Elaine Crane- Executive director
Elaine Crane has been hailed by critics as “brilliant”, “…a charming actress”, “…a beautiful voice and a very fine comic actor.” She has performed with Longwood Opera, Salisbury Lyric Opera Company, New England Light Opera, Savoyard Light Opera Company, Lowell Opera, Booth Theatre, Wachusett Theatre, Sterling Theatre, Worcester County Light Opera Company, Sudbury Savoyards, Valley Light Opera, Commonwealth Opera, New England Theatre Company, Mass Theatrica and New Life Fine Arts. Gilbert and Sullivan operas are a particular favorite, and “… Crane’s voice and demeanor (are) perfect G&S heroine material…” Personal highlights of Elaine’s many stage roles include performing the role of Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof opposite Tony-nominated stage and screen personality Eddie Mekka.  Equally at home on the recital stage, Elaine's voice and stage presence have been described by critics as "sparkling", "exquisite", and "absolutely radiant". As recitalist and oratorio singer, Elaine has been a featured soprano soloist with such groups as the Worcester Chorus, Salisbury Singers and Great Waters Music Festival. “Her voice soars…” in such works as the Requiems of Mozart and Brahms.

Elaine is a cum laude graduate of the Boston Conservatory, where she studied opera and vocal performance. She is the founder and artistic director of “Worcester Opera Works”, with whom she currently performs the title role in the opera Little Red Riding Hood. She is a member of the New England Gilbert and Sullivan Society (NEGASS), and the Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship. Elaine invites you to visit her website- www.elainecrane.com

Sandra Fritze- Mezzo Soprano
This past year has been so rewarding for Sandy, helping to create the new opera company "Opera- to Go!",  and performing Little Red Riding Hood for children.  The last 10 years have been remarkable for Sandy, as she has been involved in opera, operetta and musical theatre throughout Central Massachusetts working with wonderful people in Salisbury Singers, Salisbury Lyric Opera, Wachusett Theatre, Stageloft Repertory Theater, Sterling Theatre, Spencer Performing Arts, Spencer Theater Company, Worcester County Light Opera and many others.  Favorite roles include Mother Abbess (The Sound of Music), Golde (Fiddler on the Roof), and Sister Wilhelm (Nunsense Jambouree).  When not on stage you can find Sandy at Mary Queen of the Rosary Parish where she cantors, sings with the senior choir and directs the junior choir.

You may contact Sandy via email at Sjfsing@aol.com.

Jonathan LaBarre- Baritone
Jonathan lives in Boxborough Massachusetts with his wife Ellen and their three children. Jonathan is one of the inaugural members of Worcester Opera Works, and performs the roll of the Wolf and Woodsman in Worcester Opera Works' production of Seymour Barab’s Little Red Riding Hood.  He has also sung with Salisbury Lyric Opera in such roles as Dr. Daly in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Sorcerer, Pish-Tush in The Mikado and Figaro in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.  Jonathan sings as cantor in area churches and has his schooling from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.  He was  involved in the inaugural season of The Boston Opera Project, where he sang the roll of Oscar in Marc Blitzstein’s Regina.  This season Jonathan will be heard as Enrico in Lowell Opera's production of Il Campanello.

Olga Rogach- Piano
Olga Rogach received a Master of Music degree in piano performance from Russia's famed St. Petersburg Conservatory which acknowledged her artistry with a special award for notable performances of Bach's solo keyboard music. After graduation she was appointed to the St. Petersburg Music College Faculty and became a featured pianist for the Literary Association of St. Petersburg and the All-Russian Theatrical Society. She emigrated to the U.S. in 1991 and made her home in Worcester, MA.

Ms. Rogach performed regularly with the Salisbury Lyric Opera Company. A leading regional piano teacher, she received the "Outstanding Faculty" award at the Performing Arts School of Worcester where she was a faculty member for ten years.     Ms. Rogach performs extensively in New England, and is acclaimed for her recitals and collaborations with instrumentalists and vocalists. Also she is one half of the well known piano duo Con Brio, established in partnership with pianist Sima Kustanovich.      

Ms. Rogach is the official pianist for the Bel Canto Vocal Scholarship Foundation, accompanist for the opera ensemble "Worcester Opera Works" and accompanist for Master Singers of Worcester. She has also been heard numerous times on WGBH Radio's Classics in the Morning and Morning Pro Musica.    In addition to performing, she now plans to focus on her private piano studio as well as being a private piano instructor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and acting as Music Director at First Parish Church of Northborough.

Brian Ballard- Bass-Baritone
After 18 years in the software industry, Brian is quickly becoming a regular on Boston-area stages, performing a broad repertoire of opera, operetta and musical theater. He recently received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Morales in Bizet's Carmen with Granite State Opera, where Jeanné McCartin of the Portsmouth (NH) Herald wrote "The earliest moments were given a lift thanks to Brian Ballard, as Morales the soldier. He's got it all -- vocals and presence." As Macheath in Brecht/Weill's The Threepenny Opera at Lowell House Opera, J. Samuel Abbott of the Harvard Crimson wrote Ballard's "wit, presence and voice give the opera a tremendous sense of power and severity whenever he speaks or sings, or even moves."  Other recent roles include Agamemnon in Gluck's Iphigenie en Aulide, Father in Hansel and Gretel, Colline in La Boheme, Cinderella's Prince in Into the Woods and Captain Duval in Romberg's The New Moon. Brian made his Boston Lyric Opera debut this year, and has also appeared as a soloist with Chorus Pro Musica, Portsmouth Pro Musica, Paul Madore Chorale, Vox Consort, Harvard Pro Musica, Longwood Opera and New England Light Opera. Later this summer, he will be appearing as the Pirate King in New Jersey Opera Theater's Pirates of Penzance, and as Dancairo in Cape Cod Opera's Carmen.  Brian studied opera performance at Longy School of Music and currently studies voice with Dr.  Folsom.
 

Michael Belle- Tenor
Michael Belle got his start singing in high school, performing a cappella with groups through college and a few years beyond. He then quit singing for 11 years. In late 2004, at the behest of a friend, he became involved with Boston Opera Project's Regina. He then forgot completely why he stopped performing and went on a tear, performing in Iolanthe, Ragtime, Little Women, Showboat, Sweeney Todd, H.M.S. Pinafore, and The Grand Duke, plus scores of concerts with various groups in the region. In May he begins his second performance of Ragtime in as many years. He currently studies voice with Janice Edwards in NH, and he hopes to pursue opera professionally.

Elisabeth Gondek- Lyric Soprano
Elisabeth received her degree in music in 1999 from Anna Maria College, Paxton.  She has worked as a soloist and section leader for Worcester area churches before, during and after college.  She worked as a private voice, piano and recorder teacher for various Worcester area schools, including Bancroft School and Pakachoag Community Music School.  As she began to teach voice in her own studio, she became a teacher for the early childhood music program at Pakachoag Community Music School, Auburn.  Elisabeth has appeared as a soloist with the Salisbury Lyric Opera Company and Worcester Opera Works.  She is currently a member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, the Packachoag Church Choir, and the St. John the Evangelist Church Schola.  She most recently has performed in concerts for the St. Paul’s Music Festival and to benefit Worcester Children’s Friend.

Stephanie Mann- Coloratura Soprano
Soprano Stephanie Mann is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory with a Masters of Music in Voice and Opera Performance.  She has held leading roles in The Sorcerer, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Master Class, The Mikado, Patience, The Secret Garden, King Richard’s Faire, Iolanthe, Follies, and has been a featured soloist with the Longwood Opera, Opera by the Bay, and Wellesley Choral Society.  She sang the role of Alexandra in the Boston Opera Project’s inaugural production of Marc Blitzstein’s Regina, covered the performance of Richard Strauss’ Vier Letzte Lieder with the Brockton Symphony, and made her debut at the Raylynmor Opera as Ruth in their production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore.  Most recently, she appeared as ‘Maria’ in the Wakefield Repertory Theatre’s production of The Sound of Music and ‘The Fairy Godmother’ in Cendrillon with Operatunity.  This spring, she will be  portraying ‘Amy’ with Boston Opera Project. Please visit her website at www.stephaniemannsoprano.com for more information.
 

Janet Poisson- Soprano
Soprano Janet Poisson begins the 2006-07 season as soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem in a 9/11 tribute concert, followed by the role of Frasquita in Granite State Opera’s fall production of Carmen.  In addition, Janet debuts in the professional treble choir Cappella Clausura and as Mary Magdalene in the medieval opera Planctus Mariae. Recent engagements with Granite State Opera include a workshop performance of Oscar Wilde singing the role of Lillie Langtree, as well as appearing in L’Elisir d’Amore and Madama Butterfly.  Janet also appeared as soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah with several local groups. Notable solo performances include Schubert’s Mass in G Major, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Bach’s Magnificat, and Vivaldi’s Gloria.  Janet received her Masters in Voice Performance in 2005 at The Boston Conservatory where she appeared as soloist in Mozart’s Requiem and Bernstein’s Mass, as well as singing in Akhaten by Glass and as Mercedes (Carmen) in opera scenes with the opera studio.  She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree at Plymouth State University in music education with voice emphasis.  In addition to her emerging singing career, Janet is on the voice faculty at Nashua Community Music School.
 

Miles Rind- Bass-Baritone
Miles Rind is a frequent performer on stage and in the concert hall. His recent operatic credits include the role of Leporello in Don Giovanni with Lowell House Opera and with the New Opera; the title role of Eugene Onegin with Lowell House Opera; Coppélius and Dr. Miracle in The Tales of Hoffmann, Colline in La Bohème, and Dr. Grenvil in La Traviata, all with Longwood Opera; Horace Giddens in Regina, with Boston Opera Project; and Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, with Boston Bel Canto Opera, Young Opera New England, and Spencer Performing Arts. As a concert soloist, he has appeared with the Paul Madore Chorale, the Masterworks Chorale, the Nashua Symphony Choral Society, the Newton Community Chorus, the Arlington-Belmont Chorale, and the Lowell House Orchestra and Chorus, in such works as the Requiems of Mozart and Verdi, the Brahms German Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Haydn’s The Creation, and Puccini’s Messa di gloria.

Ian Watson- Piano Accompanist/ Music Director
Ian has played with most of the leading British orchestras, including the London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony, BBC Welsh, BBC Philharmonic, English Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, The Academy of Ancient Musick, English Baroque Soloists and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. He has made many recordings and toured worldwide with the Academy, most recently to Germany with the American violinist Pamela Frank playing all six Brandenburg Concerti. In addition to appearing on nearly 200 broadcasts and recordings, including as solo pianist on a recent award-winning CD with Renee Fleming and the English Chamber Orchestra, Ian is featured on many film soundtracks including Amadeus, Casper, Polanski's Death and the Maiden, Mr. Holland's Opus, Restoration, Cry the Beloved Country and Hidden Voices.  For Ian's full biography, visit the Arcadia Players' website.

Tom Weber- Baritone
Mr. Weber has pleased audiences and critics alike, displaying  versatility and flexibility in a variety of roles and settings.  Of Tom, critics have written “…he made listening like drinking a cordial…” and …”clearly one of the stars of the evening…he possesses a great voice.” Most recently, Tom performed as a featured soloist with New England Light Opera in that company’s presentation of “By Strauss”, an operetta revue of Johann Strauss’ music from operetta and waltz, and in that group’s Gala fund-raiser.  He had also appeared with NELO in its production of “America Sings!”.  New England opera appearances by Mr. Weber the past year included those with Longwood Opera as Giorgio Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata, at Raylynmor Opera (NH) where he appeared as Don Magnifico in Rossini’s La Cenerentola, with Lowell Opera Company as Dr. Dulcamara in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore, and in The Boston Opera Project’s production of Mark Adamo’s contemporary opera LittleWomen, as Gideon March.   In addition, Tom also made more than a dozen opera and concert appearances, singing dramatic and comic selections from opera, operetta, and Broadway.
 

Jacque Eileen Wilson- Mezzo-soprano
Mezzo soprano Jacque Eileen Wilson has been hailed as “passionate singer with beautiful warm tones”. She is a graduate of The Boston Conservatory where she received her Master’s degree in Opera Performance. Her operatic roles include: Meg in the New England Premiere of Mark Adamo’s Little Women, Meg Page in Verdi’s Falstaff, Herself in the West Coast Premiere of The Proposal, and Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro. Equally comfortable on the concert stage, she has been featured as a soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra where she made her Carnegie Hall and Symphony Hall debuts as the alto soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy. Her oratorio work includes Mozart’s Solemni Vespers, Pergolesi’s Magnificat, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and Handel’s Messiah. She has been a soloist with Longwood Opera, Musica da Camera, Metrowest Symphony Orchestra, and Parkway Concert Orchestra.

Stanley Wilson- Tenor
Stanley Wilson, tenor, has a background in both classical music and musical theatre. He has a Master of Music from The Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA in Opera Performance and is currently studying with Douglas Kevin Wilson of New York City. Opera credits include Gastone in La Traviata, Laurie in Little Women, Tanzmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos, Rememdado in Carmen, Tamino in The Magic Flute, Don Curzio in The Marriage of Figaro, Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas, the Witch in Hansel and Gretel, Tinca in Il Tabarro and Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi. Stanley’s concert work includes performances of Handel’s Israel in Egypt and Messiah, Mozart Requiem, Mozart Great Mass in c minor and Coronation Mass, Elijah, Haydn Mass in the Time of War, Vivaldi Dixit Dominus, the premier of Gwyneth Walkers’ Come Life, Shaker Life, Bach St. John Passion and Schubert Mass in B.  Musical theatre roles include Eddie Ryan in Funny Girl,  the MC in Cabaret and Sasha in Fiddler on the Roof. During the summer of 2006 he released his first CD titled Stanley Wilson Sings Cole Porter. Over the next several months he can been seen presenting the songs of this CD throughout the Northeast area. Stanley also teaches voice privately at his home as well as at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Please check his website at www.stanleywilsontenor.com for a schedule of upcoimg engagements or to inquire about voice lessons.
 

Lisa Woods- Mezzo-Soprano
This season mezzo-soprano Lisa Woods performed with Commonwealth Opera in their Annual Gala Concert entitled, ‘After They’ve Seen Paris’. Also this season, Ms. Woods will be performing the role of Abishag in  Yose, a new opera by John Cooper, and will join Commonwealth Opera once again in the fall in their production of Rigoletto.  Lisa has performed the role of Katisha in the Wilbraham United Players production of the Gilbert and Sullivan opera The Mikado and the role of Dame Hannah in Valley Light Opera’s production of the Gilbert and Sullivan opera Ruddigore.  Ms. Woods has performed as soloist and ensemble member with Arcadia Players under the direction of Ian Watson in their performances of Messiah.  She has been heard as soloist with the Hampshire Choral Society, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Chorus, the Friends of Music of Guilford and the American Guild of Organists and has also sung the role of Eunice’s mother in the opera premiere of The Captivation of Eunice Williams.  The mezzo-soprano has been presented in numerous recital venues throughout the Pioneer Valley and is a member of the Springfield Massachusetts chapter of the Tuesday Morning Music Club. She is currently a student of Maureen O’Flynn, Stockbridge Mass. Visit Lisa on the web at www.classicalsinger.net/lisawoodsmezzo.