UNT Alumnus Michael Mayes in New Opera Margaret Garner with Denyce Graves

Michael Mayes, 1999 graduate in voice is shown here with Denyce Graves in a production of Richard Danielpour's new opera Margaret Garner. Michael sings the baritone title role of Edward Gaines, the plantation owner, opposite Ms. Graves who sings the mezzo lead as Margaret Garner. The couple will be featured in this production with Opera Carolina in April, 2006.

From the Studio of Linda Di Fiore:

Recent graduates, Laura Mercado and Alissa Anderson were accepted into Young Artist Programs with Fort Worth Opera and Pensacola Opera, respectively. Alissa also was a finalist in the Birmingham Opera Auditions and sang a role at the Ashlawn-Highland Summer Music Festival.

Academic appointments, all tenure-track, of recent and current graduate students include Director of Opera and Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Oregon (Dr. Charles Turley), Chair of the Voice Department at Baylor University (Dr. Deborah Williamson), Associate Professor of Voice at McMurray University (Dr. Diana Ellis), and Assistant Professor of Voice at West Virginia Wesleyan College (Karl Paoletti). In addition, Charles Turley recently was named Assistant Director for Opera in the Ozarks Summer Music Program.

Brian Nedvin (DMA '05 student of Lynn Eustis) sang the role of Acis in Handel's Acis and Galatea with the Crested Butte MoUNTain Music Festival this summer. He has recently begun a position as Assistant Professor of Voice at Shorter College in Rome, GA.

AnnMarie Sandy (MM '03 student of Lynn Eustis) will tour North Carolina and Pennsylvania with the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra this fall, performing the role of Monisha in Scott Joplin's Treemonisha. She currently studies voice in New York City with Doris Cross.