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Marion Roose Pullin Arizona Opera Studio

Marion Roose Pullin Arizona Opera Studio Artists 2023/24 Season

 

In residence all season, Studio Artists can be seen performing on both our main stage and throughout Arizona. The Studio also provides well-rounded, personalized instruction that propels each artist to the next level. These opportunities help bridge the gap between academic studies and a professional career.

 

2023/24 Studio Artists
 


Peter Barber

Peter Barber, bass-baritone

1st Year Studio Artist
Sponsored by Marlu Allan and Scott Stallard 

Education: The Academy of Vocal Arts
Recent Engagements: While at AVA, Barber performed numerous roles, including; the title role in Don Giovanni, Schaunard in La Bohème, and Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin. This summer, Barber will be returning to Music Academy of the West to perform Colline in La Bohème with Daniela Candillari conducting. Other role highlights include Escamillo in Carmen, Bottom in Midsummer Night's Dream, and Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro. Outside of the opera world, Barber has a successful YouTube channel with over 100,000 subscribers, and is a member of a four-person bass singing group called The Bass Gang.

 


Brad Bickhardt

Brad Bickhardt, tenor

2nd Year Studio Artist
Sponsored by Alan and Linda Englander, and Ole and Teri Thienhaus

Education: Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Recent Engagements: 2021-22 appearances have included filming Stone Soup for Tri-Cities Opera, appearing in recital with Chelsea Opera and Maryland Opera, and as a guest artist at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory. Bickhardt has previously appeared with Opera Saratoga in their critically acclaimed production of Man of La Mancha under the baton of Broadway conductor, Laura Bergquist, as well as in Opera Naples’ productions of West Side Story and La Traviata.

 


Lauren Cook

Lauren Cook, mezzo-soprano

2nd Year Studio Artist
Sponsored by Drs. Tom and Ginger Collier

Education: Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Louisiana State University
Recent Engagements: Cook made her company debuts with Painted Sky Opera performing Hannah After in the Oklahoma Premiere of Laura Kaminsky’s As One, Opera Saratoga performing Antonia in Man of La Mancha, and Virginia Opera performing Wellgunde in Das Rheingold. She was most recently seen performing Edwin the Avatar/Eddie in the film version of Frances Pollock’s Earth to Kenzie.

 

 


Véronique Filloux

Véronique Filloux, soprano

2nd Year Studio Artist
Sponsored by Ron and Kay McDougall

Education: University of Maryland and Northwestern University
Recent Engagements: As a Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist, Filloux held roles in The Magic FluteThe Rose ElfCarmenCosì fan tutteCharlie Parker’s Yardbird, and Semele. She performed with Des Moines Metro Opera as L’Amour/La Folie (cover) in Rameau’s Platée and returns in Summer 2022 as Peaseblossom/Tytania (cover) in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other recent engagements include a recital with Musicians Club of Women and her scheduled debut with Raylynmor Opera as Nannetta in Falstaff, which was canceled due to COVID-19.

 


Yazid Gray

Yazid Gray, baritone

1st Year Studio Artist
Sponsored by Roma Wittcoff

Education: University of Michigan and DePauw University
Recent Engagements: In 2022/23, Gray debuted with Intermountain Opera Bozeman as Homecoming Soldier in The Falling and the Rising, Madison Opera as Sam in Trouble in Tahiti, and the New Mexico Philharmonic in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. In summer of 2023, Gray joined the Opera Theatre of St. Louis singing the role of Luddud, covering Zodzetrick, Simon, and Parson Alltalk in Treemonisha, and covering Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte. He also appeared as the baritone soloist in Letters from Lincoln with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. In the 2023/24 season, Gray joined Arizona Opera as a Studio Artist where he will appear as Mercutio in Roméo & Juliette and as George Armstrong in Intimate Apparel, and will return to Madison Opera as Ophémon in Joseph Bologne’s The Anonymous Lover.

 


Emerson Haven

Emerson Haven, assistant stage director

1st Year Studio Artist
Sponsored by Shoshana B. Tancer and Helen S. Pierson

Education: Florida State University
Recent Engagements: Emerson Haven is a Stage Director and Assistant Director of Theatre and Opera originally from the foothills of Appalachia. Haven is a 2023 graduate of Florida State University where he received a Masters in Opera Stage Directing and has a particular love for new works and baroque opera. When not directing or assisting, he is active as an arts educator and creator of his own work, performing in his one man show Voicing Home. He is honored to be making his Arizona Opera debut working on what is perhaps Mozart’s greatest masterpiece and would like to thank his family and friends for their support.

 

 


Kihwa Kim

Kihwa Kim, pianist

3rd Year Studio Artist
Sponsored by Matt and Ann Melsheimer

Education: University of Texas at Austin, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Chonnam National University
Recent Engagements: Dayton Opera, First Coast Opera, Chonnam National University (Gwangju, South Korea), Knoxville Opera, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and Kangsookja Opera Line (Gwangju, South Korea). She received the Vocal Piano Fellowship Award (2017, 2018) and the Opera NEO (2019) at Music Academy of the West.

 

 


Arizona Opera’s Marion Roose Pullin Opera Studio is made possible through the support of: Marlu Allan and Scott Stallard, Roma Wittcoff, Tom and Ginger Collier, Alan and Linda Englander, Ron and Kay McDougall, Matt and Ann Melsheimer, Ole and Teri Thienhaus, Shoshana B. Tancer, Helen Pierson, and a consortium of individual donors. 

If you are passionate about continuing the traditions of opera for the next generation, this is your opportunity! For more information about supporting this program, or to inquire about sponsoring an apprentice, contact Ashley Parks at 602.218.7337 or aparks@azopera.org.