OPERA WESTERN RESERVE

Four struggling bohemians – a poet, a painter, a musician and a philosopher are living together in Paris, when one freezing Christmas Eve their lives are changed forever. A girl named Mimì knocks on their door looking for a candle light, and she and Rodolfo fall in love.

However, the rush of love at first sight soon gives way to something much darker – it becomes clear that Mimì is desperately ill, and that Rodolfo, in his poverty, cannot provide for her. Our bohemians try to find their way, but are soon sharply awoken to the harsh realities of life…

Mimi – Misook Yun

A lyric soprano, Misook Yun is a native of South Korea. As an active recitalist and soloist, Yun has performed in Italy, Austria, South Korea, and the United States of America. Her major solo performances include Canteloube’s first series of Chants d’Auvergne, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Hear My Prayer, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Faure’s Requiem, Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, Schubert’s Mass in G, Mozart’s Requiem, Bach’s Magnificat, and Handel’s Messiah.
An accomplished operatic performer, Yun has appeared as the title roles of Tosca and Madama Butterfly, Nedda in Pagliacci, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, Violetta from La Traviata, Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore, Suzel in L’Amico Fritz, Serafina in Il Campanello, Dorabella in Così fan tutte , Genevieve in Suor Angelica, High Priestess in Aida, and Musetta in La Bohème.
Yun’s competition winnings include first prize of the Metropolitan Opera Competition of the Oregon District, the concerto competition at the University of Oregon, and first prize of the Paul & Lillian Petri Scholarship Competition. She was also the semi-finalist of Vera Scammon International Vocal Competition.
She has studied and coached with Milagro Vargas, Gregory Mason, Lorenzo Malfatti, Mark Beudert, James Miller, Tae-Hee Cho, and Eun-Kyung Kim as well as participated in masterclasses with Martina Arroyo, Marcia Baldwin, and Norman Shetler.
Dr. Yun is an associate professor at Youngstown State University, Ohio.

Rodolfo – Christian Šebek

The New York Times hailed American tenor Christian Šebek as possessing a “marvelous voice.”  Having begun his operatic career as a baritone, Mr. Šebek brings a warm, rich quality to his “strong, bright and focused tenor” and is quickly making a name for himself in dramatic roles such as Turiddu, Cavaradossi, Pinkerton and Don Jose.  His powerful sound packs “a high-pressure wallop” and “when he hits his high notes the tone is gorgeous.”  The New York Post noted “Christian Šebek was among the evening’s most impressive voices and comedic actors.”
He has performed principal tenor roles in world premieres of two operas, The Sandman by Thomas Cabaniss and Patience and Sarah by Paula M. Kimper. “Christian Šebek is absolutely wonderful as Nathanael [in The Sandman].”
Christian Šebek recently debuted at Carnegie Hall in Messiah and has soloed in major choral works with orchestras around the metropolitan New York area, including American Chamber Ensemble, West Park Symphony, Long Island Opera and Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra.

Marcello – Brian Keith Johnson

Brian Keith Johnson has performed many roles in opera as diverse as Figaro in Cleveland Opera On Tour’s The Barber of Seville to Ford in The New Opera Festival di Roma’s Falstaff. He has also performed a variety of Musical Theatre roles ranging from Jim in Big River to Father in Children of Eden. Other roles include Henry Box Brown and Frederick Douglass in Opera Columbus’ World Premier of Leslie Burrs’ Vanqui, the Kaiser in Cleveland Public Theatre’s production of Viktor Ullmann’s Der Kaiser Von Atlantis, Schicchi in Gianni Schicchi, Escamillo in Carmen and Almaviva in The Marriage of Figarowith The Tuesday Musical Club, The Pirate King and The Major General in The Pirates of Penzance with Cleveland Opera On Tour, Bellomy inThe Fantasticks, Dewain in I Was Looking At The Ceiling and Then I Saw The Sky and Belcore in The Elixir of Love with Lyric Opera Cleveland, Figaro in The Barber of Seville with The Duke University Symphony and Escamillo in Carmen with The Warren Philharmonic. His concert performances include excerpts from Die Zauberflote and La Cenerentola with The Cleveland Orchestra, Carmina Burana with both The San Jose-Cleveland Ballet and The Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, I Capuleti e i Montecchi with Cleveland Concert Opera, Porgy in Porgy and Bess, The Five Mystical Songs and Carmina Burana With The Akron Symphony, The Faure Requiem and Carmina Burana with the Youngstown Symphony, Crown in Porgy and Bess and Adam in The Creation with The Canton Symphony, The Brahms Requiem with The Duke Symphony and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with The Ashland Symphony, The Mozart C Minor Mass with The Dayton Bach Society. Mr. Johnson is represented by Engdahl Artists International.

Musetta – Marian Vogel

Marian Vogel, soprano, was the winner of the Belle O. Morse Young Artist Award and winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions. Ms. Vogel trained at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Ms. Patricia Berlin. She has toured extensively as a soloist, both in the United States and in Europe. Ms. Vogel charmed audiences recently as Zerlina in the Cleveland Opera production of Don Giovanni and as Yum Yum in the Lyric Opera Cleveland production of Mikado to great critical acclaim. She has been active with Cleveland Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Lyric Opera Cleveland, and Akron Lyric Opera Theatre, among others. Her numerous opera and theatre credits include Mimi in La Boheme, Violetta in La Traviata, the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Yum Yum in Mikado, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Patience in Patience, Josephine in H.M.S. Pinafore, Serpina in La Serva Padrona, Cinderella in Cinderella, and Nellie in South Pacific. Ms. Vogel makes frequent concert and recital appearances, and is being sought out for recording projects as well. She joined the Oak Ridge Symphony as the soprano soloist in the Mozart Requiem, as well as the massive Verdi Requiem. Other concert engagements include Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony,Carmina Burana, the Requiems of Rutter, Faure, and Mozart, and Berlioz’ Les Nuits d’Ete.

Schaunard – Todd E. Ranney

Colline – Randall Levin