Opera for the Young | Meet the cast of “The Magic Flute”

01 Oct Meet the cast of “The Magic Flute”

Posted at 12:31h in BLOG by Saira Frank

: Coloratura soprano Megan Brunning is noted for her “bombproof top notes” (ioco.de) as Queen of the Night in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. She has performed with the Metropolitan Opera Guild, St. Petersburg Opera, Asheville Lyric Opera, Sugar Creek Opera, and Opera for the Young. Megan’s recent appearances include soprano soloist in Handel’s Dixit Dominus (Spoleto Festival USA), Seraphische Stimme (Das Wunder der Heliane), and Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni). Her 2023-2024 performances include appearances at Carnegie Hall and tours in Germany and the Netherlands.

: Soprano Krista Lawrence, based in Lincoln, Nebraska, is passionate about sharing her love of music and theater. A graduate of the Glenn Korff School of Music, her recent production Secrets and Confessions: Five Intimate Micro-Operas toured to educate audiences on modern operatic works. Krista’s favorite roles include Adina (L’Elisir d’Amore), Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), and Cinderella (Into the Woods).

: Soprano Cat Richmond, known for her “clear and gorgeous” voice, performs in opera, musical theater, and cabaret. Recent roles include Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor), Yum-Yum (The Mikado), and Gretel (Hansel and Gretel). Cat was last seen in Music Theater of Madison’s Who’s Your Baghdaddy? and Opera for the Young’s Beauty and the Beast.

: Lydia Bangura (she/her) is a soprano and a doctoral candidate in music theory at the University of Michigan. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and a master’s degree from Roosevelt University, both in vocal performance. A lifelong musician, Lydia also has ten years of experience as a violist. She enjoys singing art song, chamber works, and oratorio. Recent operatic roles include Second Lady (Die Zauberflöte), Musetta (La Bohème), Alcina (Alcina), Amore (Orfeo ed Euridice), and the solo soprano in Judith Weir’s King Harald’s Saga.

: Soprano Gillian Hollis is praised for her “brilliant coloratura” (Rutland Herald) and “great flexibility and poise-filled musicality” (Sequenza21). She has performed Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte) with Central City Opera and Painted Sky Opera, and Adina (L’Elisir d’Amore) with Mobile Opera. A member of Opera for the Young for over eight seasons, her roles include Mabel (Pirates of Penzance) and Beauty (Beauty and the Beast). Gillian is an advocate for arts education, believing it essential for the future of opera.

: Soprano Eleanor Mayerfeld, a Madison, Wisconsin native, made her debut as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with the Miami Music Festival. Career highlights include Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel) and Papagena (The Magic Flute). Eleanor holds a BA in Music from Middlebury College and an MM in Voice from the Longy School of Music. She enjoys teaching young musicians and has worked with the Cambridge Children’s Chorus and WYSO Music Makers.

: Austin Bare, tenor, is a Milwaukee-based artist with a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a founding member of the early music ensemble APERI ANIMAM and has performed with them for nearly five years. Notable appearances include concerts for Early Music America and the Madison Early Music Festival. Austin’s operatic roles include the Lamplighter (The Little Prince), a Spirit (The Magic Flute), and Opera for the Young roles as Almaviva and the Beast.

: Christopher Jackson, light-lyric tenor, is celebrated for his “beautifully warm voice” with a high extension. His operatic roles include Alfred (Die Fledermaus), Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi), and Ferrando (Così fan tutte). Christopher has performed with Toledo Opera, Cincinnati Opera, and Sinfonietta Bel Canto. Recent musical theater credits include South Pacific and West Side Story. He also directs music at Fox Valley Presbyterian Church and teaches voice at McHenry County College.

: Tenor Ryan Nash, originally from Massachusetts, recently earned his Master’s in Voice Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied with Dr. Julia Rottmayer. Ryan’s UW Opera roles include Albert (Albert Herring) and Mercurio (La Calisto). He also performed in the 2024 Schubertiade with pianist Aubrie Jacobson. Ryan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

: German-American baritone Karl Buttermann is gaining recognition in the opera world. He recently portrayed the Prophet/King in the Minnesota premiere of Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters with Journey North Opera Company. In summer 2024, Karl will reprise his role as Donner in TUNDI’s Rheingold and debut as Gunther in Götterdämmerung. Following these performances, he joins Opera for the Young’s production of The Magic Flute, where he will sing Papageno.

: Baritone Lifan Deng, originally from Shenzhen, China, and now based in Chicago, holds a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Music, Mechanical Engineering, and Aerospace Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. For the 2024-2025 season, Lifan joins Opera for the Young as Papageno in The Magic Flute and will perform Fiorello and cover Figaro in Madison Opera’s The Barber of Seville. Lifan’s diverse talents span opera, musical theater, and other performing arts.

: Baritone Joel Rogier, praised for his “fine voice and comic timing,” is delighted to return to Opera for the Young, where he has performed several roles including Figaro and the Pirate King. Upcoming appearances include Winter Opera St. Louis, where he will sing Bill Bobstay in H.M.S. Pinafore. Joel has also performed with Union Avenue Opera, Opera Edwardsville, and St. Lou Fringe.

: Pianist Vincent Fuh has toured extensively with Opera for the Young since 1997. He has performed with top musical ensembles, including the Madison Symphony Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society. Vincent co-founded and composed for salsa band Madisalsa and Afro-Cuban quintet El Clan Destino. His recordings feature collaborations with Marc Vallon, Laura Medisky, and Sinister Resonance, among others.

: Sherri Hansen is excited to be a pianist for her first season with Opera for the Young. A newly retired physician, Sherri is thrilled to share her passion for music. She has sung with numerous choral groups in south-central Wisconsin and is a lifelong church musician, composer, and arranger of sacred music. Her latest volume of solo piano works, Piano Weavings 4, will be published by Augsburg Fortress in spring 2025.

: Steve Radtke, a Shawano, WI native, graduated from UW-Stevens Point with a degree in piano performance. He studied composition in London and piano performance at Brevard Music Festival. Steve works as a freelance accompanist in Madison, collaborating with UW-Madison, Opera for the Young, Madison Youth Choirs, and the Savoyards.