Edward Graves, tenor, is a native of Oxon Hill, Md. His 2018-19 season began with a Seattle Opera debut as Robbins in Porgy and Bess. Recent performances include being a soloist with Heritage Signature Chorale in a concert entitled NSO Pops: Get Out (film with live orchestra) at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as well as singing at President George HW Bush’s funeral with the Cathedral Choir at the Washington National Cathedral. In January, he will make his South Florida Symphony Orchestra debut returning to the role of Robbins in Porgy and Bess. He will also return to The Glimmerglass Festival this summer to take part in a world-premiere of Blue, a newly commissioned opera written by Jeanine Tesori. He was recently a 2017-18 Baumgartner Studio Artist at Florentine Opera in Milwaukee, WI where he performed roles in The Merry Widow, Venus and Adonis, Dido and Aeneas, and The Magic Flute. Edward received an Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Wisconsin District in 2017. He was previously a 2017 Young Artist at The Glimmerglass Festival where he sang the role of Peter in Porgy and Bess, and sang the role of Fred in Okhlahoma!. He received his Performer Diploma and Master of Music in Voice Performance from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music where he studied with Patricia Havranek. He received his Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Towson University, where he studied with Aaron Sheehan

Avery Boettcher is the resident soprano of the Michigan Opera Theatre Studio. She has performed a wide array of roles both in the United States and abroad, ranging from Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro with La Musica Lirica in Italy, to the lighter operetta and musical theater roles of YumYum in The Mikado with Viterbo University. She recently performed Lauretta in MOT’s production of Gianni Schicchi/Buoso’s Ghost in March as well Zerlina in MOT’s Don Giovanni last fall. Previous roles also include the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro at the Aspen Music Festival, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni at Indiana University Opera Theater and Zweite Dame in The Magic Flute with the Indianapolis City Orchestra. Prior to MOT, Boettcher was an opera fellow in the Aspen Music Festival where she performed John Harbison’s “Mirabai Songs” with the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, as well as Mahler’s “Symphony No. 4” with the Aspen Conductors Orchestra.

Diane Rae Schoff, mezzo soprano, is a regular character on stage with regional companies throughout Michigan and around the country. Diane recently received high praise for her company and role debuts with Opera Carolina and Opera Grand Rapids as Marcellina in their joint production of Le Nozze di Figaro. Opera News said “It would be hard to imagine a better portrayal of Marcellina, both physically and vocally than that of Diane Schoff.” Career highlights include her work with Michigan Opera Theatre as the second maid in Elektra 2014, Natalia Trotsky in Frida 2015, the Second Lady in The Magic Flute 2016 and as Aunt Cecilia in Little Women 2017; with Toledo Opera as the Old Baroness in their 2017 production of Vanessa where she earned where she earned acclaim for her “look that could drop a horse at 50 feet” -Toledo Blade.

Tenor Joseph Michael Brent, a native New Yorker, began his operatic career as a doctoral student at the University of Georgia, Athens. Since graduating in the fall of 2014, Dr. Brent’s lyric tenor voice has continued to gain recognition around the United States and abroad. Most recently, he became the inaugural tenor resident artist of the Michigan Opera Theatre Studio, under the artistic direction of internationally acclaimed tenor Richard Leech and opera impresario Dr. David Dichiera. He completed two seasons as resident artist, ending his tenure at the Michigan Opera Theatre in the spring of 2017. As a member of the Michigan Opera Theatre Studio Dr. Brent’s roles included Theodore “Laurie” Lawrence (Little Women), Martin (The Tender Land), the Kronprinz (Silent Night), Malcolm (Macbeth), Trin (La Fanciulla del West), Remendado (Carmen). Before joining the studio he had sung many of the most significant tenor roles in the repertoire including: E.T.A. Hoffmann (Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Martina Arroyo Foundation Prelude to Performance); Edgardo di Ravenswood (Lucia di Lammermoor, New York Opera Exchange); Rodolfo (La Bohème, La Musica Lirica); B.F. Pinkerton (Madame Butterfly, Quisisana Resort); Albert Herring (Albert Herring, The Bronx Opera); Don Jose (Carmen, New York Opera Exchange); Prince Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore), at the University of Georgia.​

Frank Pitts, an American bass known for his distinctive, booming voice and consummate musicianship has enjoyed a full and active 2018/2019 season.  The predominant focuses were his performances as The Commendatore in Don Giovanni and Reverend Hale in The Crucible, all with the prestigious Berlin Opera Academy in Germany.  In May 2019, Mr. Pitts performed as The Peach Checker in Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath under the baton of Michael Christie. Having performed numerous times as featured solo artist with the Flint Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Pitts’ basso profundo was especially noteworthy in Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music with Teatro Colon’s Maestro Enrique Demieck. While participating in the renowned AIMS program in Graz, Austria, Mr. Pitts performed as bass soloist in Rossini’s Stabat Mater. Other favored oratorio works to his credit include the Verdi Requiem, Hayden’s Creation and Handel’s Messiah. Also of note was his outstanding appearance as bass soloist in the beloved Hanukkah Lights for the Flint Symphony Orchestra’s televised “ABC 12 Holiday Pops” in 2017. Equally successful in both opera and musical theater, Mr. Pitts has performed roles ranging from Don Bartolo in The Barber of Seville and Pooh-Bah in The Mikado to Pulitzer in Newsies and Edna Turnblad in Hairspray. Also in demand for voice-over work, the bass has served in such capacity as God in Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Grinch in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, and other deep bass-speaking roles in musical theater. Also in demand for his excellence and versatility on the piano as well as his fine conducting ability, Frank Pitts predominantly resides in Flint, Michigan and studies voice with Nada Radakovich.

(Sponsored by Drs. Ali Moiin & William Kupsky) Olivia Johnson, born in Jacksonville, NC, is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where she earned her master’s degree while studying under Professor George Shirley. This year she is the resident mezzo-soprano at Toledo Opera in Toledo, Ohio for the 20/21 season. After performing the comprimario role of the Girlfriend in Daniel Sonenberg’s The Summer King at Michigan Opera Theatre in 2018, Ms. Johnson made her second appearance with MOT in the role of La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi followed by its sequel, Buoso’s Ghost in 2020. She performed Mathilde in Opera MODO’s innovative re-telling of Poulenc’s Dialogue of Carmelites. A former member of Michigan Opera Theatre’s touring ensemble, Ms. Johnson has performed throughout the Metro Detroit area premiering new and creative works. Ms. Johnson made her soloist appearance with the Rackham Choir in Richard Einhorn’s “Voices of Light” at the Detroit Institute of the Arts and her solo debut with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in their annual Classical Roots Gala.

A native of Detroit, Jesús Vicente Murillo made his professional debut with Michigan Opera Theater at the age of eighteen as The Android in The Very Last Green Thing. Since then he has made appearances with The Ohio Light Opera as Kalman Zsupán in Der Zigeunerbaron, Giorgio in The Gondoliers, Mr. Jackson in Silk Stockings, and Jenkins in Lady, Be Good!; Arbor Opera Theater as Colline in La Bohème; Main Street Opera Theater as King Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors; Seagle Music Colony as Masetto in Don Giovanni, and Bill Calhoun in Kiss Me, Kate; The University of Michigan Gilbert and Sullivan Society as Giuseppe Palmieri in The Gondoliers, King Hildebrand in Princess Ida, and Sir Marmaduke in The Sorcerer.  Recently Mr. Murillo performed Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with Opera Louisiane, Bob Noxious in The Final Battle for Love with Thompson Street Opera, Jose Castro in La Fanciulla del West with Michigan Opera Theater.

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.

As a longtime member of the Michigan Opera Theatre Chorus, Fred has performed in over 80 productions and is excited to be a part of the Candide ensemble.  In addition to his chorus roles, he has also appeared at MOT as the Coroner in Porgy & Bess, the Emperor Altoum in Turandot and Ambrogio in The Barber of Seville. Fred is also active in the local theatre community having performed at Greenfield Village, Jewish Ensemble Theatre, Williamston Theatre, Meadowbrook Theatre and others.

David Moan is ecstatic to be reprising his roles in Frida with Michigan Opera Theatre. Along with the 2015 production of Frida, other previous MOT credits include Martin in Candide, Il Notaro/Magistrate in Gianni Schicci/Buoso’s Ghost, Bird Seller/Dr. Fogg in Sweeney Todd, and as Jack in MOT’s children’s tour of Jack and The Beanstalk. David is also the current drama director for the Michigan Opera Theatre Children's Chorus and the Big Bad Wolf in the MOT’s children’s tour of Little Red Riding Hood. Other favorite performances include John Wilkes Booth (Wilde Award Winner) in Assassins and Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd at the Encore Musical Theatre Company; Monty in A Gentleman’s Guide… (Wilde Award Winner) and God/Himself in An Act of God at the Dio; and Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf in Into The Woods at the Ringwald Theatre. David is also one-half of the musical improv duo Torch Song.

Tenor Adrian Leskiw, a native of Wyandotte, made his comprimario debut with Michigan Opera Theatre as the 2nd Immigration Officer in A View from the Bridge and was recently featured in Sweeney Todd; he has also appeared as a chorister in over twenty productions.  Other recent appearances include Nika Magadoff in The Consul, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Fenton in Falstaff (Opera MODO), King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors (Arbor Opera Theater), and as a soloist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings.

David Aronson, a native of New York, has conducted, assisted, and coached many of the opera world’s greatest artists. After having served as Kapellmeister at the Zurich Opera and the Luzern Theater he was on the staff of the Vienna State Opera for a quarter century. He has assisted such celebrated conductors as Karajan, Mehta, Ozawa and Muti, has worked with many world-renowned singers, including Renée Fleming, Jonas Kaufmann, Placido Domingo, Elina Garanča, Bryn Terfel and Anna Netrebko. A highlight of his tenure at the State Opera was conducting the world premiere of Violeta Dinescu’s Der 35. Mai. His most recent engagement, Così fan tutte at the historic Laxenburg Schlosstheater, garnered the following review in Der Standard (Vienna).
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"Conducting from the fortepiano, David Aronson unleashes a gamut of emotion, from passionate rage to tender love. He delights with wild accompagnato and nuanced secco recitatives. A wonderful musician!"
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As a faculty member at Vienna’s Musik und Kunst Universität, Mr. Aronson has prepared many aspiring singers, coaches and conductors. As a pianist, he has accompanied his wife, soprano Sylvia Greenberg, in recitals in Europe, Israel, the U.S. and Australia. Their master classes are in great demand at universities and conservatories throughout the world.
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David Aronson’s career began in the U.S. as assistant conductor with the opera companies of Kansas City, Lake George, and Miami. He recently made his U.S. debut in Philadelphia, conducting the Academy of Vocal Arts' production of Ariadne auf Naxos.