Florida Grand Opera announces the 2008-2009 Young Artists: René Barbera Tenor (Texas) Gastone, La traviata; Hadji, Lakmé René Barbera began singing at the age of 10 as a soprano in the San Antonio Boys’ Choir. He is currently a senior at North Carolina School of the Arts. At NCSA’s Fletcher Opera Institute he has performed Ottario in Belisario, Arbace in Idomeneo, and Lippo Fiorentino in Street Scene. In 2006 this young tenor won first place in the Heafner/Williams Vocal Competition and in the undergraduate division of the Charlotte Opera Guild Vocal Competition. His participation in the Charles A. Lynam Vocal Competition netted him a concert with the Greensboro Symphony. Last winter he was one of the five top winners of the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions, participating in the Grand Finals concert on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera that was filmed for public television. This past summer he sang in the Merola Opera Program at San Francisco Opera. Amanda Crider Mezzo-Soprano (Pennsylvania) Mallika, Lakmé; Cherubino, Le nozze di Figaro Lawrence Leibowitz and Tara Greenway Young Artist Mezzo-soprano Amanda Crider has been praised for her “focused, golden toned voice.” Ms. Crider has sung with New York City Opera as the cover of Erika in Barber’s Vanessa and with Glimmerglass Opera as the cover of Sesto in Handel’s Giulio Cesare in 2008 and Pastore 3 in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo in 2007. She has also performed with such companies as Gotham Chamber Opera, Opera Boston, Des Moines Metro Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Cincinnati Opera. Ms. Crider was the Second Place winner in the 2008 Shreveport Opera Singer of the Year Competition, 2007 recipient of the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition David and Ingrid Kosowsky Award, Finalist in the 2006 Oratorio Society of New York Vocal Competition and 2005 Center for Contemporary Opera Competition, and 2003 recipient of a Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation. Julia Ebner Soprano (New York) Annina, La traviata; Rose, Lakmé Rose Miniaci Young Artist Julia Ebner has sung with Syracuse Opera, Opera North, Green Mountain Opera Festival, Tri-Cities Opera, Oswego Opera, and the International Institute of Vocal Arts. She has performed the title roles in The Merry Widow, Roméo et Juliette, L’incoronazione di Poppea, and Princess Ida, as well as Musetta in La bohème, First Lady and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Micaëla in Carmen, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, Marguerite in Faust, Monica in The Medium, Serpina in La Serva Padrona, and Gianetta in The Gondoliers. A 2007 recipient of the Richard F. Gold Career Grant and the Helen Boatwright Award, Ms. Ebner received her Bachelors in Music from Syracuse University, and her Masters in Opera at Binghamton University. Ming Hay Kwong (China) Stephen A. Keller Young Artist Studio Apprentice Coach Born and raised in Hong Kong, Ming Hay Kwong just served as the music director of the Undergraduate Opera Theater at Manhattan School of Music. His 2008 summer engagements included the International Institute of Vocal Arts at Chiari, Italy, and Joan Dornemann’s International Vocal Arts Institute in Montreal. He attended the 2007 Aspen Summer Music Festival as a fellowship coach and the 2006 Music Academy of the West as a vocal pianist. He was the company pianist of Grant Operesque Opera in 2008. He recently performed in the Stephanie Blythe master class at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He won First Place in the Advanced Improvisation in the 12th Hong Kong (Asia) Piano Open Competition in 2002. He holds a masters degree in piano accompanying from Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Warren Jones, and a masters degree in vocal performance from the New England Conservatory. Carlos MonzónBass-Baritone (Mexico) Dr. Grenvil, La traviata; Alidoro, La Cenerentola; Antonio, Le nozze di Figaro; Bonze, Madama Butterfly Marvin and Isabel Leibowitz Young Artist Carlos Monzón participated in the prestigious Merola Opera Program, portraying Leporello in their 2008 production of Don Giovanni. He created Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Idaho in 2006; Il Sagrestano in Tosca, Don Annibale Pistacchio in Il campanello di notte, and Dr. Pandolfo in The Maid as Mistress with Spokane Opera; Il Bonzo in Madama Butterfly with Opera Plus!; and Uin-Sci in L’oracolo and Le Diable in Grisélidis with Willamette Concert Opera. As an Artist in Residence with Pensacola Opera he created Moralès in Carmen and covered Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor. He was an Apprentice Artist with Des Moines Metro Opera in 2005, covering the Four Villains in Les contes d’Hoffmann. Mr. Monzón‘s performance repertoire includes Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Kaspar in Der Freischütz, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Colline in La bohème, and Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, among others. Karin Mushegain Mezzo-Soprano (California) Flora Bervoix, La traviata; Tisbe, La Cenerentola Crescendo Circle Young Artist Hailed for her “resonant mezzo-soprano” and “bright and full” voice, Karin Mushegain is making her mark as one of the most versatile singers of her generation. Since making her company debut with Pittsburgh Opera as Dryade in Ariadne auf Naxos, Ms. Mushegain has also performed the roles of Amastre in Handel’s Xerxes, Sicle in Cavalli’s Ormindo, Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Stéphano in the student matinee of Roméo et Juliette, and the Minskwoman in the company premiere of Jonathan Dove's Flight. Other recent debuts include Kate in The Pirates of Penzance and La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi and Michael Ching’s Buoso’s Ghost, both with Lake George Opera. Sidney Outlaw Baritone (North Carolina) Marchese D’Obigny, La traviata; Yamadori and Imperial Commissioner, Madama Butterfly Young Patronesses of the Opera Young Artist Lauded by the New York Times as a “Terrific Singer,” Mr. Outlaw presented his debut recital under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation “On Wings of Song” recital series at Saint Bartholomew's Church in New York with pianist Tamara Sanikidze in February 2007. Mr. Outlaw made his Avery Fisher Hall debut in May 2007 under the baton of Maestro James DePriest as the soloist for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor. In addition, Mr. Outlaw was the Baritone Soloist for The Messiah with the Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie Hall. Mr. Outlaw made his Florida Grand Opera debut in 2008 singing Achilla in Handel’s Giulio Cesare. He made his Opera North Debut in August as Papageno in Die Zauberflöte. On the recital stage Sidney has performed in many venues and is frequently seen in collaboration with his mentor, internationally renowned pianist Warren Jones. Katrina Thurman Soprano (Oklahoma) Ellen, Lakmé; Barbarina, Le nozze di Figaro James Doan and Ron Norwood Young Artist In 2007-2008 Ms. Thurman sang Rose in Lakmé and First Lady in Die Zauberflöte with Tulsa Opera. This season, she debuts with Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Musetta in La bohème and rounds out the season as Amy in Little Women for Syracuse Opera. In 2006-2007, she made her role debut as Musetta with Piedmont Opera and created the role of Martha in the world premiere of Romulus by Louis Karchin with American Opera Projects and the Guggenheim Museum’s Works & Process series. She spent two summers in the Young American Artists Program at Glimmerglass Opera. Recent highlights include Ms. Thurman’s French opera debut as Najade in Ariadne auf Naxos with Opéra National de Lyon following her critically acclaimed German debut as Vénus in Rameau’s Dardanus, and Mrs. Naidoo in Phillip Glass’s Satyagraha with Oper Bonn.