgische Staatsoper, Grand Théâtre de Genève, RAI Torino, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Dallas Opera, Seattle Opera, Téatro Municipal de Santiago, Chile, and many others.  He has amassed a wide and varied repertoire of over fifty roles including the “Duke” in Rigoletto, “Rodolfo” in La Bohème, “Radames” in Aida, “Canio” in I Pagliacci, “Eléazar” in La Juive, “Florestan” in Fidelio,  ...

Tracelyn Gesteland (USA)

TRACELYN GESTELAND, American mezzo-soprano, is an active performer on the opera, concert and recital stage. An “engaging and versatile singing actress,” she enjoys interpreting standard repertoire in addition to championing contemporary music. On the operatic stage, Dr. Gesteland has created several roles in world premiere productions including the title role in Strega Nona with Houston Grand Opera, the Nurse in Diagnosis: Diabetes and the Haunted Woman in Walking on Air with the Contemporary Opera Lab of Winnipeg, Canada, and Hortence in Die Operette mit...

Ruzanna Lisitsian, (Russia)

Ruzanna Lisitsian studied harp at the Central Music School for gifted children at Moscow Conservatory. In 1969 she graduated from the vocal department of Gnesins’ Academy of Music. From 1965 to 1973 she was a soloist in the early music ensemble Madrigal. She won the Glinka award in 1971 and the International competition in the Netherlands in 1974. From 1964 till 1995 Ruzanna Lisitsian performed in a duo with her sister Karina Lisitsian. Their repertoire included old masters’ and modern composers’ duets, folk songs from around the world, cantatas,...