2009-2010 Young Artists

Hailed by The New York Times as “delightful and vocally strong and versatile”, soprano Emily Albrink is in her second year with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. Ms. Albrink begins the season as a soloist in John Adam’s Grand Pianola Music at Carnegie Hall and later performs the roles of Echo in Ariadne auf Naxos and Barbarina in The Marriage of Figaro with Washington National Opera. Past seasons included her Carnegie Hall debut as Nuria in Ainadamar with Dawn Upshaw and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by Robert Spano, with additional performances of that role with the Phoenix Symphony, Opera Boston, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she sang Despina in Così Fan Tutte conducted by James Levine at the Tanglewood Music Center and the world premiere of ♀ Confessions by Clarice Assad at Carnegie Hall. Ms. Albrink made her WNO debut last season as Frasquita in Carmen, and also performed the role of Second Niece in Peter Grimes, and Annina in the Young Artist production of La Traviata, conducted by Plácido Domingo. She also presented a recital through the Stotsenberg Recital Series in Los Angeles, CA and performed the west coast premiere of Jake Heggie’s song cycle Rise and Fall in a concert with Frederica von Stade.

Baritone Aleksey Bogdanov is in his first season with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. His many credits include Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana, the Four Villains in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Blitch in Susannah, Tony Esposito in The Most Happy Fella, the titles roles of Mozart’s Figaro and Don Giovanni, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Abbate Cospicuo in Arlecchino, and King Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors. Most recently he performed the role of David in Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz with the San Francisco Opera Merola Program, under the baton of Warren Jones. Bogdanov was the Junior Grand Prize Winner of the 2009 Florida Grand Opera YPO Voice Competition and a Gerdine Young Artist with Opera Theatre of St. Louis in 2008, where he made his professional debut as Antenor in William Walton's Troilus and Cressida.  He makes his WNO debut as the Wig Maker in Ariadne auf Naxos and will return as a Gravedigger in Hamlet.

Now in her second season with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, mezzo-soprano Cynthia Hanna made her WNO debut last season as Mercédès in Carmen. She has sung Suzuki in Madama Butterfly and Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte with Opera North; Flora in the Young Artist performance of La Traviata and the title role in the Carmen: Look-In at WNO; and Maddalena in Rigoletto with Commonwealth Opera. Concert performances include Mozart’s Requiem, Debussy's La damoiselle elue and Bernstein's Mass with the Utah Symphony, Mozart's Requiem and Handel’s Messiah with the South Carolina Philharmonic, and Handel's Messiah with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. In 2007 she participated in San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program. Upcoming engagements include Berta in The Barber of Seville and Dryad in Ariadne auf Naxos with WNO, as well as her international operatic debut as Suzuki at the Savonlinna Festival in Finland.

 Mezzo-soprano Brandy Lynn Hawkins is in her second season with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.  She made her WNO debut last season as Mercédès in Carmen, performed with Mo. Domingo at the opening of the Reignwood Theater in Beijing, and gave the world premiere of the title role in Let Freedom Sing: The Story of Marian Anderson, a new opera commissioned in collaboration with Washington Performing Arts Society and WNO. Other performances include Hansel (Hansel and Gretel), and Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) with Houston Ebony Opera, Lucy Perez in the premiere recording of The Hotel Casablanca on Albany Records, and the title role in Carmen with the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre. Her concert appearances include Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Ms. Hawkins was the winner of the June Miller Rosenblatt award in Connecticut Opera’s Guild Competition, and the Kentucky District Winner of the Metropolitan National Council Auditions.  Ms. Hawkins was an Apprentice Artist with the Santa Fe Opera in the summer of 2009 and performs Wellgunde in Götterdämmerung this season with WNO.

Tenor Jesús Daniel Hernandez is in his second season with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. Born and raised in Mexico, he came to the United States to join the Army in 2003 and has since served both in Iraq and at Fort Hood, Texas. His singing career began under the direction of Lazzaro Ferrari in El Paso, Texas. He has performed with Zarzuela of El Paso, as a Young Resident Artist and soloist with Amarillo Opera, and in the Mary Hardin-Baylor University Opera Program of Belton, Texas. With Washington National Opera, Mr. Hernandez performed the roles of Jeppo Liverotto in Lucrezia Borgia and Gastone in the Young Artist performance of La Traviata.  This season he sings a Gravedigger in Hamlet.

Soprano Micaëla Oeste, born in Germany and raised in America, is in her second season with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. She made her WNO debut last season as Annina in La Traviata, and also performed the First Niece in Peter Grimes, and the Forest Bird in Siegfried. Additionally, she performed with Plácido Domingo at the opening of the Reignwood Theater in Beijing. She has appeared with Chicago Opera Theater, Opera Tampa Bay, Opera Santa Barbara, and Wildwood Opera Theater. She has sung recitals in Germany, and was selected to sing with the Piccinni Foundation in Italy. She was also chosen as a finalist in the international Neue Stimmen competition and the Union Civic League and Arts competition. This season at WNO, Ms. Oeste performs Nannetta in Falstaff.

 Tenor José Ortega, a native of Chihuahua, Mexico, is in his second season with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.  His recent roles include Alfredo in La Traviata (Tuscia Opera Festival), Luigi in Il Tabarro (Tom Muraco-Donna Vaughn Singer Seminar), Nemorino in L’Elisir d’Amore (Tuscia Opera Festival), Don Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro (New Opera Festival di Roma), and covering the role of Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor at the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel. In 2003, he was selected as one of only eight singers to study under renowned tenor Carlo Bergonzi in Busseto. With WNO, Mr. Ortega’s credits include the role of Don José in the Carmen: Look-In and Vitellozo in Lucrezia Borgia.  This season he performs Marcellus in Hamlet with Washington National Opera.

Director David Paul is in his first season with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. He most recently served on the Artistic Staff at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., where he adapted and directed Hamlet and assistant directed Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, Ion, and King Lear featuring Stacy Keach. A director of both theater and opera, his operatic credits include directing Die Zauberflöte at the Intermezzo Festival in Belgium, as well as projects with The Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and the International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel. He has worked as a director or assistant director at Perseverance Theater of Alaska, California Shakespeare Theater, Chautauqua Conservatory Theater, and The Juilliard School, among others, and served on The Metropolitan Opera's Artistic staff for two seasons.  Mr. Paul is a native of Hamburg, Germany and received his education at Columbia University.

Ukrainian baritone Oleksandr Pushniak is in his second season with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. Mr. Pushniak was an Operalia semifinalist and in 2007 he won third prize in the European Song Contest in Austria. He holds degrees from the K.D. Ushinsky Pedagogical College in Kiev and the National Musical Academy of Ukraine. Mr. Pushniak has performed with the National Philharmonic of Ukraine, Dnepropetrovsk Philharmonic, Kiev Camerata, and the Symphony Orchestra of Graz in Austria. Credits with WNO include an open orchestra rehearsal of La Bohème, as well as performances of Grenvil in La Traviata, Petrucci in Lucrezia Borgia, and The Mandarin in Turandot.  This season he returns to the WNO main stage to perform Fiorello in The Barber of Seville, Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro, and Polonius in Hamlet.

Conductor Michael Rossi, most recently he enjoyed conducting Plácido Domingo and fellow WNO Young Artists with the Chinese National Opera Orchestra in Beijing.  This year, Mr. Rossi led the WNO Orchestra at Strathmore Hall and at the Harmon Theatre and was also the assistant conductor for the Young Artist production of La Traviata. Mr. Rossi holds a bachelor and master of music degrees from the Manhattan School of Music. In addition to his position as Young Artist Conductor, Mr. Rossi also holds the position of 2^nd trumpet in the Washington National Opera Orchestra. Before joining the WNO, he performed frequently with the New York Philharmonic.  Upcoming performances will include conducting the Manhattan School of Music Symphony and the premiere of Bruce Adolphe’s new opera, Let Freedom Sing: The Story of Marian Anderson.  This summer Mr. Rossi with attend the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen.

Michael Spassov is in his first season as a coach/accompanist with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.  He has worked at the Canadian Opera Company as a member of the Ensemble Studio, at Bel Canto at Caramoor, as well as at Sarasota Opera, where he has served for several years on the coaching staff and as cover conductor.  He recently conducted Don Giovanni and The Barber of Seville at the Pineda Lyric Opera in New Jersey, and has pursued conducting studies with Gustav Meier, Carl St. Clair, and Victor DeRenzi, and J. David Jackson.  Mr. Spassov holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in composition from The Juilliard School, where he was a student of Samuel Adler and Christopher Rouse.  His compositions have been performed by the Juilliard Orchestra, eighth blackbird sextet, and Toronto’s Continuum Ensemble. 

Soprano Jennifer Lynn Waters is in her second year with the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. She made her WNO debut last season as Frasquita in Carmen, and this season performs Naiad in Ariadne auf Naxos and Woglinde in Götterdämmerung with WNO. Ms. Waters often collaborates with local organizations including The Martha Graham Dance Company, The Maryland Concert Opera, The Frederick Symphony Orchestra, The Bach Concert Series, and The Harford Choral Society. She has participated in The Caramoor Music Festival as well as the Music Festival of the Americas at Stowe. Ms. Waters holds a Masters Degree of Music from George Mason University, and a Bachelors Degree of Music from The University of Mary Washington. Other performances include Fiordiligi in Così Fan Tutte, Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana, the title role of Suor Angelica, and Sicle in L'Ormindo. Ms. Waters also performed a duet with Plácido Domingo at the opening of the Reignwood Theater in Beijing.

Alumni

Keri Alkema (mezzo-soprano): 2002-2004

Thomas Beard (baritone): 2003-2005

Danielle DeSwert (coach): 2002-2003

Andrea Dorf (director): 2006-2008

Eugenia Garza (soprano): 2002-2004

Michelle Gutrick (soprano): 2002-2003

Lara Hanoian (coach): 2003-2005

Claudia Huckle (mezzo-soprano): 2006-2008

Hoo-Ryoung Hwang (soprano): 2002-2004

Steven Jarvi (conductor): 2004-2006

Maria Jooste (soprano): 2003-2005

Valeriano Lanchas (baritone): 2002-2003

JiYoung Lee (soprano): 2004-2006

James Lesniak (coach): 2004-2006

Israel Lozano (tenor): 2002-2004

Benjamin Makino (conductor): 2006-2008

Christina Martos (soprano): 2004-2006

Aundi Marie Moore (soprano): 2006-2008

Leslie Mutchler (mezzo-soprano): 2004-2006

Matthew Ottenlips (coach): 2005-2007

Amanda Pabyan (soprano): 2002-2003

Chía Patiño (stage director): 2004-2006

Joana Pons (apprentice coach): 2003-2004

Lee Poulis (baritone): 2002-2004

Barbara Quintiliani (soprano): 2002-2004

Thomas Rimes (coach): 2006-2008

Carlos Rodriguez (coach): 2002-2004

Daniel Rodriguez (tenor): 2002-2003

Nino Sanikidze (coach): 2003-2005

Trevor Scheunemann (baritone): 2005-2007

Erin Elizabeth Smith (mezzo-soprano): 2004-2006

Amanda Squitieri (soprano): 2003-2005

Jessica Swink (soprano): 2002-2004

Obed Ureña (baritone): 2005-2007

Greg Warren (tenor): 2005-2007

Matthew Wolff (tenor): 2002-2004

Magdalena Wór (mezzo-soprano): 2006-2008

Hyung Yun (baritone): 2002-2003

Yingxi Zhang (tenor): 2005-2008