Tamara Tsoutsouris  (soprano) Tamara Tsoutsouris has appeared with opera companies across the United States and internationally, including the Teatro de la Maestranza in Spain, Houston Grand Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Opera San Jose, Opera Company of Mid-Michigan, Augusta Opera, Lake George Opera, and Operafest of New Hampshire. She performed the role of Marguerite in State Repertory Opera's 2000 performance of Gounod's Faust. She has also performed with such symphonies as the Orquestra Sinfonica Portuguesa in Lisbon, the Knoxville Symphony, the orchestra of Opera Ontario, the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, the Florida Philharmonic, the Long Island Philharmonic, and the Staten Island Symphony, and this spring is the soloist for the Summit Symphony's performance of Samuel Barber's Knoxville, Summer of 1915.

Ms. Tsoutsouris' operatic repertoire has included Mimi and Musetta (La Boheme), Nedda (I Pagliacci), Marguerite (Faust), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), the title roles in Madama Butterfly, Tosca and Manon, Ginevra (Ariodante) and the Composer (Ariadne auf Naxos). Her orchestral repertoire has featured Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem and Exsultate Jubilate, Beethoven's Mass in C Major, and Respighi's Il Tramonto. She performed the world premiere of Ronn Yedidia's Siddur Suite in New York City. Upcoming engagements include Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway and Broadway Pops Int'l with the Florida Sunshine Pops.

Visit Tamara's LinkedIn page.   [ back ]

Katy Sumrow (mezzo-soprano, and Jody Juggler in Sid the Serpent) was born in Gdansk, Poland. At an early age, she received a full music scholarship to the Chopin School of Music. Upon graduating she signed a contract with the Warsaw Philharmonic Choir and toured through Spain and Germany. Ms. Sumrow performed in the Polish Requiem with Leonard Bernstein and Liv Ullman at the Teatr Wielki in Warsaw on International television. Her repertoires as a Soloist include Baroque, Opera, Jazz, Spiritual and Broadway.

Ms. Sumrow is a founding member of the "Baroque Ensemble Buccina Cantorum" and has recorded a CD "Music of the Italian Baroque". Over the last four years, she's been a member of the State Repertory Opera of New Jersey and performed in productions of "Lucia di Lammermoor", "Il Trovatore", "Elisir D'Amore" and "Don Pasquale". For more information and to hear some of her songs please visit Katy's website.   [ back ]

Joshua Benevento  (tenor) is the recent recipient of first place in the Lieder Division of the prestigious Liederkranz Foundation Competition, as well as the first place winner of the highly respected Mario Lanza competition. He has sung leading roles in numerous operas including il Barbiere di Sivilia, Richard Coeur de Lion, Aida, Gianni Schicchi, Die Zauberflöte, Turandot, Carmen, L'incoronazione di Poppea, The Merry Widow, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Hänsel und Gretel. He has also had the honor of performing the challenging and exquisite role of Caliban in New York premiere of Lee Hoiby's brilliant opera, The Tempest, a role he later interpreted on a recording recently released by Albany Records to rave reviews by three of the major reviewers of recorded works. Mr. Benevento was also chosen to create the role of the Uncle in the highly acclaimed recent world premiere production of Raphaël Lucas's Confession, an opera that he also recorded with Albany Records.

In addition to his work in opera, he has performed as soloist in orchestra performances of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, Handel's The Messiah, Bach's Magnificat, Orff's Carmina Burana, Carissimi's Jephte and Mozart's Requiem.

Interestingly, Mr. Benevento's professional career began with a singing role in the HBO Series, The Sopranos. He will be making his Metropolitan Opera debut this spring singing with the men's chorus in the highly anticipated new production of Wagner's Götterdämmerung.

Visit Joshua's website.   [ back ]

Mark Wilson  (baritone, and The Strongman in Sid the Serpent) American born baritone Mark Fitzgerald Wilson is noted for being “sensitive and powerful” in his portrayal of Tonio in Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci. Mr. Wilson recently made his debut with Asheville Lyric Opera performing Escamillo “impressive vocally and dramatically and often drew sustained applause and shouts of approval from the audience”, Martha Fawbush CVNC. He also debuted with the Harford Chorale singing the solo baritone music in Orff's Carmina Burana. He finished this season debuting with North Shore Music Festival performing the role of Angelotti in Tosca.

Mr. Wilson is a two-time Met regional finalist, a two-time award winner of the Bel Canto Opera Scholarship fund (Rhode Island), and the first place winner of the Orlando Opera's Heinz Refuss Singing Actor Competition.

He has performed with Opera Memphis, Orlando Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Tulsa Opera, Portland Opera Theatre among others; performing roles of Escamillo, Alfio, Tonio, Four Villains, Enrico and Sivio.

Mr. Wilson has worked with wonderful composers including Carlisle Floyd, Robert Ward, Bryan Stanley, Michael Raphael, Richard Russell, Robert Butts and Shelton Becton; working on previously published works and debuting new American art songs, American spirituals and American operas.

Besides the operatic repertoire, Mr. Wilson has performed in musicals including the role of Agwe in Once on this Island and Jim in Big River. Mr. Wilson is also an active recitalist singing Lee Hoiby's I Have a Dream (Martin Luther King historic speech), Carlisle Floyd's Pilgrimage and works by Joseph Marx, Darius Mihaud, Maurice Ravel, Gustav Mahler and multiple arrangements of negro spirituals.

As an educator, Mr. Wilson has been sought out to give master classes, voice for the actor and one on one instruction. As a faculty member of Monmouth University, Bergen Community College, Westchester Community and Ridgewood Conservatory, Mr. Wilson teaches applied voice, glee choir, first year music theory, music appreciation and music history before 1750.

His upcoming performances include creating the role of Alexis in Dorothy Rudd Moore's opera Papa Doc, the soloist in Bach's Cantata 16 Bach in Baltimore, guest recital at Simpson College, guest recital at Caldwell College, guest recital at the University of Tennessee at Martin and an American songs with Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey.

Mr. Wilson is a graduate of Simpson College and The Moores School of Music, University of Houston.

Visit Mark's Google+ Page.   [ back ]

Steven Fredericks  (bass)

Bass Steven Fredericks represents the complete package of an artistically satisfying performer. Hailed for his "robust" singing with "great emotional depth" he has made his mark with some of opera's most celebrated roles. Fredericks' impressive repertory spans all styles and represents his versatility as a performer. From favorite Puccini roles, Colline and Timur, to the most heroic of Wagner's characters, he continually explores all dimensions of his talents. Capable in title roles like Massenet's Don Quichotte and Wagner's Dutchman, he is no stranger to supporting roles, offering memorable portrayals of Verdi's Lodovico in Otello, the King of Egypt (Aida) and the Bonze in Madama Butterfly. Notably, Fredericks created the role of Signorelli in the world premier of Louis Gioia's Un Racconto Fiorentino at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center. He also contributed to the premiere of Lee Hoiby's The Tempest at the Dallas Opera singing the role of Antonio, the ambitious evil brother.

Other recent performances include the bass soloist in Handel's Messiah at Carnegie Hall, Strommenger in La Wally with Teatro Grattacielo at Allice Tully Hall conducted by Guido Ajmone-Marsan, Reinmar in Tannhäuser with The Baltimore Opera conducted by Christian Badea and Ferrando in Il Trovatore with Maestro Anton Coppola. Fredericks frequently appears with Maestro Vincent La Selva and the New York Grand Opera in Central Park, New York City. He sang the role of Filippo in a highlighted version of Don Carlo at the 1997 Opera America Convention in Philadelphia. Internationally, he has performed with The Chuvash State Theatre (Russia) as Sparafucile in Rigoletto, and the Herald in Lohengrin, in Paris/Saone-et-Loire (France) where he also appeared as the bass soloist in Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

Recently, he has performed Zaccaria in Nabucco and the title role in Boito's Mefistofele with the Taconic Opera and Crespel in Les Contes d'Hoffmann with The Connecticut Lyric Opera.

Upcoming roles include Ramfis in Aida and Lodovico in Otello with The New York Grand Opera celebrating the 200 birth year of Guiseppe Verdi.

Mr. Fredericks graduated from Indiana University with a degree in vocal performance and continued his studies at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia.

Visit Mr. Fredericks's website.   [ back ]

Tom Donelan  (as The Serpent in Sid the Serpent)

has been a member of the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players professional repertory company since 1996, having appeared in nearly the entire G&S canon. Tom is also a long standing member of Ridge Light Opera having appeared in Footloose The Musical (Rev. Shaw Moore), The Pirates of Penzance (Samuel, Pirate King), The Mikado (Pish Tush), Trial By Jury (Plaintiff's Counsel), Amahl and the Night Visitors (King Kaspar, King Melchior), The Marriage of Figaro (Count Almaviva), etc. Other regional credits include: 1776 (Robert Livingston), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Pharoah), Grand Hotel (Baron Felix von Gaigern - Bigbee Award), The Fantasticks (Matt - the Boy – Bigbee Award). Tom fondly remembers performing in SRO's production of Massenet's Thais many moons ago. Tom thanks Donna and Sophia for "putting up with a snake like me."

Jessica Mester  (as The Clown in Sid the Serpent) Jessica is very honored to be singing with the SRO. Her credits include: a PaperMill Playhouse Benefit Concert, Phantom of The Opera (National Tour), Pirates Of Penzance, Yoeman Of The Guard, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Sound of Music, George M. and Pilgrim (NY and LA premiers).

Jessica is a graduate of The Hartt School Of Music at The University of Hartford where she received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance

Warren Helms (accompanist) presently is a faculty member of The Juilliard School and also William Paterson University. He served as opera coach at The Manhattan School of Music for eleven years. Mr. Helms was assistant conductor/pianist for the Broadway production of Showboat at the Gershwin Theatre and has performed off-Broadway with the Vineyard Theatre. He recently performed with the Three Irish Tenors, Aretha Franklin as well as Clay Aiken. Cabaret experience includes The Rainbow Room, Russian Tea Room. He collaborates with Drew University, Kean University and Westminster Choir College. He is also the Director of Music at The Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wayne, New Jersey. [ back ]

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