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Rigoletto

Giuseppe Verdi
In collaboration with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra

SYNOPSIS

Verdi’s masterpiece of love, vengeance, and a curse that cannot be outrun. Rigoletto, the sharp-tongued court jester, mocks the world from the shadows of the Duke of Mantua’s palace while hiding his greatest treasure: his daughter, Gilda. When the Duke’s roving eye finds her, Rigoletto’s thirst for revenge sets in motion one of opera’s most devastating tragedies. Performed with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, this is Verdi at full power, home to some of the most recognizable melodies ever written for the stage.

In collaboration with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.

The Cast

Joshua Conyers
Rigoletto
Joshua Conyers
Rigoletto

Grammy-nominated baritone Joshua Conyers has earned acclaim for his performances in both contemporary and traditional operatic repertoire, as well as on concert stages throughout North America and internationally. This season, Mr. Conyers makes his producing debut with IN PLAIN SIGHT: The Black Anthology (Eastman School of Music), a recording celebrating Black American art song. He serves as Artist-in-Residence with Winston-Salem Choral Artists, Wake Forest University, and University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He makes his role debut as Jim in Lewis’ The Comet, as part of the Howard Hanson Visiting Professorship in Composition at Eastman School of Music, and will perform Handel's Messiah with Winston-Salem Symphony. Other recent credits include X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X (Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera), Blue (Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera), Factotum (Lyric Opera of Chicago), and Pagliacci (Atlanta Opera). Mr. Conyers is on the voice faculty at Eastman School of Music.

Hallie Schmidt
Gilda
Hallie Schmidt
Gilda

Soprano Handorf Company Artist
American soprano Hallie Schmidt has sung with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Seattle Opera, Pacific Northwest Opera, Central City Opera, Opera Colorado, and Des Moines Metro Opera. Most recently, Hallie made her debut with Central City Opera in The Ballad of Baby Doe, singing Mary, and returned to Pacific Northwest Opera in the spring to sing Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos. Other recent performances include Marie in Daughter of the Regiment (Opera Colorado), and Rose in At the Statue of Venus (Opera Colorado- celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House). Other past roles inclue Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier (Pacific Northwest Opera Opera), Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Blonde in The Abduction from the Seraglio, and The Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute (Opera Theatre of St. Louis). This season, Hallie will make her debuts with Opera Memphis, the Kirkland Chorale Society, Opera Omaha, and will return to Pacific Northwest Opera to sing the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute. hallieschmidtsoprano.com

Andrew Owens
Duke of Mantua
Andrew Owens
Duke of Mantua

American tenor Andrew Owens, whom the Irish Times described as having a, “ringing top register, and easy fluidity to bel-canto writing” has quickly built a reputation as a promising singer of his generation, exhibiting a beautiful Italianate timbre, soaring top notes, and effortless agility. In the 2026/2027 season, Mr. Owens will continue as an ensemble member of Opernhaus Zürich as Camille de Rosillon in Die lustige Witwe and Basilio in Le nozze di Figaro, and with Opera Memphis, the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto. In the 2025/2026 season in the ensemble of Opernhaus Zürich, Andrew Owens sang Alfred in a new production of Die Fledermaus and Jacquino in Fidelio. He joined Opéra national de Montpellier as Alfredo in La traviata. In concert, he joined the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden and Marco Armiliato for Rodolfo in La bohème, and Shanty in Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo.

Kevin Burdette
Sparafucile
Kevin Burdette
Sparafucile

Bass Kevin Burdette is an alumnus of Juilliard Opera Theater and a former member of the Opéra National de Paris Young Artists’ Program and the Merola Opera Program. He was featured as Stefano in The Tempest with the Metropolitan Opera, which was awarded the Grammy Award for “Best Opera Recording.” The 2026-2027 features: Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia (Santa Fe Opera), Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance (Lyric Opera of Kansas City), Benoit/Alcindoro in La bohème (Seattle Opera), and Handel’s Messiah (Knoxville and Charlotte Symphonies). Recent credits include Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte and the 2026 Artist in Residence (Glimmerglass Festival); Howard in The Listeners North American premiere (Opera Philadelphia); the Police Officer in Boris Godunov (Metropolitan Opera); Sulpice in La fille du régiment (Washington National Opera); Sweeney Todd (Austin and Chautauqua Operas); and Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro and Il barbiere di Siviglia (Seattle Opera).

Miastasha Gonzalez-Colón
Maddalena
Miastasha Gonzalez-Colón
Maddalena

Falvey-Woodside Mezzo-Soprano Handorf Company Artist
Miastasha Gonzalez-Colón is a Puerto Rican mezzo-soprano from New York City. She has most recently performed as the Composer in Bronx Opera’s production of Ariadne auf Naxos, a company with which she has done extensive work. She has performed with them for the past three seasons, singing roles such as Dorabella in Cosí fan tutte and Zita in Gianni Schicchi. This past winter, Miastasha performed as an ensemble member in Amahl and the Night Visitors at Lincoln Center Theater in association with The Metropolitan Opera. Last summer, Miastasha was a resident artist at Central City Opera where she joined the ensemble in Once Upon a Mattress and The Knock while also covering the role of Aisha McNair in The Knock. This upcoming season, Miastasha will be joining Opera Memphis as a Handorf Company Artist and will be performing in their outreach program 30 Days of Opera as well as their three mainstage productions.

Haena Jeong
Giovanna
Haena Jeong
Giovanna

Seoul, South Korea native Haena Jeong is an acclaimed mezzo-soprano recognized for her powerful stage presence and versatility. At the University of Memphis, where she is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) under Matthew Burns and won the 2026 Graduate Creative Achievement Award, operatic roles include La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), and Madame Flora (The Medium). Other roles include Baba the Turk with Opera Memphis, Hexe with Manhattan School of Music, and Bloody Mary in South Pacific in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A two-time Concerto Soloist competition winner and Mahler specialist, she performed Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra in 2026. Her extensive chamber music repertoire features Patterson’s Kindertotenlieder and works by Unsuk Chin and Jake Heggie.

Trent Broussard
Count Ceprano
Trent Broussard
Count Ceprano

Baritone Trent Broussard has appeared in opera, concert, and oratorio performances throughout the Midwest and Mid-South. His operatic credits include Olin Blitch in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah and Figaro in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro with West Michigan Opera Project; the Mandarin in Puccini’s Turandot with Opera Grand Rapids; and Marcello in La bohème and Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen with the Kalamazoo Philharmonia. He made his Carnegie Hall solo debut in 2025, has appeared as a soloist with the Delta Symphony Orchestra, and frequently performs the national anthem at sporting and civic events. In addition to performing, Broussard is a choral conductor, church musician, and Assistant Professor of Music and Chair of the Department of Music at Williams Baptist University. He holds a Ph.D. in Church Music and Worship from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, along with degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Arkansas State University.

Reece Ruhl
Borsa
Understudy for Duke of Mantua
Reece Ruhl
Borsa
Understudy for Duke of Mantua

Tenor Handorf Company Artist

Reece Ruhl is a rising tenor from Paragould, Arkansas. He has been acclaimed for his dynamic, captivating timbre. Reece has been in productions with Opera in the Ozarks, Wichita Grand Opera, and Opera Memphis, and has portrayed Judge Danforth (The Crucible), Rodolfo (La bohème), Le Petit Vieillard (L’enfant et les Sortilèges), and covered Nemorino (L’elisir d'amore), Alfredo (La traviata), and Sam Polk (Susannah). Reece has recently performed as a tenor soloist in Schütz’s Johannespassion, Camille Saint-Saens’s Oratorio de Noel, and Handel’s Messiah. This summer, Reece returned for a second season with the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Steiermark, Austria, performing the roles of Duca (Rigoletto), Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus), and Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly). He competed in the Meistersinger Competition being awarded an honorable mention singing “Dein ist mein ganzes Herz”. Reece is an honored alumnus of Arkansas State University (MM, ‘25) and Henderson State University (BMA, ‘22). reeceruhl.com

Eric McKeever
Count Monterone
Eric McKeever
Count Monterone

American Baritone Eric McKeever has won consistent praise for his “sense of dignity in his singing… so direct that it hits the mind and heart.” (New York Classical Review) and his “dark, threatening baritone,” (Concerto Net). This season, he returns to Opera Memphis as Monterone (Rigoletto) and as Charlie/Agent in Kamala Sankaram’s techo-noir opera, Looking at You in performances at NYC’s HERE Arts. Recent performances include his debut with Seattle Opera as Dante in Laura Kaminsky’s Lucidity, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Opera Memphis as a soloist in Amadeus: The Music and the Myth, a return to Nashville Opera as Sir Joseph (HMS Pinafore), his role debut as Talbot (Maria Stuarda) with Opera Baltimore, soloist for Indianapolis Opera’s 50th Anniversary Gala, a debut with Ft. Worth Opera as Alidoro (La cenerentola)¸ and his return to Little Opera Theater of New York as Simone in Zemlinsky’s Eine florentinische tragödie.

Israel D. Lalama
Marullo
Israel D. Lalama
Marullo

Israel D. Lalama is an Ecuadorian bass baritone whose artistry blends vocal depth, dramatic instinct, and a vivid connection to storytelling. Born in Guayaquil, he grew into the world of classical singing through curiosity and discipline, shaping a voice known for its warmth, resonance, and expressive clarity. Lalama has performed roles across the lyric and verismo repertoire, bringing characters like Don Alfonso, Alfio, Belcore, and the Pirate King to life with a grounded stage presence and musical sensitivity. His work spans opera, zarzuela, and concert performance, reflecting a commitment to vocal craft and artistic authenticity. Now pursuing graduate studies in Voice Performance at the University of Memphis, he continues to refine his technique while exploring the evolving identity of the modern singer—one who bridges tradition, culture, and personal narrative through sound.

Anthony Valle
Usher
Anthony Valle
Usher

Anthony Valle (He/Him) is very excited to be joining Opera Memphis for their 2026-2027 season! Originally from Miami, Florida, he is currently a senior Vocal Performance Major at the University of Memphis, studying under Matthew Burns. He was recently awarded the 2026 Undergraduate Outstanding Achievement Award for his performance as Tony in The Most Happy Fella. Anthony has also performed internationally as Count Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Doctor Malatesta (Don Pasquale), and Marullo (Rigoletto) in Italy and Tokyo. He will be reprising the role of Count Almaviva at the University of Memphis in their upcoming main opera production. After his graduation in December, he is going to Sarasota Opera after being accepted into their Young Artist residency program.

Shelbi Sellers
Page
Shelbi Sellers
Page

Shelbi Sellers is an actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer from Memphis, Tennessee. She holds a Bachelor and a Master of Music with a minor in theatre from the University of Memphis. Past credits include Carmen, La Calisto, Sweeney Todd (Opera Memphis), Something Rotten!, Great Comet (Playhouse on the Square), Le nozze di Figaro, Oklahoma! (University of Memphis), Masterclass (Theatre Memphis), and more. She is currently an adjunct instructor of voice for the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Memphis. *Micah 6:8* She would like to dedicate her performance to Karl Witha K Robinson.

Creative Team

Robert Moody
Conductor
Robert Moody
Conductor
Ned Canty
Stage Director
Ned Canty
Stage Director

Ned Canty has directed at dozens of companies, including Glimmerglass Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Santa Fe Opera, New Orleans Opera, and the Shanghai Conservatory. The New York Times described his stage direction as having "a startling combination of sensitivity and panache." He joined Opera Memphis as general director in 2011, expanding the repertoire and launching a series of commissions centered on Memphis stories. The signature program under his leadership is “30 Days of Opera”, which has brought free performances to over 500,000 Memphians since 2012. In 2005, he helped found The New York Television Festival, and served as its director until 2010, helping it grow into a nationally recognized forum for discovering new television talent and exploring digital and new media storytelling. Before discovering opera, Canty worked as an actor, director, and stuntman at Hartford Stage Company, McCarter Theatre, and the New York Renaissance Festival, among others.

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At the Venue

Doors open 60 minutes before curtain.