OPERA WESTERN RESERVE

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Alisa Jordeim, Violetta

This season soprano Alisa Jordheim sings Daria in Viva la mamma in a return to Florentine Opera, Adina in L’elisir d’amore with the New Philharmonic, her role debut as Violetta in La traviata with Opera Western Reserve, and sings Carmina Burana in a return to Pacific Symphony. Her recent credits include: Musetta in La bohème (Pacific Symphony); Berginella in Songbird (Florentine Opera); Gilda in Rigoletto (Pacific Symphony, Central City Opera, San Diego Opera, Amarillo Opera); Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 and Prangcharoen’s Endless Tears (Thailand Philharmonic); Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro (Virginia Opera); Adele in Die Fledermaus (Central City Opera); First Maid in Der Zwerg (Enescu Festival); Clothilde in Pacini’s Maria, regina d’Inghilterra (Odyssey Opera); Hannah in The Merry Widow (New Philharmonic); Rossini’s Stabat Mater (Bach Collegium San Diego); Ninetta in Rossini’s La Gazza Ladra (Teatro Nuovo); Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate (Milwaukee Symphony); Mozart’s Mass in C minor (Bel Canto Chorus); Cunegonde in Candide (Palm Beach Opera); 1st Knappe in Parsifal (Paris Opera); Venus in Venus and Adonis and Belinda in Dido and Aeneas (Florentine Opera); and Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Boston Midsummer Opera). Ms. Jordheim holds both a Master of Music and Bachelor of Music from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Jose Simerilla Romero, Alfredo

This season, rising young Argentinian-Spanish-American tenor Jose Simerilla Romero returns to the role of Alfredo in La Traviata in his debuts with both Theater Basel, sings his first performances of Cavaradossi in Tosca in a co-production with Opéra de Limoges and Opéra de Vichy, sings his first performances of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly in his debut with New National Theater Tokyo, returns to Staatsoper Hannover for staged performances of Verdi’s Requiem, and joins acclaimed soprano Eric Nakamura in concert with Latvian National Opera. Last season he made his English National Opera debut as Alfredo in La Traviata, joined the Neue Philharmonie München in concert, and returned to Staatsoper Hannover for his role debut as Lensky in Eugene Onegin, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, and Verdi’s Messa da Requiem. Other recent performances include: Laërte in Hamlet (Komische Oper); Rodolfo in La bohéme, Prince Gwidon in Zar Saltan, and Chevalier de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites (Staatsoper Hannover); Alfredo in La traviata and Rodolfo in La bohéme (Nederlandse Reisopera); Jaquino in Fidelio (LA Philharmonic); Rodolfo in La bohéme (Grand Tetons Music Festival); Duca in Rigoletto (Florida Grand Opera); and Shepard in Oedipus Rex (San Francisco Symphony). Mr. Romero holds degrees from both Valencia College and Stetson University.

Luis Ledesma, Germont

Mexican American baritone Luis Ledesma has established a reputation as a “rich and well controlled baritone” (Opera News). He frequently portrays the heroes and villains of Puccini, Verdi, and the bel canto masters, as well as roles in recent new works in Spanish including Florencia en el Amazonas and El pasado nunca se termina, which featured débuts with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, San Diego Opera, and a return to New York City Opera.
Recent engagements include Scarpia for Opera Colorado, a Founders Concert with Maryland Opera, the title role in Gianni Schicchi for On Site Opera in New York, the Payador in Maria de Buenos Aires with Kentucky Opera, Tonio in Pagliacci with Sacramento Symphony, and with the Toledo Symphony, an all-Puccini concert which included the Messa di Gloria and Il tabarro. Last season, Mr. Ledesma was seen as Rigoletto for Portland Opera in the Park, in concert with Opera Omaha, and with South Florida Symphony for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. He joins Portland Opera in the Park and Opera Western Reserve this season to sing Germont in La traviata. Other recent engagements include Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opera Omaha and Pacific Symphony, Augustino in El pasado nunca se termina with Fort Worth Opera, Carmina Burana with the Acadiana Symphony, and the title role in Macbeth with Syracuse Opera.

Rachael Pavloski, Flora

Rachael Pavloski is happy to be reprising her role as Flora at Opera Western Reserve. She has a master’s in vocal performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Toledo. Ms. Pavloski has sung professionally with Opera Cleveland, Cleveland Opera, the Akron Symphony, Akron Lyric Opera Theatre, the Canton Symphony, Opera Western Reserve in Youngstown and with the Master Singers Chorale of Northeast Ohio. Roles that she has performed in include: Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor, Ms. Macmillan in Big the Musical, Flora in La Traviata, Lucy in Threepenny Opera, Johanna in Sweeney Todd, Irene Molloy in Hello Dolly, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and Ramiro in La Finta Giardiniera.

Sarah Joyce Cooper, Annina

Sarah Joyce Cooper has received praise for her “meltingly beautiful” (Opera News) singing and “passionate power” (Parterre Box). Highlights for the 2024-25 season include her debut with Seattle Opera as Minnie Tate in the world premiere of Tazewell Thompson’s Jubilee, the role of Tebaldo in Verdi’s Don Carlo with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the title role in American Jezebel, a world premiere opera commissioned by Harvard University that tells the story of theologian, midwife, scholar, and co-founder of Rhode Island, Anne Hutchinson. Recent performances include soloist appearances at Carnegie Hall in Poulenc’s Gloria and John Rutter’s Magnificat; the roles of Eva and Gabriel in Haydn’s Creation with the MIT Concert Choir and Handel and Haydn Society Chamber Choir; and her debut with the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra in Strauss’s Vier letzte Lieder. Operatic credits include Adina in L’Elisir d’amore (Geneva Light Opera), Juliette in Roméo et Juliette (Opera Western Reserve), Clorinda in La Cenerentola (Syracuse Opera), Violetta in La Traviata (MassOpera) and La Charmeuse in Thaïs (Maryland Lyric Opera). In addition to performing, Ms. Cooper serves as Executive Assistant for Help!ComeHome!, a nonprofit dedicated to meeting the needs of under-served communities throughout the US.

Jaehyuk Choi, Gastone

Tenor Jaehyuk Choi is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts student in voice performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he holds a Graduate Teaching Assistantship and fellowship. He has won numerous vocal competitions, including the 14th Lois Alba International Aria Competition (Robin Angly and Miles Smith Award & 1st Place Max Locher Audience Choice Award), 1st prize at the Greater Houston NATS Competition, Daegu Vocal Music Competition, and Belvedere International Competition Seoul chapter, among others.
He has performed opera roles such as Roberto in Le Villi, Alfredo in La Traviata, Alfred in Die
Fledermaus, and Tamino in The Magic Flute. As a soloist, he has performed in Handel’s Messiah, Schumann’s Requiem, and Bruckner’s Te Deum. He has an upcoming performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Symphony of Southeast Texas.

Brian Keith Johnson, Barone

Brian Keith Johnson has performed many roles in opera from Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia to Ford in Falstaff. As a member of Actors’ Equity Association, he has also performed a variety of musical theatre roles ranging from Jim in Big River to Father/God in Children of Eden. His concert repertoire includes most of the major baritone works such as Carmina Burana, Elijah, The Verdi Requiem, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, The Brahms Requiem and The Faure’ Requiem. He has performed operatic and musical theatre roles across the United States including performances with The Cleveland Orchestra, Akron Symphony Orchestra, Canton Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Opera, Lyric Opera Cleveland, Blossom Festival Orchestra, Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh, Opera Western Reserve, Carolina Master Chorale, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and Porthouse Theatre. Mr. Johnson received his BM Degree from The University of Akron and has also studied abroad at The New Opera Academy of Rome in Rome, Italy and The American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. Brian is currently in his 35th year of teaching music in The Akron Public School System. He taught 27 years at Akron Garfield High School as the Choir Director. His current assignment is teaching General Music at Findley CLC. Favorite engagements from this past season include Sweeney Todd and Ragtime (Coalhouse Walker Jr) at Weathervane Playhouse, Dvorak’s Te Deum, Two Concerts with The Cleveland Composer’s Guild, Michael Haydn’s Requiem in C Minor, Willcocks’ From Darkness To Light: A Requiem of Hope, The Messiah, Amahl and the Night Visitors and The Brahms Requiem. This season he will sing two Messiahs, Alice and Her Adventures in Wonderland with Nightingale Opera and Mozart’s C Minor Mass with The Akron Symphony Orchestra and Ragtime, The Concert with The Canton Symphony Orchestra. Brian lives in Cuyahoga Falls with his wife and Akron Public Schools Kindergarten Teacher, Sue. Brian is also an avid motorcyclist.

Jason Budd, Dottore

Jason Budd is a seasoned singer-actor with a strong reputation for delivering high-quality performances. He has performed in various roles across the United States, Europe, and South America, including a successful debut as Falstaff in São Paulo, Brazil. Budd has received awards from several vocal competitions, including the Opera Columbus Competition, Heinz Rehfuss Competition, Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year competition, and Meistersinger Competition in Graz, Austria. A perennial favorite at Toledo Opera, Jason just returned from their production of Tosca last month. Other recent engagements include performances with Spoleto Festival, Boston Midsummer Opera, Fremont Opera, Opera Project Columbus, Cleveland Opera Theater, and Opera Western Reserve.

Aidan Eddy, Marchese d’Obigny, Flora’s Servant, Commissioner

Aidan Eddy is a Junior Voice Performance major at Baldwin Wallace University and is originally from Rochester NY. He currently studies under Dr. JR Fralick and some of his most recent credits from BW include King Tiridate in Handel’s Radamisto, Baron Zeta in The Merry Widow and Curio in Giulio Cesare. His recent professional credits also include Smudge in Forever Plaid and King Triton in The Little Mermaid at Tibbits Opera House. He would like to thank Scott Skiba for this opportunity and his parents and loving girlfriend for their continuous support.

Benjamin Burney, Giuseppe

The tenor, from Youngstown, Ohio, has performed locally in his hometown and internationally from the Caribbean Islands to Estonia. Recently, Benjamin performed in the world premiere of Iphigenia by Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding, and went on to make his Kennedy Center debut. His operatic career began with Opera Western Reserve’s Il barbiere di Siviglia twelve years ago.
Benjamin was a Gilman Scholarship recipient allowing him to study abroad in Milan, Italy for opera and Italian. He was named a winner of the Montpelier Arts Center Recital Competition, and a First Prize Winner for the Charleston International Music Competition. Benjamin received his M.M. at Roosevelt University CCPA, B.M. at Anderson University, and is an alumnus of the Youngstown Connection.