The Children’s Opera Festival

May 30 - June 2, 2024

The debut festival from FBN Productions, featuring the world premiere of The Red Song Bird!

Join FBN Productions for four vibrant performances around the Midlands, arts & crafts, and interactive question & answer sessions with our singers.

Bring the family and a picnic to experience opera in a totally new way!

Festival & Venue Information

MEET THE ARTISTS

Julia Fertel

Cherubino (*The Three Little Pigs)*; Mother (*The Red Song Bird)*
Julia Fertel is a mezzo-soprano based in Columbia, South Carolina. An expressive and versatile artist, she is passionate exploring the intersections between Opera and Social Justice, examining how storytelling can inspire empathy in an audience. Equally at home in Operatic canon and art song, Ms. Fertel is devoted to performing works by female composers and repertoire in Hebrew and Yiddish. As a performer, she feels it is crucial that all voices are heard, especially those that are consistently overlooked throughout history. Ms. Fertel is passionate about exposing Opera to the next generation; although this is her first engagement with FBN, she toured productions of *The Three Bears* and *The Ugly Duckling* to schools throughout the North Country while performing with The Seagle Festival in upstate New York. Recent engagements include her chorus debut with Opera Carolina in *Turandot*, Maria Luisa in *With Blood,With Ink*, and Suor Zelatrice in *Suor Angelica* at the Seagle Festival, Der Trommler in *Der Kaiser von Atlantis*, Rebecca Nurse in *The Crucible*, and Mrs. Grose in *The Turn of the Screw* with Opera at USC. In addition to opera, Fertel has significant musical theatre experience. Among her roles are Golde in *Fiddler on the Roof* with Seagle Festival and Aunt March with One Off Productions.

Katie Gatch

Francesca (*The Red Song Bird)*
Katie Gatch, from Lexington, SC, is the director of Music Education and Director of Choirs at Cardinal Newman School and is a singer and voice teacher in Columbia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Music, emphasis in Choral Music Education, a performance certificate in Voice, and a master’s degree in Opera Theatre from the University of South Carolina. Katie’s opera and musical theater roles include the Queen of the Night, *Die Zauberflöte*; Governess, *Turn of the Screw*; Despina, *Cosí fan tutte*; Belle, *Beauty and the Beast*; Marian, *The Music Man*; and Brenda, *Catch Me if You Can*. Katie teaches private voice lessons at Cardinal Newman and Town Theatre where she is also one of the music directors for the Youth Theater program. She was a member of the Cathedral Singers at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral from 2017 to 2024, and has also been working with children’s choirs since 2011, including the Capella Pueri at St. Peter’s Catholic Church and the Cathedral Choristers at Trinity Episcopal. She has also enjoyed music directing for musical theatre productions in Columbia including *The Wizard of Oz, The Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors,* and *Beauty and the Beast.*

Andrew Hebert

Chad (*The Red Song Bird)*
Andrew Hebert is a Vocal Performance Major at the University of South Carolina, studying with Dominic Armstrong. He can frequently be seen in Opera at USC Productions, most recently Ladislav Sipos in *She Loves Me* last February and Antonio in *Le nozze di Figaro* last fall. Andrew is also a member of Concert Choir at UofSC and holds a Choral Scholar position at Shandon Presbyterian Church. After finishing with FBN Productions this summer, Andrew will be heading up to Brevard, North Carolina where he will be singing Mr. Peachum in *The Threepenny Opera* and covering the role of Colline in *La boheme*. Special thanks to our director Ellen Schlaefer for this wonderful opportunity, as well as Professor Armstrong and all of my other mentors who provide so much guidance and support.

Lillie Judge

Despina (*The Three Little Pigs);* The Red Song Bird (*The Red Song Bird)*
Soprano, Lillie Judge, is a native of Charlotte, NC and has just completed her Master of Music degree at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University under the tutelage of Dr. Brian Gill. In the Fall, she will begin working on a Doctorate of Music in Voice Performance and Literature with a full tuition Performance Award and Voice Graduate Assistantship. Judge also holds a Certificate in Vocology from IU and a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and Sacred Music from Westminster Choir College. During her time at Westminster, Judge sang in Westminster Choir under Joe Miller and performed Bach’s *B minor Mass* under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguinwith Westminster Symphonic Choir and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In Indiana, Lillie has a flourishing private voice studio and has worked as church choir director at First Christian Church in Bedford, IN. Notable roles include Mrs. Edith Frank in the world premiere of Shulamit Ran’s *Anne Frank* (IU Opera Theater), Pamina in *Die Zauberflöte*(LASHOW), Gretel in *Hänsel und Gretel* (WCC Opera), and Laetitia in *The Old Maid and The Thief* (WCC Lyric Theater).

Jason Pandelidis

Bucky (The Red Song Bird)

Performer, educator, and lover of all things music, Jason Pandelidis is a lyric tenor. This year, Jason performed in Opera Omaha’s first opera in Spanish, El último sueño de Frida y Diego and was a Young Artist with Cedar Rapids Opera in their production of Tosca. Last year, Jason played The Ghost of Christmas Present in Omaha Community Playhouse’s A Christmas Carol and was a Teaching Artist for OPERA San Antonio’s Classical Music Institute. In the spring of 2023, Jason received a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Literature from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, under the tutelage of Jerold Siena. His performance credits at UIUC include Basilio in Le nozze di Figaro under the direction of Nathan Gunn, Normanno in Lucia di Lammermoor, the Angel City Tenor in City of Angels, and Palhaço Beringela in the partial premier of João Guilherme Ripper’s opera in Portuguese, Candinho. In the summer of 2022, Jason had the opportunity to sing Rolf in Sound of Music and Parpignol in La bohème at the Bay View Music Festival. When he is not singing, he enjoys reading, playing board and video games, and engaging in other classical nerdy endeavors.

Jacob Parker

Blue (*The Red Song Bird)*
Jacob Parker is a native of Charlotte, NC. He just graduated from the University of South Carolina with his Bachelor's in Vocal Performance, where he did five productions with Opera at USC. During his time there he studied with Professor Jacob Will. In the fall he will be heading to Tallahassee to pursue his Master's in Vocal Performance at Florida State University.

Miguel Pedroza

Wolfgang Bigbad (*The Three Little Pigs);* Deer (*The Red Song Bird)*
Venezuelan bass-baritone Miguel Pedroza loves bringing stories to life through opera. Having been a resident artist at Opera Columbus, Opera Maine, Opera Southwest, Opera on the James, among others; he’s had the chance to explore a variety of roles, each with its own unique story to tell. Some of his recent roles include Masetto in *Don Giovanni*, Colline in *La bohème*, and Sciarrone in *Tosca*. Whether it’s the playful Marchese d’Obigny in *La Traviata* or the brave Raimbaud in *Le loup garou*, Miguel enjoys diving into the emotions of his characters and sharing them with the audience. Miguel is proud of his educational journey, which took him to the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music and the University of Houston. Over the years, he’s had the chance to perform as Figaro in *Le Nozze di Figaro*, Rabbi in Lori Laitman’s newest work *Uncovered*, Randy Curtis in *Lady in the Dark*, and Zuniga in *Carmen*, among many others.

Briona Robinson

Rosina (*The Red Song Bird)*
Briona Robinson is a mezzo-soprano and native of North Charleston, South Carolina. She recently got her Bachelor's of Music with an emphasis in Vocal Performance from the University of South Carolina and is a current student of Rachel Calloway. Briona's previous roles include Tituba in Robert Ward's *The Crucible* with Opera at USC, Rona Lisa Peretti in *The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee* with University of South Carolina Musical Theatre, Missus Herring in *Albert Herring* with Harrower Summer Opera Program, Kate in *Pirates of Penzance* with Columbia Operatic Laboratory, and Ilona Ritter in *She Loves Me* with Opera at USC. Briona will next be seen in Chicago Summer Opera's production as Cornelia in *Giulio Cesare.*

Julie Welch

Despina (*The Red Song Bird)*
Soprano Julie Welch has performed at the regional level with the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma where she performed the role of Mulan in the brand-new stage production of Disney’s *When You Wish: A Celebration of The Disney Song Book*. She also originated and premiered the role of Julia Howe in the new opera *A Porcelain Doll* by James Vernon. She has sung the role of Belinda from Purcell’s *Dido and Aeneas* and recently performed the role of Pamina in Mozart’s *Die Zauberflöte*. She has been a Concerto Aria Competition winner at Oklahoma Baptist University and was a featured performer at the Wooloroc Outdoor Concert hosted by the OK Mozart Music Festival. With several years of dance training, she has been a featured dancer in *Hello, Dolly*! (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma), *The Addams Family* (OBU Theater), and *The Music Man* (OBU Theater). Welch holds a Bachelor of Music in voice performance from Oklahoma Baptist University and a Master of Music in Performance and Pedagogy from Nazareth University. She has just finished all her coursework for a doctoral degree in voice performance at the University of South Carolina and is currently researching the impact of ballet on training singers.

Khary Wilson

Don Giovanni (*The Three Little Pigs);* Freddie *(The Red Song Bird)*
Khary Wilson, tenor (Don Giovanni, Freddie) is delighted to return to FBN Productions. He recently performed the Roles of George Stinney Sr in *George Stinney Jr: An American Execution*; Frederick Douglass in *Seneca Falls*; and the Tenor Soloist in Schubert’s *Stabat Mater*. Mr. Wilson recently completed his DMA in Vocal Performance/Pedagogy from Louisiana State University in ‘21 and is currently on the voice faculty at Southern University in Baton Rouge. He looks forward to an amazing inaugural festival!!

The Red Song Bird (2023)

About the red song bird

Composed by Zach Redler | Libretto by Marquita Lister

Run time: 21:00

About the composer

Zach Redler is a music theater composer whose work has been performed in concert halls, opera houses and theaters around the world. In 2014, the American Theatre Wing awarded Zach and Sara Cooper the Jonathan Larson Grant for their work together (The Memory Show, Loving Leo, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, and WINDOWS). Other favorite theater compositions include: Movin’ Up In The World (Jerre Dye), A Song for Susan Smith (Mark Campbell), Emily Sutton (Jerre Dye), and, their American Prize award winning piece, The Falling and The Rising (libretto by Jerre Dye). Currently, Zach is working on a number of projects across various genres from children’s music and jazz to opera and musical theater. Zach also works as a music copyist, music director, pianist, and musicologist working with orchestras and Broadway shows around the world. Additionally, Zach has served on the faculties of New York University, Manhattan School of Music, and Molloy College; mentors young opera writers for Seattle Opera’s creation lab; teaches music, yoga, and meditation; loves cooking plant based meals for their family; and runs ultramarathons when time allows. Love to their wife Brittney and two children, Skylar and Ellis.

About the librettist

Marquita Lister has earned worldwide critical praise for over two decades for an impressive repertoire that includes the masterworks of Verdi, Strauss, Puccini and Gershwin. Ms. Lister has sung with major opera companies such as the San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Montreal Opera, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Grosses Festspielhaus in Salzburg, La Scala, Semperoper Dresden, Staatstheater Stuttgart, Arena di Verona, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Opera Bastille Paris, Michigan Opera Theater, to name a few. Her convincing performance as Bess in New York City Opera's Emmy nominated production of Porgy and Bess earned her the ''NYCO Diva Award." Ms. Lister also received the "Artist of the Year Award," from the Pittsburgh Opera, and has appeared in television broadcast productions of An Evening with the Pops; Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops (PBS), A Christmas Celebration: Dallas Symphony Orchestra (KXAS- TV), and Live from Lincoln Center (PBS). In studio, Ms. Lister recorded George Gershwin's Blue Monday and Excerpts from Porgy and Bess for Telarc Records with Erich KunzeI and the Cincinnati Pops (Grammy nominated), Where the Sunsets Bleed: The Chamber Music of Edward Knight on Albany Records, and the critically acclaimed Porgy and Bess recording on the Decca label hailed by Opera News as one of the best recordings of 2006. In 2012, Ms. Lister recorded composer Michael Ching’s contribution to the Opera America Songbook commissioned for opening celebrations of the National Opera Center in New York. Ms. Lister is presently collaborating with soprano Louise Toppin to pioneer The African American Art Song and Arranged Negro Spirituals for a New Generation Project. She is the Coordinator of Vocal Studies and Director of Opera at Morgan State University, Vice President and Auditions Chair for the MD/MD Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Inc., as well as a Board member. She is the newly appointed Artistic Director of Opera Ebony, the longest surviving African-American opera company in American history and a faculty member of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera.

The Three Little PIgs

About the three little pigs

Music by W. A. Mozart | Libretto by John Davies

Run time: 32:00

Valerie Pruett

Designer
Valerie has been working as a professional hair and makeup artist for over fourteen years. Before returning to the University of South Carolina ten years ago, she free-lanced and designed for regional theatres across the country, including: Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, American Players Theatre, New American Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, American Folklore Theatre and the Madison Repertory Theatre. Valerie also worked as a guest lecturer and adjunct faculty at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI and the Professional Theatre Training Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In addition to teaching and designing at Theatre SC, Valerie maintains an active professional career as a Hair and Make-up artist in the tri-state areas with film and media productions. She firmly believes that a successful portrayal of any character must include the complete visual transformation of that character in order to have a true balance and silhouette.

MEET THE PRODUCTION TEAM

Alexis Doktor

Costume Designer (The Three Little Pigs)

Heather Gonzalez

Costume Designer, *The Red Song Bird*
Heather is delighted to work with FBN Productions! She is a freelance costume designer and draper. Her passion for storytelling and building community led her to working in costuming. Her design credits include: *Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night* (South Carolina Shakespeare Company), *She Loves Me, Le Nozze Di Figaro, La Belle Hélène, The Crucible,* (Opera at USC), *Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike* (NC Stage Company), *Native Gardens* (Warehouse Theatre) *Something Rotten, Sound of Music, Desperate Measures* (Post Playhouse), Native Gardens (Warehouse Theater), *Metamorphoses*, *She Kills Monsters*, *Season of Echoes* dance piece, (University of South Carolina) *Newsies*, *The Adventures of Tom Sawyer* (Utah Shakespeare Festival), *Julius Caesar* (Women of Will), *Laughter on the 23rd Floor*, *Greater Tuna* (Neil Simon Festival), and *Little Women* (Southern Utah University). She received her MFA in Costume Design and Technology from the University of South Carolina. For her work view www.heathergonzalez.wixsite.com/costumes

Danny Harrington, Set Design Realizer (The Red Song Bird)

Michael LaRoche

Technical Director

A Wilmington, Delaware native, baritone Michael LaRoche has sung in many locales along the east coast as well as internationally. He currently serves as the technical director for Opera at USC and FBN Productions. Dr. LaRoche is a graduate of the University of Delaware (BM voice performance, East Carolina University (MM in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy), and the University of South Carolina (DMA in Voice Performance). At home in both the front and back of the opera stage, Dr. LaRoche has sung in or helped produce operas for 25 years with many regional companies including Long Leaf Opera, Opera Company of North Carolina, OperaDelaware, Opera at USC, and ECU Opera Theatre. His recital and oratorio credits are numerous, with major performances in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Delaware, and Guadeloupe.