Metropolitan Opera soprano Susanne Burgess is celebrated for her warm vocal color, expressive phrasing, and impressive fioratura. Born in Geneva and raised in Texas, Burgess made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto and returns this season as Frasquita in Carmen. She has recently performed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Atlanta Opera and Des Moines Metro Opera, Magda in La Rondine with Southern Illinois Music Festival, and concerts with Festival d’Aix-en-Provence and Liceu Opera Barcelona. A champion of contemporary work, she debuted with New York City Opera in Ted Rosenthal’s Dear Erich and returned as Musetta in La Bohème. She also participated in concerts conducted by Emmanuelle Haïm. Known for her engaging emotional expression and dynamic stage presence, Burgess has become a sought-after soprano for both traditional and new repertoire. In recognition of her talent and artistic contributions, she received a prestigious Career Grant from The Gerda Lissner Foundation in New York City.
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.
Baritone Javier Arrey, praised for his “superbly refined voice” (Washington Classical Review), has graced international stages including the Vienna State Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, and San Francisco Opera. His repertoire spans major roles such as Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Jago in Otello, Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera, and Diego Rivera in El último sueño de Frida y Diego. He has worked under renowned conductors like Lorin Maazel, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and Plácido Domingo. Arrey’s nuanced portrayal of Jago at Castleton Festival earned acclaim from The Washington Post and Maestro Maazel. In recital, he has performed Mahler and Dvořák across Europe and South America. Arrey’s artistry has earned him top honors including the Congressional Medal of Honor from the Chilean Congress, the CulturArte Prize at Operalia, and recognition as a finalist in the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition (Song Prize). Known for his commitment to outreach, he brings opera to communities with limited access.
Bass-baritone Samuel Weiser is renowned for his powerful voice and deeply nuanced character portrayals. A Metropolitan Opera artist, he has sung Count Ribbing in Un Ballo in Maschera, the Clerk in The Nose, and Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin. In 2025, he debuts as Leporello in Don Giovanni with Livermore Valley Opera and joins Gulfshore Opera as Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor. A standout performance as Alberich in Das Rheingold with Nashville Opera drew acclaim from critics, calling it “the highlight of the evening.” He also performed Dr. Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, Benoit/Alcindoro in La Bohème, and premiered the title role in Pepito at Washington National Opera. Weiser has covered roles at the Met, including in Dead Man Walking, Fedora, and Der Rosenkavalier. A graduate of the Cafritz Young Artist Program, he’s performed with Opera Philadelphia, Chicago Opera Theater, and the National Symphony Orchestra. A Laffont Competition winner, Weiser holds degrees from Roosevelt University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Tenor Seth Younglove, a South Carolina native, earned his BA in Music in vocal performance and Theatre in performance at the College of Charleston. He continued with the College of Charleston School of Music as an Artist in Residence for graduate work. This summer, Seth will perform with the Seagle Festival in Schroon Lake, New York as an Emerging Artist, singing the roles of Billy Crocker in Anything Goes, Don José (cover) in Carmen, and Beckmann/Henry in Mayo Buckner. His recent performances include Rodolfo in La bohème with Charleston Opera Theater (cover), and Tamino in Die Zauberflöte and Hoffmann in Les contes d’Hoffmann with College of Charleston Opera.
Soprano Susan Neves has earned international acclaim for commanding some of opera’s most demanding roles. She has graced top stages including the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and L’Opera Bastille. Known especially for her Verdi interpretations, her celebrated roles include Abigaille in Nabucco, Odabella in Attila, Leonora in Il Trovatore and La Forza del Destino, and Aida. She also triumphed in Puccini and verismo roles such as Tosca, La Gioconda, and Giorgetta. Neves debuted as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni with Opera Company of Philadelphia after winning the Luciano Pavarotti Vocal Competition. Beyond the stage, she is a distinguished educator, having taught and coached at Manhattan School of Music, Stetson University, and the Miami Summer Music Festival at Florida International University. She continues to mentor emerging talent through private coaching in New York City and Orlando, Florida, contributing to the development of the next generation of operatic artists.
Aaron Santos, GO Emerging Artist, 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 performed with Gulfshore Opera as a leading ensemble member in Elixir of Love and Turandot. Demonstrating his versatility and passion for engaging with audiences, Aaron is becoming a favorite solo artist in community concerts and private events with Gulfshore Opera. He is thrilled to continue collaborating with the company and looks forward to future performances and projects.
Jorge Parodi is an internationally respected conductor, music educator, and arts leader. He currently serves as Artistic Director of the Savannah VOICE Festival, Music Director of Gulfshore Opera, and Artistic Director of both Opera Hispánica and Opera in Williamsburg. He is the founder of the Tokyo International Vocal Arts Academy and a faculty member at The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music. Parodi has led productions at The Atlanta Opera, New York City Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Opera Tampa, Opera Orlando, and Buenos Aires Lírica, among others. Notable world premieres include Musto’s Rhoda and the Fossil Hunt, Coppola’s Lady Swanwhite, and Ching’s The Birthday Clown. He has also conducted the Naples Philharmonic, NHK Symphony, and Chautauqua Symphony. Parodi has worked with artists such as Isabel Leonard, Sherrill Milnes, and Rufus Wainwright, and assisted legendary conductors Lorin Maazel and Julius Rudel. His dynamic leadership continues to shape the future of opera across the Americas and abroad.
Rose Freeman is an award-winning stage director, teacher, writer, and theatre and opera producer. Returning to GO after last season’s charming Elixir of Love, other operatic stage directing credits include the 2023 revival of Spears’ Jason and the Argonauts for Lyric Opera of Chicago, Puccini’s La Bohème with LOON, (Johann) Strauss’ Die Fledermaus with Opera Mississippi, Mozart’s The Magic Flute with Harrower Opera, Viardot’s Cendrillon with City Lyric Opera, (Richard) Strauss’ Die Liebe der Danae at Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat at Temple University, and Weber’s Der Freischütz. A Wolf Trap Opera Directing Fellow (2020-2022), Freeman had the honor of working on Floyd’s Susannah and Verdi’s La Traviata.
