Opera Santa Barbara welcomed the arriving singers who have been selected as the 2018-19 Chrisman Studio Artists: Ashley Armstrong, Michael Killmorgen, Jennifer Lindsay and Yazid Gray.
They will be in residence from October-November and then January-May 2019. The singers will perform small roles and cover principal artists in the opera’s three mainstage productions this season, La Bohème (Nov. 9-11), Eugene Onegin (March 1-3) and The Crucible (April 26/28). They will also participate in a 25th anniversary gala event (January 26).
The studio artists are the backbone of OSB’s educational outreach programs, performing free noontime concerts throughout the Central Coast from Santa Maria to Thousand Oaks, and serving as the improvisational talent for the popular in-school opera workshop called Opera Lab designed for 3-6th grade classes in schools throughout the area.
Soprano Jennifer Lindsay joins the Chrisman Studio Artist Program for Opera Santa Barbara’s 2018/19 season, covering Tatiana in Eugene Onegin and both Mimì and Musetta in La bohème, and singing Mary Warren in The Crucible. Prior to joining Opera Santa Barbara, she will make her role debut as Mimi in La bohème with Opera Connecticut.
Tenor Michael Kollmorgen, has been performing since he was seven years old as a member of the The Tulsa Boy Singers. He attended Oklahoma State University, where among many productions he sang the role of Rodolfo in La Bohème. Michael attended the University of Houston for his graduate studies, earning a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance this past May.
Mezzo-soprano Ashley Kay Armstrong makes her Opera Santa Barbara debut as Olga in Eugene Onegin as a member of the Chrisman Studio Artist program. This past season she was a Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre Young Artist, and sang
in Brigadoon and Turandot. She was also an Apprentice Artist with Sarasota Opera and sang in the world premiere of Cosmic Ray and the Amazing Chris with Thompson Street Opera.
Baritone Yazid Gray is a recent graduate of University of Michigan where he received his Master’s in Vocal Performance. While there, he performed in several mainstage productions including the premiere of William Bolcom’s newest opera, Dinner at Eight.
For more information about the studio artist residence program, auditions and schedules for appearances please visit the Opera Santa Barbara website operasb.org.
