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Lynne Hayden-Findlay (co-founder/co-producer) pursued a diverse business career (advertising sales and fundraising) before returning to music in 1991. She made her operatic debut as an Aztec God in Darius Milhaud's Christoph Colomb with Brooklyn College Opera Theater and went on to sing several roles at Amato Opera including Nannetta, Susanna, Zerlina, Oscar, Musetta, and Adele. She premiered Dan Welcher's Vox Femina in Europe (1995) and New York City (2000). With Operafestival di Roma, she sang Suor Genovieffa (Suor Angelica) and Erste Dame (Pamina cover) in Die Zauberflöte. She was an ensemble member with Opera Orchestra, joined San Diego Opera for Verdi's Requiem in May 2001, and sang Barber?s Knoxville, Summer of 1915 with West Islip Symphony in 2002. Before retiring from singing, Ms. Hayden-Findlay had been the soprano soloist for St. Paul?s Episcopal Church (Riverside, CT), for twelve years. In the 90s, she produced several concerts as a founding member of Colla Voce. That plus her business acumen has sustained her as a co-founder and co-producer of Chelsea Opera where she oversees a variety of tasks, including fund raising and grants, list management, public relations, and scheduling. During most productions, she can often be found both designing costumes and directing (Don Giovanni, The Scarf/The Bear, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Le Nozze di Figaro). She holds a B.A. in Theatre from SUNY/New Paltz where she directed and choreographed several productions, and earned an MBA with Distinction from Pace University. In 2002 she became as a certified English-as-a-second language trainer and continues to teach new immigrant populations. |
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Leonarda Priore (co-founder/co-producer) (mezzo-soprano) whose primary loves are singing and performing, also enjoys the "behind the scenes" hands on of each production. Most productions will find her creativity being directed also to prop design where she magically helps to design and supply whatever props are needed. Wearing many hats is a pre-qualifier for the position of co-founder and co-producer where Lee handles the graphic design of the company and acts in the capacity of webmaster to name a few of the many jobs she tends to. She has co-directed the company's first production of Suor Angelica and has assisted in directing at Central Florida Lyric Opera's Le Nozze di Figaro and Carmen. Her roles include Santuzza (Cavalleria Rusticana), Zita (Gianni Schicchi), La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica), Katisha (The Mikado), Maddalena (Rigoletto), Marcellina (Le Nozze di Figaro), Lady Jane (Patience), Witch (Hänsel and Gretel), Augusta (The Ballad of Baby Doe), Dame Quickly (Falstaff), Mother/Grandmother (Little Red Riding Hood) and the title role of Carmen. Companies include Mohawk Valley Opera, Regina Opera, Rockland Opera, Silver Dollar Opera, Central Florida Lyric Opera, New Rochelle Opera, American Singers Opera Project to name a few. In 2002 Leonarda debuted at Carnegie Hall as the soloist in Mozart's Coronation Mass and has returned to the Weill Hall stage twice to date. Musical Theater credits include Nettie (Carousel), Mother Abbess (The Sound of Music), and Fanny Brice (Funny Girl). She also has appeared Off Off Broadway in Pearl Cleage's Hospice performing as Suzuki and Billie Holiday. Leonarda has extensive oratorio credits in addition to performances in the jazz genre. |
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Carmine Aufiero (music director/conductor) made his New York conducting debut with Chelsea Opera's Suor Angelica and has led performances of Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci and Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors which was performed in New York and Los Angeles to rave reviews. A New Jersey native, he became assistant conductor to New Jersey's Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea under Alphonse Stephenson in 1999, conducting at the Festival of the Atlantic, the Trenton War Memorial and in 2001 at Carnegie Hall. In opera, Maestro Aufiero conducted the premiere of Kyle Gann's Cinderella's Bad Magic in St. Petersburg, Russia. The summer of 2003, he was engaged as pianist and assistant conductor for the American Symphony Orchestra's production of Janacek's Osud under Maestro Leon Botstein. Mr. Aufiero studied orchestral conducting with Harold Farberman and composition theory and improvisation with Robert Abramson. He has been a guest conductor with Regina Opera for Die Fledermaus, and conducted Espresso Opera's second production, Rigoletto. Maestro Aufiero has acted as conductor for El Dorado Opera in Los Angeles and is on the faculty of Martina Arroyo's Prelude to Performance program. He recently made his debut as guest conductor in Dicapo Opera Theater's production of Beauty and the Beast. |
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Julie Kostrey (volunteer coordinator).
With significant professional experience supporting established and emerging artists realize their performance dreams at New York City’s most prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, and Lincoln Center; Julie Kostrey joined Chelsea Opera in November 2009. In her capacity as coordinator, Julie has assumed responsibility for projects relating to funding opportunities, publicity, and venue scouting, as well as her most recent assignment coordinating volunteers for the company. Julie cherishes being a part of this powerhouse organization that consistently exceeds all expectation through the hard work, originality, artistry, and passion of its founders, performers, and volunteers, and is likewise inspired by the “melodious thunder” that exists in us all. |
| Resident Production Staff |
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Garry Ianco (orchestra contractor/violin), a New Jersey native, holds a BM from Mason Gross of the Arts at Rutgers University, an MA in String Studies from New York University, and a diploma from L’Ecole Americian in Fontainebleau, France . Garry's teachers have included Dr. Jerome Landsman, Matthew Reichert, Oscar Ravina, Neil Weintrob, and Alexi Galperine. Garry has also had masterclasses and chamber music study with Ani Kavafian, Glenn Dictorow, Gunther Schuller, Herre-Jan Stegenga, Phillipe Entremont, and Lucie Robert. He is an active freelance violinist performing as orchestra contractor and concertmaster of Chelsea Opera, co-concertmaster of the New Jersey Philharmonic, concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra-of-the- Bronx, principal second violin of the Montclair Chamber Ensemble, and assistant concertmaster of the Staten Island Philharmonic. Garry is also a first violinist at the Santo Domingo Music Festival, as an official guest of the United States Embassy. As a chamber musician, Garry is a member of the Muse String Quartet, Blue Iris Trio, and the Monmouth Chamber Players. As a soloist, Garry has appeared with the Montclair Chamber Ensemble, New Jersey State Youth Orchestra, Tappen Zee Music Festival, New Jersey Philharmonic, and the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra. |
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Michael Megliola (resident lighting designer), continues to lend his talents in light design to Chelsea Opera! NYC highlights include Hell's Kitchen, The Musical (Hudson Guild), Follies and Some Enchanted Evening (St. Bart's Players), The Scarf/The Bear, and The Ballad of Baby Doe (Chelsea Opera), What is to be Dead? (Castillo Theatre), and Dance at Bataan (Phare Play Productions). He was a Production Assistant on God of Carnage ( Jacobs Theatre), Mary Stuart (Broadhurst Theatre) and The Consequences (Williamstown Theatre Festival) where in 2009 he was a part of their Lighting Design Internship Program. |
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Sean Tribble (resident set designer), whose career began in Dallas, Texas and now extends from Santa Fe to the Czech Republic to New York City where he now resides. He is proud to the the resident set designer at Chelsea Opera. He has designed productions for Chelsea Opera including: The Ballad of Baby Doe and The Scarf/The Bear, Suor Angelica and Amahl and the Night Visitors . Other credits include set and costume design for Love, Inc. (Roper Theatre), The Lesson (Riverside Theatre) and Illuminating Veronica (Atlas Theatre); set design for Carmen (Oswego Opera), The Boy in the Basement (NYFF), Because of Beth (Small Pond Productions), and Like Love (NYMF); costume designer for Boston Marriage (20% Theatre Company), A Time to be Born (NYFF), CID (Divadlo Sedum A Pul, Czech Republic). Other credits include associate costume design for The Philanthropist (American Airlines Theatre), Shlomo, the musical (Safra Hall), and The Overwhelming (Laura Pels). Mr. Tribble graduated from NYU with an M.F.A. in set and costume design. |
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Robert J. Saferstein (resident production photographer)
Is thrilled to return to Chelsea Opera after working on Suor Angelica and Amahl and the Night Visitors. Originally from Akron, Ohio, Saferstein currently works in New York City as a Photographer, Composer, Art Director, Property Master, and Web Designer. In addition to his work as Resident Production Photographer, Saferstein’s theatrical production credits include: Broadway: All About Me (Ad Campaign), Race, Superior Donuts, Reasons to be Pretty, Hair, Blithe Spirit, You’re Welcome America, Speed-the-Plow, and August: Osage County (B’way & Nat’l Tour). Off-B’Way: Still Life (MCC), The Last Smoker in America (NYMF), The Wiz (City Center Encores!), and Damn Yankees (City Center Encores!). His photographic versatility has also led him to cover President Obama’s Inauguration, international photo essays, editorial spreads, fashion, and fine art photography. Robert’s photographs have been featured in a number of textbooks and international publications including The New York Times, and his works have been exhibited in The AAF Contemporary Art Fair and are currently held in private collections that include Barclay’s Capital Bank. In 2006 his musical score was featured in the sold-out NYMF production of Oedipus For Kids! (Samuel French). In film, Saferstein is a proud member of IATSE’s Local 44 union in Los Angeles, and recent projects include The Second Bakery Attack, directed by Carlos Cuaron and starring Kirsten Dunst; Beware the Gonzo (2010 Tribeca Film Festival); and TiMER (2009 Tribeca Film Festival). In 2009, Saferstein was hired as the Creative Director of Broadway’s marketing and advertising website, Broadway’s Best Shows. Saferstein also designed the websites for the Broadway plays Superior Donuts, by Tracy Letts, and Race, by David Mamet. Robert holds a BFA in Photography & Imaging from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he also completed graduate coursework in the Interactive Telecommunications Program. www.robertjsaferstein.com
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