Meet the Artists

Meet the Artists

Tenor Jason Karn (Roméo), who is making his Dicapo Opera debut in Roméo et Juliette, recently completed a two-year residency with the Pittsburgh Opera Center, where he performed Tamino in The Magic Flute, The Novice in Billy Budd, Scaramuccio in Ariadne auf Naxos, Spoletta in Tosca, and Erice in L’Ormindo. The North Carolina native performed Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore with Capital Opera of Raleigh and sang in several operas with Opera Carolina, including La Traviata, Macbeth, Lucia di Lammermoor, Carmen, the North Carolina premiere of Cold Sassy Tree and Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress for the Merola Program of San Francisco Opera. Mr. Karn won an Encouragement Award from the Chautauqua Opera Festival, was selected as a Young Artist with Opera North, and a Vocal Fellow in Tanglewood.

Soprano Kristin Sampson (Juliette) is an opera, concert, and recital artist who has appeared in a wide variety of roles, from Violetta in La Traviata and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte to Madeline/Isabel in Henry Mollicone’s The Face on the Barroom Floor, Micaëla in Carmen, Jenny in Weill’s Down in the Valley, and Cleopatra in Handel’s Giulio Cesare. With Dicapo Opera she has sung the title role of Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow, Suzanne Michaud in Picker’s Thérèse Raquin, and has starred as Mimi in La Bohème at Dicapo Opera, the Little Opera Company of New Jersey and Opera of the Hamptons. Ms. Sampson was a finalist in the 1999 Metropolitan Opera Northwest Regional auditions and was a member of the Apprentice Artist Program for Singers at the Santa Fe Opera. During the 2006 season, Ms. Sampson won the audience choice award at the Shreveport Opera, Singer of the Year competition and was a finalist for the Liederkranz competition.

Bass Matthew Lau (Friar Lawrence), among the most versatile performers on the American opera circuit, is noted for his charismatic portrayals. Career highlights include New York City Opera premieres of Teatro Grattacielo’s La Cenadelle Beffee and Robert Ward’s Claudia Legere, as well as performances with such U.S. opera companies as Seattle, Minnesota, Arizona, Sarasota, Atlanta, Tulsa, and Anchorage Operas, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Opera Company of Philadelphia in roles that include Sulpice in La Fille du Régiment, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Padre Guardiano in La Forza del Destino, Mustafa in L’Taliana in Algeri, Osmin in Die Entführung Aus Dem Serail, Basilio and Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the title role in Don Pasquale, Banquo in Macbeth, Oroveso in Norma, Leporello in Don Giovanni, and Lieutenant Ratcliff in Billy Budd. Mr. Lau previously performed at Dicapo Opera Theatre as Méphistophélès in Faust.

Lisa Chavez (Gertrude), an emerging young mezzo, is enjoying her second year as a Resident Artist with Dicapo Opera. Previous roles with Dicapo include, Carmen in their Carmen Outreach production, Maestra della Novizie in Suor Angelica, and Margot in The Merry Widow. Ms. Chavez holds a Masters Degree in voice performance from Manhattan School of Music, and has been involved with companies including, New Jersey Opera, One World Symphony, Brevard Music Center, Opera of the Hamptons, Bay Area Summer Opera & Theater Institute. She just returned from recording Benjamin Brittan’s War Requiem with the Festival Ensemble Stuttgart, conducted by Helmuth Rilling. Favorite performed roles include Carmen, Charlotte, Octavian, Dorabella, Marcellina, and Cupid from Orpheus in the Underworld.

Chad Armstrong (Mercutio), a Dicapo Opera Resident Artist, has sung in numerous Dicapo productions, including The Merry Widow, Manon Lescaut, Gianni Schicchi, Le Villi and Puccini’s Mass. He has also appeared with Little Opera Theater of New Jersey as Marcello in La Bohème; Tulsa Opera as Wagner in Faust and with OU Opera Theater as Germont in La Traviata. Among his other roles are Mozart’s Figaro and Don Alfonso, Donizetti’s Dulcamara, and Puccini’s Schaunard. Chad holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Minot State University and a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Oklahoma where he is a Benton-Schmidt Award recipient.

Tenor Richard Furman (Tybalt), has sung many opera roles including Rodolfo in La Bohème, Alfredo in La Traviata, the Duke in Rigoletto, Detlef in The Student Prince, Beppe in I Pagliacci, and two world premieres—Adam in Trinkley and Charnesky’s one-act opera Eve’s Odds and Jay in Curtis Tucker’s A Stranger’s Tale. With degrees from Western Illinois University and the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, he has also appeared in Aïda, Salome, Samson et Delilah, Dead Man Walking, Il viaggio à Reims, The Marriage of Figaro, Gianni Schicchi, Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Così fan tutte, The Tender Land, and Die Zauberflöte. Mr. Furman won two State National Association of Teachers of Singing Competitions and the District Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions. This marks his Dicapo debut.

Bryce Smith (Capulet) has performed with Opera Colorado, Central City Opera, Dicapo Opera Theatre, Hudson Opera Theatre, Natchez Festival of Music and Tulane Summer Lyric Theatre. His professional concert debut was Händel's Messiah at Carnegie Hall. He become a D.C. favorite performing with the Capitol Symphony Orchestra for the Horatio Alger Association's 60th Anniversary Inaugural Dinner at Andrew Mellon Auditorium and then singing the National Anthem for Susan G. Komen Foundation's National Race for the Cure, for 46,000 registered participants. He will be seen with New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera in Lucia di Lammermoor.

Mezzo-soprano Robin Flynn (Stephano), a Dicapo Opera Theatre Resident Artist, attended Mannes College of Music, the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, and was a Studio Artist with the New York Opera Theater in Princeton, New Jersey. Highlights of her young career include the title role of Hansel in Hansel and Gretel at Queens College, her performance as Beulah Binnings in the New York premiere of Orpheus Descending, and performances as a soloist in Edward Elgar’s Sea Pictures with the Queens Philharmonic. She previously performed at Dicapo Opera in Puccini’s Suor Angelica.

Baritone Martin Fisher (Gregorio) begins the 2007-08 season with an appearance at New York City Opera in Danielpoor’s Margaret Garner. His repertoire includes: Enrico (Lucia di Lammermoor), Marcello (La Bohéme), Sharpless (Madama Butterfly), Germont (La Traviata), Amonasro (Aida), Miller (Luisa Miller), Tonio (i Pagliacci), Grande Pretre (Samson et Dalila) and the title role in Rigoletto. As a concert soloist: Beethoven Ninth Symphony, Handel's Messiah and Alexander's Feast, Milhaud's les Choephores, and Vaughan Williams' song cycle for baritone, chorus, and orchestra Five Mystical Songs. Mr. Fisher is a 2006 finalist in the Paul Robeson Competition and the 2002 grant winner from the Source of New York Foundation. This marks his Dicapo debut.

Greg Frens (Paris) a first year Resident Artist, is an emerging baritone on the New York Opera and Musical Theater scene. He has performed various operatic roles, from Mozart’s Figaro and Puccini’s Marcello to Adamo’s John Brooke in Little Women and the title role of Jack London in the world music premiere of Libby Larsen’s Everyman Jack. In addition, Mr. Frens has been in demand as a coach/accompanist for some of today’s up-and-coming singers. He is from Grand Rapids, MI and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance with a minor in Piano Performance from Hope College in Holland, MI, and a Master’s of Vocal Performance with a qualified Doctoral Candidacy from the Ohio State University.

Michael Boley, tenor (Benvoglio) is a first year Dicapo Resident Artist. His most recent performances were those of the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto and Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly. Mr. Boley began his pursuit of singing in college gaining a Bachelors of Music in vocal performance from the College of Wooster, and a Masters of Music in vocal performance from The University of Akron. His repertoire includes Mr. Angel in The Impresario, Don Anchise in La Finta Giardinara, and Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro. Mr. Boley then spent four seasons with Opera Columbus, performing in their Education and Outreach Program. While with Opera Columbus, Mr. Boley appeared as the tenor soloist in The Daughter of the Regiment, Mordred in Camelot, Lord Tolloller in Iolanthe, and The Messenger in Aida.

Gary Ramsey (The Prince) has studied theatre and performed as an actor prior to becoming head of Voice and Speech at The Neighborhood Playhouse. He has appeared in two recitals at Merkin Concert Hall, and at Music in the Mountain in Grass Valley, CA. Additionally, Mr. Ramsey performed the role of Germont in La Traviata under the tutelage of renowned Metropolitan Opera coach Nico Castel. He is presently a second year Resident Artist at Dicapo Opera Theatre and made his debut in the role of Bogdanowitsch in The Merry Widow. Last season’s roles include Spinelloccio in Giannini Schicchi, the Sergeant in Manon Lescaut and Escamillo in Carmen .

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