MESOPOTAMIAN OPERA COMPANY
Los Angeles, California
THE TREE cast
Jessica, an Oak Spirit Camila Lima, soprano
Tolorosa Victoria Fox, mezzo-soprano
Frank LaTalle Marco Antonio Lozano, tenor May 25, 27
Vincent McPherson, tenor May 26, 28
Red/Buck Andi Dana, bass-baritone
Bramble Ben Finer, baritone
Patty Christa M. Stevens, soprano May 25, 27
Mariana Ramirez, soprano May 26, 28
Robert/Tree TBA
Sparrow/Tree Camille Cardinale, dancer
Narrator/Jim Grandy, Mayor Eric Castro baritone
Tree/Townie/Party Guest Natalia Ferreiro soprano
Ryude Frahthaus/Tree Bruce Anderson actor
Piano Dr. James Lent
Percussion Michael A. Basak
Violin Edgar Sandoval
Clarinet Adam Floyd
Karolyn Kiisel, Costume Designer
Anita Rinaldi-Harnden, Costume co-designer
Claire Fraser, set design and creation
Kirsten Taylor, set design and creation
Blüthner grand piano provided by Kasimoff-Blüthner Piano Co., Hollywood, CA
Peter Wing Healey: founder of The Mesopotamian Opera Company, Inc., has presented his original operas in New York City and in Los Angeles where he now lives and works. Mr. Healey's lauded productions have received support from American Opera Projects, The Gilman Foundation, The Noah Wyle Foundation, The Center for the Arts, The Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and The James Irvine Foundation. Mr. Healey's 40-year+ career includes a long and illustrious association with The Mark Morris Dance Group both as a performer, rehearsal director and he appeared in the PBS Great Performances production of Mr. Morris' innovative version of The Nutcracker, The Hard Nut. In addition, Mr. Healey worked on The White Oak Project with Mikhail Baryshnikov and has been balletmaster on the John Adams/Peter Sellars opera Nixon in China from its inception at the Houston Grand Opera, through productions at The Los Angeles Opera, The Frankfurt Opera, The Dutch National Opera, the English National Opera and The Metropolitan Opera.
Ben Finer
Ben Finer is excited to make his Mesopotamian Opera debut in THE TREE. Ben is a Los Angeles native with prior credits including Dr. Bartolo - Le nozze di Figaro (Opera Chapman), Armoured Man - Die Zauberflöte (Opera Festival di Roma), and Le Fauteuil/Un Arbre - L'enfant et les sortilèges (CCPA). Ben served as the music director for Catskills West Theatre Arts at the Historic Greystone Mansion in Beverly HIlls, California, as well as a production of SHREK the Musical at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly HIlls, California.
Bruce Anderson
Bruce Anderson has performed frequently with The Mesopotamian Opera. He appeared in THE TREE in 2006, Thyestes' Feast in 2008 and The Spell of Tradition in 2017. His brilliant comic turns have become a favorite with MOC audiences. He has performed in choruses with local opera companies including Pacific Opera Projects and The Independent Opera and was the back-end of the title character in LA Opera's Jonah and the Whale.
Andi Dana as Chief Red/Buck Sparks, Bass-Baritone
Andi has been singing and studying music for 15 years, training professionally for 5 years, and since 2012, Andi has been teaching music and performing throughout Southern California. Andi, who identifies as as non-binary, created the Empowered Identity Voice Studio to provide guidance toward integrating the student's voice with the rest of ther identity, regardless of how the student defines it. Andi nurtures a healthy relationship between you and the student's voice – one where Andi and the student can both grow alongside one another, and learn how the voice is a product of the student's muscles, bone, tissue and cartilage coordinating itself to create a sound that is completely uniquely their own. For more info about Andi Dana: h https://www.empoweredidentityvoicestudio.com/
Anita Rinaldi-Harnden, Costume co-designer with Karolyn Kiisel
Anita Rinaldi-Harnden obtained a Bachelor's degree of Fine Arts at Otis Art Institute of Design in Los Angeles. She majored in fashion design with a concentration in costume design, and was mentored by Academy Award winning costume designer, Theodora Van Runkle. Anita has designed and supervised a wide range of costuming projects including feature films, theater, opera, shorts subjects, and music videos. She has also worked for many years as a designer in the apparel industry, with designs retailing in department stores such as Nordstroms, Bloomingdales and specialty boutique stores. Anita has also created custom designs for Academy Award attendees
Camila Lima
American/Argentinean soprano Camila Lima made her debut as Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata in Spain, and since then has starred in several operas and zarzuelas in Europe and the United States of America. Camila has sung at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles and at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Camila was the winner of alternate First Prize at the 2018 international New York Lyric Opera Competition and a winner at the Beverly Hills National Audition in 2018 and 2019. In 2019, Camila sang the role of The Dutchess at the world premiere of Dulcinea XL, by Spanish composer Juan J. Colomer and conducted by Maestro Ignazio Terrasi. Camila also performed the Misatango by Palmeri as soloist with Angeles Chorale, conducted by John Sutton. Camila currently lives in Los Angeles and performs with pianist and film composer, Ruy Folguera.
Eric Castro
Eric performed the title role of DON GIOVANNI in the recent Mission Opera production extravaganza at Canyon Performing Arts Center. At Walt Disney Concert Hall, Eric was “Javert” in scenes from Les Miz with California Philharmonic; and also at WDCH, Eric was a soloist in Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic. Eric recently performed in a series of concerts with the CalPhil producer Marya Basaraba, which spanned Mozart, Bizet, Rogers & Hammerstein, Bernstein, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. And at the The Wallis Annenberg Center Eric was “Emile de Becque” in SOUTH PACIFIC highlights.
Other operatic roles include “Giorgio Germont” in LA TRAVIATA, and “Marcello” in LA BOHEME, “Sharpless” in MADAME BUTTERFLY, “Escamillo” in CARMEN, and “Amonasro” in AIDA.
Recent Oratorio performances include: “Raphael” and “Adam” in Haydn's The Creation with Palisades Symphony, as soloist in Rachmaninoff's The Bells, and Rossini's Stabat Mater, and as soloist in the Mozart, Brahms and Faure Requiems.
Also a classical actor, as a member of Archway Theatre Company, Eric has also played the roles “Claudius” in Hamlet, “Ford” in Merry Wives, “Friar Laurence” in Romeo & Juliet, and “Oberon/Theseus,” & “Bottom” in Midsummer Night's Dream.
Eric's 2018 performance in the title role as Christopher Marlowe's “Faustus” was nominated for “Best Actor in a Leading Role” by BroadwayWorld. (By coincidence, Tom Hanks was a co-nominee in that same category that year for his performance as “Falstaff” in a West L.A. production of Henry IV; and even more unbelievable neither Eric or Tom won)!
Dr. James Lent - Musical Director
Dr. James Lent is a native of Houston where he attended the Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and the University of Houston. Since completing his Doctor of Musical Arts from Yale, Dr. Lent has been based in Los Angeles. Once there, Dr. Lent held a teaching fellowship in collaborative piano. Dr. Lent is currently on the faculty of UCLA as the head of collaborative piano and vocal coaching for the music department, and as coordinator of staff pianists, a resident vocal coach, and musical director at AMDA, the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Hollywood. Dr. Lent has also served on the summer faculty at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara as a pianist and opera coach for the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and the Napa Music Festival.
Dr. Lent frequently performs throughout Southern California and recently in venues including the Beverly Hills Hilton, House of Blues, LA Live, and the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Dr. Lent has been featured as a pianist in Cabaret, Chicago, Chess, A Chorus Line, The Fantasticks, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Oklahoma.
He was a music director and musical performer in productions of Spamilton, Grease, Little Shop of Horrors, Sweet Charity, Willy Wonka, West Side Story, Seussical, AMDA's Toonsical, Rent, and for the LA Stage Star Competition.
Dr. Lent made his Alabama Symphony debut to critical acclaim performing Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 2 on 24 hours' notice to replace Andre Watts. Dr. Lent has performed with the renowned Paris-based Ensemble Intercontemporain under the direction of Pierre Boulez in a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall, and his performances have been heard on National Public Radio. Dr. Lent has performed with the Vancouver Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Shanghai Philharmonic, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, the Utah Symphony and the Florida West Coast Symphony, among others, and as solo recitalist at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, the Schleswig-Holstein Festival in Germany, for the National Chopin Foundation in Miami, at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where he premiered a new work written for him by American composer Frederic Rzewski.
Dr. Lent has received numerous awards from the New York Concert Artists Guild International Competition, the National Chopin Competition, the Washington International Piano Competition at the Kennedy Center, the Olga Koussevitsky Piano Competition in New York, and the Houston Symphony Ima Hogg National Young Artist Competition. Dr. Lent was a fellowship recipient at the Aspen Music Festival, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, the Sarasota Music Festival, and the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, where he studied with Jerome Lowenthal. For more info about Dr. James Lent: https://www.jameslent.com/
Karolyn Kiisel, Costume Designer
Karolyn Kiisel is a Los Angeles based designer, author and educator. A graduate of UC Berkeley, her costume designs have appeared on screen and stage, and include several projects for the Mesopotamian Opera Company.
Karolyn envisions her paradise; a world where makers are researching excellence in design, sustainable textiles, and authentic quality workmanship to create inspired, regenerative, heirloom clothing for the modern world.
Karolyn is also a best-selling author of Draping: The Complete Course. Her second book, Advanced Creative Draping, has just been released by Hachette/Laurence King Publishing.
Karolyn's fashion collections have been sold at fine retailers internationally, appeared on the red carpet, and graced the cover of Women's Wear Daily. Her costume designs have appeared on screen and stage.
Karolyn currently teaches at the LA City Theater Academy and previously taught for 22 years in the Fashion Department at Otis College of Art & Design in Los Angeles.
For more info about Karlyn Kiisel: h https://www.karolynkiisel.com
Marco Antonnio Lozano as Frank LaTalle, Tenor
Marco is an experienced soloist with a demonstrated history of working in the music industry. Skilled in Opera, Cross-over, Musical Theatre, Choral, Theatre, and Chamber Music.
Marco is a strong arts professional with a Master of Music degree obtained at The University of Southern California.
Marco is currently engaged as Macduff in Macbeth, with Kammeroper Frankfurt, Germany and tours regularly with his partner Christa Marie Stevens, soprano.
Mariana Ramirez as Patty/Tree/Party Guest, Soprano
Mariana Ramirez has been acclaimed by Harbor Independent News as “the evening's standout with her warm, luxurious voice” in her performance of Antonia in Tales of Hoffmann.
Mariana performed the role of Elisa in Portland Opera's Un Camino de Fé by Hector Armienta, Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro in Concert, the soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah and in Schubert's Mass in G. In the Spring of 2022, she will be performing Micaela in Carmen and in Faure's Requiem.
Other roles performed include Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Adina in L'elisir d'Amore, Sylva Verscu in Kálmán's The Gypsy Princess, Amelia in Amelia Goes to the Ball by Menotti, Serafina in Donizetti's Il Campanello, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Musetta in La Bohème, Rose in Street Scene, Manon (cover) in Massenet's Manon, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, the title role in Luisa Fernanda by Torroba and more.
Mariana received her Bachelor Cum Laude and Master with Distinction in Vocal Performance at California State University Northridge. Mariana is a National Semi-Finalist of the Loren Zachary Competition and is a recipient of the Society of Singers Award.
Camille A. Cardinale , Sparrow and Tree Spirit
From Los Angeles, CA she has been a professional dancer for 26 years. She's studied at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and various Los Angeles studios. Camille has danced on 3 continents on stage, television, commercials, video, viral, and industrials. Career highlights include America’s Got Talent, Dexter, New Girl, Daft Punk with Pharrell, Billy Ray Cyrus, Nike, Reebok with Nina Dobrev, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s HitRecord, Wayne Brady, Universal Studios Singapore and Hollywood, Nintendo’s Just
Dance, Soul Train Music Awards, Volcom, Heineken, Hennessy, Queen Mary, Dolby Theater: Home of the Academy Awards, The Forum, Tournament of Roses Parade, Blue13 Dance Company, Frankie’s Gypsy Roses Bob Fosse Revue and Jazz Spectrum.
Natalia Ferreiro
Lauded for her, “crystalline bel canto” voice, Ms. Ferreiro's 2018 season included starring in the Los Angeles premiere of the acclaimed mariachi opera, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna with Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, alongside Suzanna Guzmán.
Natalia was featured in Classical Singer Magazine's October 2018 issue. Natalia has proven to be a global talent, having made her European debut in Italy in the Narni Arts Festival singing principal roles in Gianni Schicchi, Suor Angelica and La Traviata. Natalia has starred in Don Giovanni, Die Fledermaus, and Madame Butterfly, and has sung regularly with Pacific Opera Project.
Natalia concluded the 2018 season with her role debut as Musetta in La Bohème with Landmark Opera, and her 2019 season included covering the role of The Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, as well as debuting the role of Despina in Mission Opera's inaugural production of, Cosi fan tutte.
Natalia was also recently featured as an Opera Singer onscreen, performing Rossini on the set of Disney's, “Coop and Cami Ask the World”. Natalia is also an accomplished Stage, Film, Television and Commercial Actress and an Award-Winning Oil Painter, receiving an Artist Grant to spend two weeks painting at an historic Chateau In Orquevaux, France.
Natalia currently studies with world-renowned Baritone, Vladimir Chernov.
For more information, please visit h https://nataliaferreiro.com
Edgar Sandoval, Violin
Edgar Sandoval, born in the heart of Los Angeles, California, USA in 1984, has held a successful career as a violinist. Classically trained primarily as a violinist and secondarily as a pianist, he has had the privilege of playing under the baton of John Williams, Kent Nagano, and Michael Tilson-Thomas. In his American Youth Symphony days, 2005-2010, he had the chance to perform with international soloists such as Placido Domingo, Sir James Galway, and Sarah Chang. As he moved along with his professional career, 2008-current, he started to perform with a long list of stars including Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Dr. Dre, Deadmau5, Aloe Blacc, One Republic, The Foo Fighters, P. Diddy, Marco Antonio Solis, Burt Bacharach, Natalie Cole, Stanley Clarke, and many others.
During that time he was asked by Violin Master, Dr. Nabil Azzam, to tour the Middle-East in his orchestra and later to become his concertmaster. Countries they've toured include Jordan, Egypt, the United Emirates, and Oman. More recently, bringing him back to the east side of the world is the international pianist and virtuoso, Giovanni Marradi. After two successful tours in China, as violinist for Giovanni, 2020 will bring more appearances in Southeast Asia to be announced. Sandoval still resides in Los Angeles, enjoying a career as a recording artist, music producer, and composer. He owns a wide selection of electric violins and he particularly owns a fantastic acoustic violin by the Italian maker, Riccardo Antoniazzi, made in 1885.
For more info about Edgar Sandoval, please visit: h http://www.edgarsandoval.com
Victoria Fox
Victoria J. Fox, mezzo-soprano, is a singer, performer, curator, and connector who breathes life and authenticity into every word she sings. Her multi-dimensional career has taken her from the steel mills of Pittsburgh, to an Airstream trailer in Los Angeles, to the celebrated concert halls of the world, and has intersected with some of the most rising and established creatives of our time.
With a passion for the creation and performance of new music, Victoria has premiered a number of new works from lauded composers such Julia Adolphe, Jordan Nelson, and Sarah Gibson, Donald Crockett and Veronika Krausas. In 2019, she workshopped Julia Adolphe's new opera A barrel of laughs, a veil of tears at National Sawdust and was a featured performer at the Oh My Ears Festival and the Hear Now Festival. She has performed new works around the country through Opera America's New Opera Showcase, Aspen Contemporary Music Ensemble, The Industry, Thornton Edge, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Green Umbrella Series.
Maintaining a versatile presence on stages across America, Victoria has appeared in roles such as Ottone in L'Incoronazione di Poppea with Aspen Opera Theater Center, Zita in Gianni Schicchi with Vegas City Opera, Carmen, Nicklausse in Les Contes D'Hoffmann, Dorabella in Cosi Fan Tutte, a housewife in The Industry's critically acclaimed opera HOPSCOTCH, and as The Word in A New Kind of Fallout, a role Victoria created in Gilda Lyon's eco-opera with Opera Theatre Pittsburgh. As a soloist, she has performed in Bach's Magnificat, Handel's Messiah, and Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, and actively gives recitals in collaboration with artists and organizations such as Julia Adolphe, Hila Plitmann, Jordan Nelson, Here Now Festival, and National Sawdust.
Victoria is a founding member of The Connection Experiment, a concert series which educates audiences through vulnerability, empathy, presence, and of course, connection.
Victoria holds degrees from The Lamont School of Music and The University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music. She has been honored as a James Conlon Music Scholar, is a recipient of the Jeanette MacDonald Operetta Scholarship, and is a two time Aspen Music Festival Fellow. A budding horticulturist, she currently lives in her garden in Los Angeles with her husband Mark and her pupper Preux.
For more info about Victoria Fox: h www.victoriajfox.com
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