MIDDLEBURY — Four singers, one piano player, and an enthusiastic crowd gathered Aug. 18 at the Town Hall Theater to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Opera Company of Middlebury.
“We wanted to feature two OCM alums who have gone on to major professional careers and two of our former cast members whom we think will have terrific careers,” said Artistic Director Douglas Anderson.
Highlighting the evening of song were Stephanie Weiss and Yonghoon Lee, who performed together in OCM’s first production in 2004. Weiss, who sang the role of Michele in the OCM production of “Carmen,” lives in Berlin, where she is under contract to the Deutsch Opera. She performed with OCM in “The Pearl Fishers” and “La Rondine,” and is also a highly respected voice teacher.
Lee, who sang in OCM’s first two productions, has gone on to sing leading roles at the Metropolitan Opera (Don Jose and “Don Carlos”), Covent Garden (“Cavaradossi”), La Scala (“Turiddu”), Bologna (“Calàf”) and Vienna (“Don Carlos”).
Weiss next heads to Los Vegas for a recital and Lee will go to Hamburg, Germany, to star in “La Battaglia di Legnano,” an aria of which he sang in the OCM recital.
Bevin Hill, who most recently appeared in OCM’s “La Rondine” in 2011 and Branch Fields, featured in last year’s “Thaïs,” displayed their adept vocal powers and strong acting skills. Ted Taylor, pianist, is on the faculty of Yale University and the Opera Program of Mannes College in New York City.
Peter Gelb, general manager of the Metropolitan Opera, New York City, sent his best wishes to the company via a video that concluded the dramatic evening.