Students to be featured in Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra production of ‘La Traviata’

The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hillman Opera program are, once again, collaborating on an operatic production.

Under the baton of BPO Conductor and Music Director  JoAnn Falletta, there will be two semi-staged performances of Verdi's operatic masterpiece, “La Traviata," at Kleinhans Music Hall on Saturday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 2 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available on the Buffalo Philharmonic website.

Fredonia School of Music students will appear in featured roles, joined by additional students and alumni in choruses. The Fredonia opera students will be sharing the stage alongside world class artists including soprano Hailey Clark; tenor Joseph Dennis and baritone Troy Cook.

It is the third operatic collaboration between the Hillman Opera Program and the BPO, beginning with Bizet's “Carmen” in June 2019, followed post-COVID with Mozart's “Magic Flute,” in April 2022. Additional SUNY Fredonia vocal collaborations have included choral performances of Bernstein's “Chichester Psalms,” Verdi's “Requiem,” and most recently, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

Fredonia students in principal roles in “La Traviata" include:

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  Mia Mandineau, in the role of Violetta. She is a soprano from Paris, France, pursuing a Master of Music degree in Performance. During the 2023-2024 season Ms. Mandineau was a winner of the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition Buffalo–Toronto District and a Regional Finalist of the Great Lakes Region. She was also a First Place winner of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Upstate New York Competition, as well as winning concert performances with colORCHESTRA and in the Fredonia School of Music Concerto Competition. In 2024, Mandineau joined the Wolf Trap Opera Company as a member of its prestigious Studio Program. With the Western New York Chamber Orchestra (WNYCO), she performed the role of Laura in the world premier opera “Having Guests for Dinner” (Bentz & Feng). With the Hillman Opera at SUNY Fredonia she appeared as Fiordiligi in Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte.” Earlier this year, she appeared with the Washington National Opera Orchestra as Micaela in “Carmen,” and will appear as guest soloist with the Catskill Symphony and perform the role of Irene Adler in the world premiere of “221 B: A Sherlock Holmes Opera” (Cortese) with WNYCO.

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  Andrew George, in the role of Gaston. He is a tenor from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, pursuing a Master of Music degree in Music Performance. Most recently, Mr. George has appeared with the Hillman Opera at SUNY Fredonia as Ferrando in its production of Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte.” In April, George will perform in the world premiere of “221B: A  Sherlock Holmes Opera” in the role of Sherlock Holmes. In Malaysia, he has appeared as a principal soloist in productions with the Kuala Lumpur City Opera and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. George holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Classical Voice from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and pursued additional studies at the Musical Horizons Conservatory in Athens, Greece.
• Dominic Townsend, in the role of Baron Douphol. He is a baritone from Lewiston, N.Y., pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance. Mr. Townsend has appeared in leading roles in two consecutive opera seasons of the Hillman Opera at SUNY Fredonia, most recently in the role of Guglielmo in Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte” as well as in Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” as Frank. In Summer 2024, Townsend attended the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria, where he worked with baritone Thomas Hampson. His upcoming opera performances include appearing as Dr. Watson in the world premiere of “221 B: A Sherlock Holmes Opera” with WNYCO as well as summer performances in the role of Count Almaviva in Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” with the Chautauqua Opera Conservatory.
• Patrick Connolly, in the role of Doctor Grenvil. He is a baritone from Southold, N.Y., pursuing a Master of Music degree in Music Performance. Mr. Connolly completed his Bachelor of Music degree at Fredonia and appeared with the Hillman Opera at SUNY Fredonia in three consecutive opera seasons — as Claudio in “Beatrice and Benedict” (Berlioz), Count Robinson in “Il Matrimonio Segreto” (Cimarosa), and as John Buchanan Jr. in “Summer and Smoke” (Hoiby). In the fall of 2024, Connolly appeared as Don Alfonso in the Hillman Opera production of “Così fan tutte” (Mozart), followed by a debut performance with Buffalo Opera Unlimited as Charlie in Jake Heggie’s “Three Decembers.” In April, Connolly will appear as Inspector Lestrade in the world premiere of “221 B: A Sherlock Holmes Opera” with WNYCO.
• Gabrielle Gance, in the role of Annina, maid of Violetta. She is a soprano from Binghamton, N.Y., pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music/Voice, with a concurrent Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. In the spring, Ms. Gance will appear in scenes from Dr. Jennifer Higdon’s opera “Cold Mountain,” as Lila and as Mrs. Hudson in the world premiere of “221 B: A Sherlock Holmes Opera” with WNYCO. With the Hillman Opera at SUNY Fredonia, Gance has portrayed the role of Nellie Ewell in Lee Hoiby’s “Summer and Smoke” and performed educational outreach performances as Fiordiligi in “Cosi fan tutte.” She also participated in the chorus in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” a collaborative production presented by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Hillman Opera Association at SUNY Fredonia in April 2023.
• Junior Jackson Kelly, in the role of Marquis d’Obigny. He is a baritone from Amherst, N.Y., pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance with a second major in Music Education.  With the Hillman Opera at SUNY Fredonia, Mr. Kelly has appeared as Dr. Falke in Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” and most recently performed educational outreach performances as Guglielmo in Mozart’s “Cosi Fan tutte.” In March, Kelly will appear in scenes from “Carmen” as Dancairo for the SUNY Fredonia Student Opera Theatre Association.
• Gino Thompson, in the role of Violetta’s servant and Messenger. He is a tenor from Lockport, N.Y., pursuing a master’s degree in Music Education. Mr. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Music degree with majors in Vocal Performance and Music Education from SUNY Fredonia. He most recently performed educational outreach performances in the role of Ferrando in “Cosi fan tutte” with the Hillman Opera at SUNY Fredonia. Previous performances with the Hillman Opera include Lee Hoiby’s “Summer and Smoke” (Roger) and Cimarosa’s “Il Matrimonio Segreto” (Fidalma), as well as scenes from Verdi’s “Falstaff” (Fenton), Chabrier’s “L’Etoile” (Hérisson de Porc-Epic), and Ravel’s “L’enfant et les sortilèges” (La Théière and La Rainette) with the Student Theatre Opera Association at SUNY Fredonia. Thompson is a certified music educator and is a staff singer with the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus.

A collaborative chorus also shares the stage featuring 15 Fredonia current Voice majors joining forces with members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, which also includes many Fredonia music alumni. Voice Lecturer Brent Weber is Chorus master for the Fredonia chorus.

SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Paul Mockovak of the Department of Theatre and Dance is Stage Director. School of Music faculty involved include SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Julie Newell as Production Coordinator, and Director of Opera Studies Don Marrazzo as Casting Consultant as well as Assistant Production Coordinator.

Undergraduate Kaitlyn Power is serving as Stage Manager. Eun Joo Jeon is Rehearsal Pianist in Fredonia, and alumnus Matt Marco is Rehearsal Pianist in Buffalo, N.Y.

The collaboration is funded, in part, by the Kay Hardesty Logan Foundation through the Fredonia College Foundation.