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Metropolitan Opera soprano, Susanne Burgess, is praised for her warm vocal color, legato line, dramatic fioratura, and engaging emotional expression on stage. Miss Burgess was born in Geneva, Switzerland. The family settled in Austin, Texas, when she was 14.
This year Susanne returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen. She made her Met debut last year as Countess Ceprano in Verdi’s Rigoletto.
Susanne spent the summer at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in a series of concerts with Emmanuelle Haim at the podium. Other recent engagements include Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Atlanta Opera and Des Moines Metro, Magda in La Rondine with Southern Illinois Music Festival, and summer festival concerts in Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and Liceu Opera Barcelona. Pre-pandemic, in 2019, Susanne made her debut with New York City Opera as Hannah in the World Premiere of Dear Erich by Ted Rosenthal. She returned to the company in the role of Musetta in Puccini’s La Bohème. She was also the recipient of a Career Grant from The Gerda Lisner Foundation in New York City.
Heralded for his “superbly refined voice” and “laudable performances” (Washington Classical Review), Chilean born American baritone Javier Arrey has appeared in houses like The Vienna State Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Palau de Les Arts, Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Nacional de Chile, Washington National Opera and San Francisco Opera, among others.
Javier Arrey has collaborated with conductors including Eun Sun Kim, Lorin Maazel, Roberto Rizzi Brignoli, James Gaffigan, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Plácido Domingo, Antony Walker and Marco Armiliato. His leading roles include Enrico (Lucia di Lammermoor), Belcore (L’Elisir D’Amore), Malatesta (Don Pasquale), Conte Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Conte di Luna (Il Trovatore), Jago (Otello), Renato (Un Ballo in Maschera), Rodrigo (Don Carlo), Alfio (Cavalleria Rusticana), Giovanni (Don Giovanni), Riccardo (I Puritani) and Diego Rivera (El último sueño de Frida y Diego).
Of his debut performance as Jago in Otello at the Castleton Festival under Lorin Maazel, The Washington Post wrote that Arrey portrayed the character his as “menaced and connived but [Arrey] did so subtly and with a voice so lovely to listen to that his scheming seemed all the more threatening.” Praises came also from Mo. Lorin Maazel who said: “Jago was stunningly sung and acted by Javier Arrey [who] manages to give shape to the jealous demon within Otello”.
Baritone Javier Arrey had the privilege and honor of performing twice in the U.S. Supreme Court for the Honorable Justices invited by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In addition to his work on the opera stage, baritone Javier Arrey is a world-class interpreter of Lieder and concert repertoire. Recent performances include Mahler’s Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen at Teatro Municipal in Chile and Dvořák’s Biblical Songs and Gypsy Songs in the Czech Republic.
In 2017, Javier was given the prestigious “Congressional Medal of Honor” at the National Congress of Chile in recognition of his artistic accomplishments and his social labor in bringing opera to populations without access to live performances. In 2011, Javier won the CulturArte Prize at the Operalia Competition in Moscow and was a finalist at the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition (Song prize).
Hailed by Opera News for his “handsome sound,” and described as a “standout” by the Wall Street Journal, tenor Derrek Stark is quickly establishing a reputation as an elegant and nuanced performer. Mr. Stark’s 2023/24 season saw a return to the Metropolitan Opera covering Prunier in Puccini’s La Rondine, and singing the Prince in Dvořák’s Rusalka with POP Opera, Frederic in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance with Knoxville Opera, and Candide in Candide with Opera Tampa. He was previously seen in GO’s production of Die Fledermaus singing Alfredo Caruso.
Mr. Stark has won 2nd place in the Giulio Gari International Voice Competition, 3rd place in the Opera Columbus Cooper-Bing Competition, and an encouragement award from the Gerda Lissner Voice Competition.
Derrek holds a B.M. from Mansfield University, PA, and an M.M. from The Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University.
Aaron Santos is a classically trained tenor specializing in opera and musical theater. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance and has showcased his talent in various productions. Aaron has performed with Gulfshore Opera, taking on roles in Elixir of Love and Turandot, where his captivating voice and stage presence were highly praised. In addition to his operatic performances, Aaron has hosted several concerts with Gulfshore Opera, demonstrating his versatility and passion for engaging with audiences. He is thrilled to continue collaborating with the company and looks forward to future performances and projects.
Zaikuan Song, operatic bass, is a native of China. Mr. Song is recognized for his majestically resonant bass voice and for a keen dramatic instinct that he brings to a wide range of roles on the opera stage. His repertoire spans from the comic parts of Donizetti, Mozart, Puccini, and Rossini to the strong and serious roles of Verdi.
Mr. Song’s notable engagements include Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Dragon/Dog in The Big Swim, Rambaldo in La Rondine, The King and Ramfis in Aida, Timur in Turandot, Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Banco in Macbeth, and Sarastro in The Magic Flute. He has sung the roles of Germano in La Scala di Seta, Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Frank Maurrant in Street Scene, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, Mr. Emerson in A Room with a View. Past season credits include leading roles with Opera Delaware, Opera on the James, Opera Orlando, Houston Grand Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, Opera Carolina, Toledo Opera, Opera Southwest, MSU opera theatre, and concert appearances with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Gerdine Young Artist Program in 2022.
As an accomplished recitalist and concert artist, Mr. Song has been the bass soloist in Verdi Requiem with Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven Symphony No.9 with Pacific Symphony, Handel Messiah with Chapel Music at Duke University in North Carolina, and bass soloist in Bach Cantat at the MSU auditorium building in East Lansing, a guest singer at Opera Carolina Gala at Belk Theater, and Celebrating Music that United our community at Halton Theater in North Carolina.
Mr. Song was awarded the Top Prize in the National NATS competition in the advanced college/ Independent Studio men division in Las Vegas, NV. as well as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions 2020 Midwest Region Finalist, third prize.Mr. Song is a graduate of Michigan State University school of music (DMA) and China Conservatory of Music (MM and BM) in vocal performance.
Susan Neves commands a repertoire of some of the most challenging roles written for soprano and has been acclaimed in theaters such as the Opera Bastille in Paris, the Metropolitan Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Vienna State Opera, Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona, Monte Carlo, and opera houses throughout Italy including l’Arena di Verona, Bologna, Genoa, Parma, and Cagliari.
She is a sought-after teacher and coach in New York City and Orlando, Florida. She has taught at Stetson University, at the Miami Summer Music Festival at Florida International University, and has given Master Classes at the Manhattan School of Music. She also completed her musical studies at the Manhattan School of Music, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees. As a winner of the International Luciano Pavarotti Vocal Competition in 1985, she debuted as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni in 1987 with the Opera Company of Philadelphia.
Susan Neves has also been highly praised as Norma, Tosca, Gioconda, and Giorgetta. She has won particular acclaim as a Verdi soprano of the first rank with a vast repertoire that includes Abigaille in Nabucco, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Odabella in Attila, Elvira in Ernani, Leonora in Il Trovatore and La Forza del Destino, Amelia in Un ballo in maschera, Elisabetta di Valois in Don Carlo, the title role in Aida, and Alice Ford in Falstaff.
American Tenor Hayden Smith, known for his “burnished tenor (that) is blessed with technique and glorious phrasing” (HoustonPress), is making his mark on the bel canto, contemporary, and early music repertoire with unique interpretations and daring vocal pyrotechnics. In the 2023-2024 season, Mr. Smith portrayed the title roles in Sid the Serpent Who Wanted to Sing and Grétry’s Beauty and the Beast with OPERA Iowa. Additionally, he joined MidAmerica Productions at Carnegie Hall as the tenor soloist in Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass. This summer, he joins the esteemed Apprentice Artist program at Des Moines Metro Opera, covering Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville and singing Mr. Sparhawk in the world premiere of American Apollo. The previous summer, he was a Young Artist with Glimmerglass Festival where he sang Tybalt in a new production of Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette and portrayed Frank in the world premiere of Morris and Fuentes’ The Rip Van Winkles.
Championed for his work across leading young artist programs in the country, Mr. Smith joined Wolf Trap Opera for three consecutive summers as a Studio Artist. While there, he portrayed Elder Hayes in Susannah, Giuseppe in La Traviata, and covered Le Prince Charmant in Viardot’s Cendrillon and Colin in L’amant anonyme. As a Vocal Fellow with Music Academy of the West in 2019, he sang both Junior and Charlie in Cold Mountain. That same year, he joined Houston Grand Opera’s Young Artist Vocal Academy as a Young Artist, and in 2018, he was a Young Artist with the Chautauqua Institute Voice Program.
Making a home in Houston’s vibrant classical community, Mr. Smith is a graduate of Rice University’s esteemed vocal program. While in the program, Mr. Smith starred as Don Ottavio in 2022’s Don Giovanni and sang Arnalta in their production of L’incoronazione di Poppea. Joining Houston’s Opera in the Heights, he made his company debut as Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore in 2022, a role he debuted with Temple University Opera in 2019.
A frequent winner in the competition circuit, he was a 2023 Houston District winner in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and an Encouragement Award winner in the New Orleans District in 2022. He received the prestigious Carolyn Bailey Argento Fellowship through the National Opera Association in the 2022-2023 season and was the 1st Place winner of the NATS TBB Upper College Division in 2021.
Mr. Smith completed his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at Temple University and a Master of Music degree at Rice University.
