Program

CHRISTINE LYONS is a critically acclaimed soprano whom Broadway World has hailed a “true virtuosa.” She has been praised for her “potent soprano” by Opera Magazine, as well as her “power and poise” by Classical Voice America. This 2022-23 season, Lyons sings the title role in Handel’s Agrippina with Florida Grand Opera, covers the title role in John Adams’ Antony and Cleopatra with San Francisco Opera, and joins Toledo Opera for Celebration del Coro with excerpts of Puccini's Liú in Turandot and Bernstein's Cunegonde in Candide.  Other roles include Amenaide in Rossini's Tancredi with Teatro Nuovo, Madama Butterfly with Baltimore Concert Opera, and Adina in City Lyric Opera's L'elisir d'amore.  Concert engagements include the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, the Queens Symphony Orchestra, and the St. Veronica Orchestra of New York.  

American tenor MATTHEW VICKERS has been praised for his “brilliant and golden voice” (Die Kleine Zeitung), his “burnished sound and confident acting” (National Post), and hailed as “a gutsy performer whose glowing tenor voice has interestingly dark, baritonal undertones” (Opera Now).  In the 2022-2023, Mr. Vickers sings Alfredo in La traviata with Opera Delaware/Opera Baltimore, Pollione in Norma with Opera Tampa, and returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago to cover the title role in Ernani. In the 2021-2022 season, he debuted with Lyric Opera of Chicago as Malcolm in Macbeth, sang Canio in Pagliacci with Opera in Williamsburg, returned to one of his signature roles, Rodolfo in La bohème, with Virginia Opera, sang Foresto in Attila with Sarasota Opera, and made his role and company debut at Baltimore Concert Opera as Maurizio in Adriana Lecouvreur.

Lauded for his “Charming…robust baritone…” rising Romanian-American baritone ANDREW MANEA recently made his role debut as the Duke of Nottingham in Roberto Devereux with the San Francisco Opera. These performances “thrust him into the spotlight, solidifying his status as the next leading baritone of his generation…” (Opera Wire).​  Mr. Manea has since made both his house and role debut with Palm Beach Opera as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and was scheduled to join the roster of Lyric Opera of Chicago for Der Ring des Niebelungen (COVID-19 cancellation). In the current season he debuts with Arizona Opera as Escamillo in Carmen and Opera Omaha as Lorenzo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi, and returns to Palm Beach Opera as Danilo in The Merry Widow.