Scott Conner, bass
Performs: Colline (La Bohème), July 4th Gala
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La Bohème will be his professional operatic debut. He is a senior at the UMKC Conservatory, and as a student he has performed the roles of Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, Colline in La Bohème, Sarastro in The Magic Flute, the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, and Masetto and Il Commandatore in Don Giovanni. Scott was an apprentice with Des Moines Metro Opera in the summers of 2005 and 2006, and with Lake George Opera in 2007. His upcoming engagements include Mathieu and Major-Domo in Andrea Chenier with Mobile Opera, and Colline with Lviv Opera in the Ukraine in May.

Meaghan Deiter, mezzo-soprano
Performs: Edith (Pirates), July 4th Gala
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This is her first season as a WGO Young Artist. She is a graduate student at the University of Kansas. At KU she has appeared as Mrs. Meg Page in Falstaff, Mrs. Herring in Albert Herring, and Yente in Fiddler on the Roof, among other roles. She has also sung in the chorus for Kansas City Lyric Opera.

Kara Douglas, soprano
Understudy: Musetta (La Bohème), Mabel (Pirates)
Performs: July 4th Gala
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She is a doctoral candidate at UMKC, and received her masters degree from Baylor University. She has appeared as Flora in La Traviata at the Bay View Music Festival and as Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus with KC Metro Opera. As a student she performed the roles of Susannah in Susannah, Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni. This is her first season as a WGO Young Artist.

Joshua Lindholm, bass
Performs: Silvano (Masked Ball), July 4th Gala
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He is a graduate of WSU. While there he performed roles including Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro and Dr. Dulcamara in L’Elisir d’Amore. He has also appeared as King Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors and Father in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Kansas. Last season with WGO he performed the role of Gregorio in Romeo & Juliet.

Chelsea Rose, soprano
Performs: Isabelle (Pirates), July 4th Gala
Understudy: Oscar (Masked Ball), Mabel (Pirates)
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She holds a Master’s degree from Oklahoma City University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami. As a student she has performed the roles of Papagena in The Magic Flute, Despina in Cosi fan tutte, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, and Geisha in The Mikado. This is her first season as a WGO Young Artist.

Megan Simmons, soprano
Understudy: Oscar (Masked Ball), Mabel (Pirates)
Performs: July 4th Gala
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She holds a Master’s degree from the Boston Conservatory and received her Bachelor of Science in Music at William Jewell College. She has appeared as the soprano soloist in John Rutter’s Requiem with Kansas City Choral Masterworks Concert, and as Dora Lincoln in A Gilbert and Sullivan Christmas Carol. As a student she performed Pergolesi’s Magnificat, and the roles of Polly Peachum in The Threepenny Opera and Connie Lane in Good News!

Denise Stom, mezzo-soprano
Performs: Kate (Pirates), July 4th Gala
Covers: Siebel (Faust)
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She has appeared as a soloist in Bach’s Mass in B-minor with Texas Camerata, and Mozart’s Regina Coeli with Musical Feast Choral Society. As a student at Rice University she performed the roles of Charlotte in Werther and Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, and as soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Mozart’s Requiem. Her professional operatic debut was as Kate in Pirates of Penzance with The Living Opera. She has also appeared in the chorus with Austin Lyric Opera in Tannhauser, and the chorus with Dallas Opera in Nabucco, and Maria Stuarda.