The Harbingers
Libretto by Kendra Leonard
Music by Rosśa Crean
Directed by Ross Matsuda
CAST (in alphabetical order)
Atropos - Katherine Dalin
Azrael - Jessie Lyons
Clotho - James M. Brown
Donn - Keaton Payne
Erlik - Kevin Wheatle
Hel - Joelle Kross
Lachesis - Charles Anderson
The Morrigan - Mary Lutz Govertsen
Sekhmet - Jordan Harris
The Soul - Sarah Thompson Johansen
Azrael cover - Anna Caldwell
SPECIAL THANKS
Alexis Enyart
Bethany United Church of Christ
George Cederquist
Rafael W. Porto
E. Rudolph
Stan DeCwikiel
CAST BIOS
Katherine Dalin has been hailed for her "exuberance" onstage, with credits ranging from musical theatre to opera to straight theatre and cabaret. Her favorite roles have included: Sara Jane Moore in Assassins, Maria in Twelfth Night, Zita in Gianni Schicchi and her signature role: Ruth in Pirates of Penzance. She has performed extensively in the greater Chicago area including appearances with: Petite Opera, Fury Theatre, Sugar Creek, Kenosha Opera Festival, Savoyaires, Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company of Chicago, Ourobousos, Transgressive Theatre-Opera, Third Eye Theatre Ensemble, and Blank Theatre Company. She has also performed digitally with companies like Transgressive Theatre-Opera, Zooming the Movies, and her group BYO Shakespeare, a group of colleagues from across the country who gather online to read the Bard's work, both casually and in online performances. When not onstage (digitally or in person), she enjoys teaching music and theatre to students of all ages and battling her husband and friends in board games and RPGs. For more information, visit: www.katherinedalin.com
Jessie Lyons is a Chicago-based lyric soprano who has been enthusiastically received by audiences in the United States and abroad. Described as "simply terrific" and with a "bright, youthful soprano" by Chicago Classical Review, she has become increasingly involved in Chicago storefront opera and the new music scene, where she hopes to continue engaging with more living composers and experimental works.
Jessie has appeared in productions with numerous opera companies, as a soloist with orchestra, and in recital. Most recently she has collaborated with composer Rosśa Crean, fellow soprano Katherine Bruton, and composer/vibraphonist Ben Zucker in programming an experimental ensemble piece based on the poetry of Rilke, "The Spaces We Breathe," which was also the second performance of the new-music ensemble, "Sound of Fools," after 2019’s premiere of Rosśa Crean’s “Priestess of Morphine.” This past summer saw her in Ouroboros Opera's novel production of Hildegard von Bingen's "Ordo Virtutum," which also employed the Wind Mandala and "Deep Listening" exercises of Pauline Oliveros as a narrative and improvisational tool. Previous seasons with Ouroboros opera have brought her to the stage as a Sprite in Dvořák's "Rusalka," and as "Maria Cavaradossi," in a queer re-imagining of Puccini's "Tosca," which also called for her to craft an adjusted transcription of the traditional tenor role for soprano voice. This will be her second time as "Azrael" in Rosśa Crean's "The Harbingers," as she also premiered the role in 2019. She has also been seen with "New Moon Opera" as Serafina in Donizetti's "Il Campanello," and Lucia/Lucia II in Chicago Fringe Opera's production of Hindemith's "Long Christmas Dinner," as well as CFO’s immersive version of Britten's "Turn of the Screw" as Miss Jessel, and with Third Eye Theater ensemble as Almera in Nico Muhly’s “Dark Sisters.” She has also been seen with Thompson Street Opera Company as Voice 1 in Rebekah Driscoll’s “Apart/ment,” Voice 2 in Cullyn Murphy’s “Agony,” (a spoken-word and percussion ensemble piece based on a deconstructed “Law and Order” script), and Johannes Brahms in Tony Manfredonia’s “Ghost Variations.” Outside of Chicago, Jessie has also participated in the Des Moines Metro Opera young artist program as Bianca in Puccini's "La Rondine," and Madison Opera's Studio Artist program as a cover for Melody Moore in Puccini's "Tosca," and a cover for Karen Slack's Sister Rose in Jake Heggie's "Dead Man Walking."
James M. Brown [they/them], a Mainer and countertenor of “mellifluous tone”, has been seen performing diverse repertoire. Operawire has said, "Their voice quality is vibrant and expressive and sometimes otherworldly in its delicate beauty." Most recently James has been seen as Bradamante in Immersion Repertory Theatre’s workshop of Alcina: Reimagined, which won the support of Opera San Diego’s Opera Hack 3.0 initiative.
A frequent collaborator of new music, they have premiered several new works such as: Danni Song's you dreamed of a non-orange tomorrow and Nisan Ak's Singing Bindings in collaboration with the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. This coming season, they will be workshopping their next chamber project, Forgotten In the Books, as the Recital Resident In City Lyric Opera’s 2024-25 season, centering feminist Ideals and compositions.
Mx. Brown holds degrees in Performance & Opera Studies (MMus) from McGill University and in Voice Performance (BMus) University of Southern Maine and have been recognized with multiple awards from the Bay Chamber Concert Series, Rossini Club, and USM Chamber Music Competition.
Keaton Payne is a lyric baritone making a splash in Chicago, IL. Payne made their opera debut with Third Eye Theatre Ensemble’s production of Menotti’s The Consul as the Secret Police Agent and actively performs with the renowned Music of the Baroque choir under Dr. Andrew Megill. They are a member of the morning choir at Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, a beacon of hope, acceptance, and love that routinely performs challenging works with passionate artistry. In their master’s program, they sang with the University Choir and Chamber Singers under Dr. Julia Davids where they were a frequently featured soloist included in a stunning performance of Handel’s Messiah and a powerful performance of J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor. They also appeared in the semesterly opera where they took on the roles of “Gravedigger” in Myers & Long’s Buried Alive (2014), “Colas” in Mozart's Bastien und Bastienne, and “Jan the Second Oldest” in the revised Chicago premier of Hollman & Kotis’ Yeast Nation. They are the winner of the 2023 Donald Chen Young Artist Award held by the North Shore Choral Society. Payne holds a master’s degree in vocal performance from North Park University where they were the winner of the 2024 Performance Awards as well as a bachelor’s in vocal performance from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville where they were a three-time honor’s recitalist and featured soloist in Haydn’s “Lord Nelson” Mass in D minor.
Praised for his powerful and emotive voice, Kevin Wheatle has maintained a productive schedule, focusing primarily on the works of Mozart such as Count Almaviva from Le nozze di Figaro. Recent performances include performances of Manon Lescaut (Navy Captain: Opera Festival of Chicago, 2024), Mozart’s Don Giovanni (Leporello: Opera Aeterna, 2024), Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri (Taddeo: Concert Opera of Greater Chicago, 2024), Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (Count Almaviva: Chicago Summer Opera, 2023 | Florida Opera Prima, 2023 | Figaro: Florida Opera Prima, 2023), Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte (Guglielmo: Florida Opera Prima, 2023), and Puccini’s La Boheme, performing the role of Schaunard with FL’Opera & Zarzuela (2023). Kevin has also collaborated on innovative digital projects following the COVID 19 pandemic. Through his mentor, Viktoria Vizin, Mezzo- Soprano, he’s become a regular artist for VVE (Vizin Virtual Ensemble), a virtual ensemble that has expanded the idea of traditional operatic stories and has connected artist virtually and domestically from its origins in Chicago, IL to as far as Europe and Asia. Recently, Kevin has finished filming ALPHA, an adaptation from Mozart’s Don Giovanni where relationship roles and identity through love, lust, and toxicity are explored.
Joelle Kross, coloratura soprano, has been praised as a “colorful, old-school soubrette" (Vocal Arts Chicago) and “petite, spritely, and utterly delightful in every scene” (Theater Mirror). She has appeared with the Goodman Theatre, Broadway in Chicago, Second City Blackout Cabaret, Transgressive Theatre-Opera, Main Street Opera, Illinois Philharmonic, Floating Opera Company, Forte Chicago, and RhinoFest. An avid choral singer, Joelle currently is the Soprano I section leader for the contemporary chamber choir Vox Venti and sings with the Schola Clementis and Seraphim choirs at St. Clement Church in Lincoln Park. Favorite opera roles include Olympia/Les contes d’Hoffmann, Adele/Die Fledermaus, Blonde/Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Amy/Little Women, and Le Feu/Le Rossignol/L’enfant et les Sortilèges. Joelle holds an MM in Voice Performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts and a BA in Theatre, Music, and French from Muhlenberg College. Also an arts administrator, Joelle is the Business Administrator for La Caccina, a nine-voice women’s ensemble; serves on the advisory board of the William Baker Choral Foundation; and owns Beaux & Belles Carolers, the longtime carolers at the famed Drake Hotel’s Palm Court Holiday Tea.
Tenor Charles M. Anderson has sung a variety of roles in opera, most notably Rodolfo in La Bohème, Romeo in Romeo & Juliet, and The Witch in Hansel & Gretel. He has also appeared in several musical theater roles. Highlights include Jinx in Forever Plaid and Booker T. Washington in Ragtime. In concert, he has been featured as the tenor soloist for the Shoals Symphony Orchestra’s performances of Bach’s Magnificat and Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio.
Charles made his semi-professional debut with Mobile Opera chorus in the production of Verdi’s Il Trovatore. This was followed by a second appearance in their production of Giordano’s Andrea Chénier. In 2010, he was part of the inaugural Young Artists with The Druid City Opera Workshop at The University of Alabama. In 2013, he spent the summer in Michigan at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp where he performed Haydn’s Die Shöpfung.
The 2017-2018 season was quite exciting. Mr. Anderson spent the summer working with Des Moines Metro Opera Company during its 45th Anniversary season. There, he performed in Turandot and Billy Budd.
In the spring of 2021, Charles spent the summer singing the role of Aufidio in Mozart’s Lucio Silla with Chicago Summer Opera. In December, he appeared as King Kaspar in Music On Site’s traveling production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. In 2022, Charles made his debut with the Nashville Opera chorus in their production of Verdi’s Rigoletto, sang the role of Donald in Moore’s Gallantry, and returned to Chicago Summer Opera to perform the role of Monostatos.
Since moving to Chicago, Charles has maintained an active schedule. He served as a guest artist at North Park University performing the role of The Priest in Myers’ Buried Alive. Charles appeared in The Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of The Factotum and Der fliegende Holländer. Last December, Mr. Anderson made his debut in German at The Hessisches Staatstheater-Wiesbaden. In May, he made his debut in Chicago Fringe Opera’s production of Fizz and Ginger.
Jordan Harris (they/them) is a multi-disciplinary artist hailing from Evanston, IL. Upon graduating from University of Michigan with a degree in Voice Performance, Jordan was selected as a Young Artist with Toledo Opera, performing as Nanki Pooh in The Mikado and singing in the Opera Chorus for Faust. They have performed various roles throughout Chicago and the US: Tom Collins in RENT (Metropolis Performing Arts Center), Horse in Full Monty (Encore Theatre), Mitch Mahoney in Spelling Bee (Surging Theatrics), Band in We’re Gonna Die (Steppenwolf), Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet (Rhinofest), King Arthur in Camelot (Janus Concert Series), Scarramucio in Ariadne Auf Naxos (University Of Michigan), Rinnucio in Gianni Schicchi (University Of Michigan) and Peter in Porgy and Bess (Fleetwood Jourdain). Jordan also served as Music Director for 7 into 15 (CRLT Players at U-M), Into The Woods (Improv Playhouse), The Anxiety Variety Show (Bughouse Theatre), That’s Weird, Grandma (Neofuturist) and Lucky: A Musical (Chicago Music Theatre Festival). A long-time member of Genesis Ensemble, Jordan has collaborated on several of their performance art pieces: There Are No Dead People (Color Club), And You Wanna Go Forever (Steppenwolf) and We Are A Lighthouse (Links Hall). Jordan recently authored their first play (How Do We Begin: A Reckoning With Anti-Black Racism at U-M) which is in production with the CRLT Players at University of Michigan. The piece is currently being adapted for film, set to release next Spring. They are excited to be reprising their role as Sekhmet in The Harbingers, having debuted the role in 2019. Love and thanks, as always, to Mom and Justin.
CREATIVE TEAM
ROSS MATSUDA (Stage Director) hopes you learn or feel something new on this journey. Operatic directing credits include the North American premier of Redención and world-premiere of I Will Fly Like a Bird with Thompson Street Opera Company, the world premiere of Pale Courage with the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, Tosca with Ouroboros Opera Company, and The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company's workshop of Time Will Tell. Concert direction credits include Chicago Currents with Chicago Fringe Opera (featured in "Chicago Live" at Navy Pier), A Brush with our Time with Fourth Coast Ensemble, and collaborations with Janus Concert Series. He served as the associate stage director for The Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company for three seasons (Patience, Merrie England, The Pirates of Penance). Other theatrical direction credits include work with The State Theater of Chicago, Pegasus Theatre Company, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He also served as co-founder and managing director of The State Theatre of Chicago.