Artist Information

Barbara Quintiliani, Maria Padilla

Barbara Quintiliani returns to Opera Boston after singing Elvira in Ernani, as well as the title roles in Lucrezia Borgia and Luisa Miller for the company. Her Wexford Festival 2009 debut as Maria Padilla captivated both critics and audiences alike. Further recent successes have included the title role in Ariadne for Toledo Opera, the title role in Norma for Chautauqua Opera, and gala concert performances for Boston Baroque.

She made her debut at Washington National Opera in 2002 as Elettra in Idomeneo, going on in 2003 to sing the role of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni conducted by Plàcido Domingo. She quickly followed this success with appearances including Gulnara in Il Corsaro for Sarasota Opera, Liù in Turandot with Opera Madison, and Leonore in Il trovatore with Austin Lyric Opera.

She made her European debut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona in 2006 as Elettra in Idomeneo, returning triumphantly to America later that year to sing Donna Anna for the Washington Opera Gala, conducted by Valery Gergiev. More recent highlights have included Leonore in Il Trovatore and covering the title role in Lucrezia Borgia for Washington National Opera.

Her concert and recital repertoire reflects her innate musicality and intelligence, and spans Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (which she sang at Carnegie Hall) to her recording debut for Naxos with Three Poems of Fiona McLeod by Charles Griffes.

Adriano Graziani, Don Ruiz

Adriano Graziani makes his American debut with Opera Boston, following his debut at the 2009 Wexford Festival as Don Ruiz in Maria Padilla. Recent international appearances for this rising star have included the role of Edmondo in Manon Lescaut and Leicester in Maria Stuarda for Modena and Piacenza, opposite Mariella Devìa in the title role. Highlights this year include Cavaradossi in Tosca in the UK and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly for Opera Zuid in Holland in 2012.

Adriano first studied singing with renowned specialist Victor Gav, before taking up a scholarship at the Royal College of Music in London. In 2005, he took part in the Artists Development Programme in Wexford, Ireland, and in 2006 won 2nd Place at the Concorso Internazionale dei Cantanti Lirici in Italy. He completed his advanced studies at the Cardiff International Academy of Voice, under the tutelage of Dennis O’Neill CBE, and made his professional debut with Scottish Opera as a guest on their Essential Scottish Opera Tour in January 2007, which led to a highly-successful engagement as Arturo for Scottish Opera’s 2007 production of Lucia di Lammermoor.

Thereafter he was invited to sing the role of Macduff for Glyndebourne Touring Opera’s 2007 production of Verdi’s Macbeth, a debut which earned him the Glyndebourne 2007 Promise Award for the most outstanding young singer. Other more recent highlights have included his debut as Pollione in Norma in Northern Ireland with the Ulster Orchestra, and a widely-acclaimed debut as Cavaradossi in Tosca for Opera Holland Park in 2009.

Laura Vlasak Nolen, Ines

Ms. Nolen's engagements in the 2010-11 season currently include a return to the Metropolitan Opera for its production of Les contes d'Hoffmann, Adalgisa in Norma with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Fenena in Nabucco with Palm Beach Opera, Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Phoenix Symphony, Verdi's Requiem with Opera Naples, and Mozart's Requiem in a return to the New Choral Society. In the 2009-10 season Ms. Nolen appeared as Giulietta in the Metropolitan Opera's production of Les contes d'Hoffmann, and was also engaged for the company's productions of Elektra and The Nose. She also appeared as Samira in The Ghosts of Versailles in a return to the Wexford Festival Opera.

In 2008-09 she returned to the Metropolitan Opera to reprise the role of Waltraute in Die Walküre as well as to sing Inez in Il trovatore; sang the role of Iras in Antony and Cleopatra with New York City Opera; Dorotea in Pedrotti's Tutti in maschera at Wexford Festival Opera; Dorabella in Così fan tutte with Madison Opera; and as soloist in Elgar's The Music Makers, a work for mezzo-soprano, chorus and orchestra with Dallas Symphony Orchestra. She also performed as soloist in Rossini's Stabat Mater with the New York Choral Society at Carnegie Hall, in Handel’s Messiah with both the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New Choral Society, and in Bach's St. Matthew Passion with the Berkshire Choral Festival.

An active concert performer as well, Ms. Nolen has appeared as soloist in Mozart's Requiem with the Westchester Philharmonic, Handel's Messiah with the Danbury Chamber Orchestra, Mozart's Vespers with the Lubbock Chorale, Vivaldi's Gloria with both the Texas Tech University and the First Congregational Church of Ridgefield (CT), Honegger's King David with the Lubbock Symphony, and scenes from Die Zauberflöte with the Cleveland Orchestra.

DongWon Kim, Don Pedro

Baritone DongWon Kim has performed extensively in Italy, as well as his native Korea. From 2003 to 2006, he was a member of the National Opera of Korea, where he sang such roles as Germont in La Traviata, Figaro in Il Barbiere di Seville, Rigoletto in Rigoletto, Marcello in La Boheme, . Ping in Turandot, Escamillo in Carmen, Belcore in L'esire d'amore, and Amonasro in Aida. Mr. Kim made his European debut in 1998 as Valentine in Faust conducted by Maestro Peter Maag at the Treviso Teatro. Subsequent performances in Italy included the Teatro Regio in Parma, the Teatro Rosetum in Milan, and the Teatro Tortona.

In terms of concert work, Mr. Kim has appeared as soloist with the Shanghai Symphony, Orchestra, the Euro-Asian Philharmonic, and the KBS Symphony Orchestra. Among his numerous awards are first prizes in the "Toti Dal Monte" International Competition and the "Daeung Lee" National Competition. Additionally, DongWon is the recipient of scholarships to study with Renata Scotto at the Teatro Regio in Parma, and with Virginia Zeani at the Bussetto Academia.

Beyond his performing career, Mr. Kim is an accomplished teacher, having taught voice at Seoul National University and HanYang University in Korea.

Mr. Kim holds an undergraduate degree from HanYang University in Seoul and a Diploma from the Verdi Conservatory of Music in Milan. In 2009, he relocated to Boston where he is pursuing an Artist Diploma in Opera at the New England Conservatory, studying with Lorraine Nubar. He performed with Opera Boston as Obrazzano in Tancredi and Don Giovanni in Don Giovanni with NEC Opera and had a solo recital in Jordan Hall and other various concerts in Boston. He is going to perform Rigoletto Gala Concert in Korea on May.

Young Bok Kim, Don Ramiro

Young-Bok Kim returns to Opera Boston after singing Silva with the company in Ernani. The bass has recently performed the title role in Attila, Colline in La bohème, Massimiliano in I Masnadieri, Nilakantha in Lakme, Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, all with Sarasota Opera. With New York City Opera he has performed Colline in La bohème, Zuniga in Carmen and Bonze in Madama Butterfly. Other engagements include: Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Dallas Opera, Ramfis in Aida with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra; Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Nashville Opera and National Opera of Korea; Timur in Turandot with Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra Timur in Turandot with Nevada Opera; Courtois in Leoncavallo's Zaza, and Robin in Mascagni's Guglielmo Ratcliff with Teatro Grattacielo; the Old Hebrew in Samson et Dalila with El Paso Opera; Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera North; as the Marquis de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites with Juilliard Opera Center; Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Colline in La bohème, and the Sacristan in Tosca with Aspen Opera Theater Center, and others.

Upcoming performances include Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with Sarasota Opera, Bonze in Madama Butterfly with L’Opera de Montreal and the same role with Dallas Opera for opening of the new opera house and Colline in La bohème with Sarasota Opera

Recently, he was awarded the prestigious Emmy Award for his performance in the New York City Opera production of Madama Butterfly which was broadcasted nationwide.

Yeghishe Manucharyan, Luigi

Yeghishe Manucharyan last appeared with Opera Boston as Argirio in Tancredi, Ivan the Lackey in Shostakovich’s The Nose and, before that, as Nadir in Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers.  Recent engagements include:  Singing Eustasio in Rossini's Armida  for his Metropolitan Opera debut and subsequent live  HD telecast (2010) and covering roles in Iphigenie, La Traviata, and La Sonnambula at the Met. He has also sung: Rodrigo in Rossini’s La Donna del Lago with Minnesota Opera, Riccardo in Donizetti’s Maria di Rohan at the Wexford Festival, Rodolfo in La Bohème in Salerno , Gerald in Lakmé with the Opera Orchestra of New York at Carnegie Hall, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at the New York City Opera, and Argirio in Rossini’s Tancredi at the Caramoor Festival. Other highlights include:  Rodolfo in La Bohème,  Lenski in Eugene Onegin and Alfredo in La Traviata at Tulsa Opera, Count Almaviva in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Toledo Opera, the Duke in Rigoletto, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte at the Baltimore Opera, Rodolfo in La Bohème with the Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de Mexico, Saro in Tigranian’s Anoush at the Michigan Opera Theater, and Potoski in the world premiere of Donizetti’s Élisabeth at the Caramoor International Music Festival. Mr. Manucharyan’s concert perfor­mances include: Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the New York Choral Society at Carnegie Hall and with the Eugene Symphony, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, and Lukas Foss’s Griffelkin with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project.  Engagements in the 2010-11 season include a return to the Met to sing Armida, his first Arturo in I Puritani with Knoxville Opera, La bohème with Eugene Opera, the Dvorak Stabat Mater in Carnegie Hall and concerts in Alaska, Connecticut and Russia.

Glorivy Arroyo, Francisca

Glorivy Arroyo returns to Opera Boston after her debut as Secretary to Mao in Nixon in China and, most recently, performing the role of Roggiero in last season’s Tancredi, opposite Ewa Podleś.  Her current season includes appearances with Guerilla Opera as Marfa in Rojahn’s Heart of a Dog, Ježibaba in Rusalka with Diva Day Foundation, alto soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with Harvard Pro Musica, and Arsamene in Xerxes at the Connecticut Early Music Festival. Recent engagements include Dorabella in Così fan tutte and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor with Commonwealth Opera, Angelina in La cenerentola with Opera del West, the role of Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas with Metrowest Opera, and singing the roles of Anna in The Seven Deadly Sins, Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti and Eleonora in First the Music, Then the Words with Opera Boston Underground. During the 2007-2008 season, she debuted with Opera New Jersey with successful turns in Die Zauberflöte, Roméo et Juliette, and delighted audiences as Ruth in their touring production of The Pirates of Penzance. With Utah Opera, she premiered The Grapes of Wrath in concert and sang the role of Lolette in La Rondine with Metropolitan Opera director Michael Scarola, under the baton of Keith Lockhart. Ms. Arroyo joined the Grammy-winning cast of Golijov's Ainadamar at Opera Boston, under the direction of Peter Sellars, and can be heard on Boston Modern Orchestra Project's world premiere recording of Foss’ Griffelkin, released on the Chandos label.

John Salvi, Don Alfonso di Pardo

John Salvi returns to Opera Boston after appearing in The Nose, The Bartered Bride, Tancredi, Madame White Snake, La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein, Fidelio (2nd Prisoner), and Opera Boston Underground. A keen interest in new music has led to creating the role of Arosen in the world premiere of Paula Kimper’s opera, The Captivation of Eunice Williams and to his performance in the 2009 world premiere of Carson Cooman’s oratorio The Acts of the Apostles at Harvard University. Recent performances include Fauré’s Requiem with the Dartmouth College Chamber Singers, Haydn’s The Creation with the Quabbin Valley Pro Musica, Bach’s Christ lag in Todesbanden and Haydn’s Missa in Angustiis with the South Hadley Chorale, Mendelssohn’s Paulus with Hampshire Choral Society, and The Mohawk Trail Summer Concert Series in Charlemont, Massachusetts, where Mr. Salvi received accolades for his performance of Barber’s Dover Beach. Upcoming engagements include Karl Jenkins’ Missa L’homme Armé with the Worcester Consortium at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts and Britten’s Cantata Misericordium with the Handel Society of Dartmouth College. Mr. Salvi has won numerous awards and honors for his singing, most notably from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the Connecticut Opera Guild Competition. He earned his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Gil Rose, Conductor

Music Director for Opera Boston

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Julia Pevzner, Stage Director

Julia Pevzner returns to Opera Boston after directing 2009’s production of Shostakovich’s The Nose. Born in Russia, she immigrated to Israel in 1991. She made her American directorial debut in 2003 with The Queen of Spades at the Dallas Opera, and her European debut with Das Rheingold and Die Walküre (Mariinsky Theatre). Her recent work includes La Boheme and Eugene Onegin (Virginia Opera),  Nabucco (Greek National Opera), Boris Godunov (San Francisco Opera), Lady Macbeth of Mzensk (Israeli Opera), a world premiere  of Sheriff's Golem 13 (Prague National Opera) and  more.She has also directed revivals of War and Peace and Boris Godunov at the Opera Bastille, Khovanschina at the ENO, Queen of Spades at the Covent Garden, Geneve Opera and Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, The Little Magic Flute, Tosca and L’Incoronazione di Poppea at the Israeli Opera and others. She created poetic music theatre performances including Letters to Orpheus and Nightingale and Rose (Fringe Theatre Center, Tel Aviv) and staged plays readings at the Kameri Theatre and Beit Lessin Theatre, Tel Aviv. Ms. Pevzner holds a Tel Aviv University degree in French Literature, Linguistics and Musicology. She worked as Staff Producer at the Israeli Opera (1995-2000), and instructed Opera Workshops at the Rubin Academy of Music (University of Tel Aviv) and at the Israeli Opera Studio as well as Musical Theatre Workshops at the Beit Zvi School of Performing Arts. She is an Artistic Director of the Galilee Children’s Music Festival.

Alexander Lisiyansky, Scenic Design

Alexander Lisiyansky returns to Opera Boston after designing the scenery for 2009’s production of Shostakovich’s The Nose, also directed by Julai Pevzner. Born in Russia, Mr. Lisiyansky emigrated to Israel in 1990 and has enjoyed a rich and varied career as an architect and theatre/opera designer. His work includes sets for more than 120 theatre and opera productions.  His recent work includes Eugene Onegin at Virginia Opera, Servant of Two Masters (Goldoni) at the Sofia National Theatre, Crocodile (Dostoyevsky) at Moscow Rosovsky Theatre, Our Town  (Wilder) at St.Petersburg Youth Theatre, Otello at the Israeli Opera, Firstborn Son (Vampilov) and  Master and Margarita  (Bulgakov) at the Gesher Theatre.  Lisyiansky won the Israeli Theatre Prize for Set Design in 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2001. For ten years, he served as the Chief Set Designer for Gesher Theatre in Tel Aviv. He teaches at the Tel Aviv University and The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His work is presented at The Prague Quadriennale" regularly.  In 1999, he was granted a UNESCO Prize for Space for Hamlet.

Howard Tsvi Kaplan, Costume Design

Howard just completed his fourteenth season as resident costume designer for The Sarasota Opera. Noted productions include The Crucible, Die Fledermaus, Attila, Les pêcheurs de perles, Hansel and Gretel, and L'elisir d'amore.

His recent endeavors include Man of La Mancha for the Olney Theatre (for which he was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award); Don Giovanni for Malabar Limited premiering at Fort Worth Opera; a new futuristic production of Madama Butterfly directed by John DeLancie of Star Trek fame for San Antonio Opera; Ernani for Opera Boston ; Mikado for Pittsburgh Public Theatre; Maria Stuarda, Siege of Corinth,and  La Boheme, for the Baltimore Opera; Werther, Le nozze di Figaro, and Rigoletto (Kentucky Opera), Pirates of Penzance (Cleveland Opera) ; and the world Premiere of Snapshots, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz for Virginia Stage Company.

Howard was the resident designer for the Alley Theatre, where he designed over 25 productions including the American premiere of …Henceforward, written and directed by Alan Ayckborn; and the Asolo Theatre where he created the costumes for 22 shows including the world premiere of Horton Foote’s Talking Pictures.
For twelve years Howard was the principal designer for Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Clown College. His clown renderings are part of the permanent display of circus design and history at The Ringling Museum of Art