Come out today Feb 8 (before the big snow tonight and Tuesday) to see the members of the Chicago Opera Theater Young Artists Program perform a free recital of operatic pieces. Today you can enjoy a wonderful free concert lead by COT Young Artists soprano Catalina Cuervo and baritone Darik Knutsen with COT Director of Musical Studies Scott Gilmore. Please remember that there is no concert next week due to Presidents Day holiday.
Free Concert Dates: Feb 8, 2010
Hours: 12:15 pm
Free Admission:
Location:
Preston Bradley Hall
Chicago Cultural Center
78 East Washington Street – Chicago, IL
Next free Monday Concert – Monday, February 22: Award Winners in Concert
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Catalina Cuervo
Soprano
Colombian-born Soprano Catalina Cuervo is currently a Young Artist at Chicago Opera Theater and a Master’s student at Roosevelt University in the studio of Judith Haddon. Ms. Cuervo recently performed the role of Antonia in The Tales of Hoffman, “Countess Susanna” in Wolf-Ferrari’s Susanna’s Secret and covered Micaela in La Tragedie de Carmen at Chicago Opera Theater 2009 season. Ms. Cuervo was nominated to participate in the final round of the Neue Stimmen International Singing Competition in Germany and recently won the Graduate Division of the Chicago Area for the Classical Singer Competition and will participate in the finals in May 2010. Upcoming engagements include“Magda” in Puccini’s La Rondine and covering “Alinda” in Cavalli’s Giasone for the Chicago Opera Theater 2010 season.
Darik Knutsen
Baritone
Darik Knutsen, baritone from McLean Va, was a Regional Finalist in Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions of 2009. Mr. Knutsen is currently in his first year pursuing a Diploma in Opera, a joint program with Roosevelt University and Chicago Opera Theater.
A 2006 graduate of Northwestern University, Mr. Knutsen had the unique privilege of studying voice with world renowned Verdi baritone Sherrill Milnes. In the Summer of 2009 he starred as the title role in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin at the Chautauqua Institute of Music. Other operatic experience includes Guglielmo in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte (2006), Peachum in Kurt Weill’s The Three Penny Opera (2005), and Papageno in The Magic Flute (2005).
Upcoming Engagements: Three Decembers, Chicago Opera Theater, Charlie (Cover), May 2010; The Tales of Hoffmann, The Santa Fe Opera, Schlemil, July 2010; Madam Butterfly, The Santa Fe Opera, Yamadori (Cover), July 2010
Make time in your day for free concerts! LunchBreak’s Classical Mondays offer free classical chamber music concerts for the entire community. From ensembles to chamber musicians to soloists, munch your lunch while enjoying the talents of new and established artists performing your favorite classical works in free concerts!
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Scott Gilmore
Director of Musical Studies for the Young Artist Program
Scott Gilmore’s operatic credits as coach, assistant conductor and chorus master include the San Francisco Opera, Salzburg Festival, Cologne Opera, Opéra de Lyon and Opera Australia. He has worked with major international conductors, including Daniel Barenboim, James Conlon, Charles Mackerras, Michelangelo Veltri, Carlo Felice Cillario and Kent Nagano. His work in the training and development of singers has taken him to positions with the Opéra national de Paris, London’s Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the San Francisco Opera Center and the young artist programs of Cologne Opera, Opera Australia, and Florida Grand Opera. He is currently Head of Music Staff and Director of Musical Studies at Chicago Opera Theater, and Assistant Professor of Opera and Vocal Coaching at Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University, where he studied piano with Dr Ludmila Lazar. He is a guest coach at the Santa Fe Opera, an adjudicator for The Metropolitan Opera Competition, and a contributing editor to Boosey & Hawkes’ series of operatic choral octavo editions. An active vocal recital accompanist, he has been heard live, on recording, and in both television and radio broadcasts. The San Francisco Chronicle dubbed him “a singer’s colleague and best artistic friend.”
ABOUT THE CHICAGO OPERA THEATER YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM
The Chicago Opera Theater Young Artists Program (COTYAP) is a performance-based training program for young singers. The participants have the opportunity to work with the innovative artistic teams which are the hallmark of Chicago Opera Theater under General Director Brian Dickie. The intention is to provide an artistic benchmark for young artists as they commence their careers, recognizing performance experience in fresh stagings of standard and new repertoire as an essential training element.
Members of COTYAP are engaged for an intensive program during which each performs in the Season as a soloist or member of the ensemble. Young Artists may also understudy or cover principal roles. Understudies prepare their roles with music staff and covers may have the opportunity to perform portions of the role for an invited audience.
Young Artists receive individual coaching from COT Director of Musical Studies Scott Gilmore, and take part in master classes with coaches, conductors and teachers. Featured guests have included Craig Rutenberg, Jane Glover, Samuel Ramey, Nancy Gustafson, Timothy Noble, Suzanne Mentzer, and Robin Leggate. Career development seminars are offered in audition techniques and in the non-performance aspects of a career in singing.
Members of the Chicago Opera Theater Young Artist Program perform with the company’s Education and Outreach program in a wide range of events for adults and children, and several Young Artists participate in the Recital Series of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, presented at the Chicago Cultural Center.
Chicago Opera Theater provides Young Artists with housing and travel to Chicago for those who do not live locally.
Chicago Opera Theater Young Artist program gratefully acknowledges support from:
The Farny R. Wurlitzer Foundation
The Pauls Foundation
Lois B. Siegel
The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Fund
