Episode 35: Opera And So Much More

Brittany Robinson

Hailed for her “luminous tones” and “lush voice,” Brittany Renee amazes audiences with her finesse and shimmering stage presence.” In 2019-2020 Brittany traveled to Turin, Italy to reprise the role of Bess in Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess at the Teatro Regio Torino and at the Magnetic Opera Festival in Elba, Italy. Later she was honored to join the 2019-2020 season as a featured soloist at The Metropolitan Opera in their historic production of Porgy & Bess, which has been nominated for three Grammy Awards! She also returned to Opera Orlando to debut the role of the Countess in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro where she “excellently captured and conveyed regal sorrow.” - Orlando Sentinel

Janinah Burnett

Janinah Burnett is a world renowned performer sought for her timeless and refined vocal quality as well as her naked emotion. One of the few singers to perform roles on both Broadway and the Metropolitan Opera stage, Janinah is currently making appearances as Carlotta Guidicelli in Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Past Broadway appearances include Mimí in Baz Lurhmann’s La Bohéme on Broadway. Janinah debuted at the Metropolitain Opera in Puccini’s La Rondine and participated in productions at the MET for 8 seasons. Her past operatic role appearances include Violetta in La Traviata, Leila in Les Pêcheurs de Perles, Donna Anna and Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Bess in Porgy and Bess, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, Margru in Amistad by Pulitzer Prize winner Anthony Davis, and Harriet Tubman in the world premier of Harriet Tubman:When I crossed that Line to Freedom by Nkeiru Okoye to name a few. 

Lucia Bradford

Mezzo-soprano, Lucia Bradford is a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. Ms. Bradford has performed a number of operatic roles including Carmen in Bizet’s La Tragedie de Carmen, Zita in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, La Principessa in Puccini’s Suor Angelica, The Mother in Ravel’s L’Enfant des Sortileges, Mercedes in Bizet’s Carmen, Mrs. Quickly in Verdi’s Falstaff, The Sorceress in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Gertrude in Gounod's Romeo and Juliet, Hippolyta in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Miss Todd in Menotti’s Old Maid and the Thief, the Duchess of Plaza Toro in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers, Azelia Dessalines in William Grant Still’s opera Troubled Island, Maria in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, MLK’s Grandmother in Douglas Tappin’s I Dream and Mamie Till in Mary Watkins’s Emmett Till.

NaGaunda Nobles

Like most great singers, Mrs. Nobles began singing within the supportive walls of her home church. It was there when she discovered a love for singing and developed as a soloist, under the direction of Mrs. Carolyn Henry. Although she was born in Tallahassee, Mrs. Nobles attended Thomasville High School, where she began her classical training. She accepted a full scholarship to attend Florida State University (FSU) and received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in voice performance. 

Mrs. Nobles has traveled as the soprano soloist for various concerts, including the Soul of America tour throughout Europe with the Berlin Rundfunkchor, the Netherlands Radio Choir, and the NDR Choir Festival in Hamburg, receiving rave reviews for her “big, warming soprano with a lovely shimmering top that she uses with a ravishing effect”. Mrs. Nobles has made her mark on stage as a recitalist and an opera performer with the Pittsburgh Opera, Atlanta Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, The Dayton Opera, to name a few. She was also featured with Wynton Marsalis and The Boston Symphony, under the direction of Kurt Masur.

Sabrina Carten

Sabrina Elayne Carten, A native of New York City, began her career with The Chautauqua Symphony singing “The Strawberry Woman” in Gershwin's timeless masterpiece “Porgy and Bess” Ms. Carten has sung several roles in this opera to national and international acclaim. She made her New York City Opera debut as “Maria” and most recently her debut in The Royal Danish Opera Theater's historic performance as “Serena”. She sang the role of “Tituba” in The Crucible with Chautauqua Opera and Mobile Opera. Ms Carten has sung the role of “Queenie” on the national Broadway tour of Hal Prince's “Showboat” and was also “The Blues Singer” in the national premier of “One Night with Janis Joplin” to rave reviews. Ms Carten is the recipient of The Los Angeles Drama Critics' Cirlce Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role as The Blues Singer as well as being nominated for a 2014 NAACP Theater Award for best featured actress in a musical.

Simone Paulwell

Simone Paulwell, soprano, is a Washington, D.C. native, capturing audiences across America and abroad with her strikingly powerful and agile classical artistry. Making her national debut as a soloist with The President's Own: United States Marine Band in 2007, Ms.Paulwell has performed for audiences of all ages and cultures on stages and performance mediums including The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, in Washington, D.C., Carnegie Hall, in New York City, and the Reichold Center for the Arts in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and currently with The Washington National Opera Company. Ms. Paulwell has made international acclaim with Yuri Temirkanov and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, in St. Petersburg, Russia performing Gershwin's Porgy & Bess in 2002, and debuted as a soloist with Paul Freeman and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in Prague, Czech Republic in 2006, as Bess.