OPERADELAWARE’s 23/24 STUDIO SERIES

From intimate artist curated recitals to cabaret performances, the OperaDelaware Studio Series puts you up-close-and-personal with unbelievable talent and world-class storytellers. Don’t miss a moment of this season’s Studio Series featuring mezzo-soprano Megan Marino, baritone Brian James Myer, and one of opera’s most sought after couples, soprano Michelle Johnson and baritone Brian Major.

CABARET: Megan Marino and aurelien eulert

A 2-night only cabaret event at the OperaDelaware Studio.
Saturday, November 18 at 7:30 PM & Sunday, November 19 at 2 PM.

Megan Marino, mezzo-soprano

In the 2023-2024 season, Meg returns to the Santa Fe Opera in one of her favorite roles, Annina in Der Rosenkavalier, The Houston Grand Opera to debut as Elsa Schraeder in The Sound of Music, the Atlanta Opera to debut Meg’s “bucket list role” Puck in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and OperaDelaware and Opera Baltimore’s co-production of Rigoletto with her debut as Maddalena. She will also debut with Music of Remembrance in a new piece by Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer. This fall she continues her work as a Teaching Artist, returning to her alma mater, the University of Southern Maine Osher School of Music as Distinguished Alumna in Residence.

In her eclectic 2022-2023, Meg returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Flora in La traviata, and Second Lady (debut) in The Magic Flute (holiday version). She also released a studio recording "It's You I Like," an album of classically anchored music specifically for children and their adults, with long-time collaborator, pianist John Arida.

Sunday spotlight: Brian James Myer with aurelien eulert

Our Voices in Music from Past to Present
Sunday, December 3 at 2 PM.

A message from Brian James Myer, baritone: Though our visibility has evolved over time, the creative contributions of the LGBTQ+ community have been ever present. Throughout history we have told our stories, sometimes implicitly coded into larger tales or even offered with elements of our identity removed altogether. Yet still we share them. This program is an exploration of the voices of composers and poets, past and present, who have loved without convention, including two world premiere song cycles by composers Iain Bell and Brian James Myer with texts by Verlaine, Rimbaud, and Jay St. Flono.

Brian james Myer, baritone

Praised as an artist of "both voice and character to make him stand out in the crowd" (Sarasota Observer), Baritone Brian James Myer has earned accolades for his exceptional artistry, combining a distinctive voice with captivating character portrayals. Highlights of his 2022-23 engagements included performances as Papageno in Die Zauberflöte with both Opera Orlando and Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, David Miller in Approaching Ali at Opera Las Vegas, Milcom Negley in The Last American Hammer with Opera Grand Rapids, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus at the Bar Harbor Music Festival, and a role debut as Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro with Tri-Cities Opera and Syracuse Opera. On the concert stage, he joined Symphony San Jose as the baritone soloist in Carmina Burana, and performed a concert of English Art Song with the Brooklyn Art Song Society. Upcoming engagements for 2023-2024 include Rey in Before Night Falls with Opera Southwest and a recital of Wolf's Mörike lieder with the Brooklyn Art Song Society. Additionally, he joins OperaDelaware and Opera Baltimore for an LGBTQ+ themed recital in December.

Sunday Spotlight: Brian Major & Michelle Johnson with Aurelien Eulert

Sunday, January 21 at 2 PM.

A message from Michelle Johnson, soprano: Brian and I are collaborating on the final selections of the joint recital and I'm looking forward to the ease of our harmonies, the knowing without a word, and the electric sensation that comes when seeing your partner shine doing what they love.

Michelle Johnson, soprano

Soprano Michelle Johnson, a Grand Prize Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions where she was described as “a clear audience favorite” (New York Times), has been lavished with praise for her “extraordinary breath control and flawless articulation… Her voice is velvety and pliant – a dulcet dream.” In the 2022-2023 season, she sings the title role of Tosca with Opera on the James, makes her Nashville Opera debut as Mimi in La bohème, debuts the role of Serena in Porgy and Bess with North Carolina Opera and Opera Carolina, reprises the title role of Aida with Opera Grand Rapids, makes a role debut as Turandot with Opera Southwest and she also joins Opera in the Heights for their 25 th Anniversary Concert. In the 2023-2024 season, Ms. Johnson will sing Tosca with Madison Opera, returns to Chicago Opera Theater in Shostakovich’s The Nose and debuts with Florentine Opera singing Mimi in La bohème.

Brian Major, baritone

Charismatic baritone Brian Major continues to be praised by critics for his “velvety voice’ and “commanding stage presence.” During the 2022-2023 season, Mr. Major made his role debut as Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff with Maryland Lyric Opera, covered the role of Scarpia in the Santa Fe Opera’s production of Tosca, and joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera where he made his house debut as Baron Douphol in La traviata and cover Benny “Kid” Paret in Champion. Additionally, he joined Cincinnati Opera as the cover of Castor in the world premiere of Gregory Spears and Tracy K. Smith’s Castor and Patience.  In the upcoming 2023-2024 season, he returns to the Metropolitan Opera to cover the title role of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, sings Marcello in La bohème with Florentine Opera, and makes his concert debut with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Aurelien Eulert
Pianist

Hailing from Alsace, France, Aurelien Eulert made his U.S. house debut in 2014 with Palm Beach Opera as diction coach for their production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann and head coach for the Young Artist Program. Since then, he has been on the music staff of Charlottesville Opera, Opera Memphis, Opera Roanoke, Palm Beach Opera, Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, USC Thornton Opera, UCLA Alpert School of Music, Pacific Opera Project and the Los Angeles Opera Education department. Aurelien has played for acclaimed singers such as Marilyn Horne, Phyllis Curtin, Dawn Upshaw, Frederica von Stade and Rod Gilfry. He has assisted and performed under conductors such as James Conlon, Robert Spano and John Williams. In 2019, Aurelien was named Head of Music Staff at OperaDelaware, and oversaw the company’s Young Artist Program. He had previously held the position of Chorus Master and Principal Pianist since 2017. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, he was instrumental in OperaDelaware’s switch to digital and outdoor performances and continues to manage the acclaimed Pop-Up Opera program with outdoor presentations on the company’s mobile stage. Aurelien’s 2021/22 season included a return to the theatre stage with OperaDelaware and Opera Baltimore, and his debut with Opera Southwest for Pelléas et Mélisande. The 2022/23 season included debuts with Opera Philadelphia and Intermountain Opera Bozeman, and he will return with those companies in the 2023/24 season, in addition to Opera Baltimore & OperaDelaware's co-production of Rigoletto this Fall. Aurelien holds degrees from the Conservatoire National de Strasbourg, Syracuse University and the University of Southern California, and attended the Tanglewood Music Center in the summer of 2010.

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