MUSIC

Cypress Creek FACE presents Dons and Divas: Carmen in Concert.  3 p.m., Tuesday, September 15, 2009.

The story that shocked Paris at its premiere is now the world’s most favorite opera. Georges Bizet’s Carmen, opera’s ultimate femme fatal, is a woman not afraid to pursue her heart’s desires – whatever the consequences. A handsome soldier wins her affection and a glamorous bullfighter turns her head, but neither can tame her defiant spirit.

The story of Carmen will come to life on The Centrum stage with narration and song.

Performances by:
Ashly Evans, mezzo soprano as Carmen
Stephanie Northcutt, soprano as Michaela
James D. Rodriguez, baritone
John Stevens, tenor
Jay Whatley, accompanist
Clara Lewis, narrator

Klein Collins Treble Vocal Ensemble
Jan Juneau, Choir Director

Ashly Evans
Mezzo soprano, Ashly Evans, is becoming one of the fastest emerging singers in the Midwest. Miss Evans’ wide range of operatic roles include Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte with New Jersey Opera, Buttercup in H.M.S. Pinafore and Louisa Hurst in the World Premiere of Pride and Prejudice at Ohio Light Opera. She also had the opportunity to sing the roles of Viktoria/Viktooria in the American Premiere of Rautavarra’s House of the Sun and Juno in Orpheus in the Underworld with Opera in the Ozarks. Miss Evans also performed over eight main stage roles with the University of Missouri at Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance including, Giulio Cesare in Giulio Cesare, Mrs. McLean in Susannah, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Pitti-Sing in The Mikado and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel.

Stephanie Northcutt
Stephanie Northcutt has performed with Portland Opera, Operafestival di Roma, Minnesota Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Caramoor Festival and Indianapolis Symphony. Stephanie has repeatedly been a guest Artist at Duke University. Performances include the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Soprano soloist in Brahms Requiem and Four Last Songs of Strauss. Her many awards include National Opera Association Finalist, Dallas Opera Guild Finalist, MTNA first runner-up (Nationals), NATS first place winner and MacAllister Award Regional Winner. She has been featured in Foundation of the Arts through Christian Enrichment’s “Promenade Series” in her programs “Romantic Rhapsody” and “Art and Soul”. Stephanie has a B.M.E from Texas Christian University and a M.M from Sam Houston State University. Stephanie is the creator and featured Artist on The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts at Cypress Creek Lullaby book and CD entitled” Hush… Don’t say a Word”. She was raised in Houston, Texas and currently resides in Missouri City, Texas with her husband Gary, and their sons Jake, and Zach.

James D. Rodriguez
Baritone, James D. Rodriguez, holds a Bachelor of Music from Southern Methodist University and this fall will begin his Master of Music degree at the Moores School of Music. His operatic portrayals include Figaro in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Belcore in Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’Amore and Olin Blitch in Floyd’s Susannah, among others. He has been a young artist with the Rising Star Singers Opera Program and the Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival’s Le Chiavi di Bel Canto. Upcoming engagements include the role of Don Profondo in Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims with the Moores Opera Center.

Jay Whatley
Jay Whatley is Associate Professor of Music at Lone Star College – Kingwood, where he coordinates the applied keyboard, class piano & theory programs. In high demand as a collaborative artist, chamber musician, & continuo player, Whatley maintains an active & varied career at the state, regional & national levels. He has performed with such notable choral conductors as Robert Sund, Maria Guinand, Craig Jessop, Charles Bruffy, and Sigrid Johnson. He was recently selected to accompany the 2009 Texas Music Educators Association All-State Men’s Choir under the direction of Larry Kaptein, and also a large festival choir under the direction of Andre Thomas in February 2009. He collaborated with Allen Hightower and the SHSU Chorale in performances at TMEA (San Antonio) and ACDA (Miami), as well as on the Chorale’s tour of Italy. Solo organ recitals include Salzburg’s Dome Cathedral and Bath Abbey; he was guest soloist in a performance of Poulenc’s Organ Concerto at St. John’s Smith Square, London.