Stephanie Sabin-Soprano

Stephanie Sabin, soprano, is excited to return to the Gallerie d'Art International concert series!  Additionally, she is pleased with her award of Second Place in the Soprano division in the California Opera Association's Vocal Competition this past December.  She has enjoyed singing roles such as Micaela and Frasquita in Bizet's Carmen and Paquette in Bernstein's Candide, as well as Laurie, (The Tender Land), Shandel, (Fiddler on the Roof), Lo-Tsen, (Lost Horizons), Euridice, (Orfeo ed Euridice), and Ida (Die Fledermaus). Other engagements have included Bach's Coffee Cantata with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and A Night at the Opera with the Inland Symphony Orchestra.  Ms. Sabin has been Soprano Soloist for Vivaldi's Gloria, Bach's Magnificat, Ralph Vaughn Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem, Mozart's Exultate, jubilate and Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, Brahms' Requiem, and Handel's Messiah. Ms. Sabin performs many concerts and recitals in the San Diego area, several with the San Diego Opera, including their 2005 Season announcement where she dazzled listeners with Musetta's “Quando m'en vo” (La Boheme), Adele's “Mein Herr Marquis” (Die Fledermaus) and Despina's “Una donna a quindici anni” (Cosi fan tutte)

Janelle DeStefano, mezzo-soprano 

A versatile performing artist, mezzo-soprano Janelle DeStefano is making her mark on regional operatic, orchestral and musical theater stages across the United States , performing with Ash Lawn Opera Festival in Virginia , Opera Festival of New Jersey, Westminster Opera Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, the Lyric Theatre of Santa Cruz, the Jarvis Zarzuela Festival in Napa California , and San Diego Opera.  A member of the San Diego Opera Ensemble from 2002-2005, Mrs. DeStefano sang the roles of Cinderella in an English adaptation of Rossini's La Cenerentola, and appeared as both Third Lady and Papagena in Mozart's The Magic Flute.  In 2004, Ms. DeStefano made her San Diego Opera debut as the Second Handmaiden in SDO's critically acclaimed production of Turandot.  During San Diego Opera's 2005 International Season she understudied the roles of Dorabella (Cosí fan tutte) and Erika (Vanessa).  Ms. DeStefano has won several vocal competitions including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, San Diego District, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, San Diego and the Musical Merit Foundation.  

Tom Oberjat, tenor

Mr. Oberjat has sung both lead and supporting roles with Hawaii Opera, Portland Opera and Orange County Lyric Opera. He also appeared in the Hollywood Bowl as a soloist with Los Angeles Philharmonic. Tom performs frequently with the La Jolla Symphony.  His vast repertoire includes Eisenstein and Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Oedipus in Oedipus Rex, Ferrando in Così Fan Tutte, Nerone in L’Incoronazione di Poppea, Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana, Gastone in La Traviata, The Duke and Borsa in Rigoletto, Rodrigo in Verdi’s Otello, Rodolfo in La Bohème, and Alfredo in La Traviata.  His education includes a B.S. in Biology (Caltech); M.S. in Neurophysiology (UCLA), the UCLA Opera Workshop and Music Academy of the West. 

David Marshman, baritone

David received his Master of Music degree in Vocal performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Since 1998, David has been performing regularly with the San Diego Opera, both in the chorus and in several roles on the main stage, including Friar John in Romeo and Juliet, Third noble in Lohengrin, Second Trojan Man in Idomemeo, the Notary in Don Pasquale and as the Herald in Otello. He has made several operatic, concert and recital appearances  throughout the United States, including performances with the Lake George Opera Festival, Cincinnati, and Albany, New York. David has appeared as a soloist in major choral and solo works, including Handel’s Messiah, Saul, Israel in Egypt; Bach’s St. John Passion, Christmas Oratorio, Magnificat, Cantatas No. 56, 82; Mozart's Coronation Mass, Requiem; Faure’s Requiem, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah, in which he performed the title role. He is now in his seventh year as a soloist/section leader at the Village Presbyterian Church in Rancho Santa Fe.

Janie Prim, Pianist

American accompanist Janie Prim is principal outreach pianist for San Diego Opera and is official accompanist for the Metropolitan Opera Auditions. She is widely recognized for her knowledge and interpretation of French Art Songs and is passionately involved with the discovery and performance of French Vocal Music. Ms. Prim is in demand for recitals throughout United States and Europe and has performed with Carol Neblett, Evelyn De la Rosa and Jacque Trussel, among others, and has recently made her Carnegie Hall Debut with mezzo Katherine Lundeen. She studied the art of accompanying with mentor George Trovillo and Mme. Gwendolyn Koldofsky, at the University of Southern California . She participated in master classes with Gerard Souzay, Elly Ameling. Dalton Baldwin, Norman Shelter and most recently, with Margo Garrett, where she won first place for Best Interpretation of a French Art Song. In addition to maintaining a private coaching studio, Ms. Prim is in her ninth year serving as Music Director and assistant conductor for Lyric Opera San Diego and is the organist at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church Poway, California.

Aleksandr Agamirzov - Tenor

Has appeared with opera companies throughout the Europe including Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Finland, Spain, Netherlands and Russia. His operatic performance experience includes roles as Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata, Canio in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, Count Almaviva in Rossini’s Barbiere di Sevilia, Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Edgardo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Eric in Wagner’s Der fliengende Holländer, Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and Lensky in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Aleksandr also enjoys concert and oratorio performances. He has appeared as a tenor soloist in Mozart’s Mass in C Minor and Requiem with La Jolla Symphony and Chorus, in operatic concert with Small Opera of  San Diego, San  Diego Lyceum Theater, Santa Barbara Theater, in  Orff’s Carmina Burana and Beethoven’s Letzer Satz der Neunten Simphonie with The State Symphony Orchestra of Lithuania and Spain Symphony and in Verdi’s Requiem with Amsterdam Concertgebouw. He received his MA in Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from Mikhail Glinka’s Conservatory of Music in Russia and made his debut as Lensky in Gorky Opera House. Aleksandr Agamirzov was a finalist of 2004 Vocal Competition in The New Jersey Alliance of Performing Artists and a 2nd place winner in International Vocal Competition San Francisco Concerto  Orchestra 1998.

Susana Poretsky – Mezzo Soprano

Susana a distinguished winner of the Placido Domingo Operalia Competition in 1998 was invited to sing a gala concert with the tenor in Japan . She most recently renewed her contract with Mr. Domingo when he engaged her to sing Suzuki in Madam Butterfly with Los Angeles Opera in 2004. Among the mezzo-soprano's other recent engagements in America are Pauline in Pique Dame with both Los Angeles Opera and Washington National Opera, the title role in Carmen with the Fort Worth Opera, and concert performances of Rimsky-Korsakoff ‘s Mlada with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony. In Europe, Ms. Poretsky was recently heard in performances of Franceska Zambello's production of Prokofiev's War and Peace at Paris Opera, as Adalgisa in Norma and Charlotte in Massenet's Werther at the Royal Opera in Stockholm , and the title role in Bizet's Carmen with Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels . Also active on the concert stage, Ms Poretsky has appeared with every major orchestra in Israel , performing most frequently with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

Timothy Todd Simmons, pianist

Timothy Todd Simmons is finishing his tenth season as the Chorus Master at San Diego Opera.  Some of the choruses which he has led for San Diego Opera include Romeo et Juliette, Falstaff, Un ballo in maschera, Il trovatore, Lohengrin, Faust, Aïda, Verdi’s Requiem, Rigoletto, Der fliegende Holländer, Fidelio, Norma, Otello, Turandot, Les pêcheurs de perles, Don Carlo, La Traviata, Simon Boccanegra, Lucia di Lammermoor, Carmen, Boris Godunov, and Samson et Dalila.  In addition to chorus mastering, he has assisted conductors such as Richard Bonynge, Edoardo Müller, John Fiore and Karen Keltner.  In 1998, Mr. Simmons was appointed Director of Music at Mission Hills United Church of Christ where he conducted such great choral pieces as Vivaldi’s Gloria and Magnificat, Schubert’s Mass in G, Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, Gounod’s St. Cecilia Mass, Respighi’s Laud to the Nativity, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Vaughan Williams’ Hodie, Faure’s Requiem, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, Mozart’s Davidde Penitente, Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors and Haydn’s Theresienmesse.  Most recently, he was appointed Music Director & Organist for Holy Cross Lutheran Church in San Diego.  Mr. Simmons made his debut with Pacem (Pacific Academy of Ecclesiastical Music) the Summer of 2003 conducting Mozart’s Mass in C minor.  Mr. Simmons graduated with honors with his Bachelor of Music degree from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, where he majored in Vocal Performance and minored in Piano.  He has a Master of Music degree from Indiana University, with minors in Vocal Performance and Opera Coaching.  At Indiana University Mr. Simmons also taught for two years as a Music Theory Assistant Instructor and served for one year as an Opera Coach/Rehearsal Pianist for the Indiana University Opera Theatre.  He was also and remains very active as a recital accompanist and vocal coach.  While maintaining a private coaching studio at IU, Mr. Simmons was a vocal coach and accompanist at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, for two years.  He also served as vocal coach and assistant conductor with the Des Moines Metro Opera.  Mr. Simmons is a member of Phi Kappa Phi—Honorary Academic Organization; Pi Kappa Lambda—National Music Honor Society; Phi Sigma Iota—International Foreign Language Honor Society; and Alpha Psi Omega--National Dramatic Arts Fraternity.

Kathleen Halm, soprano

Soprano Kathleen Halm has an extensive repertoire including the title roles in Tosca, Manon Lescaut, Madama Butterfly, Aïda, Anna Bolena and Norma, Mother in Amahl, Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello, Leonora’s in both Il Trovatore and La Forza del Destino, Violetta in La Traviata, Gilda in Rigoletto, Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, and Fiordiligi in Così Fan Tutte.  Starting her career in musical theatre, she performed many roles including the title role of Evita, Christine in Phantom of the Opera, and both Eponine and Fantine in Les Miserables.  Most recently she added the title role of Norma with the South Florida Opera.  Other recent additions included the roles of Princess Ida and Anna in The King and I, both with Lyric Opera San Diego.  Also an avid concert artists, Ms. Halm has performed the solo roles in Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Missa Solemnis, Mendelssohn’s St. Paul, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Faure’s Requiem, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Rossini’s Petite Messa Solenelle, Respighi’s Laud to the Nativity, and Vivaldi’s Gloria and Magnificat.  Her education includes theater, voice, piano, dance and acting.  She has been awarded 1st place in 2000, 1998, and 1997 at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions San Diego District.  Her reviews include: “Kathleen Halm has a beautiful voice with a range and intensity that expands as the role demanded. She uses her vocal instruments to its best ability and accompanied the huge sound with believable, powerful actions.  ‘Wow!’ was heard throughout the room.” (Wellington Town-Crier)  She also recently opening the 2006 International Summer Organ Festival where she is a regular performer. 

Irina Bessonova – Pianist

Irina was born in Russia and started her music education at age four in music school for gifted children. She continued the education in Kiev Conservatory, majoring in piano. Her teachers were the best in the country. Irina graduated with the following diplomas: soloist, accompanist and teacher. She was a participant in many competitions and festivals. Irina is the winner of “ Lusenko competition”. Irina had a lot of performances in Ukraine with famous Ukrainian singers, such as Victor Sportko, Russova and Prochorova. As a teacher and accompanist, Irina started her career at age 17. After graduation from conservatory she worked at a musical college named Glier until she moved to the USA in year 2002. In the USA , in San Diego , she had a lot of performances with great singers, such as Zacharenko Gutorovich, Alexandr Agamirzov, Suzanna Poretsky, etc. In year 2004, Irina worked in Small Opera of San Diego. She is also an active participant in international musical production of Broadway musical “Thief” that based on music of Vladimir Shainsky. In year 2006, her 6 years old student Ami Liu became a winner of the International Competition in San Jose . Currently Irina works at the California Institute of Music as a piano teacher and accompanist.