DANIEL BILLINGS
Daniel Billings, baritone, began his career as a soloist in the Boys Choir of Harlem. He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a soloist with the Netherlands Student Orchestra and has also performed with the late Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops Orchestra.  He has also partaken in several prestigious artist training programs including Central City Opera’s Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program and the Merola Opera Program under the auspices of San Francisco Opera. A recent graduate of the Julliard Opera Center, he performed Le fauteuil in l’enfant et les sortilege and portrayed Tobias Micha in The Bartered Bride and Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro. Moreover, as a recitalist, he made his European recital debut at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.  He has also presented Dr. Falke in the Julliard Opera Theatre’s production of Die fledermaus and Jupiter in Orphée aux Enfer.  In addition to attending Marlena Malas, Daniel Billings received a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance at Boston University and a Masters degree from the Julliard School.

ARTHUR ESPIRITU
Tenor Arthur Espiritu earned a Master of Music degree at the University of New Orleans and an Artist Diploma from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. At Opera North in 2004 he played the role of Flute in Britten’s Midsummer Night’s Dream and Tybalt in Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet. Before that, he sang Remendado in Bizet’s Carmen with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Mr. Espiritu recently completed his second season with the Santa Fe Opera. Recent awards include: 2nd in Opera Birmingham Voice Competition, 2nd in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, 2nd in the National Opera Association Voice Competition, and the Mozart Prize in Orpheus National Voice Competition. While at the Oberlin Conservatory, Mr. Espiritu won the concerto competition. His solo performance of Mozart’s concert aria “Misero! O sogno, o son desto” was heard on WQXR radio.

The Filstrup Foundation sponsors Mr. Espiritu’s residency.

JENNIFER HOLLOWAY
Rapidly gaining attention for her “vibrant mezzo-soprano and generous presence” (New York Magazine), Jennifer Holloway has become known as one of the most exciting up-and-coming lyric mezzos to hit the scene in recent years.  She has earned acclaim as a fine singer, a convincing actress, and a superb musician in such roles as Béatrice in Béatrice et Bénédict, Der Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos, Sesto in La clemenza di Tito, and in the title role of  Handel’s Xerxes.  But it was her portrayal of Le Prince Charmant in Santa Fe Opera’s spellbinding production of Massenet’s Cendrillon that has ultimately launched her into the opera world as a rising star. In her busy 2006/7 season, Holloway makes her company debuts with the Théâtre du Châtelet and the Teatro Regio di Parma as the Baronessa Aspasia in Rossini’s La pietra del paragone, and with Tulsa Opera as Mercédès in Carmen in addition to returning to Pittsburgh Opera for Stéphano in Roméo et Juliette and Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte.  She will also appear twice with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra: first, opposite Anne Sofie von Otter in Debussy’s La demoiselle élue under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen, and then as Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte under the baton of Leonard Slatkin at the Hollywood Bowl.Upcoming seasons bring many more firsts for the mezzo, including her company debuts with Austin Lyric Opera in their 2007 Gala concerts, and with Dallas Opera as Cherubino, as well as company and role debuts in Handel’s Tamerlano as Irene at Madrid’s Teatro Real, as Idamante in Idomeneo at Opera Bordeaux (France), and as Hänsel in Laurent Pelly’s new production of Humperdinck’s beloved classic, Hänsel und Gretel at the Glyndebourne Festival in the summer of 2008.

The Hansen Foundation sponsors Ms. Holloway’s residency.

JASON KARN
Lyric tenor Jason Karn is in his first season with the Pittsburgh Opera Center. He recently completed the Merola Program at San Francisco Opera, where he performed Tom Rakewell in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress to rave reviews. He was selected as an apprentice for the 2004 Chautauqua Opera Festival, where he performed in Susannah, Fiddler on the Roof, and Verdi’s Stiffelio. He also performed in two concerts with the Chautauqua Festival Orchestra. In 2003 he debuted with Opera Carolina in the North Carolina premiere of Cold Sassy Tree. He has since returned to sing roles in Carmen, Macbeth, and Die Zauberflöte. In 2006, he will perform Alfredo in La traviata. Jason has also performed Tamino in Die Zauberflöte for Granite State and Natchez Operas and Lt. Cable in Opera Boston's South Pacific. He has also participated in the Tanglewood Music Festival in 1999 as a Vocal Fellow and as a Young Artist with Opera North in 2001. Jason holds a BA in voice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

John H. Hill sponsors Mr. Karn’s residency.

AuDREY LUNA
Soprano Audrey Luna studied at the Musik Hochschüle in Vienna and holds a M.M. in Vocal Performance and an Artist Diploma in Opera from the Cincinnati College – Conservatory of Music.  Her roles include Mélisande in Pelléas et Mélisande, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Dalinda in Ariodante, Adina in L’elisir d’amore, both Pamina and the Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte, and Gilda in Rigoletto, among others.  In 2004 Ms. Luna received critical acclaim as Gilda in Rigoletto with The Aspen Opera Theater, under the baton of Julius Rudel.  She has spent two summers with the Santa Fe Opera, as a member of the Apprentice Artist program as well as appearing in roles in Turandot and in the World Premiere of Madame Mao.  Recent awards include: 2nd place at the Metropolitan Opera National Council – Northwest Region, where she was also awarded the “Audience Favorite” prize, 1st place in The Eleanor Lieber Awards, an Encouragement Grant from The George London Foundation. Her most recent wins include The Elardo International Opera Competition, The Connecticut Opera Competition and The Lee Schaenen Foundation.  In August Ms. Luna will be a finalist in the Altamura/Caruso International Voice Competition. 

KARIN MUSHEGAIN
Mezzo-soprano Karin Mushegain is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she received her Bachelor of Music degree. Last year while pursuing her Master’s at UCLA, she debuted the role of Gypsy in the world premiere of Ian Krouse’s Lorca, Child of the Moon.  She was recently an apprentice with Ash Lawn Opera Festival and was a finalist in Orlando Opera’s 2004 Heinz Rehfuss Competition, receiving the Resident Artist Award.  She is also a grant recipient with such organizations as the Feni Le Bland Foundation, the Opera Reading Club of Hollywood, and the Fine Arts Club of Pasadena.  Karin’s favorite roles to date are April in Sondheim’s Company and Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte. This is her first season with the Pittsburgh Opera Center.

John and Nancy Traina sponsor Ms. Mushegain’s residency.

NAGUANDA NOBLES
Soprano NaGuanda Nobles, a Florida State University graduate, received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in voice performance. She made her debut as Papagena in Die Zauberflöte with the FSU orchestra. In 2002, Mrs. Nobles was soprano soloist on the Soul of America tour throughout Germany with the Berlin Rundfunkchor. With Austin Lyric Opera she played Sister Rose in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking and subsequently appeared as Liù in Turandot. She made her Boston Symphony debut with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in Wynton Marsalis’ All Rise with Kurt Masur. She also sang Clara in Porgy and Bess with the Pensacola Opera. Recently, Mrs. Nobles won first place in the Opera Birmingham Competition and the Classical Singer Convention competition, Division 1. This is her first year with the Pittsburgh Opera Center.

The Filstrup Foundation supports Ms. Nobles’ residency.

Mark Trawka
Erie, Pennsylvania native Mark Trawka is currently the Director of Musical Studies for the Pittsburgh Opera Center. Mark enjoys working with young singers in his role as coach, pianist, and recitalist—skills that he has honed in many past endeavors. Before accepting the position at Pittsburgh Opera, Mark was the principal pianist and assistant chorusmaster at Portland Opera (Oregon), and also served as faculty coach with their resident artist program. He has been a member of the music staff at Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, and at Opera Pacific. Mark has also worked with young artists while a member of the training programs at the Houston Opera Studio and in San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program. During the summer opera seasons, Mark has served as Coach/Accompanist at Chautauqua Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, and Berkshire Opera. Mark earned a Bachelor of Music at the Eastman School of Music and a Master of Music at the University of Southern California.

Charles Unice
Bass-baritone Charles Unice makes his Pittsburgh Opera debut in Rigoletto. Mr. Unice earned his Master’s degree at the Curtis Institute of Music and a Bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in November 2004 as Sid in La fanciulla del West and has since performed there in the role of Jarno in Mignon, conducted by Eve Queler with the Opera Orchestra of New York. Last summer he was a Young Artist with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Other opera credits include: Dr. Dulcamara (The Elixir of Love), Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte), and Collatinus (The Rape of Lucretia). Charles is in his first season with the Pittsburgh Opera Center.

Dr. and Mrs. George R. White sponsor Mr. Unice’s residency.