PETER WING HEALEY, Writer / Composer
Peter Wing Healey is the founder and artistic director of The Mesopotamian Opera Company. Mr. Healey has presented his original operas in New York City and in Los Angeles, where he now lives and works. Mr. Healey's over forty-year career includes a long and illustrious association with The Mark Morris Dance Group, both as a performer and rehearsal director, and he appeared in the PBS Great Performances production of Mr. Morris' innovative version of The Nutcracker, The Hard Nut. In addition, Mr. Healey worked on The White Oak Project with Mikhail Baryshnikov and has been balletmaster on the John Adams/Peter Sellars opera Nixon in China from its inception at the Houston Grand Opera, Mr. Healey's lauded productions have received support from American Opera Projects, The Gilman Foundation, The Noah Wyle Foundation, The Center for the Arts, The Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and The James Irvine Foundation.
The Mesopotamian Opera Company
Making original, narrative Lyric Theater since 1985, Mesopotamian Opera Company is a nonprofit organization dedicated to further the teaching and employment, in live performance, of expressive performing arts techniques. The goal is to create work, employment when possible, and contemporary context for the arts of dance, song, recitation and role playing, and all the attendant arts; stage design, music composition, choreography, lighting design, conducting, playing of musical instruments and directing. This goal supports the infrastructure of teachers and coaches, university and college departments, that every year turn out aspiring talent in the field of live, expressive performing arts by laboring to provide another delivery platform for the many years of work and dedication represented in the lyric population.
XAVIER PRADO, Benissimo
Xavier Prado, tenor, a native of Chile and winner of both the Audience Choice Award and one of the top three prizes at the 2022 Palms Springs Opera Guild Vocal Competition. Currently a finalist at 2023 Pasadena Vocal Competition, a semifinalist at the Loren L. Zachary Competition, and winner of the 2019-20 Beverly Hills National Auditions. Praised for his “truly stunning acting and vocals”, Mr. Prado has starred in leading roles in a number of new works and world premiers such as Don Quixote in the opera Dulcinea XL by celebrated composer Juan Colomer in January of 2019, under maestro Ignazio Terrasi and the Los Angeles Grand Ensemble. In 2018 he made his film debut with the lead role in an American television miniseries with a release date still to be determined. Mr. Prado performed the role of Ruodi in Guillaume Tell with opera Southwest, which was broadcast across the United States. As a Studio Artist in Sarasota Opera, he performed as Le Premier Commissaire in Poulenc's Les Dialogues des Carmélites, as well as dozens of concerts and lead role covers. At Opera San Jose he sang roles in Le Nozze di Figaro and Streetcar Named Desire, as well as the role of Lindoro in L'Italiana in Algeri. Other performances include the leading roles in Don Pasquale with Pocket Opera, Fidelio with the Palisades Symphony, Die Zauberflöte with Guild Opera Company, Rigoletto with Pacific Lyric Opera, and La Bohѐme with Ridgecrest Opera Guild and the Palisades Symphony. Mr. Prado was the tenor soloist for a tour of Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Rousse Philharmonic Orchestra in Bulgaria. As a soloist, he has performed with and collaborated in a wide range of repertoire with different companies including such as the Opera Buffs, California Philharmonic, Golden State Pops Orchestra, Opera Chorus of Los Angeles & the Dream Orchestra, Livermore Valley Opera, Santa Barbara Choral Society, Cameretta of Los Angeles, Antelope Valley Symphony and Master Chorale, Ridgecrest Opera Guild, Pacific Palisades Symphony, and Opera en Castellano. Mr. Prado sang the leading role in Gounod's Romeo et Juliette with the Pacific Lyric Association in their Fall 2019 season, followed by a recital series through the Consortium of Music Presenters of Southern California he presented until February 2020. His last public appearance for that year was in March as the tenor soloist for Beethoven's 9th Symphony at The Soraya Hall with the CSUN Symphony and a grand union of chorales. In late 2021 he made his return to the post-pandemic opera stage in Il Barbiere di Siviglia as Count Almaviva with the Huntington Beach Symphony & in the title role in Rimsky-Korsakov's Kaschey The Deathless with Independent Opera Company. Other recent performances include the title role in Gounod's Faust with Huntington Beach Symphony & Romeo in Gounod's Romeo et Juliette with in a joint production between Mission Opera & VOPA. Some upcoming performances following this show, will bring him back to the role of Romeo in Romeo et Juliette with the Lyric Opera of Orange County, and The Prince in Independent Opera's production of Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges. On the side of his music career, he is a passionate motorcycle enthusiast and violinist. He is heavily involved in the non-profit sector, currently serving as executive director of the Family Rescue Center in Canoga Park, CA.
BROOKE IVA LOHMAN, Belinda
Hailed as “witty, adorable, and one to watch” (Singerpreneur), soprano Brooke Iva Lohman is an active recitalist and performer throughout California. Lauded for her clear, high range, crisp, clean fioritura, and moving character portrayals, she is quickly gaining attention as an adept interpreter of some of the most demanding coloratura repertoire for soprano. Ms. Lohman has sung with many Southern California opera companies, including LA Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Pacific Opera Project, Glendale Opera, Orange County Opera, Mission Opera, Independent Opera, and Pacific Lyric Association. Notable performances include Brigitta (Iolanta), Dew Fairy (Hansel and Gretel), Frasquita (Carmen), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Monica (The Medium), the title role in the West Coast premiere of Rimsky-Korsakov's Snow Maiden (Snegúrochka), Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), Olympia (Les contes d'Hoffmann), Atalanta (Serse), and Madame Goldentrill (Der Schauspieldirektor). No stranger to the modern repertoire, Brooke has performed the works of local composers. Most recently, she performed the role of Ticie Pruett in Nathan Wang's On Gold Mountain with LA Opera Connects at the Huntington Library's Chinese Gardens. In Winter of 2020, she sang "Activist One" in the premiere of Andrew Leggett's opera scene, "You may forget but let me tell you this: someone in some future time will think of [...]" an opera in stolen quotations, inspired by the life and work of Valerie Solanas. She was also set to premiere the lead role in Peter Wing Healey's The Tree, with Mesopotamian Opera (COVID cancellation). Ms. Lohman's upcoming performances include Gilda (Rigoletto), her international operatic debut in Berlin singing Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos), Servilia (La clemenza di Tito), and returning to LA Opera Connects to sing in their community outreach performance of Who Wants to Be an Opera Singer? at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Brooke was named a finalist in the Music International Grand Prix for 2022 and was the CalWestern Region Winner for the 2020 NATS Artist Awards competition, receiving the Irvin Bushman Award. She is a recipient of the Anna Sosenko Assist Trust grant, the Opera Buffs grant, the Opera Guild of Southern California scholarship, the Northridge Arts Council scholarship, and is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda. She received a MM in Vocal Performance from California State University, Northridge, a BM in Vocal Performance from California Baptist University. She lives in beautiful Pasadena, CA with her husband and three cats (Freddie, Felix, and Lili).
JESSICA MAMEY, Sister Flavia
(mezzo-soprano), performs a variety of musical styles from Cabaret to Classical. She has been noted for her wide dramatic and musical range, bringing a “gorgeous mezzo soprano voice that is crisp and clear” (Stage and Cinema). She enthusiastically digs into new musical compositions, leading to her Long Beach Opera Debut as the District Attorney in Anthony Davis’ Pulitzer Prize winning Central Park 5. This past year, she debuted with Lyric Opera of Orange County (LOOC) in the title role of Bizet’s Carmen and had a role debut as Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Opera a la Mode. Her 2023 engagements include Edka in Jake Heggie’s Two Remain with LOOC, The Gingerbread Witch in Pacific Opera Project's upcoming production of Hansel and Gretel, and originating the role of Sister Flavia in The Italian Lesson by local composer Peter Wing Healey.
Ms. Mamey graduated from Occidental College where she studied with Scott Blois and continues now with Joann Zajac.
NORGE YIP
Norge Yip has been a featured soloist with Southeast Symphony, Inspiravi, Camerata Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley Master Chorale, Burbank Chorale, San Gabriel Valley Choral Company, University Campus Choir, and Claremont Chorale. He has been involved in many ensembles throughout Southern California as well as recordings for albums, video game/television/movie soundtracks, studio demos, and premiere performances for composers such as William V. Malpede, David Avshalomov, Ken Neufeld, Eric Whitacre, and Morten Lauridsen. He has toured internationally and performed at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Carnegie Hall, St. Peter's in London, St. Patrick's in Dublin, and many of the chateaux throughout the Loire Valley in France. Norge has been seen most recently on stage as The Imperial Commissioner in Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, The Dungeon Master in Comic-Con: The Musical: The Workshop, and on television on Chris Hardwick's @midnight, and on Masters of Illusion. Previous stage credits include performances with Pacific Opera Project, The Society of Revolutionary Operettists, El Dorado Opera, Lyric Opera of Los Angeles, Long Beach Opera, Emerald Opera Festival, La Bella Voce Opera, and Los Angeles Opera Orchestra.
BRITTA STERLING
Britta Sterling is a Los Angeles based soprano, who has performed in operas and operettas with various companies around Los Angeles; including with Independent Opera Company, Mission Opera, Glendale Centre Theater, Opera en Castellano, Cal State Los Angeles Opera Theater, Celestial Opera Company, and CSU Northridge Opera Theater. She has performed as a featured soprano soloist and chorister with the Roger Wagner Chorale on their Goodwill Heritage Tour of Japan and South Korea. Britta graduated from CSU Northridge with a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance.
STEVE MORITSUGU
In 2023, Steve “Mor” Moritsugu, has sung the role of Tybalt with Lyric Opera of OC and Cal Baptist U and originated the role of Mr Li in the world premier workshop of a new Musical called Shanghai World Emporium by Nathan Wang. In the past 10 years, he has sung Otello with Vineyard Touring Opera & orchestra; Yamadori with Pacific Opera Project; Faust, Prince Ramiro, Radames, Cavaradossi, Don Carlo, Don Ottavio, and Manrico with Repertory Opera in Pomona; Ferrando, Alfredo, Lt Pinkerton, Count Almaviva, Tamino, Radames, Don Carlo, Rodolfo, and Manrico with LA Metropolitan Opera. In concert, he has been the soloist for Messiah, Beethoven 9th, and Wagner scenes. He has sung with Long Beach Opera, Landmark Opera, Mesopotamian Opera, Intimate Opera, Newport Theatre Arts Center, Mission Opera, Valley Opera & Perf Arts and LA Opera Connects.
ANDI DANA
Andi Dana (she/themme) is a singer and voice teacher born and raised in unceded Kizh and Tongva territories, or Southern California. Recently, Andi had the honor to perform in the west coast premiere of Jake Heggie’s Two Remain as Manfred. Andi has gone on to interpret classic and modern operatic roles in gender expansive ways, which began in The Mesopotamian Opera’s production of The Tree, performing as Red, Buck, and a cameo role of a trans Movie Star! She has gone on to interpret the Duke (now Duchess) in Lyric Opera of Orange County’s Romeo et Juliette, also participating as a super in Pacific Symphony’s production of Rigoletto. Previous performances include: Leporello in Independent Opera’s Don Giovanni, Colline in Guild Opera’s La Boheme, and the Sharpless cover in LOOC’s Madama Butterfly. Andi specializes in teaching singing to trans and gender non-conforming people who may experience dysphoria or discomfort from their voice. For more info, visit empoweredidentityvoicestudio.com.
RACHEL FELSTEIN
ERIC CASTRO, Giorgio Cantaricci
Eric performed the title role of DON GIOVANNI in the recent Mission Opera production extravaganza at Canyon Performing Arts Center. At Walt Disney Concert Hall, Eric was “Javert” in scenes from Les Miz with California Philharmonic; and also at WDCH, Eric was a soloist in Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic. Eric recently performed in a series of concerts with the CalPhil producer Marya Basaraba, which spanned Mozart, Bizet, Rogers & Hammerstein, Bernstein, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. And at the The Wallis Annenberg Center Eric was “Emile de Becque” in SOUTH PACIFIC highlights.
KENWA NEWELL
Directing: "Richard III", " A Midsommer Night's Dream" , "Much AdoAbout Nothing", " Don Giovanni" ( ass't director) & "The Path of the Peaceful Warrior". Performance Roles: The Nurse in "Romeo & Juliet", Ceres in " The Tempest", The Queen in "Cymbelline", Lewis in " The Life & Death of King John", Blunt & various battlefield soldiers in "Henry IV Part One", Julia in " Two Gentlemen of Verona."Medea in Euripides' " Medea", Eve in "Paradise Lost", Lucy in "The Ballad of Black Jack", The Poetic Incarnation of Rumi in "Rumi - Path to Enlightenment", & the Naqqali in " Zal & Rudabeh"-a traveling storyteller, in which she embodies 12 different characters, The Executioner in "Paheliyan- The Story of Alice", The Hindu Priest in " Khel", and "Pippin" . Contortionists roles on " Liv & Maddie", " Austin & Ally" and "Parks & Recreation". Opera:" L'elisir d'Amore ", " Carmen", " La Boheme", " Die Zauberflote", Don Giovanni and " Moses" with LA Opera. Dance & Fighr Choreography- "Oklahoma", "Paheyliyan", 'Henry IV Part One", "Romeo & Juliet", "Richard III, "A Midsommer Night's Dream", "The Tempest", "Carmen", "Don Giovanni", "The Path of the Peaceful Warrior", "Much Ado About Nothing". Film: co- executive producer on " Son of the South" ( executive producer Spike Lee) Film acting highlights include Sibyl in " The Outcast of Camelot" series and herself in " Justin Case- You're Famous!"
MARCO ANTONIO LOZANO
Marco is an experienced soloist with a demonstrated history of working in the music industry. Skilled in Opera, Cross-over, Musical Theatre, Choral, Theatre, and Chamber Music. Marco is a strong arts professional with a Master of Music degree obtained at The University of Southern California. Marco is currently engaged as Macduff in Macbeth, with Kammeroper Frankfurt, Germany and tours regularly with his partner Christa Marie Stevens, soprano.
JAMES LENT
Dr. James Lent is a native of Houston where he attended the Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and the University of Houston. Since completing his Doctor of Musical Arts from Yale, Dr. Lent has been based in Los Angeles. Once there, Dr. Lent held a teaching fellowship in collaborative piano. Dr. Lent is currently on the faculty of UCLA as the head of collaborative piano and vocal coaching for the music department, and as coordinator of staff pianists, a resident vocal coach, and musical director at AMDA, the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Hollywood. Dr. Lent has also served on the summer faculty at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara as a pianist and opera coach for the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and the Napa Music Festival.
Dr. Lent frequently performs throughout Southern California and recently in venues including the Beverly Hills Hilton, House of Blues, LA Live, and the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Dr. Lent has been featured as a pianist in Cabaret, Chicago, Chess, A Chorus Line, The Fantasticks, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Oklahoma.
He was a music director and musical performer in productions of Spamilton, Grease, Little Shop of Horrors, Sweet Charity, Willy Wonka, West Side Story, Seussical, AMDA's Toonsical, Rent, and for the LA Stage Star Competition.
Dr. Lent made his Alabama Symphony debut to critical acclaim performing Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 2 on 24 hours' notice to replace Andre Watts. Dr. Lent has performed with the renowned Paris-based Ensemble Intercontemporain under the direction of Pierre Boulez in a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall, and his performances have been heard on National Public Radio. Dr. Lent has performed with the Vancouver Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Shanghai Philharmonic, the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, the Utah Symphony and the Florida West Coast Symphony, among others, and as solo recitalist at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, the Schleswig-Holstein Festival in Germany, for the National Chopin Foundation in Miami, at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where he premiered a new work written for him by American composer Frederic Rzewski.
Dr. Lent has received numerous awards from the New York Concert Artists Guild International Competition, the National Chopin Competition, the Washington International Piano Competition at the Kennedy Center, the Olga Koussevitsky Piano Competition in New York, and the Houston Symphony Ima Hogg National Young Artist Competition. Dr. Lent was a fellowship recipient at the Aspen Music Festival, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, the Sarasota Music Festival, and the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, where he studied with Jerome Lowenthal. For more info about Dr. James Lent: https://www.jameslent.com/
CELESTE PENA, violin
Celeste Peña is a violinist from Northern California. She works as the Licensing Manager at Accidental Entertainment, a sync licensing company based in LA, and as a Teaching Artist for YOLA at the LA Phil. Celeste is an accomplished freelance violinist and has played numerous recording sessions and has performed in Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Sydney Opera House, and the Vatican. She is a graduate of UCLA’s school of music.
