Amanda Chmela, soprano received her BFA in Musical Theatre from SUNY Fredonia and her MM in Opera Performance from Binghamton University. She is a member of NATS, NYSTA, NAfME, The Voice Foundation, and is Certified in Somatic Voicework™, The LoVetri Method. Ms. Chmela is on the voice faculty at LIU C.W. Post within their Fine and Performing Arts Department and served on voice faculty at Rider University from 2014-2018. She also maintains a private voice studio on Long Island where she specializes in teaching Contemporary Commercial Music with a strong focus on musical theatre and pop/rock styles.  Ms. Chmela has participated in the Westchester Summer Vocal Institute and is an alumnus of Tri-Cities Opera’s Resident Artist Training Program. She has been the female vocalist for the Savoy Swing Band since August of 2013. Performance highlights include Lucille (Parade), Anne (A Little Night Music), Nancy (Oliver!), Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), Josephine (H.M.S. Pinafore), Beth (Little Women), Despina (Cosi fan tutti), Barbarina (Le Nozze di Figaro), Latitia & Ms. Pinkerton (The Old Maid and the Thief), Fire Cover/Chorus (L’enfant et les sortilege), and Poppea (L’incoronazione di Poppea).  www.amandachmela.com

Alexander Sheerin, tenor, is based in New York, and has been performing both locally and internationally for the past several years. He has been a young artist with festivals such as Brevard Music Center, Opera in the Ozarks, and AIMS in Graz. Mr. Sheerin has performed a wide variety of roles in the operatic repertoire including Albert Herring, Francis Flute in a Midsummer Night's Dream, Don Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro, Prunier in La Rondine, Guillot in Manon and Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte. Alexander holds a masters degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Houston, and a bachelors degree in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory. Also an up and coming stage director, he recently directed the Gilbert and Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s recent production of Patience. This fall, Mr. Sheerin will be pursuing an advanced degree in Opera Production and Directing at the Florida State University.

Angelica Burton is a coloratura soprano and Northport native who has been performing around the New York City area as a vocalist and instrumentalist from a young age. She is a first-time Opera Night performer and thrilled to be performing in her home town. Focused on early music, she can be found as both a featured soloist and ensemble member in groups specializing in European Renaissance and Reformation choral works. She has been featured in operatic works and oratorios by Monteverdi, Purcell, and Handel, as well as performing extensively as a soprano soloist and ensemble member in motets such as Gregorio Allegri’s Miserere Mei and pieces from the Eton Choir Book. In addition to privately tutoring in piano and harp, she can be seen performing with NYC’s Polyhymnia under the direction of John Bradley; Music for Life International; and the Brooklyn Conservatory Chorale. She is also passionate about music education and works to help Long Island undergraduate music students obtain scholarships. She has a bachelors degree from Ithaca College and a masters in French Studies from New York University.

Arthur Lai, tenor, has performed at George Weston Recital Hall in Toronto, David Geffen Hall of Lincoln Center, All 3 Concert Halls of the Carnegie Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, the Music Center at Strathmore in Maryland, Irvine Auditorium in Philadelphia, the United Nations, WPIX Channel 11 “Morning News”, New York Mets Game at Citifield Stadium and Opera Night's concerts, etc.  As an actor, Arthur played roles in movies “Trainwreck”, “Applesauce” and “Wall Street English” and in NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” as well as 3 seasons of off-off-Broadway Shows. Arthur's TV Commercials include “Aleve”, “Bank of America” and “Verizon Wireless”. His has been featured in over a hundred of “Voice-Over” projects, including “Hertz”, “Budweiser”, “Nile Mosquito Warning”, “Wardolf Hotel”, “Intel”, U.N., “Hershey”s Chocolate”, “Empire State Building" and ”MetLife” etc.

Bennett Pologe has appeared recently as Papageno in The Magic Flute, Dr. Bartolo in Barber of Seville and Sguiglio in La Zingara (Amore Opera), El Dancairo in Carmen (Bellayre Music Festival), Count Zabrovsky in Lady of the Castle (NYC). At Avery Fisher Hall he was Barnaby in Babes in Toyland. Tours: Lt. Cable in South Pacific, Phantom in Phantom of the Opera (Yeston-Kopit). Other favorite roles: Polonius in Hamlet, Vladimir in Waiting for Godot, Barrymore in I Hate Hamlet, The King and I (title role), Man of La Mancha (title role), King Arthur in Camelot, Alan Swann in My Favorite Year, Richard III (title role), Riff Raff in Rocky Horror Show, Gaston in Gigi. His own cabaret toured the northeast and played for 18 months at Don't Tell Mama's. He can be heard in recorded books.

Daniel Chiu, baritone, is a 2018 graduate of SUNY New Paltz with a Bachelors Degree in Applied Classical Voice. Daniel resides in Suffolk County, NY and is a voice student of Kent Smith, Professor at SUNY New Paltz. In the summer of 2018, Mr. Chiu performed the role of Aeneas in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas with the American College of Thessaloniki's International Summer Music Program in Thessaloniki, Greece. During the summer of 2017, Mr. Chiu was accepted into the international program, OperaVision, in Busseto, Italy; directed by Metropolitan Opera soprano, Aprile Millo. Upcoming engagements include performances with the New Paltz Community Chorale in their Spring Concert and also the role of Eisenstein from Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus with the American College of Thessaloniki. In the fall of 2019, Mr. Chiu will be attending the Manhattan School of Music for his Master in Opera/Voice and was awarded a $25,000.00 scholarship.

Darrell Lauer, tenor, solo opera career has taken him to Hong Kong and the Far East in roles of Ernesto(Don Pasquale) and Alfredo (La Traviata). He also appeared as Ernesto and Count Almaviva (Il Barbiere di Siviglia) with New Haven Opera Company and Michigan State Opera Theatre. He sang under the baton of Edwin McArthur with St. Paul Opera Company and with Laszlo Halasz and the Long Island Opera Company. Mr. Lauer sang Philemon in Philemon and Baucus (Hayden) with the St. Lukes’ Orchestra at the Caramoor Festival.

Hailed for her “excellent voice and spot-on performance” (Huffington Post) and her “bright sound and an affecting delivery” (Voce di Meche), French native mezzo-soprano Emma Lavandier is a first place winner at the NJNATS Festival of Singing Competition. She recently made her role debut singing Rosina at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York City with Vocal Productions NYC. Highlights of recent seasons include Orlovsky (Die Fledermaus) with New York Opera Forum, Giovanna (Rigoletto) with Amore Opera, Zerlina (Don Giovanni) with VPNYC, and Prince Charmant (Cendrillon) with New York Lyric Opera. Future projects include a cabaret concert at The Cornelia Street Café, a recital of French Melodies, and the role of the Witch in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel.  about.me/emmalavandier

Hyung Joo Eom, a baritone from South Korea, He recently appeared as Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with Manhattan School of Music, as Schaunard in Puccini’s La Bohème with Miami Music Festival, as Peter in Hänsel und Gretel with Manhattan Opera Studio, as Masetto in Don Giovanni, as Rodrigo in Don Carlo with New York Opera Forum, as Belcore in L'elisir d'amore with New Jersey Opera. In last summer, He returned to Manhattan Opera Studio as Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, as Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro and also made his dell’Arte Opera Ensemble debut as Gamekeeper in Příhody lišky Bystroušky (The Cunning Little Vixen). In 2017 – 2018 season, He appeared as the title role in Macbeth with Empire Opera and Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Vocal productions NYC. Also he will appear as the Germont in La Traviata with Narnia Music Festival in Italy and as Gamekeeper in The Cunning Little Vixen with Opera Steamboat in this summer.

Hailed as an “inspired” and “versatile” singer, Jessica Stolte Bender has been performing throughout the Long Island/New York Metro area for the past 17 years. Ms. Bender is a recurring artist of Opera Night, Long Island and has given several performances with Music on the Sound. Jessica made her Carnegie Hall debut with New York Lyric Opera Theatre in November, 2012. Other operatic performances include roles in Dido and Aeneas, Le nozze di Figaro, and Die Zauberflöte. Musical theatre credits include roles in Into the Woods, The Sound of Music, Pippin, A Chorus Line, Fiddler on the Roof, The Pajama Game, and The Boyfriend in addition to cabaret and review style shows. In 2011 she completed a Master of Arts in Voice Performance at The Aaron Copland School of Music, CUNY Queens.

Bass-baritone Jonathan Z. Harris is a native New Orleanian opera singer, recitalist, and actor based in New York City. His operatic interpretations have been hailed as “superb” (The Chautauquan Daily) and “sensational” (Voce di Meche), and of a return engagement with the Opera Company of Middlebury, the Rutland Herald declared that Jonathan “nearly stole the show with his hilarious and beautifully sung Papageno.” Jonathan is a two-time Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. He has previously been an Apprentice Artist with Sarasota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Saratoga, and Chautauqua Opera and has also sung with Opera Company of Middlebury, Opera MODO, PORTopera (now Opera Maine), Bronx Opera, Dicapo Opera, and dell’Arte Opera Ensemble. Role highlights include Leporello in Don Giovanni, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, Papageno in The Magic Flute, Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Superintendent Budd in Albert Herring, Simone and Betto in Gianni Schicchi, and George Benton in Dead Man Walking.

Katrin Bulke, as a proud graduate of Mozartum in Salzburg (Austria), has worked under supervision of masters such as Helmut Deutsch, Andreas Macco, Carmela Altamura and Valentin Peychinov. Miss Bulke is quickly establishing herself as a strong and talented Soprano in the world of opera and operetta. The popularity of her voice and her thrilling operatic performance brought her the audience award, by land slide, in the Caruso Competition in October 28th 2017 in NYC and the Grand Prix at the Concert Festival International Competition in January 2018. Since her arrival to NYC in 2016, Miss Bulke has presented strong performances with ten different stage companies in roles such as: Rosina in Rossini´s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Frasquita in Bizet´s Carmen, Queen Elizabeth in Donizetti´s Roberto Devereux, Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Amina in Bellini’s La Sonnambula, Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto, Blonde in Mozart’s The adduction of the Serail and Queen of the night in Mozart’s Zauberflöte (Carnegie Hall). Her variety of repertoire includes characters such as Rosalinde in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus (Bavaria), Vitellia in La clemenza di Tito (Florence), Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni (Salzburg), Despina in Cosi fan tutte (Salzburg), Girl in Dark Waters (Salzburg), Annina in La traviata (Salzburg) and Octavie in Cleopatre (Riga, Latvia). In 2018 Miss Bulke has been involved in projects around the globe such as: Soloist in “Spring Blossom 2018 Grand Gala” in David Geffen Hall – Lincoln Center (NYC), concerts in Moscow (Rus), Concert “Meine Lippen sie küssen so heiß” in Augsburg (D), Concert “Im weißen Rössl am Wolfgangsee” in St. Wolfgang (A) and Soloist in the Concert “Verdi´s Recommendation” in the Nuova Fenice Opera House of Osimo (It).

Kofi Hayford, bass, described as possessing a “sonorous,” (Meet Me at the Opera) and “stentorian bass voice” (National Herald) also produces a distinct sound - easily identified for its unique timbre. He is swiftly building his reputation as an accomplished young bass bringing an ‘exciting,’ 'rich,' and 'burly' sound to the stage. Kofi’s major opera roles have included: La Roche in Strauss' Capriccio, Raimondo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Sarastro in The Magic Flute(performed at Lincoln Center), Rodolfo in La Sonnambula, Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro, Sparafucile in Rigoletto, and Baltassare in La Favorita. He also recently made his preliminary Carnegie Hall debut singing at Weill Recital Hall. Kofi sang the inaugural performance of the Greek Opera Olympic Flame singing the roles of the titan Prometheus and Herakles’ son Hyllos at Lincoln Center - later receiving an award from UNESCO for this performance. Notable solo engagements include: The Monk and The Grand Inquisitor in Verdi’s Don Carlo; Bass Soloist in Mozart’s Requiem; and Rossini's Stabat Mater; Count Monterone and from Verdi’s Rigoletto; Angelotti, Sacristan and the Jailer in Puccini’s Tosca; and the Doctor and Baron Douphol in Verdi's La Traviata.

Mezzo-soprano Leslie Ratner has performed a handful of operatic roles, including Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro, Kate in Pirates of Penzance, Vera Boronel in the Consul, Resident Physician in the world premiere of Breath of Life, and Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti. Last summer, she sang the role of La Suora Zalatrice in Suor Angelica at International Vocal Arts Institute (IVAI) under the baton of the Metropolitan Opera’s Paul Nadler. Other organizations she has worked with include Opera Breve, Harrower Opera, and Western New York Chamber Orchestra. In December 2015 Leslie appeared as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah with Lubbock Symphony Orchestra and sang under this organization’s Maestro David Cho again in November 2016 as Madame Giry in Phantom of the Opera. This August, Leslie will study with renowned teachers, coaches, and directors at the Milnes VOICE Studio in Savannah, GA. She currently studies with Beth Roberts. A native of Long Island New York, Leslie holds a Bachelor of Music degree from SUNY Fredonia and a Master of Music from Texas Tech University.

Mary DeMarco Lee, soprano, joined the Opera Night roster in May 2012. Mary’s professional credits include many leading roles with various companies in New York City and the region, including, with the Amato Opera: Musetta in La Boheme, Micaela in Carmen, Nedda in Pagliacci, Antonia in Les Contes D’Hoffman, and Gennariello in (Gomes’) Salvator Rosa (U.S. premiere). Mary twice was a Finalist in, and once was a winner of, the Amato Opera Competition. She performed the leading role of Celie in (Pasatieri’s) Signor Deluso for the C. W. Post Summer Opera Festival at the Tilles Center. Mary also has performed many ingénue roles in Operetta and Musical Comedy including Yum Yum in the Mikado with the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island, Cunegonde in Candide and Julie in Carousel at the Carousel Music Theater, and Laurey in Oklahoma and Jenny in Company at the Thomaston Opera House. She is a graduate of the Purchase College Conservatory of Music Voice and Opera Studies Program, where she performed her first leading opera role, Susanna in the Marriage of Figaro.

Max Avery Vitagliano is a lyric tenor hailing from Levittown, New York. He recently received a Master's in Opera from Temple University and also holds a Bachelor's in Music Education from LIU Post. Max's most recent roles was of those of the operas he was in while attending Temple University, such as Anfinomo from Monteverdi's Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria, the lead role of the Sailor in Milhaud's Le pauvre matelot and The Psychologist in the U.S. Premiere of Zack Seffel's abstract and fascinating modern opera, Pacamambo. He has also performed with companies such as the Bronx Opera Company, with roles such as Dr. Caius from Verdi's Falstaff, and the New York Opera Theater, having performed as Almeric from Tchaikovsky's Iolanta. Having just returned to New York having completed his Master's, Max is excited to see what opportunities await him on his path into what he hopes will be a fulfilling career in opera and is ecstatic to have the chance to sing again with Opera Night Long Island.

Michael Celentano (tenor) is a recent recipient of the Masters of Music in Opera at SUNY Binghamton and a former young artist at Tri-Cities Opera in Binghamton, NY. Recent appearances include Riccardo Percy in Westside Opera Society's production of Anna Bolena, Antonio in the North American premiere of Donizetti's La Zingara with Amore Opera and the cover of Gvidon in New Opera NYC's recently acclaimed production of  Золотой петушок (The Golden Cockerel) . Upcoming performances include Don José in Opera Breve's production of Carmen, Tony in Garden State Opera’s reprised production of Santelli’s Il consulente matrimoniale, and scenes from Simonetta, a new opera by Larry Lipkis, with the Litha Symphony Orchestra.

Soprano Rachel Hippert has recently performed in Carmen (Micaëla) and Die Fledermaus (Rosalinda) with Amore Opera Company, Aida (High Priestess) with the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors (Mother) with the Brooklyn Philharmonia Chorus, and Idomeneo (Elettra) with the Opera Company of Brooklyn. Ongoing projects include performing in partnership with the world peace organization Heavenly Culture World Peace Restoration of Light (HWPL) for various events in NYC, acting as a goodwill ambassador and associate artist with We Care for Humanity (WHC), and singing as a staple performer with the Opera Collective, part of the Music Under New York organization. Ms. Hippert also released her debut album of twelve original songs by Columbian composer Julian de la Chica under the Irreverence Group Music record label this past year, Experimentelle und unbestimmte Lieder, Op. 9, currently available on iTunes and Spotify. Please visit rachelhippert.com for information.

Baritone Roberto Borgatti’s ascent on the opera scene was anything but traditional. As a professional golf instructor, he could be heard singing “Verdi “ on the greens, conducting clinics to professional organizations and teaching professionals around the world.  With a “voice that thrills” and a “captivating stage presence”, Borgatti has proven a favorite for NYC opera audiences.  In 2014 Borgatti sang his first lead role in La Traviata (Germont) in New York City to rave reviews — “Impressive …a role he was born to sing… finely attuned to the Italian language and phrasing…substantial voice, great technique and dramatic chops to match.”  Displaying his versatility the following year as the extroverted, flashy Escamillo in Carmen with Opera New York. He received high praise critic Marc Miller — “Baritone Roberto Borgatti’s “Toreador Song” is really spectacular, with Borgatti simultaneously honoring and sending up Escamillo’s swagger.”  Borgatti credits his success to mentors that includes his great uncle, the late baritone Giuseppe Valdengo. Roberto studies voice with former Metropolitan Opera baritone Mark Oswald, and has worked with Jason Stearns and David Pershall.  He coaches with conductor Peter Mark.

SOPRANO, Stephanie Leotsakos, from Sparta, NJ is a “strong and full voice soprano... who demonstrate[s] great poise and command of the music” (Princeton Town Topics) and sings with “brilliance and expressiveness” (The Barre-Montpelier Times Argus). Graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in Music and Certificate in Vocal Performance in 2016, Stephanie has sung staged roles with Amore Opera, New York Lyric Opera Theatre, the Princeton Opera Theatre, and sung solo concert repertoire with the Riverside Opera Company, and Sussex County Youth Orchestra and most recently, with the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra. She has been applauded by Parterre Music Box Reviews for her “standout” performance as Frasquita in George Bizet's Carmen with Amore Opera, and has also sung Susanna/Barbarina (Le Nozze di Figaro), Belinda (Dido and Aeneas), Anna (Tobias and the Angel), Berta (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Fortuna/Venere (L’incoronazione di Poppea), and Amelia (Amelia Goes to the Ball). Stephanie has composed, conducted, and stage directed and original opera titled OMG in Princeton, NJ and off-Broadway in NYC, and assistant stage directed with Amore Opera. She is currently finishing her NJ K-12 public teaching certification and maintains a healthy private studio teaching, piano, violin, and voice.

Thomas Killourhy is a 28-year-old Tenor from Smithtown, Long Island, currently pursuing a D.M.A in Voice at Stony Brook University under the tutelage of internationally acclaimed Soprano, Brenda Harris. Thomas has most recently been seen on the stage of the Staller Center singing the role of Aeneas in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas with Stony Brook Opera. Thomas has recently completed a Master’s in Voice at the Mannes School of Music, where he studied with world-renowned voice teacher, Arthur Levy. While at Mannes Thomas sang (in part) the roles of Cavaradossi, Lenny, Pollione, Idomeneo, Father Grenville and Don Jose with Mannes Opera. He has also partially performed the roles of Des Grieux, Turridu, and Luigi under the baton of Metropolitan Opera Assistant Conductor, Joshua Greene. Thomas also takes great pride in teaching his private voice and guitar students

Ms. Isernia is a recent graduate of The Manhattan School of Music where she studied under the tutelage of Maitland Peters earning her BM in Vocal Performance. Her opera credits include Dido & Aeneas (Dido) and L’incoronazione di Poppea (Nerone) both under the direction of world renowned Soprano Catherine Malfitano, Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen (Forrester’s Wife) and most recently The Mikado (Pitti-Sing) with the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. Other scene work includes Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro and Woodsprite#3 in Rusalka. In 2013 she made her Lincoln Center debut under the baton of Maestro Alan Gilbert in the choir of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony along with the NY Philharmonic. Some of her Musical Theater credits include Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Kim Macafee in Bye, Bye Birdie, and Rona Lisa Peretti in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.