The Sumeida's Song Cast
AMANDA RUNGE -Asakir
Mezzo-soprano Amanda Runge, a Wisconsin native, started singing opera at a young age. At age 14 she sang the role of Kate Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. She received her Bachelors in Music from the University of Southern California and she received her Masters in Music from Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England. After her return to the Midwest she has had the pleasure of singing with Main Street Opera, Opera on Tap, Grant Park Chorus, DaCorneto, Verismo Opera, Katydid Productions, Elgin Opera Company, and Third Eye Theatre Ensemble. She is excited to return to Third Eye Theatre Ensemble for the Chicago premiere of “Sumeida’s Song.”
Mezzo-soprano Amanda Runge, a Wisconsin native, started singing opera at a young age. At age 14 she sang the role of Kate Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. She received her Bachelors in Music from the University of Southern California and she received her Masters in Music from Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England. After her return to the Midwest she has had the pleasure of singing with Main Street Opera, Opera on Tap, Grant Park Chorus, DaCorneto, Verismo Opera, Katydid Productions, Elgin Opera Company, and Third Eye Theatre Ensemble. She is excited to return to Third Eye Theatre Ensemble for the Chicago premiere of “Sumeida’s Song.”
ERIN MOLL - Asakir
Mezzo-soprano Erin Moll is an up-and-coming young artist who has been praised for her dynamic stage presence and musical expressivity. Recent portrayals include Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Hansel in Hansel & Gretel, Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Constancica in El Huesped del Sevillano. Erin studied voice at Illinois Wesleyan University and L’Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris. In addition to her frequent performing, Erin is also a Teaching Artist with Chicago Opera Theater and Co-Managing Div@ of Opera on Tap Chicago. Erin is thrilled to be joining Third Eye Theatre Ensemble for this exciting regional premiere! www.erinmoll.com
Mezzo-soprano Erin Moll is an up-and-coming young artist who has been praised for her dynamic stage presence and musical expressivity. Recent portrayals include Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Hansel in Hansel & Gretel, Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Constancica in El Huesped del Sevillano. Erin studied voice at Illinois Wesleyan University and L’Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris. In addition to her frequent performing, Erin is also a Teaching Artist with Chicago Opera Theater and Co-Managing Div@ of Opera on Tap Chicago. Erin is thrilled to be joining Third Eye Theatre Ensemble for this exciting regional premiere! www.erinmoll.com
ADRIANNE BLANKS - Asakir
Adrianne Blanks, Mezzo-soprano, holds a Bachelor of Music from the Boston
Conservatory and a Master of Music from Roosevelt University, CCPA. She is excited
to return to the stage with Third Eye Theatre Ensemble after playing Mrs. Nolan in
The Medium last year. Recent performances include Meg Page in Falstaff, Hermia in
Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream with Opera Naples, and Papagena and Third
Lady in The Magic Flute with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s outreach program. She has
been featured as a soloist in Handel's Messiah, Saint-Saën’s Christmas Oratorio, and
Britten's Ceremony of Carols with Harper College. Upcoming performances include
Carmen in Carmen & The Bull with Chicago Opera Playhouse.
Adrianne Blanks, Mezzo-soprano, holds a Bachelor of Music from the Boston
Conservatory and a Master of Music from Roosevelt University, CCPA. She is excited
to return to the stage with Third Eye Theatre Ensemble after playing Mrs. Nolan in
The Medium last year. Recent performances include Meg Page in Falstaff, Hermia in
Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream with Opera Naples, and Papagena and Third
Lady in The Magic Flute with Lyric Opera of Chicago’s outreach program. She has
been featured as a soloist in Handel's Messiah, Saint-Saën’s Christmas Oratorio, and
Britten's Ceremony of Carols with Harper College. Upcoming performances include
Carmen in Carmen & The Bull with Chicago Opera Playhouse.
ANNE SLOVIN - Mabrouka
Soprano Anne Slovin most recently created the role Mica Segal in the world premiere of Wlad Marhulets’ klezmer opera The Property at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. In January 2014 she debuted as Frasquita in Carmen as an artist-in-residence at Pensacola Opera, where she also appeared as Clorinda in La Cenerentola and Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte. Slovin was the first-place winner of the FAVA Grand Concours de Chant and was awarded the Prix Leoš Janáček at the Czech and Slovak International Vocal Competition. She is also a 2013-2014 recipient of the Farwell Trust Award from Chicago’s Musicians Club of Women and a grant from the Frank Huntington Beebe Fund for Musicians in 2011-2012. Slovin is an alumna of Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music.
Soprano Anne Slovin most recently created the role Mica Segal in the world premiere of Wlad Marhulets’ klezmer opera The Property at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. In January 2014 she debuted as Frasquita in Carmen as an artist-in-residence at Pensacola Opera, where she also appeared as Clorinda in La Cenerentola and Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte. Slovin was the first-place winner of the FAVA Grand Concours de Chant and was awarded the Prix Leoš Janáček at the Czech and Slovak International Vocal Competition. She is also a 2013-2014 recipient of the Farwell Trust Award from Chicago’s Musicians Club of Women and a grant from the Frank Huntington Beebe Fund for Musicians in 2011-2012. Slovin is an alumna of Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music.
MARY LUTZ GOVERTSEN - Mabrouka
Soprano Mary Lutz-Govertsen is delighted to return to Third Eye Theatre Ensemble as Mabrouka. She has performed with many local and regional companies, where she has been seen as Lucia/Lucia di Lammermoor, Donna Anna/Don Giovanni, Rosalinde/Die Fledermaus, Lucy/The Telephone, Girl/Hello Out There,First Lady/The Magic Flute; Mimi and Musetta/La boheme, Madame Lidoine/The Dialogues of the Carmelites; and Mlle. Silberklang/Der Schauspieldirektor, among others. She has been an apprentice at Opera New Jersey, where she covered the role of Clorinda/La Cenerentola and at Opera Cedar Rapids, as Fiordiligi/Cosi fan tutte. Upcoming engagements include First Lady/The Magic Flute with Petite Opera and solo work with the DuPage Chorale
Soprano Mary Lutz-Govertsen is delighted to return to Third Eye Theatre Ensemble as Mabrouka. She has performed with many local and regional companies, where she has been seen as Lucia/Lucia di Lammermoor, Donna Anna/Don Giovanni, Rosalinde/Die Fledermaus, Lucy/The Telephone, Girl/Hello Out There,First Lady/The Magic Flute; Mimi and Musetta/La boheme, Madame Lidoine/The Dialogues of the Carmelites; and Mlle. Silberklang/Der Schauspieldirektor, among others. She has been an apprentice at Opera New Jersey, where she covered the role of Clorinda/La Cenerentola and at Opera Cedar Rapids, as Fiordiligi/Cosi fan tutte. Upcoming engagements include First Lady/The Magic Flute with Petite Opera and solo work with the DuPage Chorale
JESUS ALFREDO JIMENEZ JIMENEZ - Sumeida
Tenor Jesus Alfredo Jiménez Jiménez is thrilled to join the cast of Sumeida’s Song. Pursuing a Vocal Performance major/certificate in Musical Theatre at Northwestern University, he is deeply involved with both programs. Jimenez has also sung with the Musica Lumina Orchestra, notably as the tenor soloist in Elijah. Previous roles include Arturo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Ufficiale/Conte Almaviva cover (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), and Goro (Madama Butterfly) with Main Street Opera and Juan Luis (El Huesped del Sevillano) and Rafael (La Dolorosa) with New World Productions. Jimenez will join the Sarasota Opera Apprentice Artists Program for the winter 2016 Festival season.
Tenor Jesus Alfredo Jiménez Jiménez is thrilled to join the cast of Sumeida’s Song. Pursuing a Vocal Performance major/certificate in Musical Theatre at Northwestern University, he is deeply involved with both programs. Jimenez has also sung with the Musica Lumina Orchestra, notably as the tenor soloist in Elijah. Previous roles include Arturo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Ufficiale/Conte Almaviva cover (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), and Goro (Madama Butterfly) with Main Street Opera and Juan Luis (El Huesped del Sevillano) and Rafael (La Dolorosa) with New World Productions. Jimenez will join the Sarasota Opera Apprentice Artists Program for the winter 2016 Festival season.
WILLIAM DWYER - Sumeida
Tenor William Dwyer is a native Chicagoan and Northwestern alum. Credits include Captain Lawson in A Coffin in Egypt (Chicago Opera Theater), Camille The Merry Widow (Light Opera Works), The Soldier in The Emperor of Atlantis and Vagabond 1 in The Clever One (Chicago Opera Theater), Stephen Baker in Show Boat (Central City Opera), Ufiiciale in Il barbiere di Siviglia (Central City), and Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera North). Dwyer has been a young artist and covered roles with Chautauqua Opera, Opera North, Sarasota Opera, Central City Opera and Chicago Opera Theatre.
Tenor William Dwyer is a native Chicagoan and Northwestern alum. Credits include Captain Lawson in A Coffin in Egypt (Chicago Opera Theater), Camille The Merry Widow (Light Opera Works), The Soldier in The Emperor of Atlantis and Vagabond 1 in The Clever One (Chicago Opera Theater), Stephen Baker in Show Boat (Central City Opera), Ufiiciale in Il barbiere di Siviglia (Central City), and Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera North). Dwyer has been a young artist and covered roles with Chautauqua Opera, Opera North, Sarasota Opera, Central City Opera and Chicago Opera Theatre.
MATTHAN RING BLACK - Alwan
Matthan Ring Black, baritone, holds a Master's Degree in Opera Performance from Wichita State University and a Professional Diploma from Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University where he spent two years as a Young Artist with Chicago Opera Theater. Matthan has recently performed the roles of Tarquinius in Chicago Fringe Opera’s The Rape of Lucretia, Don Alvaro and Dandini in Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims and La Cenerentola, and Huy/The Doctor in Daron Hagen's Amelia at CCPA. Matthan recently made his main stage debut with Chicago Opera Theatre as Vagabond #2 in Carl Orff’s Die Kluge and will be performing the title role in Floating Opera Company’s Don Giovanni in February. Matthan is also the host of opera podcast Doing the Work, which can be found on iTunes.
Matthan Ring Black, baritone, holds a Master's Degree in Opera Performance from Wichita State University and a Professional Diploma from Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University where he spent two years as a Young Artist with Chicago Opera Theater. Matthan has recently performed the roles of Tarquinius in Chicago Fringe Opera’s The Rape of Lucretia, Don Alvaro and Dandini in Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims and La Cenerentola, and Huy/The Doctor in Daron Hagen's Amelia at CCPA. Matthan recently made his main stage debut with Chicago Opera Theatre as Vagabond #2 in Carl Orff’s Die Kluge and will be performing the title role in Floating Opera Company’s Don Giovanni in February. Matthan is also the host of opera podcast Doing the Work, which can be found on iTunes.
NOAH GARTNER - Alwan
Originally from New York, Lyric Baritone Noah Gartner has been performing throughout the Chicago area during the past 10 years; notably with da Corneto Opera, Petite Opera, Windy City Opera, and Handel Week Festival in Oak Park. He is thrilled to be making his debut with Third Eye Theatre Ensemble. Favorite performances include Figaro (Barber of Seville), Valentin (Faust), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Ko-Ko (The Mikado), and the title role in Brundibar alongside his wonderfully talented children – Paul and Anne. Upcoming engagements include Papageno in The Magic Flute and the title role in Giulio Cesare in Egitto.
Originally from New York, Lyric Baritone Noah Gartner has been performing throughout the Chicago area during the past 10 years; notably with da Corneto Opera, Petite Opera, Windy City Opera, and Handel Week Festival in Oak Park. He is thrilled to be making his debut with Third Eye Theatre Ensemble. Favorite performances include Figaro (Barber of Seville), Valentin (Faust), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Ko-Ko (The Mikado), and the title role in Brundibar alongside his wonderfully talented children – Paul and Anne. Upcoming engagements include Papageno in The Magic Flute and the title role in Giulio Cesare in Egitto.