|
|
| Brent Weber | Casey Gray |
|
|
| Margaret Flanigan | Makoto Winkler |
On Sunday, March 30 at 4 p.m., the Western New York Chamber Orchestra closes its 2013-2104 season at SUNY Fredonia’s King Concert Hall with a concert presentation of Johann Strauss' beloved, “Die Fledermaus.”
Tickets, available at the SUNY Fredonia Ticket Office, are $20 for the general public, $5 for non-SUNY students with ID and free to SUNY students.
The production will be conducted by WNYCO Music Director Glen Cortese, and features SUNY Fredonia School of Music faculty members Julie Newell as Stage Director and Producer, Brent Weber singing the role of Eisenstein and Casey Gray in the role of Alfred.
Also featured will be recent SUNY Fredonia graduates Margaret Flanigan (Music Performance and Music Education) as Rosalinda and Makoto Winkler (Music Performance) as Falke, and current students Amanda Conte as Adele, Steven Olick as Dr. Blind, Cody Ray Caho as Frank, Allison Deady as Prince Orlovsky, Jared Allyn Decker as Frosch and Stephanie Doche as Sally.
A graduate of the Yale School of Music and the Conservatory of Music in Kansas City, Mr. Weber enjoys all aspects of the opera and musical theatre production process. His production credits include conducting, singing, stage direction, as well as set design and construction. He currently serves as the General Director and Conductor of the Erie Opera Theatre, which is presenting the upcoming world premier opera, “The Selfish Giant,” based on the Oscar Wilde short story. His operatic credits include singing major tenor roles at Chautauqua Institution, Connecticut Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Syracuse Opera, The Lyric Orchestra, and St Louis Opera in, “La Bohème,” “Die Zauberflote,” “La Traviata,” “Don Carlo,” “Rigoletto,” “Luisa Miller” and “Madama Butterfly.” He also has sung with Broadway legends in several productions with, “Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert,” in New York City and as Piangi in, “Phantom of the Opera,” with the national company of Canada in Toronto and Vancouver. In addition to teaching at the Fredonia School of Music, Mr. Weber is an adjunct professor of voice at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pa.
A native of Wheeling, West Virginia, tenor Gray is also an adjunct faculty member at SUNY Fredonia. He earned his Master of Music degree in Voice Performance from SUNY Fredonia, and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music: Voice, cum laude, from Bethany College. In addition to his music studies at Bethany, Gray was, for four years, the Organ Scholar/Assistant Organist, and a choral member at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Wheeling, W.Va. As a performer, Gray appeared in the Hillman Opera production of, “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” playing the role of Pitichinaccio. In September 2011 Gray premiered in a chamber oratorio composed by SUNY Fredonia alumnus and adjunct faculty member Sean Doyle, “Samaritan,” as the Evangelist/Victim. In addition, Gray is a freelance vocal coach and accompanist who has coached and accompanied for various local programs such as SUNY Fredonia pops concerts, Department of Theatre and Dance productions of, “Chicago” and “Rent,” and as Chorus Master of Hillman Opera productions, “Merry Wives of Windsor” and “La Cenerentola.”
Ms. Conte received her bachelor's degree in Music Education in May 2011 and will complete her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance in May. Mr. Caho of Wellsville will graduate with a Vocal Performance degree in May, and Ms. Deady and Ms. Doche, both of Rochester, are seniors with double majors in Vocal Performance and Music Education graduating in December.
