Grammy-Award winner Lucas Meachem is considered one of the greatest baritones in the world today. Hailed by critics as “vocally faultless and a natural actor” (Classical Chicago Review) with “a clear baritone whose fragments can pierce the soul” (Forum Opera), and “a rock star of opera” (Opera Pulse), his 2017-18 season brings both new and signature repertoire to theaters across the United States and Europe. Following his sensational return to the Metropolitan Opera as Marcello in La Bohème alongside Sonya Yoncheva and Michael Fabiano with a “winning, smooth baritone [that] was at once refined and robust” (Parterre), Meachem made his house debut at the Houston Grand Opera as the title role of Il Barbiere di Siviglia where “[he] gave the audience evidence of why this has become his signature role” (Houstonia).

Daniela Mack delivers a fiery Rosina in a punchy, vibrant mezzo that’s deeply satisfying. —The Times

Mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack has been acclaimed for her “caramel timbre, flickering vibrato, and crisp articulation” (Opernwelt) as she “hurls fast notes like a Teresa Berganza or a Frederica von Stade” (San Francisco Chronicle). Recently Daniela created the role of Elizabeth Cree in the world premiere of Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell’s Elizabeth Cree at Opera Philadelphia and returned for Carmen. She returned to the Washington National Opera as Bradamante in Alcina, and debuted at the Seattle Opera as Berlioz’s Béatrice in Béatrice et Bénédict.

Shrader, with his matinee-idol good looks, had the most challenging music to sing and he negotiated the long, florid vocal lines with disarming ease, agility and a sweet, open sound. -Chicago Tribune

The brilliant lyric tenor Alek Shrader continues to impress audiences with the “luxury of his phrasing, the clarity of his diction and the sensitivity and expressiveness of his characterizations”. Mr. Shrader makes several debuts in the 2016-2017 season, including at Wigmore Hall in a recital with pianist Roger Vignoles, with Opera de Oviedo in Spain performing Ferrando in Così fan tutte, and with the Minnesota Opera as Endimione in a production of Vicente Martín y Soler’s Diana’s Garden. He then returns to the Arizona Opera for performances of Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola and to the Santa Fe Opera to sing Oronte in Handel’s Alcina. Future projects include returns to the San Francisco Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, the Seattle Opera and Opera de Oviedo.

Andrew Shore is acknowledged as one of the most outstanding singer/actors currently working on the lyric stage. Andrew has worked for all the major British houses. In North America he has worked for the Metropolitan Opera, New York, San Francisco Opera, Paris Opera, San Diego Opera, Dallas Opera, Vancouver, Santa Fe Opera, Ottawa and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Also New Israeli Opera, the Opéra Comique in Paris, the Liceu in Barcelona, the Netherlands Opera, Komische Oper Berlin, Hamburg, Lyon, Nantes, Montpelier, and Copenhagen.

Wayne Tigges presented Olin Blitch through an effective amalgam of vocal velvet, sex appeal and vainglorious smarm, all cut with a surprisingly moving splash of vulnerability in his final scene. -Opera News

Lauded by the Chicago Sun-Times for his “rich, dark tone and beautiful legato,” Wayne Tigges returned to the title role in Der fliegende Holländer with Atlanta Opera in the 2017-18 season. He also sings Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana and Tonio in Pagliacci with New Orleans Opera, the title role in Gianni Schicchi and further performances of Tonio in Pagliacci with Utah Opera, Ping in Turandot with Tulsa Opera, and creates the role of Sgt. Aaron Marcum in the world premiere of Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang’s An American Soldier in a return to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Last season included performances of the title role in Der fliegende Holländer with Austin Opera, Owen Hart in Dead Man Walking and Howie Albert in Blanchard’s Champion with Washington National Opera, all four Villains in Les contes d’Hoffmann with L.A. Opera and Hawaii Opera Theater, and Roy Cohn in Angels in America with New York City Opera.

Soprano Michelle Trainor is a Boston-based singer who specializes in opera, oratorio and art song. Opera News hailed that “Michelle Trainor gave one of the most satisfying performances of the evening . . . her voice is richer and more expressive than ever” for her portrayal of Brangain in Boston Lyric Opera’s The Love Potion. The Musical Intelligencer has called Michelle Trainor the kind of classic opera soprano whose glorious, powerful sound raises every hair on your body and makes you melt at the wonder of the human voice” for her performance of Isolde’s Liebestod.

Wixom, Michigan native Harry Greenleaf is Michigan Opera Theatre Studio’s resident baritone. He made his debut with Michigan Opera Theatre in 2016 in the role of Top in The Tender Land. His credits with MOT also include Le Bret in Cyrano, Jack Wallace in The Girl of the Golden West and Morales in Carmen. He has been a Studio Artist with the Wolf Tap Opera Company, an Apprentice Artist with Des Moines Metro Opera and a Young Artist with the Glimmerglass Festival. He holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and is an alumnus of the Michigan State University College of Music. Last season, Harry performed with MOT as Marullo in Rigoletto, Sciarrone in Tosca and the roles of Leo Stein and Man Ray in Ricky Ian Gordon’s 27.

The recipient of the 2017 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award, Christopher Allen has been featured in Opera News magazine as “one of the fastest-rising podium stars in North America.” His conducting career was launched by the Bruno Walter Conducting Award and Memorial Career Grant and has been fostered by Plácido Domingo and James Conlon, who brought him to Los Angeles Opera as an Associate Conductor. In the 2017-18 season, Mr. Allen returned to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to conduct a new production of La traviata directed by acclaimed soprano Patricia Racette, and lead the North Carolina premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain at North Carolina Opera. He debuted at The Atlanta Opera leading La fille du régiment, featuring Stephanie Blythe, and returned to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts to helm Impressions de Pelléas, before conducting Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Aspen Music Festival. Mo. Allen serves as music director of the Bel Canto Trio’s 70th anniversary tour, featuring today’s internationally acclaimed rising opera stars in the program originally toured by Mario Lanza, George London, and Frances Yeend.

Mr. Mattaliano has directed for the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Washington Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, L’Opera de Montreal, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Minnesota Opera, Dallas Opera, and Central City Opera, among many others. His work has also been enjoyed internationally at L’Opera de Nice and the Norwegian National Opera. He has directed world premieres of Hugo Weisgall’s Esther for the New York City Opera, jazz composer Fred Ho’s Journey Beyond the West for the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Peter Westergaard’s The Tempest for the Opera Festival of New Jersey, and the American premiere of Veniamin Fleishman’s Rothschild’s Violin at the Juilliard Opera Center. His passion for stage direction has extended to teaching at the Juilliard School, the Metropolitan Opera Young Artist Development Program, Manhattan School of Music, Yale University, Princeton University, Mannes College of Music, and the New National Theater of Japan. In 1996 his essay on auditioning (“The Dreaded Audition”) was published by Opera America.