NEW OPERA
WORLD PREMIERE
SEATTLE
2023
COMPOSER
CHARLES ROLAND BERRY
ALLISON POHL, soprano
Soprano Allison Pohl's vivacious stage presence and spirited singing have inspired enthusiastic responses across three continents. Her work has received positive reviews for her “sparkling voice” (outerstage.com) and “exuberant” performances (Opera News). Of her performance in L'elisir d'amore at Virginia Opera, The Washington Post wrote: “Allison Pohl stood out with a ripe, flavorful soprano and ample character.”
Allison has appeared with opera companies and orchestras throughout the United States, including Boston Lyric Opera, New York City Opera, Seattle Opera, Virginia Opera, Opera Saratoga, Tacoma Opera, Vashon Opera, Opera in the Heights, Opera Providence, Opera on the James, Seattle Symphony, Canton Symphony, Symphony Tacoma, Bremerton Symphony, Seattle Philharmonic, Harmonia Seattle, and Garden State Philharmonic, and has been a featured soloist for orchestral tours in both Italy and China. Upcoming performances include Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro at Vashon Opera and concerts with conductor Keith Lockhart.
Favorite operatic roles recently performed include both Countess and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Blanche de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites, Nannetta in Falstaff, Norina in Don Pasquale, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Frasquita in Carmen, and Yum-Yum in The Mikado.
As a member of Soprello, Allison has also performed chamber music and new compositions across North America with her husband, cellist Alistair MacRae. She is a Seattle Opera Career Grant recipient, winner of the Seattle Philharmonic Concerto Competition, and holds degrees from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music and Boston University. She is also on faculty at Brevard Music Center in North Carolina.
ERICA CONVERY, mezzo-soprano
Ms. Convery studied vocal performance and vocal pedagogy at the prestigious Peabody Institute, and has performed with Seattle Opera, Maryland Lyric Opera, Opera Lancaster, Berks Opera Company, the Singer’s Theater of Washington, Bel Cantanti Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Bellevue City Opera, and Tacoma Opera. Ms. Convery has also performed recitals at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center.
GLENN SEVEN ALLEN, tenor
Glenn Seven Allen is garnering critical acclaim on theatre, opera, and concert stages throughout the United States as a consummate singing actor, lauded for his dynamic interpretations of heroes and leading men, alike. Mr. Allen was hailed by Opera News as an “Edwardian matinee idol, giving by far the most detailed dramatic performance.”
This season, Allen performs in New York City Opera’s All Is Calm, with performances slated in both NYC and London. Last season, Mr. Allen created the role of John in the premiere of Southern Crossings at Barnard College, in addition to Rodolfo in Soo Theatre’s La boheme. Allen also performed as a soloist in both Opera Meets Broadway and the Romeo & Juliet Ball with Gulfshore Opera, and as tenor soloist in Kings, Giants & Robots at American Modern Ensemble.
Recently, Mr. Allen starred as Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities at Bob Jones University, starred as Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain with New York City Opera and subsequently returned as Freddy in Dear Erich, Il Padre in Piramo e Tisbe with The Little Opera Theater of New York, the Inquisitor in a one-night only Benefit Concert of Candide at Carnegie Hall, and Dan Goodman in Next to Normal with Syracuse Stage. He also performed as a soloist with Charlottesville Symphony in their Bicentennial Celebration of the Arts and The Americans concerts, performed as a soloist in The New Crew concert with the American Lyric Theatre, a solo with ALT Alumni: Composers and Librettists In Concert, sang the tenor solo in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Glacier Symphony, and was featured in a Mediacom commercial.
CRAIG GRAYSON, bass
Craig Grayson has been a member of the Seattle Opera Chorus since 2003, and was featured on the Seattle Opera mainstage as the Jailer in the 2015 production of Puccini’s Tosca, the Customs Sergeant in the 2013 production of La Bohème, and created the Chaplain in the 2010 World Premier of Amelia. He has performed with Pacific Northwest Opera (Commendatore, Don Giovanni, 2017), with Lyric Opera Northwest (Sparafucile, Rigoletto, 2015) and with Tacoma Opera in several roles such as Sarastro in the “Salish” Magic Flute, Sulpice in La Fille du Regiment, the Tutor in Le Comte Ory, Zuniga in Carmen, Benoit and Alcindoro in La Bohème, Osmin in The Abduction from the Seraglio, and the Sacristan in Tosca. Craig has also sung with Opera on Tap, Bellevue Opera and the Concert Opera of Seattle. Before coming to Seattle, He sang lead and featured roles with companies such as the New York Grand Opera, Bronx Opera, Regina Opera, Tulsa Opera, Opera Colorado, and Florida Grand Opera. Craig received his doctorate in music from the University of Washington in 2012. He also teaches music and voice at North Seattle College.
CONSTANTINE ORBELIAN, music director
Music Director and Principal Conductor
of the New York City Opera
Four-time Grammy-nominated conductor Constantine Orbelian has been called “the singer’s dream collaborator” by Opera News,
which hailed him for conducting vocal repertoire “with the sensitivity of a lieder pianist.” He has toured and recorded with some of the world’s greatest singers, such as American stars Renée Fleming, Sondra Radvanovsky and Lawrence Brownlee, and with the great Dmitri Hvorostovsky and other renowned Russian singers in European, North American, Russian and Asian music centers.
Maestro Orbelian’s accomplishments include being Music Director of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra and the Philharmonia of Russia, founder of the annual Palaces of St. Petersburg International Music Festival, Chief Conductor of the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra in Lithuania, and Artistic Director of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater in Yerevan, Armenia. Among his concert and televised appearances are collaborations with Hvorostovsky, Renée Fleming, Anna Netrebko, Elīna Garanča and Van Cliburn, including the legendary pianist’s farewell performance.
Born in San Francisco to Russian and Armenian émigrés parents, Maestro Orbelian made his performing debut as a piano prodigy with the San Francisco Symphony at the age of 11. After graduating from Juilliard in New York, he embarked on a career as a piano virtuoso that included appearances with major symphony orchestras throughout the U.S., U.K., Europe and Russia.
The first American to become music director of an ensemble in Russia, he was awarded the coveted title “Honored Artist of Russia” in 2004 in recognition of his efforts championing Russian-American cultural exchange. In 2012 the Russian Consulate in San Francisco awarded the maestro the Russian Order of Friendship Medal, joining such luminaries as Cliburn and Riccardo Muti in being so honored. In 2001 Maestro Orbelian was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, given to immigrants, or children of immigrants, who have made outstanding contributions to the United States.
Maestro Orbelian has recorded over 60 CDs for the DELOS Label, and has additional DVDs and CDs which have been released on Decca, Deutsche Gramophone, Chandos, Philips and Warner labels.
