Operations Director Laura Mitchell holds a B.A. in Music and minor in Mathematics from UC San Diego and an Artist Diploma from the prestigious University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music. Her administrative background includes IT Project Management, Business Analysis and Systems Analysis & Integration. Her personal mission as an administrator of an arts organization is to create a space that celebrates the singer as much as the company; to create a space where singer’s opinions matter and where they can learn to make their own decisions as musicians. Laura is passionate about leveraging the booming market of free technologies to enhance the experience for both singers and productions in a cost-effective way.
At CCM, she performed the roles of Fiordiligi, Musetta, Susanna, and the title roles in Alcina and Manon. Laura has worked with Lyric Opera Virginia, Sarasota Opera, San Diego Opera, New York Lyric Opera Theater, along with programs in several other countries. Her performances are often praised for “captivating” performances (Classical Singer Magazine), and “nuanced delivery” (Oberon’s Grove).
Core Artist and Operations Director
Read moreKelsey Mogensen is absolutely thrilled to be working with such a dynamic group of artists! She is an actor/stage manager from Buffalo, NY, and has been living in Manhattan for just over 1 year. Kelsey was an active member in the thriving Buffalo Theatre scene, appearing most recently in regional productions of The Constant Wife, Equus, and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Since relocating to NYC, she has been actively working to devise new and inventive theatre pieces, and has appeared in multiple new work festivals across the boroughs. She is a member of The Ophelia Theatre Collective in Queens, and she also works in the Education Department at Carnegie Hall. Kelsey hopes to continue her work as a theatre artist and collaborator, bringing new stories to life, and supporting Women in the arts. Special thanks to Bea and Felix for bringing me along on the Tabula Rasa Journey, and to Geoff for all of his love and support.
Read moreConductor, pianist, and harpsichordist Jennifer Peterson is the director of operamission, an arts organization bringing opera, chamber music, art song, and cabaret to audiences. Future operamission presentations and plans can be followed at operamission.org. Currently underway are productions of the complete output of G. F. Handel's 39 Italian operas, along with workshops and development of new operas, annual cabaret evenings, and all varieties of repertoire. Ms. Peterson has appeared at over seventy-five opera companies in the United States and internationally, including the New York City Opera, Opera Memphis, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Des Moines Metro Opera, and the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel. She received her musical training at the Oberlin College-Conservatory of Music, the Indiana University School of Music, and the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY where she co-founded the Rochester Chamber Opera. Born in Anchorage, Alaska, Jennifer grew up on the west coast and has been residing in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, since 1997 while maintaining an active vocal coaching studio in midtown Manhattan.
Read moreGeoff Pictor is a Buffalo NY transplant who has worked in musical theater, drama, and comedy throughout New York State. Geoff is an experienced Shakespearean actor, as well as an accomplished originator of several roles. Recently in New York City, Geoff was seen at New York Repertory Theater under the direction of Ms. Goodwin in Bachelor Agreement, an original one act comedy. During his free time, he is a 5th grade teacher, and a proud tenor with both the University Glee Club, and The Ten. Geoff is ecstatic to be joining the ensemble of Tabula Rasa and is honored to bring this exciting moment in history to life. From the bottom of his heart he thanks his family, friends, coworkers, and his magnificent partner in crime Kelsey for allowing him to live his life to its own artistic fullness.
Read moreDylan Sauerwald is a distinctive historical keyboardist and conductor. At the keyboard, he has been praised for his “fleet fingers” and “sophisticated playing,” (Capriccio) and as a conductor, his productions have been called “heart-wrenching and self-reflecting” (OperaWire). Mr. Sauerwald performs widely with early music ensembles across the US and Canada, and his playing is featured in the BBC historical drama Poldark. As a recording artist, he can be heard on the New Focus, Coro, and Urtext labels, as soloist and continuo player on the harpsichord, organ, fortepiano, and lautenwerck, performing works from the 16th century to the 21st. A champion of early opera, he has led productions acclaimed as “refined and flexible,” (Boston Globe) and “a remarkable musical experience” (OperaWire). He is in demand as a guest conductor, appearing with Sunshine City Opera, Miryam Baroque Ensemble, Dorian Baroque, and many others. Mr. Sauerwald directs Polyphemus Early Music, and is Director of Music at New Dorp Moravian Church.
Read moreSoprano Rebecca Richardson has performed throughout the United States as well as in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Australia and has made appearances in such musical landmarks as Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and Smetana Hall. Rebecca recently made her Cantanti Project debut as the Jazz Singer/ Lee Miller in the world premiere of Tabula Rasa, a jazz opera written by Felix Jarrar and Bea Goodwin. Past roles and scenes include L’Éternita/ Furia in La Calisto, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Manon in Manon, Magda in La Rondine, Pamina and First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Marguerite in Faust, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Beth in Little Women, and Jay in Cunning Little Vixen. Accomplished in early music and oratorio, Rebecca has performed such masterpieces as selections from Monteverdi’s Eight Book of Madrigals, Bach’s Cantata BWV 120, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Mozart’s Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem, and Rutter’s Requiem.
Read moreSoprano Laura Snyderman prides herself in performing a variety of styles, from Aperghis to J.S. Bach. Laura sang Gilda in an excerpt of Rigoletto with the Ashdod Symphony Orchestra in Jerusalem. She debuted Julia in the world premiere of Moshe Zorman’s opera Albert, and Chloe in an “outstanding performance” of Thomas Whitman’s revised chamber opera, Sukey in the Dark. Other credits include Suor Dolcina in Suor Angelica with Bel Cantati Opera, Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro under the baton of Keith Chambers, and Papagena in Die Zauberflöte under the direction of Benoit Renard with Manhattan Opera Studio. She was a featured artist with the Smithsonian Institute Fabergé Egg and Russian Romance Seminar, the Union Square Chamber Art Series, the Sowebo Arts and Music Festival, and Blank Space Baltimore. Recently, Laura’s performance of Alban Berg’s “Die Nachtigall,” was presented twice on Maryland PBS. Laura recently completed her education at the Peabody Conservatory in the studio of Elizabeth Futral.
Read moreWalter F. Rodriguez is a professional Puerto Rican artist and stage, tv, and film actor who has been working in New York City for many years. He worked on The Onion News Network for several seasons, including the show’s Peabody Award-winning season and its Comedy Central and IFC incarnations. He’s been seen on stages nationwide in off-Broadway and regional productions. Walter’s editorial and fashion photography has been seen on billboards and in magazines and on book covers for MacMillan and other major book publishers. His love for storytelling currently has him in talks with a major television studio about a new show he’s created and hopes to produce sometime in 2019. Walter would like to thank God, his family, friends, and the cast and production team for all of their love and support.
Read moreEric Umble is a versatile, award winning clarinetist known for his "... nuanced and coloristic playing" (The Clarinet). Eric enjoys a diverse international career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player, and music educator. An advocate for, and avid performer of contemporary music, he is a founding member of numerous ensembles that champion music by living composers. For more information, visit www.ericumble.com.
Read moreSoprano Joyce Yin, praised by New York Concert Review for singing with an “otherworldly quality,” brings a committed physicality and depth of emotional connection to the stage. This season, Joyce sings the Pergolesi Stabat Mater, Libby Larsen’s Try Me Good King, and Clara Schumann’s Sechs Lieder. A performer whose “deft characterization” is “matched by her fearless singing” (Entertainment Hour), Joyce particularly enjoys exploring the nuances of determined women such as Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Morgana (Alcina), and Gilda (Rigoletto). Recent highlights include Ines in Donizetti’s La Zingara with Amore Opera, Linfea in La Calisto with dell’Arte Opera Ensemble, the title role in Caccini’s Euridice with Cantanti Project, and her debut with the Buffalo Philharmonic as the soprano soloist in the Messiah. Joyce is a winner of the Met Auditions Audience Choice Award and the Musical Merit Foundation of San Diego. She graduated with her M.M. in Opera Performance from Arizona State University. Please visit www.joyceyin.com and @joycesings for updates.
Core Artist and Artistic Director
Read moreSoprano Sara Lin Yoder’s midwestern work ethic coupled with 37 years of combined performance experience across 4 different instruments makes her an impeccable musician and a dynamic storyteller. Sara Lin’s “arresting dignity and presence that grips both the eye and the ear” entranced audiences in her performances in the title role of L’incoronazione di Poppea. Her knack for comedy in the roles of Despina (Cosi fan tutte), Clorinda (La Cenerentola), and Ida (Die Fledermaus) left audiences roaring with laughter, while heart-warming renditions of Nanetta (Falstaff), Constance (Dialogues of the Carmelites), and Laurie (The Tender Land) brought them to tears. Sara Lin’s interest in new music was discovered in 2012 while workshopping the role of Jessica in Aldridge/Garfein’s production of Sister Carrie. Since then, she has workshopped Aschera in Kerer/Mazzola’s Apocalypse: Now and Then, Susan in Redler/Campbell’s A Song for Susan Smith, and Mary in Heggie/Scheer’s It’s a Wonderful Life. Sara Lin lives in New York City.
Read moreCore Artist, Co-Founder & Artistic Director
Joyce Yin received her M.M. in Opera Performance from Arizona State University, where she was the recipient of a two-year teaching assistantship and Choral and Lyric Opera Theatre talent scholarships. She has over six year of experience in higher education as a teacher and administrator and is an enthusiastic proponent of the power of engagement and innovation. Her vision is that every performer has the tools and knowledge to participate as a complete artist, educator, contributor, and community-builder; her mission in founding Cantanti Project is to provide the environment and the opportunities to support such development.
A lyric coloratura soprano praised by New York Concert Review for singing with an “otherworldly quality,” Joyce enjoys an active schedule of opera and concert engagements showcasing the flexibility and versatility of her voice. This season, Joyce makes her solo debut with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in Handel’s Messiah, performs as Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, and adds the roles of Gilda (Rigoletto) and Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) to her repertoire. Recent highlights include her Lincoln Center debut singing Adele (Die Fledermaus), role debuts as Morgana (Alcina) and Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), and Vivaldi's Nulla in mundo pax sincera. She is a winner of the Musical Merit Foundation of San Diego, a first place winner of NATS Student Auditions (Arizona), and a recipient of the MONC Auditions Audience Choice Award (San Diego).
Joyce currently lives and sings in New York.
Read moreCo-Founder
Sam Fujii, a San Francisco native, is an active performer and educator in the Tri-City area. Recent roles include Count Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Harlequin (Ariadne auf Naxos), and Masetto with the Manhattan Opera Studio, Marco (Gianni Schicchi), and Fiorello (Il barbiere di Siviglia). He has also appeared with NY Lyric Opera Theater, Manhattan School of Music Opera Theater, Opera Oggi NY, and New Jersey-based Opera GoLightly.
Sam maintains a private voice studio and works regularly with private and public schools. As a collaborative pianist, he has accompanied choirs throughout the Upper Midwest and Northeastern United States and Canada. In 2015, he returns for his third consecutive year as Music Director of Lamp Camp, a youth drama camp produced by Lamplighters Community Theatre in Minnesota, which instructs students ages 7-18 in improv theater, singing, and dance.
Sam holds a Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from the Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor’s degree in Choral Music Education and Vocal Performance from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, MN. He currently studies with Bill Lewis.
Read morePrincipal Music Advisor
William Lewis, pianist/accompanist, vocal coach, arranger, and performer is beginning his fiftieth year as a professional musician. In 2014, he earned two nominations in the Charleston Theater Awards for his performances in “The Piano Man and the Diva” (Best Musical Director and Best Actor in a Musical) for the 2013-2014 season. In Savannah, Georgia, he won the People’s Choice Award during the American Traditions Competition.
Mr. Lewis regularly appears with Irish tenor Ronan Tynan in concert and also plays for Marcello Giordano and violinist Gregory Harrington.
He has served as vocal coach for the Santa Fe Opera, Lake George Opera Festival, Opera Omaha, Texas Opera, Opera Music Theater International with Jerome Hines, Central City Opera House Festival and Natchez Opera Festival. As a teacher, Mr. Lewis has served on the faculties of both the Boston and New England Conservatories and at Rutgers University. He has taught master classes across the U.S. and is presently an Artist in Residence at the University of Kentucky with Dr. Tynan.
Read moreNew York City-based mezzo-soprano Christine Duncan is gaining recognition for her vocal power and clarity as well as commanding stage presence. 2014-15 local engagements include Stéphano in Roméo et Juliette with West Side Opera Society and Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with New York Lyric Opera Theater. Christine recently made her mainstage debut as Flora in La Traviata opposite Metropolitan Opera soprano Angela Meade at Astoria Music Festival. Other recent roles include Dorabella with Astoria Music Festival, Der Komponist and Dryade in Ariadne auf Naxos with the Land of Enchantment Opera, and Lel in the US premiere of Rimsky-Korsakov's Snegurochka (The Snow Maiden) with the Lowell House Opera, where she was praised by Arts Fuse Boston for her vocal warmth and dexterity. She holds an M.M. in Vocal Performance from the Longy School of Music and a B.A. in Music from Connecticut College. Christine is a student of Allan Glassman.
Read moreBarbara Porto is a California girl who has been at home in New York City for over eight years. After earning B.A.'s in both Psychology and Music from Occidental College in Los Angeles, Barbara moved to NYC to join the Teaching Fellows program. While teaching humanities to middle school students with special needs, she earned her M.S. in Special Education from CUNY Hunter College. Later, she returned to graduate school to attain an M.M. in Vocal Performance from the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College.
A versatile lyric soprano, Barbara has performed a wide range of works from Bach to Berio. She has most recently appeared as Mademoiselle Silberklang in Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor with Apollo Opera, as a young artist with The Institute and Festival for Contemporary Performance at Mannes College, and as an ensemble musician for High Mass at The Church of the Resurrection on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
Currently, Barbara is a learning specialist at The Ethical Culture School, where she instructs 4th graders who struggle with reading and writing. She strives to maintain a healthy balance of work, torture (in the form of the Bikram Yoga hot room), and music, despite the hustle and bustle of this vibrant town!
Read moreOffice Dog
Dante spends his days lounging, playing with toys, and researching repertoire. He is partial to Mozart and Schumann and has begun developing an interest in Strauss. Dante dabbles in character tenor repertoire with occasional ventures into countertenor roles. His favorite aria is "O mio babbino." Dante received his musical training in New York City and via YouTube.
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