JOYCE DiDONATO
Rosina
Among the world’s most charismatic performers, Joyce DiDonato consistently earns ecstatic reviews wherever she sings. “The buoyant progress of DiDonato’s career has been one of the happiest opera events of the past decade,” states Opera News magazine. Born and educated in Kansas, the dynamic and engaging mezzo-soprano was a member of the young artist programs of the San Francisco, Houston Grand, and Santa Fe Opera companies after graduate studies at Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts.

Her signature parts are in Rossini’s La cenerentola and Il barbiere di Siviglia – her Rosina in “Barber” at the Metropolitan Opera won over audiences in New York and on cinema screens all over the world, and she was called “the best Rosina around” by the London Sunday Times for the portrayal. Honors bestowed upon Ms. DiDonato include the Metropolitan Opera’s Beverly Sills Award, the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Singer of the Year; the Richard Tucker Award, given to a single American singer annually; second place in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia, and prizes from the George London Foundation, the ARIA Award Foundation, and the Sullivan Foundation.

STEFANO DE PEPPO
Dr. Bartolo
Italian born Stefano de Peppo, as a talented child, was part of the Children’s Chorus of Teatro La Scala in Milan. After studying at the Conservatory of Music in Milan and in London, he made an early debut in an English version of The Marriage of Figaro in 1989 in London. Invited to the Bellas Artes Opera House in Mexico City, he moved there in 1990 and sang leading roles of Don Giovanni, Barber of Seville, Le Nozze di Figaro, Cosi fan tutte, Gianni Schicchi, etc. with great acclaim.

In the USA he sang at Los Angeles Opera (invited after an audition with Placido Domingo), Washington Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Wichita Grand Opera, Kansas City Lyric Opera, and among others. He sang Leporello in Rome in a highly successful production of Don Giovanni filmed by Italian TV RAI. A great singing actor known for his crisp diction, he is a master in Mozart, Rossini, and Donizetti’s comic repertory.

PATRICK GREENE
Count Almaviva
American tenor Patrick Greene made his European debut as Rodolfo in La Bohème at the Heidelberg Opera where he also starred as Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville. He sang Alfredo in La Traviata at Staatstheater Cottbus, the title role of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide at the Bellingham Music Festival, and Rodolfo at the Stadttheater Giessen.

In 1992 he was awarded the Koch Cultural Trust, which partially funded his studies at the Manhattan School of Music. During the 1999-2000 Season, Mr. Greene was the resident lyric tenor at the Staatstheater Braunschweig where he performed numerous roles. He made his New York debut at Carnegie Hall in Mozart’s Requiem with John Rutter conducting, and his America opera debut as Alfred in Die Fledermaus with Sarasota Opera. Last season with WGO, Mr. Greene appeared as the Judge in A Masked Ball and starred as Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance.