Through an audition process, young Kansas-based opera singers in pursuit of a professional opera career are chosen to participate in the WGO Young Artists Program. Designed by WGO Founder and Artistic Director Margaret Ann Pent, its purpose is to offer significant opportunity to highly motivated singers, nurturing and polishing their performance skills while making the transition from student to professional. This program provides its chosen singers with entry-level to advanced professional experience and gives them opportunities to perform with and learn from international opera singers, directors, coaches, conductors and composers. The program is named after Mrs. Jacqueline Nagel in recognition of her extensive contributions toward the success of this program since its establishment.

Mrs. Jacqueline Nagel

2012-13 Season Young Artists

Karl Beverly
Tenor
This Season:
  Understudies Cassio, Basilio,
    Don Curzio

Vincent Connor
Bass-Baritone
This Season:
  Performs Lodovico
  Covers Figaro

  Karl Beverly is a native of Salina, Kansas. He has performed in the opera productions of Kansas Wesleyan University and many musical works at the Salina Community Theatre. He is a graduate of KWU with a major in Music Performance. This is his first year with Wichita Grand Opera in the Young Artist Program.

  A native of Winter Park, Florida, bass-baritone and stage director Vincent Connor is sought out for his dramatic interpretations and rich timbre. He holds a bachelor’s degree and performance certificate from The College of Music at Florida State University as well as a Master’s Degree in voice and stage direction from the University of Arizona. Currently he is pursuing post-graduate study at the UMKC Conservatory of Music. At home both on the operatic and musical theater stages, Mr. Connor has mastered the roles of Pooh-bah in The Mikado, Thomas Putnam in The Crucible, Geronimo in Il Matrimonio Segreto, Superintendent Budd in Albert Herring, and Leporello in Don Giovanni, among others. This is his first season as a Young Artist with Wichita Grand Opera.

Jason Duika
Baritone
This Season:
  Covers Iago, Count Almaviva

Takako Iyadomi
Soprano
This Season:
  Understudies Barbarina

  Baritone Jason Duika hails from Tawas City, Michigan, and is a graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He also has a Masters of Music in opera performance from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. Jason has sung the title roles of Yevgeni Onegin by Tchaikovsky and Gianni Schicchi by Puccini. He has also sung the roles of Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff, Gianni Schicchi in Michael Ching’s Buoso’s Ghost, Benoit and Alcindoro in Puccini’s La Boheme and, most notably, Dr. Falke in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus at the Indiana University Opera Theatre. He was also recently a festival artist with Utah Festival Opera, where he covered the role of Valentine in Gounod’s Faust. He is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships including, and most notably, the Dean’s Jacobs School of Music award, the AIMS Festival award, the Belcanto Northwest award, VoicExperience scholarship award, and the Bayview Music Festival scholarship award.

  Takako Iyadomi is originally from Japan. After studying at Showa Academia Musicae (Tokyo, Japan), she is currently a master’s student at Emporia State University, studying with Dr. Penelope Speedie. She was a finalist for Graduate Women division of NATS (National Association Teachers of Singing) Mid-West Regional Convention. She was also a winner for Emporia Symphony Orchestra Aria/Concerto Competition. She has appeared with ESU Opera Theatre in many roles, including: Despina in Cosi fan tutte, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, and The Wife in Bruce Trinkley's world premier opera The Fish, the Fisherman, and the Wife.

Jasmine Jackson
Mezzo-Soprano
This Season:
  Understudies Emelia, Cherubino

James McAdams
Bass-Baritone
This Season:
  Performs Carlino
  Covers Don Pasquale, Antonio
  Understudies Lodovico, Dr. Bartolo
Previously:
  Performed Carlino

BIO COMING SOON.

  A graduate of Friends University, James McAdams recently performed Leporello in Don Giovanni with Mosaic-Arts of New York and the Notary in Don Pasquale with Hubbard Hall Opera of New York. Now in his second season as a Wichita Grand Opera Young Artist, he will revisit the role of the Notary. Last spring Mr. McAdams also performed Roucher in Andrea Chenier with Puget Sound Concert Opera. His other roles include Colline in La Bohème, Comte des Grieux in Manon, and the Mayor in Docteur Miracle.

Erin Mundus
Mezzo-Soprano
This Season:
  Performs Marcellina
  Covers Emilia
Previously:
  Performed Butterfly's Mother
  Covered Orlofsky

Alyssa Nance
Soprano
This Season:
  Performs Barbarina
  Understudies Susanna

Erin, originally from Nebraska, received a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Wichita State University, and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Hastings College. Erin’s opera credits include Alma “Marmee” March in Little Women, Mrs. Jones in Street Scene, Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, the title role in L’Enfant et les Sortileges, Florence Pike in Albert Herring, and the Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte. Erin’s musical theatre credits include Anybody’s in West Side Story, Rosemary Pilkington in How to Succeed in Business without really trying, Eve / Mama Noah in Children of Eden, and Cathy in The Last Five Years. She was first accepted into the Young Artist Program with Wichita Grand Opera in 2011. Erin returned to her alma mater in December 2011 as a guest artist soloist for Handel’s Messiah. Erin is excited to once again be a Young Artist with Wichita Grand Opera.

  Alyssa Nance, a soprano with “unbridled dexterity” (Kansas City Star) recently sang her first Pamina alongside internationally renowned bass Samuel Ramey’s Sarastro in Sounds of South Dakota’s Die Zauberflöte. This past season, Alyssa was seen as Princess #1 in Conrad Susa’s Transformations with Kansas City Civic Opera, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi with Sounds of South Dakota, and Gretel in Opera Omaha’s Hänsel und Gretel. Additional stage credits include Adina (l’Elisir d’amore), Fiordiligi (Cosi fan tutte), Marie (La fille du régiment), Norina (Don Pasquale), and Mabel (Pirates of Penzance). She is a winner of the 2010 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Nebraska District, and an Upper Midwest Regional Finalist.

Stefanie Randall
Mezzo-soprano
This Season:
  Covers Cherubino
  Understudies Emilia
Previously:
  Understudies Ines, Orlofsky

Kristen Abaquin Smith
Soprano
This Season:
  Covers Barbarina
  Understudies Susanna

  Stefanie Randall is in her second season as a Wichita Grand Opera Young Artist. She recently completed a Master’s degree at Wichita State University, where her roles included Harry in Albert Herring, 3rd Spirit in Die Zauberflöte, and L’écureuil in L’enfant et les Sortilèges. Ms. Randall has also recently been seen in productions of Cosi fan tutti, Iolanthe and Street Scene.

  Kristen Abaquin Smith, soprano, is an emerging young artist, recently noted for her “thespian initiative and sharp bubbliness” (The Boston Globe). Kristen’s stage roles span a wide range, which includes Ernestine in Monsieur Chofleuri, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, Connie in A Chorus Line, Amy in Company, and L’il Bit in How I Learned to Drive. A native of Texas, Kristen received her Bachelor’s degree cum laude in vocal performance with a minor in theatre from Texas Tech University. She then received her Master of Music degree with high academic honors at the New England Conservatory, also in classical voice performance.

Annamarie Zmolek
Soprano
This Season:
  Covers Desdemona, the Countess

Vigthor Zophoniasson
Tenor
This Season:
  Covers Roderigo, Basilio

  Described by American Record Guide as “memorable and stunning,” Annamarie Zmolek is a young soprano on the rise. Her operatic performances include Violetta (La Traviata), Mimi (La Bohème), Micaëla (Carmen), Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), and the Countess (Le Nozze di Figaro). Ms. Zmolek recently placed first in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Southwest Region), first in the Ruth Burr Voice Competition, and first in the Denver Lyric Opera Guild Competition. She holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Rice University. Upcoming appearances include Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus with Opera Theatre of the Rockies, a concert tour for Central City Opera, and a performance in the finals of the Bel Canto Scholarship Foundation Competition.

  Vigthor Zophoniasson, of Iceland, comes to WGO’s Young Artist Program with a diverse background in the performing arts, having performed in street-theatre breathing fire, juggling, and stilt-walking, besides puppetry, musical theatre and theatrical productions. His most recent credits include Master Class, The Fantasticks, Hänsel und Gretel, and Albert Herring; along with three consecutive seasons with Lyric Opera of Kansas City Education & Outreach Programs. Vigthor has appeared in master class with world renowned opera singers and conductors such as Håkan Hagegård, Carol Vaness, and James Conlon. He holds a Master’s degree from UMKC and continues to study with Vinson Cole.

Stephanie Zuluaga
Mezzo-soprano
This Season:
  Covers Marcellina
  Understudies Emilia

Meghan Zuver
Soprano
This Season:
  Covers Susanna

  Stephanie Zuluaga graduated from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri – Kansas City with her Bachelor of Art in Vocal Performance in 2011. Stephanie has performed in many UMKC productions, and several productions in the Kansas City area. Most recently Stephanie was featured as a soloist for Village Presbyterian Church's Mass in C major. Stephanie plans to continue her education and career by pursuing her Masters in Vocal Performance. This is her first season as a Young Artist with Wichita Grand Opera as a Young Artist.

BIO COMING SOON.