A Legend of the Opera – Guest Bios
CASEY GRAY (tenor) is active in the Capital Region and throughout New York State. He has performed with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, Octavo Singers, Saratoga Voices, Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra, Catskill Choral Society, Schenectady Light Opera Company and Auriel Camerata. Notable roles include Peter Quint (Turn of the Screw), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Little Bat (Susannah), Pitichinaccio (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Alfred (Die Fledermaus) and Pirelli (Sweeney Todd).
Notable performances of Oratorio works include Satyavān (Savitri), Evangelist/Victim (Samaritan) premier performance by composer Sean Doyle, Evangelist Bach’s St. John Passion, Händel’s Messiah, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Dubois’ Seven Last Words of Christ. His concert works as a Tenor Soloist include, Mozart’s Requiem, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana as well as concerts showcasing the works of George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, Andrey Lloyd Webber, Cab Calloway and Cole Porter (under the baton of William Jon Gray & Glen Cortese).
Mr. Gray is in demand as a voice teacher, vocal coach and accompanist for various programs throughout the Capitol region. Currently, he serves as Organist at Jonesville United Methodist Church and is a member of the voice faculty at Skidmore College.
THOMAS GUNTHER, baritone – Eisenstein was recently seen in two concurrent productions of La Bohéme as Schaunard with First Coast Opera and Amelia Island Opera. His resume includes roles and soloist of the works, Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Britten’s War Requiem, Faure Requiem, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and Handel’s Messiah.
Operatic Roles include Scarpia in Tosca, Germont in La Traviata with Soo Opera Theater and Bay View Opera, Guglielmo with Schenectady Symphony, Pangloss/Voltaire in Candide and Captain Corcoran in HMS Pinafore with Union Avenue Opera, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus with Winter Opera St. Louis.
Other roles include Danilo in Merry Widow, Falke in Die Fledermaus, Marcello and Schaunard in La Bohème, Dandini in La Cenerentola, the title role in Steven Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, Don Giovanni and Masetto in Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Silvio in I Pagliacci and Mercutio in Gounod’s: Romeo et Juliet. Notably, Mr. Gunther has performed La Bohème with the Dominican Republic National Symphony and with the Merola Opera Program in San Francisco with their production of composer André Previn’s: A Streetcar Named Desire as Stanley Kowalski. Roles in musical theatre—Billy Bigalow in Carousel, Javert in Les Misérables and Raul in Phantom of the Opera. Mr. Gunther is currently Professor of Voice at The Omaha Conservatory of Music in Nebraska and Adjunct Professor at Doane University.
SYLVIA STONER— has performed across the country in opera and theater. Regional opera credits include the Des Moines Metro Opera, Shreveport Opera, Opera Omaha, Union Avenue Opera, Kentucky Opera, Mobile Opera, Lake George Opera, and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Favorite roles include Mimi in La Bohème, Countess in Figaro, Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, and Marguerite in Faust. A proud member of Actor’s Equity, she toured nationally in Terence McNally’s “Maria Callas: Masterclass” in the role of opera singer Sharon Graham.
Internationally, she performed in Italy with Orvieto Musica and the InterHarmony International Music Festival. Recent soloist engagements include the Schenectady Symphony, Saratoga Voices, the Battenkill Chorale, the Northern Berkshire Chorale, and the Skidmore Orchestra.
She co-created “Sister–Show me Eternity” based upon the life of Emily Dickinson and her sisters. This unique staging of art song and narrative celebrates the artist-teacher, as the production included a student chorus at each performance. There are now over 40 students nationally who have appeared in this work at various colleges and universities on the East coast and in the Midwest. Her next collective endeavor includes co-commissioning and touring new operas based on the stories of past generations called “A Mosaic of Motherhood.”
She obtained her Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree with honors in Voice at the University of Kansas and is currently the Senior Artist-in-Residence in Voice at Skidmore College.
AVA ACCORSI, soprano, has a wide range of choral and solo experience. She began vocal study at age nine. In high school, Ava sang the National Anthem for the current president. She was also a lead soprano in the Cecilia Ensemble, a small group of high school treble singers selected by competitive audition throughout the Monadnock Region. In April 2023, the ensemble performed a series of Spanish music on tour in Spain.
Ava has participated in both NH Jazz and Classical All-State festivals. She took private lessons with soprano Junko Watanabe. Entering college, Ava made the final round in the Filene Music Scholarship Competition at Skidmore College. So far at Skidmore, Ava has taken rigorous lessons with Dr. Sylvia Stoner and has been a part of the ENY/NATS Art Song Festival. In Spring 2024, she’s looking forward to performing in “Die Fledermaus” and more. Ava can’t wait to continue her music career in college and beyond
MAGGIE BESTHOFF has been studying voice for nine years by taking private lessons and participating in auditioned choirs during high school and her time at Skidmore College. She was one of two vocalists out of 700 musicians selected to perform at the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choir Conductors Association (MICCA) Solo Gold Showcase Concert in 2020.
Maggie was recognized as the runner-up for the Skidmore College Filene Scholarship as an incoming student and was recently awarded the Filene Fellowship for excellence in classical music as a senior. She was featured in the workshop world premiere of “Bell” by Richard Einhorn and Kathryn Walat as well as Skidmore’s most recent premiere of “The Unhealed Wound” by Richard Danielpour and Rita Dove. Maggie has been a featured soloist in the select Vocal Chamber Ensemble and larger Skidmore Chorus every year of her college career. Additionally, she was selected to perform in multiple masterclasses with renowned guest artists and was awarded second place in the ENY/NATS Art Song Festival in 2022. Maggie plans to combine her Neuroscience major and Music minor into her career, possibly in music therapy or mental performance coaching, and she hopes to continue performing in community choirs and operas after graduation.
ANDREW BURGER is a conductor, musician and pedagogue from Niskayuna, New York. He is the Artistic Director of the Octavo Singers, Visiting Professor at Skidmore College, and the Director of Music Ministries at the Niskayuna Reformed Church. He has worked with numerous community, collegiate and professional ensembles throughout upstate New York and Massachusetts including as Choral Contractor and choirmaster for the Albany Symphony, Adjunct Professor at RPI, Artistic Director of the Northern Berkshire Chorale and section leader with Albany Pro Musica.
He holds a Masters degree in Conducting from Bard College and a Bachelors degree in Music Education for The College of Saint Rose. In addition to performing in “Die Fledermaus,” he is happy to have had the opportunity to work with the talented student cast as a vocal coach and thanks them very much for their efforts.
JESSICA BYERS, a senior at Skidmore College and recipient of the Filene merit music scholarship, discovered her love for classical singing at a young age. This is Jessica’s second role in a Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra production. Previously, she performed the role of Flora in Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw (Fall 2022).
During her time at Skidmore, studying under Artist-in-Residence Dr. Sylvia Stoner-Hawkins, she played a principal role in the workshop world premiere of Richard Einhorn and Kathryn Walat’s opera entitled “Bell” (Spring 2023), and performed as a chorus member in the world premiere of Grammy Award-winning composer Richard Danielpour and Pulitzer Prize winner Rita Dove’s “The Unhealed Wound” (Fall 2023). Jessica has been featured in Skidmore’s Vocal Chamber Ensemble and Chorus, including her appearance as the sole soprano soloist in Carmina Burana (Spring 2023). She is a two-time winner of the ENY/NATS Art Song Festival (2023 and 2022). She also sang in a gospel choir with Josh Groban at SPAC (Summer 2022).
BEN HARRIS (Dr. Blind) is thrilled to make his debut with the Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra. He is currently a freshman at Skidmore College studying voice with Professor Casey Gray with plans to major in theatre and psychology.
Ben extends his thanks to his fellow performers onstage, the voice faculty at Skidmore including Prof. Gray, Dr. Sylvia Stoner-Hawkins and Prof. Andrew Burger, and the Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra for this opportunity. Finally, he would like to thank his family and friends for their continual love and support.
JOHNNY MULCAHY (baritone) is a senior at Skidmore College majoring in both Music and Human Physiological Science. This marks Johnny’s third production with the Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra and he couldn’t be more excited. His past credits with the Symphony include The Prologue in “The Turning of the Screw” (2022) and Massetto in “Don Giovanni” (2021).
While at Skidmore, Johnny has received vocal training under the tutelage of Prof. Casey Gray. He performed the principle role of, Young Bell, in the workshop world premiere of Richard Einhorn and Kathryn Walat’s opera “Bell” (2023). In addition, he was Co-stage Director & ensemble member for Skidmore Musical Theater~ Opera Workshop, Stephen Sondheim’s “You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow” (2023). Johnny has been a member, and featured baritone vocalist, in multiple performances for both Skidmore’s Vocal Chamber Ensemble and Community Chorus (2000- 2023). He was also Assistant Musical Director for the Skidmore Community Chorus (2022 & 2023). Johnny was a NATS National Finalist Musical Theater (Chicago, 2021), NATS Eastern Regional 1st place Winner Musical Theater (2022), & ENY/NATS Art Song Festival second place winner (2023). In 2023, he received Convocation Honors and the Skidmore Music Department Barbara Gruntal Allen ’35 Prize.
This past summer Johnny was selected to attend the Interharmony International Music Festival in Acqui Terme, Piedmont Italy. He has also received prior training in both acting and singing at The Neighborhood Playhouse, The Paper Mill Playhouse and the Juilliard summer performing arts program.
For the last three years, in addition to his classical studies, Johnny has also enjoyed being a member and music director for the Acapella group “The Skidmore Dynamics”. He will also be the musical director and conductor for the production of “A Year with Frog and Toad” in April at Skidmore. Johnny hopes you all enjoy today’s production of Die Fledermaus!
NAOMI WAGNER (they/them) is a sophomore at Skidmore College studying music and theater. They are an active member of the music department, appearing as a soloist in the Annual Filene Concert, in the chorus of the premiere of Richard Danielpour’s The Unhealed Wound, as Young Mabel in the workshop premiere of Richard Einhorn’s Bell, in the Sondheim revue You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow, and in performances with the Skidmore Chorus and Vocal Chamber Ensemble.
This summer, they participated in InterHarmony’s Music Festival in Acqui Terme, Italy, performing in a variety of opera scenes. In High School, they played Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Olive Ostrovsky in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and sang with iSing Silicon Valley Choir in their home state California. They’ve been studying voice for nine years and have competed and placed in many National Association of Teachers of Singing competitions in classical and musical theater categories over the past five years. They are so excited to be performing alongside the Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra as well as students and faculty of Skidmore College in this production of Die Fledermaus and hope you enjoy!
SARATOGA VOICES
Burnt Hills Oratorio Society (BHOS) was founded in 1970 to gather talented singers to perform classical choral masterworks with orchestral accompaniment. In recent years, the 50-70 member chorus diversified its repertoire to include holiday concerts and cabarets in a wider area, including Saratoga Springs. This growth and transformation led to a name change to better reflect our mission: Saratoga Voices.
“We are excited to welcome our dynamic new Artistic Director, Noah Palmer, as we begin our 2023-24 Concert Season,” says Carol Drake, President of our Board. Mr. Palmer is the group’s sixth Artistic Director in the organization’s 54-year history, including the BHOS years. Mr. Palmer is currently Assistant Music Director of Albany Pro Musica, Artistic Director of Music at Trinity Lenox, and an Assistant Conductor at Opera Saratoga. For more information about Saratoga Voices, see their website at www.saratogavoices.org.
NARRATED BY WALT ADAMS
Walt Adams is an award-winning broadcaster and radio host from Albany, a graduate of Herkimer College in Communications and the New School of Radio & Television. His career spans over 50 years in radio and multimedia broadcasting in the Capital District—a familiar regional voice for radio and television. Walt has produced hundreds of community events and live broadcasts, and thousands of sponsor messages, recorded promotions and audio features.