Jennifer Forni

Soprano

Former Portland Opera Resident Artists
Previously at Portland Opera: Dew Fairy, Hansel and Gretel (2010); Trio, Trouble in Tahiti (2010); Clorinda, Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda (2010); Amor, Il Ballo delle Ingrate (2010)
 

Praised for her "warm, gleaming lyric soprano" voice (Washington Post), American soprano Jennifer Forni is quickly establishing herself as a singer to look out for. Always “attentive to the subtler points of interpretive expression” (The Baltimore Sun), Ms. Forni, while possessing a “fuller lyric sound” (Opera News) has maintained the ability to float stunningly-spun pianissimos above the staff.
 

Ms. Forni was granted the Evelyn Puddy Oliver Scholarship to attend the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. She continued her studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she received a Master of Opera. During this time, she was personally selected by Marilyn Horne to represent the university in The Song Continues masterclass series at Carnegie Hall.
 

In 2008, while Ms. Forni was a member of the prestigious Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program, she was asked to take over the role of Nannetta in Verdi's Falstaff. Remarkable for the short-lead time involved, the performance was widely viewed as a triumph. When interviewed about Ms. Forni's performance by Classical Singer Magazine, Glen Lewis (Head of Music, Pittsburgh Opera) said, "When we finally heard her on stage, [her voice] felt almost luxurious for a Nannetta. We think it won’t be long until she moves into a more substantial repertoire." Subsequently, Ms. Forni has moved on to ampler roles such as Tatyana from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Fiordiligi from Mozart’s Così Fan Tutte, and Michaela from Bizet's Carmen.
 

Ms. Forni is a former member of the Portland Opera Studio, where she appeared in Berstein's Trouble in Tahiti, Monteverdi's Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, Il Ballo delle Ingrate, and Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel.
 

Ms. Forni is equally at home on the concert stage, performing such works as Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with the Oregon Mozart Players, Mahler Symphony No. 2 with the Greeley Philharmonic, and Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony with the Oberlin Musical Union. During her Portland Opera debut recital she was hailed for her performance of Strauss’s legendary work the Vier Letzte Lieder. “She shone spectacularly in Strauss’s Four Last Songs. Brava Ms. Forni.” (Stephen Llewellyn, Portland Opera official blog).
 

In March of 2011, Ms. Forni joined New York City Opera to understudy the role of Rita Clayton in Stephen Schwartz's World Premiere Opera Seance on a Wet Afternoon. She looks forward to returning to New York City Opera to understudy the role of Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata this February. The following month marks her role debut as Michaela in Bizet’s Carmen.

http://www.jenniferforni.com/

Jonathan Boyd

Tenor

Previously at Portland Opera: Candide, Candide (2012); Jacquino, Fidelio (2008);  Tamino, The Magic Flute (2007);  Sam Kaplan, Street Scene (2005)
 

Tenor Jonathan Boyd continually performs throughout Europe, North America and South America. Upcoming engagements include his Seattle Opera debut as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, his San Diego Opera debut in Jake Heggie’s Moby Dick as Ishmael, his Atlanta Opera debut as Edgardo in Lucia Di Lammermoor,the title role of Candide at the Portland Opera, Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail at the Arizona Opera, Tamino in a concert version of Die Zauberflöte with Baltimore Symphony and Sam in Susannah with Florentine Opera.

Noted European engagements over the past few seasons include debuts at Opéra de Nice and Opéra de Toulon as Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Teatro Colón in a live television broadcast as Werther; Opera Royal de Wallonie in Belgium as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni; Le Grand Théâtre de Limoges as Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Fenton in Falstaff; Malta National Theater and Festival Lyrique-en-mer de Belle Île as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Opera Faber in Portugal, Théâtre de l’Athénée and St-Quentin en Yvelines in France as Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress, and his role debut as Alfredo in La Traviata with Akouna, Opéra en plein air in France.

Most recent North American engagements from the past few seasons include Narraboth in Salome and a return as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at the Dallas Opera; Alfredo in La Traviata at Opera Carolina; Roméo in Roméo et Juliette at the Utah Symphony & Opera, Nashville Opera and Michigan Opera Theater; Tamino in Die Zauberflöte at the Portland Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at Opera Cleveland and Arizona Opera; Don Ottavio and Rodolfo in La Bohème at the Nashville Opera; and his role debut as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor at Opera New Jersey. In concert, most recent performances are Rachmaninoff’s Vespers with the Choral Arts Society (DC), Handel’s Messiah with the Virginia Symphony, Haydn's Creation with the Flint Symphony and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Princeton Symphony.

The Corning, New York native has previously performed in San Francisco Opera’s productions of Falstaff, Turandot, The Merry Widow (released on DVD), and Mother of Us All. Since his apprenticeship with Florentine Opera of Milwaukee, Mr. Boyd has returned in numerous roles such as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni and Camille in The Merry Widow. In addition, Mr. Boyd made his role debuts as Sam in Street Scene with Portland Opera, Sam in Susannah with Opera Columbus and L’Opéra de Montréal, and several roles with the Sarasota Opera Nadir in Les Pêcheurs des Perles, Fenton in Falstaff, and Ferrando in Così Fan Tutte.

Mr. Boyd has an extensive repertoire in 20th century operas including Michigan Opera Theatre’s world premiere of Margaret Garner as George Hancock, and New York City Opera’s productions of Mother of Us All and Central Park. Composer Lee Hoiby personally chose Mr. Boyd for the role of Romeo in his opera Romeo and Juliet, which he subsequently sang in the semi-staged performances at the Opera America convention in Vancouver, as well as with New York City Opera, Stamford Symphony in Connecticut, and the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center.

Mr. Boyd has appeared in concert with the New York Philharmonic in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion conducted by Maestro Kurt Masur, the Philadelphia Orchestra in a recording of I Pagliacci with Maestro Riccardo Muti, the Choral Arts Society as Tenor Soloist in Haydn’s Creation at the Kennedy Center, at Carnegie Hall in Mozart’s Requiem, the Baltimore Symphony in Handel’s Messiah, as well as with Maestro Nicholas McGegan and Philharmonia Baroque, and returned for a Bach’s E flat Magnificat and Cantata 110. Additionally, Mr. Boyd was the tenor soloist for Dvorak’s Stabat Mater with Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal, tenor soloist in Finzi’s Dies Natalis and Britten’s Les Illuminations with with I Musici de Montréal, and made his debut with Virginia Symphony in the live television broadcast of Rimsky Korsakov’s Mozart and Salieri in the role of Mozart.

http://www.jonathanboyd-tenor.com/

Michael Todd Simpson

Baritone

Previously at Portland Opera: Marcello, La Bohème (2009)
 

This season, baritone Michael Todd Simpson returns to the Seattle Opera as Escamillo in Carmen and to the Metropolitan Opera for Khovanshchina. He also makes his debut at the San Francisco Symphony in performances of Handel’s Messiah. He recently sang Escamillo at the both the Glimmerglass Festival and in China, and appeared at the Metropolitan Opera as Morales in Carmen and in its production of Don Carlos on tour in Japan.  
 

His many roles include the title role in Don Giovanni, the Count in Le nozze di Figaro, Marcello in La Bohème, Guglielmo in Così fan Tutte, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Silvio in Pagliacci, Escamillo in both Carmen and Le Tragedie de Carmen, Zurga in The Pearl Fishers, Hermann and Schlemil in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, and the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance. He also sang the role of Tooley in the American premiere of Sir Richard Rodney Bennett’s The Mines of Sulphur at the Glimmerglass Opera, which was recorded and released by Chandos Records in 2005. He has appeared all over the U.S. in opera houses such as the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Dallas Opera, Seattle Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Cleveland Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Portland Opera, Ft. Worth Opera, and recently made his debuts at Opera Australia and in China and Taiwan.
 

A native of Gastonia, NC, Mr. Simpson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in vocal performance from Erskine College in Due West, SC, and earned his Masters of Music degree at the College Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. He is also a graduate of the Seattle Opera Young Artists Program and the Glimmerglass Opera Young American Artists Program. His many awards include regional winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the Spanish Prize in the 2007 José Iturbi International Music Competition, first prize in the first annual Marguerite McCammon Voice Competition, the Sara Tucker Study Grant awarded by the Richard Tucker Foundation and the Richard F. Gold Career Grant, and first place winner of the 1996 and 1999 South Carolina National Association of Teachers of Singing vocal competition.

http://www.michaeltoddsimpson.com/

George Manahan

Conductor

Previously at Portland Opera: Don Giovanni (2012); Big Night Concert (2012); Big Night Concert (2011); The Barber of Seville (2010); Così fan tutte (2010);  Rigoletto (2009); Rodelinda (2008); Macbeth (2006).
 

In his second season as Music Director of the American Composers Orchestra, the wide-ranging and versatile George Manahan has had an esteemed career embracing everything from opera to the concert stage, the traditional to the contemporary. In addition to his work with ACO this season, Mr. Manahan continues his commitment to working with young musicians as Director of Orchestral Studies at the Manhattan School of Music as well as guest conductor at the Curtis Institute of Music.


He served as Music Director of the New York City Opera for fourteen seasons and was hailed for his leadership of the orchestra where he "gets from his players the kind of heartfelt involvement unthinkable in the City Opera orchestra pit 20 years ago.....these musicians operate with such consistent energy and involvement." (New York Times).


In May 2011 Mr. Manahan was honored by the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) for his "career-long advocacy for American composers and the music of our time has enriched and enabled Concert Music both at home and abroad." His recent Carnegie Hall performance of Samuel Barber's Antony and Cleopatra was hailed by audiences and critics alike, "What a difference it makes to hear the piece performed by an opera conductor who palpably believes in it," said the New York Times, "the fervent and sensitive performance that Mr. Manahan presided over made the best case for this opera that I have encountered."


Mr. Manahan’s guest appearances include the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, as well as the symphonies of Atlanta, San Francisco, Hollywood Bowl, and New Jersey, where he served as acting Music Director for four seasons. He is a regular guest with the Music Academy of the West, and the Aspen Music Festival, and has also appeared with the Opera Companies of Seattle, Chicago, Santa Fe, Portland, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Opera National du Paris, Teatro de Communale de Bologna, the Bergen Festival (Norway), the Casals Festival (Puerto Rico) and Minnesota Opera, where he was Principal Conductor.


His many appearances on television include productions of La Boheme, Lizzie Borden, and Tosca on PBS. Live from Lincoln Center’s telecast of New York City Opera’s production of Madame Butterfly under his direction won a 2007 Emmy Award.


George Manahan’s wide-ranging recording activities include the premiere recording of Steve Reich’s Tehillim for ECM; recordings of Edward Thomas’s Desire Under the Elms, which was nominated for a Grammy; Joe Jackson’s Will Power; and Tobias Picker’s Emmeline. His enthusiasm for contemporary music continues today; he has conducted numerous world premieres, including Charles Wuorinen’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories, David Lang’s Modern Painters, Hans Werner Henze’s The English Cat, and the New York premiere of Richard Danielpour’s Margaret Garner. As Music Director of the Richmond Symphony (VA) for twelve years, he was honored four times by the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) for his commitment to new music.


He received his formal musical training at the Manhattan School of Music, studying conducting with Anton Coppola and George Schick, and was appointed to the faculty of the school upon his graduation, at which time The Juilliard School awarded him a fellowship as Assistant Conductor with the American Opera Center. Mr. Manahan was chosen as the Exxon Arts Endowment Conductor of the New Jersey Symphony and he made his opera debut with the Santa Fe Opera, conducting the American premiere of Arnold Schoenberg’s Von Heute Auf Morgen.

Christopher Mattaliano - Host

Portland Opera's General Director

Christopher Mattaliano was named Portland Opera’s fifth General Director in July 2003. In this capacity, he is responsible for all artistic, financial, and administrative aspects of the company.

Previous to this appointment, Mr. Mattaliano was the Artistic Director of the Pine Mountain Music Festival, in addition to his very successful career as a stage director.

He brings to the company an intense artistic vision honed from his extensive stage directing experience. Prior to taking the helm at Portland Opera, Mr. Mattaliano achieved considerable regional success, directing five acclaimed Portland Opera productions—Manon (1991), Eugene Onegin (1992), Pagliacci/Carmina Burana (1997 and 2000), Candide (2002), and Il Trovatore (2002). In 2004, his direction of Rossini's The Journey to Reims opened his first artistic season in Portland to both popular and critical acclaim.  Since then he has directed The Rape of Lucretia (2005), Verdi's Macbeth (2006), The Magic Flute (2007), Cinderella (2007), Albert Herring (2008), Rigoletto (2009), The Barber of Seville (2010), Pagliacci/Carmina Burana (2010), and L’Heure Espagnole/L’Enfant et les Sortileges (2011).


Mr. Mattaliano has directed North American productions for the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Washington Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, L’Opera de Montreal, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Minnesota Opera, Dallas Opera, Central City Opera, among many others. His work has also been enjoyed internationally at L’Opera de Nice and the Norwegian National Opera.

He has directed world premieres of Hugo Weisgall’s Esther for the New York City Opera, jazz composer Fred Ho’s Journey Beyond the West for the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Peter Westergaard’s The Tempest for the Opera Festival of New Jersey, and the American premiere of Fleischman’s Rothschild’s Violin at the Juilliard Opera Center.

His passion for stage direction has extended well beyond the stages of those many companies. He has taught at the Juilliard School, the Metropolitan Opera Young Artist Development Program, Manhattan School of Music, Yale University, Mannes College of Music, and the New National Theater of Japan. In 1996 his essay on auditioning (“The Dreaded Audition”) was published by OPERA America.

Mr. Mattaliano received his BA in Theater Arts from Montclair State University with additional training at the Trent Park School of Performing Arts in London, England. In 1998 he received the L. Howard Fox Visiting Alumni Award from his alma mater as well as a National Opera Institute Stage Direction Grant.

Since joining the company, his presence is in considerable demand on the national level, leading the keynote panel at the 2004 OPERA America conference in Pittsburgh and being named to the National Endowment for the Arts’ opera review panel. He was recently elected to serve on OPERA America’s Board of Directors.