This timeless story of love and loss among struggling artists includes some of the most beautiful music ever written for stage. Our re-imagined production transports us to modern day New York City using film and projected images.
Conductor: Jason Tramm
Stage Director: Andrea DelGiudice
at the Fellowship Cultural Arts Center
Basking Ridge, NJ
Sunday, March 20 @ 2:30pm
Friday, March 25 @ 7:30pm
Saturday, March 26 @ 7:30pm
South Orange Performing Arts Center
(SOPAC)
South Orange, NJ
Andrea DelGiudice: Our director’s vision
Jason Tramm: The enduring power of La Bohème
La Bohème Highlights – Light Opera of New Jersey 2022
Molly Dunn (Mimi) – Soprano, Molly Dunn, is thrilled to return to LONJ in La Bohème after performing in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Rosa Bud). This season, Ms. Dunn made her debut in Le Nozze di Figaro (La Contessa) with the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia under the baton of Maestro Jorge Parodi. She made her international debut in Suor Angelica (Suor Angelica) at the Wiener Kammeroper in Vienna, Austria under the baton of Maestro Keith Chambers. Next up, Molly Dunn will make her debut in La Traviata (Violetta Valéry) in Barcelona at the Palau de la Música on April 23rd. Born and raised in South Orange, New Jersey, Ms. Dunn is ecstatic to perform in her home state. molly-dunn.com
Frederick Schlick (Rodolfo) – Frederick is a tenor praised for his “tender power” (Opera Wire). He joined Nashville Opera as a resident artist in 2021 to sing in Rigoletto (Borsa/Duca-cover) and to perform in outreach events. He concluded the 2021 season in Donizetti’s Anna Bolena (Percy) with Dell’Arte Festival in NYC. The 2018-2019 season marked Frederick’s NYC debut, joining City Lyric Opera in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (Nemorino). He returned to CLO in 2019 to sing in La Tragédie de Carmen (Don José). The season ended with Frederick singing in Die Fledermaus (Alfred) in Berks Opera’s partner performance with OPUS ONE of Reading, PA. He holds a Master of Music in Opera Performance from The Boston Conservatory, and received his BA in Music from Dickinson College. He currently lives in Port Chester, NY and teaches private music lessons in the Greenwich, CT area.
Jason Detwiler (Marcello) – With nearly sixty roles to his credit, baritone Jason Detwiler has performed nationally and abroad with San Diego Opera, Virginia Opera, Opéra Théâtre d’Avignon, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Parallèle, Syracuse Opera, Opera San Jose, Sacramento Opera, and Shreveport Opera among others. In the 2021-2022 season, he debuts three new roles: Face on the Barroom Floor (Tom/John), Dead Man Walking (Owen Hart) with Opera Idaho, Pietà (Ugo) with the Narnia International Festival of Vocal Arts, and reprises Il trovatore (Conte di Luna) with Opera in the Field. Mr. Detwiler resides in Boise, Idaho and studies with New York’s Andrea DelGiudice.
Veronica Shea (Musetta) – Veronica is thrilled to return to the LONJ stage after previously appearing in their production of Die Fledermaus. Recent performances include in the European premiere of Pietà (La Direttrice) by Jake Landau and conceived by Andrea DelGiudice at Narnia International Vocal Arts Festival, Into The Woods (Cinderella) with Off-Brand Opera, The Yeomen of the Guard (Elsie Maynard) with Ridgewood Gilbert & Sullivan. In addition to her time on stage, Veronica is an arts marketer with companies of all sizes and performance genres in the NYC Metro area. Notable affiliations include the Director of Marketing at The York Theatre and Founder and Executive Director of Eccentric Theater Company (ETC.). veronicashea.com
Suchan Kim (Schaunard) – Suchan is a native of Busan, South Korea. He holds a BM from Korea National University of Arts, a MM and a PSD from Mannes College the New School for Music. Roles: Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni), Le Nozze di Figaro (Count), Cosi Fan Tutte (Guglielmo), Die Zauberflöte (Papageno), La Bohème (Marcello/Schaunard), Lucia di Lammermoor (Enrico), The Rape of Lucretia (Tarquinius), La Traviata (Germont), La Cenerentola (Dandini), Mozart and Salieri (Salieri). Venue: Merola Opera Program, Carnegie Hall, Sarasota Opera, Opera in Williamsburg, New Rochelle Opera, Bare Opera, National Theater of Korea, Seoul Arts Center. Awards: Opera Award – Mannes Opera, Regional-Finalist – MONC Auditions.
Chadol Kim (Colline) – Baritone Chadol Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea. He obtained a Master’s degree with scholarship at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Joan Patenaude-Yarnell. Mr. Kim won 1st prize in Korea China International Competition, 2nd prize in Suri Competition, and honorable mentioned finalist in ADES Competition. He performed Opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro), Lucia di Lammermoor (Enrico), Rigoletto (Rigoletto), Cosi fan tutte (Don Alfonso). In the United States he performed Die Fledermaus (Frank), Don Giovanni (Masetto), La Bohème (Marcello).
Steven Fredericks (Alcindoro/Benoit) – Steven Fredericks recently sang in Tristan und Isolde (Marke) with Connecticut Lyric, Don Giovanni (Commendatore) with Salt Marsh Opera, Don Carlo (Filippo) with Fulham Opera (London), Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Mozart’s Requiem with Konzert Opera Firenze (Italy). Other credits include the title role in Fliegender Holländer with Connecticut Lyric, Boïto’s Mefistofele with Taconic Opera and Messiah at Carnegie Hall. Internationally, Chuvash State Theatre (Russia), in Rigoletto (Sparafucile), Commendatore at Greve Festival (Italy) and in Kaiser von Atlantis (Tod) with Israel Chamber Orchestra.
David Smolokoff (Cover: Rodolfo) – David resides in Fair Haven, New Jersey. He holds music degrees from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and The Juilliard School. He was recently an Apprentice Artist for the Sarasota Opera and a Festival Artist for Utah Festival Opera. Equally at home on the musical theatre stage, David has portrayed several leading roles including Pippin (Pippin), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Joseph), and West Side Story (Tony). He is set to perform the role of Giorgio in The Axelrod Theatre’s production of the opera Pietà, in Deal, New Jersey in the fall 2022.
Anna Woiwood (Cover: Mimi) – Anna is a graduate of Mannes School of Music. In the fall she will perform in the east coast premiere of Juana (Condesa) with dell’Arte Opera Ensemble. Previous roles and scenes include dell’Arte Opera’s Mrs. President (Victoria Woodhull), in Dramatic Voice Festival’s Il tabarro (Giorgetta), Geneva Light Opera’s Don Giovanni (Donna Elvira), Opera Theatre of the Rockies and Geneva Light Opera’s Cosi fan tutte (Fiordiligi), and Opera Fort Collins’s Turandot (Liù). She has apprenticed with Opera Theatre of the Rockies and Opera Fort Collins.
Erin Kennedy (Angel, Cover: Musetta) – Erin is an NYC-based soprano, actor, and pianist thrilled to sing with LONJ for the first time! This year, Erin co-founded Off-Brand Opera and appeared in their inaugural production Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife). She sang (Genovieffa) in Narni, Italy at the Narnia Festival in two operas: Suor Angelica, and Jake Landau’s new companion opera, PIETÀ (European premiere). Erin also appeared in Nietzsche! (Lou Salomé) a new musical by Kimerer LaMothe and Geoffrey Gee that premiered in Salem, NY, this August and is expected to make its NYC debut in 2022. More at erinkennedysoprano.com.
Jason Tramm (Conductor) – work in the operatic, symphonic and choral realms have received critical acclaim throughout the United States and abroad. In addition to his new position with LONJ, he is an Associate Professor at Seton Hall University, Dir. of Music at the Great Auditorium, and Artistic Director of the MidAtlantic Artistic Productions. He has led symphonic and operatic performances in Italy, Romania, Hungary and has important symphonic debuts in Austria and the Czech Republic in 2023. This season he appears with Nickel City Opera, Adelphi Orchestra, National Chorale, North Shore Music Festival and the newly formed Beethoven Fest NYC. He also hosts Music Matters with Jason Tramm, a popular podcast can be seen on YouTube.
Andrea DelGiudice (Director) – Internationally renowned soprano and voice teacher, Andrea has performed with renowned artists Placido Domingo, Johan Botha, Sherill Milnes, Alexei Steblianko, and Nicola Martinucci. As a director, Andrea creates her stories from the point of view of the main female character, challenging the traditional stereotype of the female as a victim, and realizing the true strength and resilience in her heroines. Her concept productions in Italy and the US include Verdi’s La Traviata, Bizet’s Carmen, the imagining of Puccini’s Suor Angelica and the world premiere of Pieta composed by Jake Landau and DelGiudice as co-librettist, director and producer. 2022 brings to the stage Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and its new sequel Aeterna by Jake Landau.
Christian Arencibia (Ensemble, Cover: Schaunard) – Christian is delighted to be singing in Light Opera New Jersey’s production of La Bohème. A graduate of the John J. Cali School of Music, this will be his second time joining a LONJ production. He has been seen performing a variety of roles on both national and international stages. Most recently he sang Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel (Father), and Maurice Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges (The Cat/The Clock). His most recent ensemble appearance was in the 2021 Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice’s production of Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci.
Michael Baruffi (Ensemble) – Mike is a long-time member of LONJ and currently serves as treasurer for the Board of Trustees. He was last seen as an ensemble member in LONJ’s 2020 production of Die Fledermaus. Mike is also a member of the Summit Chorale and very active with Music Ministry at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J. Mike is retired from the Mars/Wrigley company where he worked for 29 years and enjoys splitting his time in Randolph and a home in Stuart, Florida.
Elena Batt (Ensemble) – Vocalist and Composer Elena Batt hails from Boynton Beach, Florida. She sings a wide range of music and has performed with the Cross-Cultural Connection Jazz Workshop Ensemble, the Phoenicia Festival of the Voice in the 2018 production of Carmen, the 2021 production of I Pagliacci, and the Hudson Opera House’s production of Gertrude Stein’s Opera The Mother of Us All in 2017. She has collaborated and performed with baritone and pianist Rob Darnell Hollinsed with the band Tryptich. Elena currently lives in Kingston, New York with her husband and daughter, and is the Director of Membership at Mohonk Preserve.
Miya Behrmann (Ensemble) – Miya is thrilled to be performing in La Boheme! Miya is 9 years old and this is her first big performance on a big stage. She has been singing and acting with Sellwood Studio of Performing Arts since 2018. She constantly sings with her mom at home while her dad and twin brother roll their eyes at them. She enjoys reading, swimming, crafting and watching anime in her spare time!
Changkuo Hseih (Ensemble) – Recent credits include LONJ: Die Fledermaus (Ensemble), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (bass choir), the Gondoliers (Giorgio) and Thoroughy Modern Millie (Chin Ho); The Lord Sitrling Theater Company: Of Mine and Man (Li) and Arsenic and Old Lace (Inspector Chan). He is also the bass section leader with St.Mark’s Episcopal Church Choir in Basking Ridge, NJ.
Morgan Mooney (Ensemble) – Morgan is a recent transplant from Atlanta, Georgia where she completed her Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance at Georgia State University. She has performed in L’enfant et les sortilèges (La Bergère) during Spotlight on Opera’s 2021 season. Morgan has also performed in the ensembles of The Mikado and The Crucible with the Georgia State University Opera Theatre.
Zachary Morehouse (Parpignol, Ensemble) – Zachary is a tenor based out of North Jersey. He is a graduate of Montclair State University’s Vocal Performance program from the studio of Dr. Stephen Oosting. Zachary has been performing with the Light Opera of New Jersey since 2017, performing in Amahl and the Night Visitors (Page) and most recently in Die Fledermaus (Doctor Blind). Other roles of Zachary’s include L’enfant et les sortilèges (La Rainette), The True Story of Cinderella (Herald), Trial By Jury (Edwin), and in Pirates of Penzance (Frederic).
Sarah O’Sullivan (Ensemble) – Sarah is delighted to return to Light Opera of New Jersey. You may also have seen her in Die Fledermaus (Ensemble) with LONJ, The Yeomen of the Guard (Kate) with the Ridgewood Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, or the Harmonium Choral Society concert Goodness and Light. If you are interested in learning more about the Quixote Chorale, a musical ensemble dedicated to performing works by traditionally underrepresented composers, feel free to contact Sarah at s.osullivan.music@gmail.com.
Emily Page (Ensemble) – Emily Page is a 12 year old 6th Grader from Madison NJ. She enjoys singing, dancing and acting. Emily has been involved in preforming since the age of 6 and has been involved in over 20 performances. Here most recent roles were Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Lumiere), the Mysterious Man in Into The Woods Jr., and Seussical KIDS (Mayzie LaBird). Finally, Emily was a 2020 Hal Leonard vocal competition semifinalist in the Art Song category for competitors ages 12and under.
Paige Porter (Ensemble Section Leader) – C. Paige Porter is an active performer and voice teacher in the greater NYC region. She has been performing with LONJ for years, in both mainstage productions and with Savoy Faire, their outreach troupe. Recent appearances include Die Fledermaus, Cosi Fan Tutte, and Orpheus in the Underworld; and concert performances in Handel’s Messiah, and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor. Ms. Porter holds a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music. Outside of performing and teaching, she also is a founding member and Associate Director of Clarum Sonum, a community choir based out of Boonton, NJ.
Alessia Santoro (Ensemble) – Soprano Alessia Santoro holds a Bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts. Past opera companies she has performed with include the Light Opera of NJ, Opera Angelo, the Baroque Orchestra of NJ, the New York Lyric Opera at Carnegie Hall and the National Opera Center. Roles: Dialogues des Carmelites(Soeur Catherine), Le Nozze di Figaro(Barbarina), Le Nozze di Figaro(La Contessa Almaviva cover), Suor Angelica(Suor Genovieffa), Die Fledermaus(Ida), and L’Elisir D’Amore(Giannetta, cover). This upcoming summer, Alessia will perform the role of Susanna in the Trentino Music Festival’s production of Le Nozze di Figaro.
Natasha Scheuble (Ensemble) – Natasha is a Coloratura Soprano from Rockaway New Jersey. She holds a Bachelor’s of Music from Purchase Conservatory of Music and a Master’s of Music from Mannes School of Music. Past engagements include Le Nozze di Figaro (Susanna), Les Contes d’Hoffmann (Olympia), Confession (Anna Viola), Suor Angelica (Suor Gienovieffa), Gianni Schicchi (Lauretta), Die Zauberflöte (Königin der Nacht and Pappagena), Il Matrimonio Segreto (Carolina), La filled du regiment (Marie Damigella), L’incoronazione (di Poppea), Amahl and the Night Visitors (Amahl), among others. This will be Natasha’s first production with Light Opera of New Jersey and is looking forward to this production of La Bohème!
Kristina Shafranski (Ensemble) – Kristina is a Ukrainian American soprano born and raised on Long Island, New York. Kristina received her Master of Music in Voice Performance from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts and is a student of Andrea DelGiudice. Kristina most recently performed in the European premiere of Pietà composed by Jake Landau and directed by Andrea DelGiudice with the Narnia Festival in Narni, Italy. Previously, Kristina studied Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta (Iolanta) with the Eurasia Festival in 2020 and had traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine where she performed opera scenes with the National Presidential Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in 2019. For more information, please search www.kristinashafranski.com.
Molly Dunn (Mimi) – Soprano, Molly Dunn, is thrilled to return to LONJ in La Bohème after performing in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Rosa Bud). This season, Ms. Dunn made her debut in Le Nozze di Figaro (La Contessa) with the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia under the baton of Maestro Jorge Parodi. She made her international debut in Suor Angelica (Suor Angelica) at the Wiener Kammeroper in Vienna, Austria under the baton of Maestro Keith Chambers. Next up, Molly Dunn will make her debut in La Traviata (Violetta Valéry) in Barcelona at the Palau de la Música on April 23rd. Born and raised in South Orange, New Jersey, Ms. Dunn is ecstatic to perform in her home state. molly-dunn.com
Frederick Schlick (Rodolfo) – Frederick is a tenor praised for his “tender power” (Opera Wire). He joined Nashville Opera as a resident artist in 2021 to sing in Rigoletto (Borsa/Duca-cover) and to perform in outreach events. He concluded the 2021 season in Donizetti’s Anna Bolena (Percy) with Dell’Arte Festival in NYC. The 2018-2019 season marked Frederick’s NYC debut, joining City Lyric Opera in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (Nemorino). He returned to CLO in 2019 to sing in La Tragédie de Carmen (Don José). The season ended with Frederick singing in Die Fledermaus (Alfred) in Berks Opera’s partner performance with OPUS ONE of Reading, PA. He holds a Master of Music in Opera Performance from The Boston Conservatory, and received his BA in Music from Dickinson College. He currently lives in Port Chester, NY and teaches private music lessons in the Greenwich, CT area.
Jason Detwiler (Marcello) – With nearly sixty roles to his credit, baritone Jason Detwiler has performed nationally and abroad with San Diego Opera, Virginia Opera, Opéra Théâtre d’Avignon, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Parallèle, Syracuse Opera, Opera San Jose, Sacramento Opera, and Shreveport Opera among others. In the 2021-2022 season, he debuts three new roles: Face on the Barroom Floor (Tom/John), Dead Man Walking (Owen Hart) with Opera Idaho, Pietà (Ugo) with the Narnia International Festival of Vocal Arts, and reprises Il trovatore (Conte di Luna) with Opera in the Field. Mr. Detwiler resides in Boise, Idaho and studies with New York’s Andrea DelGiudice.
Veronica Shea (Musetta) – Veronica is thrilled to return to the LONJ stage after previously appearing in their production of Die Fledermaus. Recent performances include in the European premiere of Pietà (La Direttrice) by Jake Landau and conceived by Andrea DelGiudice at Narnia International Vocal Arts Festival, Into The Woods (Cinderella) with Off-Brand Opera, The Yeomen of the Guard (Elsie Maynard) with Ridgewood Gilbert & Sullivan. In addition to her time on stage, Veronica is an arts marketer with companies of all sizes and performance genres in the NYC Metro area. Notable affiliations include the Director of Marketing at The York Theatre and Founder and Executive Director of Eccentric Theater Company (ETC.). veronicashea.com
Suchan Kim (Schaunard) – Suchan is a native of Busan, South Korea. He holds a BM from Korea National University of Arts, a MM and a PSD from Mannes College the New School for Music. Roles: Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni), Le Nozze di Figaro (Count), Cosi Fan Tutte (Guglielmo), Die Zauberflöte (Papageno), La Bohème (Marcello/Schaunard), Lucia di Lammermoor (Enrico), The Rape of Lucretia (Tarquinius), La Traviata (Germont), La Cenerentola (Dandini), Mozart and Salieri (Salieri). Venue: Merola Opera Program, Carnegie Hall, Sarasota Opera, Opera in Williamsburg, New Rochelle Opera, Bare Opera, National Theater of Korea, Seoul Arts Center. Awards: Opera Award – Mannes Opera, Regional-Finalist – MONC Auditions.
Chadol Kim (Colline) – Baritone Chadol Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea. He obtained a Master’s degree with scholarship at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Joan Patenaude-Yarnell. Mr. Kim won 1st prize in Korea China International Competition, 2nd prize in Suri Competition, and honorable mentioned finalist in ADES Competition. He performed Opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro), Lucia di Lammermoor (Enrico), Rigoletto (Rigoletto), Cosi fan tutte (Don Alfonso). In the United States he performed Die Fledermaus (Frank), Don Giovanni (Masetto), La Bohème (Marcello).
Steven Fredericks (Alcindoro/Benoit) – Steven Fredericks recently sang in Tristan und Isolde (Marke) with Connecticut Lyric, Don Giovanni (Commendatore) with Salt Marsh Opera, Don Carlo (Filippo) with Fulham Opera (London), Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Mozart’s Requiem with Konzert Opera Firenze (Italy). Other credits include the title role in Fliegender Holländer with Connecticut Lyric, Boïto’s Mefistofele with Taconic Opera and Messiah at Carnegie Hall. Internationally, Chuvash State Theatre (Russia), in Rigoletto (Sparafucile), Commendatore at Greve Festival (Italy) and in Kaiser von Atlantis (Tod) with Israel Chamber Orchestra.
David Smolokoff (Cover: Rodolfo) – David resides in Fair Haven, New Jersey. He holds music degrees from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and The Juilliard School. He was recently an Apprentice Artist for the Sarasota Opera and a Festival Artist for Utah Festival Opera. Equally at home on the musical theatre stage, David has portrayed several leading roles including Pippin (Pippin), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Joseph), and West Side Story (Tony). He is set to perform the role of Giorgio in The Axelrod Theatre’s production of the opera Pietà, in Deal, New Jersey in the fall 2022.
Anna Woiwood (Cover: Mimi) – Anna is a graduate of Mannes School of Music. In the fall she will perform in the east coast premiere of Juana (Condesa) with dell’Arte Opera Ensemble. Previous roles and scenes include dell’Arte Opera’s Mrs. President (Victoria Woodhull), in Dramatic Voice Festival’s Il tabarro (Giorgetta), Geneva Light Opera’s Don Giovanni (Donna Elvira), Opera Theatre of the Rockies and Geneva Light Opera’s Cosi fan tutte (Fiordiligi), and Opera Fort Collins’s Turandot (Liù). She has apprenticed with Opera Theatre of the Rockies and Opera Fort Collins.
Erin Kennedy (Angel, Cover: Musetta) – Erin is an NYC-based soprano, actor, and pianist thrilled to sing with LONJ for the first time! This year, Erin co-founded Off-Brand Opera and appeared in their inaugural production Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife). She sang (Genovieffa) in Narni, Italy at the Narnia Festival in two operas: Suor Angelica, and Jake Landau’s new companion opera, PIETÀ (European premiere). Erin also appeared in Nietzsche! (Lou Salomé) a new musical by Kimerer LaMothe and Geoffrey Gee that premiered in Salem, NY, this August and is expected to make its NYC debut in 2022. More at erinkennedysoprano.com.
Jason Tramm (Conductor) – work in the operatic, symphonic and choral realms have received critical acclaim throughout the United States and abroad. In addition to his new position with LONJ, he is an Associate Professor at Seton Hall University, Dir. of Music at the Great Auditorium, and Artistic Director of the MidAtlantic Artistic Productions. He has led symphonic and operatic performances in Italy, Romania, Hungary and has important symphonic debuts in Austria and the Czech Republic in 2023. This season he appears with Nickel City Opera, Adelphi Orchestra, National Chorale, North Shore Music Festival and the newly formed Beethoven Fest NYC. He also hosts Music Matters with Jason Tramm, a popular podcast can be seen on YouTube.
Andrea DelGiudice (Director) – Internationally renowned soprano and voice teacher, Andrea has performed with renowned artists Placido Domingo, Johan Botha, Sherill Milnes, Alexei Steblianko, and Nicola Martinucci. As a director, Andrea creates her stories from the point of view of the main female character, challenging the traditional stereotype of the female as a victim, and realizing the true strength and resilience in her heroines. Her concept productions in Italy and the US include Verdi’s La Traviata, Bizet’s Carmen, the imagining of Puccini’s Suor Angelica and the world premiere of Pieta composed by Jake Landau and DelGiudice as co-librettist, director and producer. 2022 brings to the stage Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and its new sequel Aeterna by Jake Landau.
Christian Arencibia (Ensemble, Cover: Schaunard) – Christian is delighted to be singing in Light Opera New Jersey’s production of La Bohème. A graduate of the John J. Cali School of Music, this will be his second time joining a LONJ production. He has been seen performing a variety of roles on both national and international stages. Most recently he sang Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel (Father), and Maurice Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges (The Cat/The Clock). His most recent ensemble appearance was in the 2021 Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice’s production of Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci.
Michael Baruffi (Ensemble) – Mike is a long-time member of LONJ and currently serves as treasurer for the Board of Trustees. He was last seen as an ensemble member in LONJ’s 2020 production of Die Fledermaus. Mike is also a member of the Summit Chorale and very active with Music Ministry at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J. Mike is retired from the Mars/Wrigley company where he worked for 29 years and enjoys splitting his time in Randolph and a home in Stuart, Florida.
Elena Batt (Ensemble) – Vocalist and Composer Elena Batt hails from Boynton Beach, Florida. She sings a wide range of music and has performed with the Cross-Cultural Connection Jazz Workshop Ensemble, the Phoenicia Festival of the Voice in the 2018 production of Carmen, the 2021 production of I Pagliacci, and the Hudson Opera House’s production of Gertrude Stein’s Opera The Mother of Us All in 2017. She has collaborated and performed with baritone and pianist Rob Darnell Hollinsed with the band Tryptich. Elena currently lives in Kingston, New York with her husband and daughter, and is the Director of Membership at Mohonk Preserve.
Miya Behrmann (Ensemble) – Miya is thrilled to be performing in La Boheme! Miya is 9 years old and this is her first big performance on a big stage. She has been singing and acting with Sellwood Studio of Performing Arts since 2018. She constantly sings with her mom at home while her dad and twin brother roll their eyes at them. She enjoys reading, swimming, crafting and watching anime in her spare time!
Changkuo Hseih (Ensemble) – Recent credits include LONJ: Die Fledermaus (Ensemble), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (bass choir), the Gondoliers (Giorgio) and Thoroughy Modern Millie (Chin Ho); The Lord Sitrling Theater Company: Of Mine and Man (Li) and Arsenic and Old Lace (Inspector Chan). He is also the bass section leader with St.Mark’s Episcopal Church Choir in Basking Ridge, NJ.
Morgan Mooney (Ensemble) – Morgan is a recent transplant from Atlanta, Georgia where she completed her Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance at Georgia State University. She has performed in L’enfant et les sortilèges (La Bergère) during Spotlight on Opera’s 2021 season. Morgan has also performed in the ensembles of The Mikado and The Crucible with the Georgia State University Opera Theatre.
Zachary Morehouse (Parpignol, Ensemble) – Zachary is a tenor based out of North Jersey. He is a graduate of Montclair State University’s Vocal Performance program from the studio of Dr. Stephen Oosting. Zachary has been performing with the Light Opera of New Jersey since 2017, performing in Amahl and the Night Visitors (Page) and most recently in Die Fledermaus (Doctor Blind). Other roles of Zachary’s include L’enfant et les sortilèges (La Rainette), The True Story of Cinderella (Herald), Trial By Jury (Edwin), and in Pirates of Penzance (Frederic).
Sarah O’Sullivan (Ensemble) – Sarah is delighted to return to Light Opera of New Jersey. You may also have seen her in Die Fledermaus (Ensemble) with LONJ, The Yeomen of the Guard (Kate) with the Ridgewood Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, or the Harmonium Choral Society concert Goodness and Light. If you are interested in learning more about the Quixote Chorale, a musical ensemble dedicated to performing works by traditionally underrepresented composers, feel free to contact Sarah at s.osullivan.music@gmail.com.
Emily Page (Ensemble) – Emily Page is a 12 year old 6th Grader from Madison NJ. She enjoys singing, dancing and acting. Emily has been involved in preforming since the age of 6 and has been involved in over 20 performances. Here most recent roles were Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Lumiere), the Mysterious Man in Into The Woods Jr., and Seussical KIDS (Mayzie LaBird). Finally, Emily was a 2020 Hal Leonard vocal competition semifinalist in the Art Song category for competitors ages 12and under.
Paige Porter (Ensemble Section Leader) – C. Paige Porter is an active performer and voice teacher in the greater NYC region. She has been performing with LONJ for years, in both mainstage productions and with Savoy Faire, their outreach troupe. Recent appearances include Die Fledermaus, Cosi Fan Tutte, and Orpheus in the Underworld; and concert performances in Handel’s Messiah, and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor. Ms. Porter holds a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music. Outside of performing and teaching, she also is a founding member and Associate Director of Clarum Sonum, a community choir based out of Boonton, NJ.
Alessia Santoro (Ensemble) – Soprano Alessia Santoro holds a Bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts. Past opera companies she has performed with include the Light Opera of NJ, Opera Angelo, the Baroque Orchestra of NJ, the New York Lyric Opera at Carnegie Hall and the National Opera Center. Roles: Dialogues des Carmelites (Soeur Catherine), Le Nozze di Figaro (Barbarina), Le Nozze di Figaro (La Contessa Almaviva cover), Suor Angelica (Suor Genovieffa), Die Fledermaus (Ida), and L’Elisir D’Amore (Giannetta, cover). This upcoming summer, Alessia will perform the role of Susanna in the Trentino Music Festival’s production of Le Nozze di Figaro.
Natasha Scheuble (Ensemble) – Natasha is a Coloratura Soprano from Rockaway New Jersey. She holds a Bachelor’s of Music from Purchase Conservatory of Music and a Master’s of Music from Mannes School of Music. Past engagements include Le Nozze di Figaro (Susanna), Les Contes d’Hoffmann (Olympia), Confession (Anna Viola), Suor Angelica (Suor Gienovieffa), Gianni Schicchi (Lauretta), Die Zauberflöte (Königin der Nacht and Pappagena), Il Matrimonio Segreto (Carolina), La filled du regiment (Marie Damigella), L’incoronazione (di Poppea), Amahl and the Night Visitors (Amahl), among others. This will be Natasha’s first production with Light Opera of New Jersey and is looking forward to this production of La Bohème!
Kristina Shafranski (Ensemble) – Kristina is a Ukrainian American soprano born and raised on Long Island, New York. Kristina received her Master of Music in Voice Performance from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts and is a student of Andrea DelGiudice. Kristina most recently performed in the European premiere of Pietà composed by Jake Landau and directed by Andrea DelGiudice with the Narnia Festival in Narni, Italy. Previously, Kristina studied Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta (Iolanta) with the Eurasia Festival in 2020 and had traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine where she performed opera scenes with the National Presidential Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in 2019. For more information, please search www.kristinashafranski.com.
Molly Dunn (Mimi) – Soprano, Molly Dunn, is thrilled to return to LONJ in La Bohème after performing in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Rosa Bud). This season, Ms. Dunn made her debut in Le Nozze di Figaro (La Contessa) with the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia under the baton of Maestro Jorge Parodi. She made her international debut in Suor Angelica (Suor Angelica) at the Wiener Kammeroper in Vienna, Austria under the baton of Maestro Keith Chambers. Next up, Molly Dunn will make her debut in La Traviata (Violetta Valéry) in Barcelona at the Palau de la Música on April 23rd. Born and raised in South Orange, New Jersey, Ms. Dunn is ecstatic to perform in her home state. molly-dunn.com
Frederick Schlick (Rodolfo) – Frederick is a tenor praised for his “tender power” (Opera Wire). He joined Nashville Opera as a resident artist in 2021 to sing in Rigoletto (Borsa/Duca-cover) and to perform in outreach events. He concluded the 2021 season in Donizetti’s Anna Bolena (Percy) with Dell’Arte Festival in NYC. The 2018-2019 season marked Frederick’s NYC debut, joining City Lyric Opera in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (Nemorino). He returned to CLO in 2019 to sing in La Tragédie de Carmen (Don José). The season ended with Frederick singing in Die Fledermaus (Alfred) in Berks Opera’s partner performance with OPUS ONE of Reading, PA. He holds a Master of Music in Opera Performance from The Boston Conservatory, and received his BA in Music from Dickinson College. He currently lives in Port Chester, NY and teaches private music lessons in the Greenwich, CT area.
Jason Detwiler (Marcello) – With nearly sixty roles to his credit, baritone Jason Detwiler has performed nationally and abroad with San Diego Opera, Virginia Opera, Opéra Théâtre d’Avignon, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Parallèle, Syracuse Opera, Opera San Jose, Sacramento Opera, and Shreveport Opera among others. In the 2021-2022 season, he debuts three new roles: Face on the Barroom Floor (Tom/John), Dead Man Walking (Owen Hart) with Opera Idaho, Pietà (Ugo) with the Narnia International Festival of Vocal Arts, and reprises Il trovatore (Conte di Luna) with Opera in the Field. Mr. Detwiler resides in Boise, Idaho and studies with New York’s Andrea DelGiudice.
Veronica Shea (Musetta) – Veronica is thrilled to return to the LONJ stage after previously appearing in their production of Die Fledermaus. Recent performances include in the European premiere of Pietà (La Direttrice) by Jake Landau and conceived by Andrea DelGiudice at Narnia International Vocal Arts Festival, Into The Woods (Cinderella) with Off-Brand Opera, The Yeomen of the Guard (Elsie Maynard) with Ridgewood Gilbert & Sullivan. In addition to her time on stage, Veronica is an arts marketer with companies of all sizes and performance genres in the NYC Metro area. Notable affiliations include the Director of Marketing at The York Theatre and Founder and Executive Director of Eccentric Theater Company (ETC.). veronicashea.com
Suchan Kim (Schaunard) – Suchan is a native of Busan, South Korea. He holds a BM from Korea National University of Arts, a MM and a PSD from Mannes College the New School for Music. Roles: Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni), Le Nozze di Figaro (Count), Cosi Fan Tutte (Guglielmo), Die Zauberflöte (Papageno), La Bohème (Marcello/Schaunard), Lucia di Lammermoor (Enrico), The Rape of Lucretia (Tarquinius), La Traviata (Germont), La Cenerentola (Dandini), Mozart and Salieri (Salieri). Venue: Merola Opera Program, Carnegie Hall, Sarasota Opera, Opera in Williamsburg, New Rochelle Opera, Bare Opera, National Theater of Korea, Seoul Arts Center. Awards: Opera Award – Mannes Opera, Regional-Finalist – MONC Auditions.
Chadol Kim (Colline) – Baritone Chadol Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea. He obtained a Master’s degree with scholarship at Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Joan Patenaude-Yarnell. Mr. Kim won 1st prize in Korea China International Competition, 2nd prize in Suri Competition, and honorable mentioned finalist in ADES Competition. He performed Opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro), Lucia di Lammermoor (Enrico), Rigoletto (Rigoletto), Cosi fan tutte (Don Alfonso). In the United States he performed Die Fledermaus (Frank), Don Giovanni (Masetto), La Bohème (Marcello).
Steven Fredericks (Alcindoro/Benoit) – Steven Fredericks recently sang in Tristan und Isolde (Marke) with Connecticut Lyric, Don Giovanni (Commendatore) with Salt Marsh Opera, Don Carlo (Filippo) with Fulham Opera (London), Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Mozart’s Requiem with Konzert Opera Firenze (Italy). Other credits include the title role in Fliegender Holländer with Connecticut Lyric, Boïto’s Mefistofele with Taconic Opera and Messiah at Carnegie Hall. Internationally, Chuvash State Theatre (Russia), in Rigoletto (Sparafucile), Commendatore at Greve Festival (Italy) and in Kaiser von Atlantis (Tod) with Israel Chamber Orchestra.
David Smolokoff (Cover: Rodolfo) – David resides in Fair Haven, New Jersey. He holds music degrees from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and The Juilliard School. He was recently an Apprentice Artist for the Sarasota Opera and a Festival Artist for Utah Festival Opera. Equally at home on the musical theatre stage, David has portrayed several leading roles including Pippin (Pippin), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Joseph), and West Side Story (Tony). He is set to perform the role of Giorgio in The Axelrod Theatre’s production of the opera Pietà, in Deal, New Jersey in the fall 2022.
Anna Woiwood (Cover: Mimi) – Anna is a graduate of Mannes School of Music. In the fall she will perform in the east coast premiere of Juana (Condesa) with dell’Arte Opera Ensemble. Previous roles and scenes include dell’Arte Opera’s Mrs. President (Victoria Woodhull), in Dramatic Voice Festival’s Il tabarro (Giorgetta), Geneva Light Opera’s Don Giovanni (Donna Elvira), Opera Theatre of the Rockies and Geneva Light Opera’s Cosi fan tutte (Fiordiligi), and Opera Fort Collins’s Turandot (Liù). She has apprenticed with Opera Theatre of the Rockies and Opera Fort Collins.
Erin Kennedy (Angel, Cover: Musetta) – Erin is an NYC-based soprano, actor, and pianist thrilled to sing with LONJ for the first time! This year, Erin co-founded Off-Brand Opera and appeared in their inaugural production Into the Woods (Baker’s Wife). She sang (Genovieffa) in Narni, Italy at the Narnia Festival in two operas: Suor Angelica, and Jake Landau’s new companion opera, PIETÀ (European premiere). Erin also appeared in Nietzsche! (Lou Salomé) a new musical by Kimerer LaMothe and Geoffrey Gee that premiered in Salem, NY, this August and is expected to make its NYC debut in 2022. More at erinkennedysoprano.com.
Jason Tramm (Conductor) – work in the operatic, symphonic and choral realms have received critical acclaim throughout the United States and abroad. In addition to his new position with LONJ, he is an Associate Professor at Seton Hall University, Dir. of Music at the Great Auditorium, and Artistic Director of the MidAtlantic Artistic Productions. He has led symphonic and operatic performances in Italy, Romania, Hungary and has important symphonic debuts in Austria and the Czech Republic in 2023. This season he appears with Nickel City Opera, Adelphi Orchestra, National Chorale, North Shore Music Festival and the newly formed Beethoven Fest NYC. He also hosts Music Matters with Jason Tramm, a popular podcast can be seen on YouTube.
Andrea DelGiudice (Director) – Internationally renowned soprano and voice teacher, Andrea has performed with renowned artists Placido Domingo, Johan Botha, Sherill Milnes, Alexei Steblianko, and Nicola Martinucci. As a director, Andrea creates her stories from the point of view of the main female character, challenging the traditional stereotype of the female as a victim, and realizing the true strength and resilience in her heroines. Her concept productions in Italy and the US include Verdi’s La Traviata, Bizet’s Carmen, the imagining of Puccini’s Suor Angelica and the world premiere of Pieta composed by Jake Landau and DelGiudice as co-librettist, director and producer. 2022 brings to the stage Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and its new sequel Aeterna by Jake Landau.
Christian Arencibia (Ensemble, Cover: Schaunard) – Christian is delighted to be singing in Light Opera New Jersey’s production of La Bohème. A graduate of the John J. Cali School of Music, this will be his second time joining a LONJ production. He has been seen performing a variety of roles on both national and international stages. Most recently he sang Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel (Father), and Maurice Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges (The Cat/The Clock). His most recent ensemble appearance was in the 2021 Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice’s production of Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci.
Michael Baruffi (Ensemble) – Mike is a long-time member of LONJ and currently serves as treasurer for the Board of Trustees. He was last seen as an ensemble member in LONJ’s 2020 production of Die Fledermaus. Mike is also a member of the Summit Chorale and very active with Music Ministry at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J. Mike is retired from the Mars/Wrigley company where he worked for 29 years and enjoys splitting his time in Randolph and a home in Stuart, Florida.
Elena Batt (Ensemble) – Vocalist and Composer Elena Batt hails from Boynton Beach, Florida. She sings a wide range of music and has performed with the Cross-Cultural Connection Jazz Workshop Ensemble, the Phoenicia Festival of the Voice in the 2018 production of Carmen, the 2021 production of I Pagliacci, and the Hudson Opera House’s production of Gertrude Stein’s Opera The Mother of Us All in 2017. She has collaborated and performed with baritone and pianist Rob Darnell Hollinsed with the band Tryptich. Elena currently lives in Kingston, New York with her husband and daughter, and is the Director of Membership at Mohonk Preserve.
Miya Behrmann (Ensemble) – Miya is thrilled to be performing in La Boheme! Miya is 9 years old and this is her first big performance on a big stage. She has been singing and acting with Sellwood Studio of Performing Arts since 2018. She constantly sings with her mom at home while her dad and twin brother roll their eyes at them. She enjoys reading, swimming, crafting and watching anime in her spare time!
Changkuo Hseih (Ensemble) – Recent credits include LONJ: Die Fledermaus (Ensemble), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (bass choir), the Gondoliers (Giorgio) and Thoroughy Modern Millie (Chin Ho); The Lord Sitrling Theater Company: Of Mine and Man (Li) and Arsenic and Old Lace (Inspector Chan). He is also the bass section leader with St.Mark’s Episcopal Church Choir in Basking Ridge, NJ.
Morgan Mooney (Ensemble) – Morgan is a recent transplant from Atlanta, Georgia where she completed her Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance at Georgia State University. She has performed in L’enfant et les sortilèges (La Bergère) during Spotlight on Opera’s 2021 season. Morgan has also performed in the ensembles of The Mikado and The Crucible with the Georgia State University Opera Theatre.
Zachary Morehouse (Parpignol, Ensemble) – Zachary is a tenor based out of North Jersey. He is a graduate of Montclair State University’s Vocal Performance program from the studio of Dr. Stephen Oosting. Zachary has been performing with the Light Opera of New Jersey since 2017, performing in Amahl and the Night Visitors (Page) and most recently in Die Fledermaus (Doctor Blind). Other roles of Zachary’s include L’enfant et les sortilèges (La Rainette), The True Story of Cinderella (Herald), Trial By Jury (Edwin), and in Pirates of Penzance (Frederic).
Sarah O’Sullivan (Ensemble) – Sarah is delighted to return to Light Opera of New Jersey. You may also have seen her in Die Fledermaus (Ensemble) with LONJ, The Yeomen of the Guard (Kate) with the Ridgewood Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, or the Harmonium Choral Society concert Goodness and Light. If you are interested in learning more about the Quixote Chorale, a musical ensemble dedicated to performing works by traditionally underrepresented composers, feel free to contact Sarah at s.osullivan.music@gmail.com.
Emily Page (Ensemble) – Emily Page is a 12 year old 6th Grader from Madison NJ. She enjoys singing, dancing and acting. Emily has been involved in preforming since the age of 6 and has been involved in over 20 performances. Here most recent roles were Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Lumiere), the Mysterious Man in Into The Woods Jr., and Seussical KIDS (Mayzie LaBird). Finally, Emily was a 2020 Hal Leonard vocal competition semifinalist in the Art Song category for competitors ages 12and under.
Paige Porter (Ensemble Section Leader) – C. Paige Porter is an active performer and voice teacher in the greater NYC region. She has been performing with LONJ for years, in both mainstage productions and with Savoy Faire, their outreach troupe. Recent appearances include Die Fledermaus, Cosi Fan Tutte, and Orpheus in the Underworld; and concert performances in Handel’s Messiah, and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor. Ms. Porter holds a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music. Outside of performing and teaching, she also is a founding member and Associate Director of Clarum Sonum, a community choir based out of Boonton, NJ.
Alessia Santoro (Ensemble) – Soprano Alessia Santoro holds a Bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts. Past opera companies she has performed with include the Light Opera of NJ, Opera Angelo, the Baroque Orchestra of NJ, the New York Lyric Opera at Carnegie Hall and the National Opera Center. Roles: Dialogues des Carmelites (Soeur Catherine), Le Nozze di Figaro (Barbarina), Le Nozze di Figaro (La Contessa Almaviva cover), Suor Angelica (Suor Genovieffa), Die Fledermaus (Ida), and L’Elisir D’Amore (Giannetta, cover). This upcoming summer, Alessia will perform the role of Susanna in the Trentino Music Festival’s production of Le Nozze di Figaro.
Natasha Scheuble (Ensemble) – Natasha is a Coloratura Soprano from Rockaway New Jersey. She holds a Bachelor’s of Music from Purchase Conservatory of Music and a Master’s of Music from Mannes School of Music. Past engagements include Le Nozze di Figaro (Susanna), Les Contes d’Hoffmann (Olympia), Confession (Anna Viola), Suor Angelica (Suor Gienovieffa), Gianni Schicchi (Lauretta), Die Zauberflöte (Königin der Nacht and Pappagena), Il Matrimonio Segreto (Carolina), La filled du regiment (Marie Damigella), L’incoronazione (di Poppea), Amahl and the Night Visitors (Amahl), among others. This will be Natasha’s first production with Light Opera of New Jersey and is looking forward to this production of La Bohème!
Kristina Shafranski (Ensemble) – Kristina is a Ukrainian American soprano born and raised on Long Island, New York. Kristina received her Master of Music in Voice Performance from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts and is a student of Andrea DelGiudice. Kristina most recently performed in the European premiere of Pietà composed by Jake Landau and directed by Andrea DelGiudice with the Narnia Festival in Narni, Italy. Previously, Kristina studied Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta (Iolanta) with the Eurasia Festival in 2020 and had traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine where she performed opera scenes with the National Presidential Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in 2019. For more information, please search www.kristinashafranski.com.