Ravinia Steans Music Institute 2019

34 RAVINIA’S STEANS MUSIC INSTITUTE Beatriz Miranda , mezzo-soprano Bettie Port Memorial Fellowship from the Port, Washlow, and Errant Families Portuguese Mezzo-Soprano Beatriz Miranda is a recent graduate from the Royal College of Music, London, having studied with Roderick Earle, Rosa Mannion and Gary Matthewman. Previously Beatriz studied at National Conservatoire of Lisbon, Portugal, Beatriz is now based in Berlin, Germany, studying privately with Abbie Furmanksy and John Norris. On stage, Beatriz has performed the roles of Cherubino (Nozze di Figaro) and Un Musicien (Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme) and scenes including Dorabella (Così fan Tutte), Radamisto (Radamisto) and Almirena (Rinaldo). This summer, Beatriz will perform the role of La Badessa from Puccini’s Suor Angelica at The International Summer Opera Programme in Tel Aviv. Beatriz received a High Commendation from the Mozart National Competition (London) and was a first prize winner of the Singing Competition of the Conservatoires of Music in Portugal. Beatriz has been generously supported throughout her studies by the Helen Marjory Tonks scholarship and by the Barry Shaw Scholarship. In September, Beatriz will commence her studies as a Master of Music Candidate at the prestigious at the Hochschule für Musik Hans Eisler in Berlin, Germany. John Matthew Myers , tenor Fanny R. Simmonds Memorial Fellowship, James Sassower Memorial Fellowship, Dan Saslow Fellowship, Fanny R. Simmonds Memorial Fellowship Tenor John Matthew Myers, declared an “artist to watch” by Opera News, has rapidly established himself among the ranks of today’s exceptional young voices. He has collaborated with companies such as the Verbier Festival, Santa Fe Opera and LA Opera, and made his surprise Los Angeles Philharmonic debut in 2017 as Mao in John Adams’s Nixon in China conducted by the composer. His breakout performance was hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “brightly lighted to match his declaiming voice. Concert highlights of the 2018-19 season include Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and conductor Josep Caballé-Domenech; a new production of John Cage’s Europeras 1 & 2 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the direction of Yuval Sharon; Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra and Marcelo Lehninger; and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and José-Luis Novo. Nicholas Newton , bass-baritone Merrill and Judy Blau Fellowship, Waldo Morgan Allen Memorial Endowed Fellowship, The Celia K. and Sol J. Hammerman Memorial Fellowship A San Diego native, Nicholas Newton is garnering due attention as an up-and-coming bass-baritone in the opera world. Growing up in a musical household, Mr. Newton has pursued his passion for singing through gospel, jazz, musical theater, and now classical music. Notable operatic roles include Monterone in “Rigoletto” with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Olin Blitch in “Susannah” and Achilla in “Giulio Cesare” at Rice University, and UnArbre/ La Fauteuil in “L’enfant et les sortilèges” at Aspen Music Festival. Notable concert performances include solos in Mozart Requiem, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Fauré Requiem, Stephen Paulus’ “To Be Certain of the Dawn”, “Catfish Row” with San Diego Winds, and “Duruflé Requiem” with San Diego Master Chorale. Mr. Newton recently completed his last year in the Master’s program at Rice University and he joins the Houston Grand Opera Studio in the fall for the 2019-2020 season. Nils Nilsen , tenor Arthur J. and Glenna B. Collins Memorial Fellowship, S. J. Ipsen Fellowship Tenor, Nils Georg Nilsen, hails from Oslo, Norway. In March 2012, he made his debut at Avery Fisher Hall in the Lincoln Center, New York and since then he has worked for the Norwegian Opera House, The Israeli Opera and Opera Tampa. Mr. Nilsen is an artist in recidence at Malaga Clasica Chamberfestival in Spain. He is a sought after singer in Norway and abroad where he often sings with orchestra´s, in oratorios, concert´s, productions and events. Mr. Nilsen is a professor at the Galamian Accademy of Music in Malaga. For more visit: www.nilsnilsentenor.com Katarina Van Droogenbroeck , mezzo-soprano Samuel R. Sherwin Memorial Fellowship from his family, Carol L. Linne and Carl E. Horn Fellowship, Marilyn Heath Fellowship After her musical training in Brussels and Berlin, Katarina joined the Baroque music specialization “Barock vocal” in Mainz and Frankfurt, where she studied with major names in baroque music, such as Ton Koopman, Andreas Scholl, Jaap ter Linden and René Jacobs. She also participated to several Masterclasses on the interpretation of Lieder, with among others Brigitte Fassbaender, Bernarda Fink and Christa Ludwig. Since September 2014 she has been perfecting her skills at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium, under the direction of José van Dam. She performed many concerts with him, the most recent one with the Biel orchestra singing romantic french opera arias. Katarina is very active as a concert and Oratorio singer, especially in baroque music. She performed the alto solo of the Messiah many times in different prestigious locations (Frankfurter Dom, Bonn Philarmonic Orchestra, Royal Palace Belgium etc), as well as the alto solo in the Mozart Requiem (Hervé Niquet), Haendel cantates with Fabio Bonizzoni, Jephta (Haendel) with Konrad Junghänel at the Frankfurter Kaisersaal, the alto solo in the St-Matthew Passion at the Royal Palace of Belgium and many other sacred works. She recently founded a chamber music trio ‘Trio Capricorn » with the belgian pianist Philippe Riga and the french viola player Hélène Desaint. They were already performing a lot in various events and festivals in Belgium and France and will be giving concerts in Canada (Québec), New York and Washington during the summer of 2018. They’re also preparing a CD that will be recorded in 2019. Katarina has been studying with mezzo-soprano Patricia McCaffrey (New York) since 2011. RSMI SINGERS FELLOWS