Performers

Roslino Lo Duca, a native of Cinisi in the province of Palermo, out of his deep love for the Sicilian customs and language and his passion for the music of Vincenzo Bellini. Dino Valle, co-founder of BELLINI OPERA, with more than 35 years of operatic experience, has founded the Italian Opera Co, The Verdi Opera Theatre of Michigan, The Statue of Enrico Caruso Society, the Dearborn Opera, and the SWF Italian Opera Society.   Mr. Valle feels privileged to be a part of the inauguration of BELLINI OPERA, and is looking forward to presenting many concerts and recitals to new operatic audiences.

          Jacqueline Csurgai-Schmitt, a native of Dearborn, began playing the piano at age three. Piano lessons began at the Detroit Conservatory at age 5 and she won many local and state competitions before playing her senior recital from high school at the Detroit Institute of Arts. A cum laude graduate of the Honors College at Michigan State University, she studied piano performance with Joseph Evans & Henry Harris. As an undergraduate, she performed as piano soloist on the Kellogg Concert Series, the University of Windsor Concert Series, and with the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra. She received a Masters of Music degree in piano performance from Indiana University studying with Menahem Pressler, renowned pianist of the Beaux Arts Trio. Ms. Csurgai-Schmitt was on the piano faculty of George Mason University while continuing a performance career in Washington, D.C. A founding member of the Cosmos Camerata, she performed at the Cosmos Club, the Phillips Gallery and the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

            Ms. Csurgai-Schmitt was honored by the Dearborn Council of the Arts and the Mayor’s Office with the 1998 Artist/Performers Award and has received the Commemorative Award of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution from the Hungarian Freedom Fighters Association for her performances and artistic contributions to Hungarian-American culture both in metro Detroit and in Windsor.

Eva Evola, soprano

A graduate of Columbia University of Chicago, with a BSA in Fine Arts.  Eva has studied with renowned Tenor, George Shirley; Susan Acton, of Michigan Opera; and  Italian Coach, Dino Valle.  Eva’s passion for singing and her untiring work in pursuing her development in various operatic roles since her debut with the Verdi Opera in 2004 have already earned her much praise and significant rewards.  Eva’s unique voice and expressive stage presence  were evident in her role of Adina in Donizetti’s L’ Elisir d’Amore with Verdi Opera in 2005.  In addition, she performed with distinction at the Detroit Opera House with the Michigan Opera Theatre, in the roles of Clotilde in Bellini’s Norma and Kate Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madam Butterfly.  She recently performed with La Scala Opera Ensemble along with Grammy Award Winner Basso, Michael Pertusi and Verdian Baritone, Dino Valle.  Eva was nominated the winning artist of the year, receiving the Metropolitan Detroit Music Award.  Most recently she performed for two concerts with the Bellini Opera Theatre at the Italian Cultural Center and the Lexington Music Theatre.  She has performed with the world renowned, Joseph Calleja.  Most recently, she sang as Countess Ceprano in MOTS production of Rigoletto. Upcoming events include, Tribute to Mario Lanza at the LMT on August 14 and the Traverse City Opera, on October 28.

Born in Latvia and a graduate of the Moscow Collegiate Academy of Art's Department of Music Theatre, Elena performed with the Moscow Modern Opera Theatre before immigrating to the United States in 1994 and becoming an American citizen. Her distinctive voice covers a wide-ranging repertoire. She has been featured in concerts in Europe as well as with various music organizations in the Detroit metropolitan area. Recent performances include the "Opera in the Park" concert with the Verdi Opera Theatre of Michigan, sponsored by Wayne County Parks.

Karin White (Soprano) recently portrayed Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor with the Arbor Opera Theater, the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Madonna University and sang Belinda and the First Witch in Dido and Aeneas with the Metropolitan Baroque Ensemble of Detroit.  Other roles include Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Violetta in La Traviata, Cio- Cio San in Madama Butterfly, Mimi in La Bohème, Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Rosabella in The Most Happy Fella. Concert appearances include performances with the Dearborn Symphony, the Battle Creek Symphony, the Macomb Symphony, the Plymouth Symphony, the Westmoreland Symphony, the Birmingham-Bloomfield Symphony, the Redford Symphony, the Saginaw Choral Society, and many others. Upcoming 2010 performances include an opera concert at the Lexington Music Theater, and a Christmas Concert with the Redford Symphony. She will portray Elvira in The Rose of Castile (Balfe) and will be featured on the CD recording with The Comic Opera Guild.  In 2011 Ms. White will be a guest soloist with the Dearborn Symphony and with the Macomb Symphony (both in March of 2011). Karin is an adjunct professor at Madonna University and maintains a private voice studio in Ann Arbor.
 

www.karinwhite.com
 

Shawn McDonald, artistic director, brings diverse talents and experience to Arbor Opera Theater. As a singer Mr. McDonald has portrayed numerous roles including Rodolfo in La Bohème, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Alfredo in La Traviata, Count Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Sivgila and Nerone in L’incoronazione di Poppea. In 2006 he sang “Paul Claudel” in The Promise for the National Opera Association’s national convention, and was a soloist in the 2006 Verdi Marathon in Manhattan, New York. He has also participated in performance art, most notably a production of John Cage’s Europera 5, directed by Jack Behrens. He has performed in concert with the Alma Symphony, the Clarion Symphony, the Ypsilanti Symphony, Friends of the Opera of Michigan, the Verdi Opera Theater, and the Tuesday Musicale of Detroit.

Mr. McDonald trained as a tenor with his mentor, Caroline Rogers of Marygrove College. He then continued his studies on a full scholarship at the University of Michigan, working under George Shirley and Shirley Verrett, as well as Martin Katz and Joshua Major. He earned a Bachelor of Music from Eastern Michigan University, studying organ with Pamela Ruiter-Feenstra and Mary Ida Yost and voice with Glenda Kirkland. Additional training included summer apprentice programs at Opera North (NH) and the Brevard Music Center, as well as the Elizabeth Mannion’s Institute of Vocal Arts and private studies with James Berg. He continued his keyboard studies in Germany at the renowned North German Organ Academy with Dr. Harold Vogel and was the winner of the Ann Arbor chapter of the American Guild of Organists competition in 1997.

He was Director of Vocal Activities at Marygrove College, where he established a unique collaboration with AOT that allows the college to produce full, professional quality productions that utilize both students and professional artists. In May of 2008 the organizations joined to produce a "Motown" staging of The Magic Flute that was enthusiastically received. He also helped to produce, design, and musically direct productions of The Marriage of Figaro, and Amahl and the Night Visitors. He was musical director for numerous revues and a production of Ain’t Misbehavin’ for the Marygrove Music Department. During his time at Marygrove he was also hired by the University of Detroit Theatre Department to serve as musical director and composer for its summer program in Greece. He spent two summers there, composing original music for Antigone and serving as musical director for Lysistrata and The Long Way Home: A Musical Odyssey.

As a collaborative pianist, Mr. McDonald has also worked with such organizations as Michigan Opera Theatre’s community programs, The Tuesday Musicale of Detroit, Young Peoples Theater of Ann Arbor, Friends of the Opera of Michigan and the Verdi Opera Theater. He is Minister of Music for Westminster Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, directing numerous choirs and ensembles, as well as serving as pianist/organist since 1995. He also currently works as staff pianist/choir director and composer/arranger in residence at Temple Israel, West Bloomfield. Temple Israel is currently the largest reform congregation in the United States, and their numerous musical programs and services have grown and flourished with his assistance and musical direction. This past year, Temple Israel produced it's first cd entitled Kavanat Haruach which featured Shawn's talents as a pianist and vocalist in addition to two of his original compositions.

Lisa Agazzi, mezzo-soprano, is a graduate of Oakland University, with a major in Voice.