Tosca! - Rockford Symphony Orchestra

Amy Johnson, Floria Tosca

Returning to the stage of the Coronado Theatre after her performance as Mimì in the RSO’s 2006 production of La bohème, soprano Amy Johnson is an extraordinary combination of vocal brilliance and power, versatility, stage magnetism and striking physical beauty. Her silver edged soprano portrays youth yet has ample power to soar over the largest orchestra. Ms. Johnson has earned special acclaim for her portrayal of the title role in Puccini’s Tosca, which she has performed with Glimmerglass Opera, New York City Opera (also broadcast on PBS' Live from Lincoln Center), Palm Beach Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Indianapolis Opera, Spier Festival in South Africa, Arizona Opera, Nashville Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Greensboro Opera, El Paso Opera, Kentucky Symphony, and Opera Tampa.

Other notable roles in her repertoire include the title role in Salome (Arizona Opera, Austin Lyric Opera), Giorgetta in Il Tabarro with Vlaamse Opera in Antwerp, Tatyana in Eugene Onegin (Indianapolis Opera), Donna Anna in Don Giovanni (New York City Opera), Alice Ford in Falstaff (Indianapolis Opera), Fiordiligi in Cosí Fan Tutte (Portland Opera, Indianapolis Opera and Orlando Opera), Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus (Virginia Opera, Opera Tampa), Mimi in La bohème (Indianapolis Opera, Evansville Philharmonic, Bardavon Opera, Rockford Symphony Orchestra), the title role in Aïda (Knoxville Opera), Leonora in Il Trovatore (Indianapolis Opera, West Virginia Symphony, Pamiro Opera), the title role in Madama Butterfly (Evansville Philharmonic, Palace Theatre Waterbury), Marguerite in Faust (Orlando Opera), the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro (Evansville Philharmonic), Liù in Turandot (Opera Tampa), Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni (Bardavon Opera), Nedda in I Pagliacci (Piedmont Opera, Bardavon Opera, Pamiro Opera), Desdemona in Otello (Piedmont Opera), and Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana (Bardavon Opera, Pamiro Opera). She created the role of Manuela in the world premiere of Thea Musgrave's Simón Bolívar for Virginia Opera.
Ms. Johnson made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2006 singing the Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in a benefit for the South Asia earthquake victims, alongside instrumentalists from the New York Philharmonic and other major orchestras. Other concert appearance highlights include the BBC Proms Concerts at Royal Albert Hall (Simón Bolívar) and the Women's Philharmonic of San Francisco (world premiere of Thea Musgrave's Three Women).

Ms. Johnson was born in Chariton, Iowa and later moved to Elgin, Illinois. She is a graduate of Grinnell College and holds a Masters degree from Manhattan School of Music. She is a past winner of the Bel Canto National competition, and Baltimore Opera Competition, and a regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Ms. Johnson will be performing with the Rockford Symphony Orchestra again next season on the ComEd Classic Series.

Randolph Locke, Mario Cavaradossi

American Tenor Randolph Locke continues to enjoy a busy international career. Recent triumphs include his debut as Radames in the Opera Memphis production of Aida conducted by Sherril Milnes. The Commercial Appeal reported, “Aptly self-assured and virile, Locke possesses a pure tenor voice that rang out with vigor and might in his arias about battle; yet the same voice melted with aching sensitivity during expressions of intimacy with Aida.”

Recent highlights include his role debut as Erik in Der fliegende Hollander with Hawaii Opera Theater, Don Jose with San Francisco Opera, Calaf with the Savonlinna Festival in Finland, Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana with Agnes Baltsa in Thessaloniki, Greece, and his role debut as Manrico in Il Trovatore with Opera Memphis. He also sang Don Jose and Cavaradossi with Tacoma Opera. In 2005, he opened the season for Opera Columbus as Radames in Aida, followed by his role debut of Samson in Samson and Delilah for Opera Memphis. In 2006, he returned to Nashville Opera and debuted with Indianapolis Opera and Sacramento Opera as Calaf in Puccini’s Turandot. In the fall of 2007, he made his role debut as Dick Johnson in La Fanciulla del West with Rimrock Opera in Montana. His 2007-2008 season continues with performances of Macduff for Opera Memphis and Cavaradossi with the Rockford Symphony, and in the 2008-2009 season, he will reprise his portrayal of Calaf for Opera Columbus.

Other triumphs include Cavaradossi for Opera Columbus and Nashville Opera, a reprisal of Don José for Opera Lyra Ottawa and Edmonton Opera, and his role debuts in a double bill of Cavalleria rusticana/I Pagliacci for Memphis. Mr. Locke’s portrayal of the title role in Les Conte d’Hoffmann has taken him to Hong Kong, Honolulu, Columbus, Madison, Memphis, and Chautauqua. He was Rodolfo in La Bohème with the Evansville Philharmonic, was soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Long Beach Symphony and the Florida West Coast Symphony, and joined the Florida Philharmonic for opera galas. He has also been heard in the Verdi Requiem with the Tulsa Philharmonic and the Flint Symphony.

A native Texan, Mr. Locke is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University and received his Masters Degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, which he attended as the first place Corbett Opera Scholarship winner, studying with Italo Tajo and John Alexander.

George Cordes, Baron Scarpia

One of America's most versatile operatic bass-baritones, George Cordes has displayed equal brilliance in both the comic and serious repertoire with such houses as the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, and Dallas Opera. He performed a dizzying array of roles in his six seasons with New York City Opera, the highlight being consecutive appearances in 2000 and 2001 on PBS telecasts of Live from Lincoln Center. Other companies he has sung with include Santa Fe, St. Louis, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Columbus, and Cleveland.

As an active concert artist, George Cordes also has sung with the Hartford Symphony, the Berkshire Choral Festival, Ascension Music, the Masterworks Chorale, the Canton Symphony, and other orchestras in works that include Messiah, The Verdi Requiem, the Mozart Requiem, Elijah, Bach's St. Matthew Passion, and numerous other sacred and secular works.

George Cordes received his training at the Boston Conservatory of Music and the University of Akron School of Music. He then spent two years as an apprentice artist with both the Santa Fe Opera and Pittsburgh Opera.

Mr. Cordes was a regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a finalist in the George London, Richard Tucker, and MacAllister competitions. He has won awards from the Center for Contemporary Opera, the Liederkranz Foundation, Opera Columbus, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Tony Dillon, sacristan/jailor

Mr. Dillon is known as a versatile artist whose repertoire ranges from the works of Peri and Cavalli to the premiering of operas and song cycles of Coppola, Earnest, Mlyn, Fink and others. Mr. Dillon has appeared with opera companies and symphonies in the United States, Russia, and Central America.

Recently Mr. Dillon made his Seattle Opera debut as Benoit/Alcindoro in La Bohème, which he will reprise later in the season with Madison Opera. Also this season he will perform in Copland's The Tender Land with Madison Opera and a concert performance of Madama Butterfly with the Midland Symphony Orchestra. For Des Moines Metro Opera he has performed Father Trulove in The Rake’s Progress, Count Monterone in Rigoletto and The Speaker in The Magic Flute. He has additionally been heard as the Sacristan in Tosca with Pittsburgh Opera, Don Alfonso in Così Fan Tutte with City Opera of the Quad Cities, and Benoit/Alcindoro in La Bohème with Michigan Opera Theater.

Other engagements include Crespel/Luther/Schlemil in Les Contes D’Hoffmann with the Cleveland Opera, the title role of Don Pasquale at the Lyric Opera of San Antonio, his Pittsburgh Opera debut as Dr. Grenvil in La Traviata, a debut with Opera Omaha as Grandpa Moss in Aaron Copland's The Tender Land and a Gala Benefit Concert for the Mississippi Opera. He has performed Vanessa and Of Mice and Men at The Washington Opera, La Bohème for the inaugural performance of The Sugar Creek Festival, Lucia Di Lammermoor with Mississippi Opera, a Los Angeles Opera debut as Simone in its production of Gianni Schicchi, a Central City Opera debut as Zuniga Carmen, The Rev. Winemiller in Summer and Smoke, Frank in Die Fledermaus with Tampa Bay Opera, Don Basilio in the New York City Opera National Company tour of Il Barbiere Di Siviglia, H.G. Wells and Guadagno in the premiere of Anton Coppola's opera Sacco & Vanzetti with Tampa Bay Opera, The Old Hebrew Samson et Dalilia with Cleveland Opera, and Don Alfonso in Così Fan Tutte with El Paso Opera.

Álvaro Ramírez, Cesare Angelotti

A native of Mexico City, Álvaro's roles include: Baldassarre in La Favorita, Attila, Sir Tristram in Martha, Don Alfonso in Lucrezia Borgia, Mustafà in L’Italiana in Algeri, Don Alfonso in Cosi fan tutte, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Colline in La Bohéme, Zuniga in Carmen, Figaro and Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro, Betto in Gianni Schicchi, Zaccaria in Nabucco, the Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Filippo in Don Carlo, Silva in Ernani, Ferrando in Il Trovatore, Sparafucile in Rigoletto, and Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Don Pasquale.

He has performed across the country with groups such as: The Chicago City Symphony, the Chicago Chamber Orchestra, Du Page Opera, Eugene Opera, Intermountain Opera, Pacific Repertory Opera, Opera Memphis, the Dubuque Symphony, Opera Factory, Pittsburgh Opera, American Opera Group, Amarillo Opera, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Opera Studio of Highland Park, Bowen Park Opera, Pamiro Opera, Harrisburg Opera, Chicago Opera Theater (COT), the Mazatlan Sinfonietta, and Opera North. He has also performed as bass soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with theDubuque Symphony Orchestra and the Verdi Requiem with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra.

He recently returned to his native country to sing the role of Timur in a touring production of Turandot in addition to performances as bass soloist for a Mozart Requiem and a debut as Sarastro in The Magic Flute in Monterrey. Future engagements include Rocco in Fidelio, Ramfis in Aida, and Giorgio in I Puritani with Miami Lyric Opera.

Dean Anthony, Spoletta

Creator of more than 70 roles, Dean Anthony has been highly praised for his vocal, dramatic, physical, and acrobatic abilities, often referred to as “The Tumbling Tenor”. He made his European debut with Theater im Pfalzbau in Ludwigshafen, Germany and Theater des Westens in Berlin as Sam Kaplin and Daniel Buchanan in the widely acclaimed production of Weill’s Street Scene, which was televised worldwide. He is a frequent guest with companies across North America including L’Opera de Montreal, Baltimore Opera, Florentine Opera, New Orleans Opera, Arizona Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Orlando Opera, Cleveland Opera, Nashville Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera Omaha, Opera Carolina, Opera Columbus, Connecticut Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Opera Memphis, Central City Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Dayton Opera, and the Banff Music Centre.

Additional noted engagements include his New York City Opera debut as Monostatos in The Magic Flute and in Turandot, his debut with San Francisco Opera in their productions of Turandot and Ariadne auf Naxos, Pong in Turandot with Nashville and Indianapolis Opera, Mungo in The Padlock with the Chicago Opera Theatre, and his debut with Florida Grand Opera as Nick in La fanciulla del West, a return to Palm Beach Opera as Edmondo/Dancing Master/Lamplighter in Manon Lescaut, Alfred in Die Fledermaus with Knoxville Opera and New Orleans Opera, a return to Michigan Opera Theatre as Monostatos in The Magic Flute and Howard Boucher in Dead Man Walking, Puck in A Midsummer Nights Dream with Utah Symphony & Opera, Pong in Turandot with Virginia Opera, and Monostatos in The Magic Flute with Opera Carolina.

A native of St. Louis, Mr. Anthony was a winner in the New England Region of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and a recipient of the Shoshana Foundation Award. He has created roles in the world premiere performances of Lloyd’s The Witch Boy, Dutton’s The Stone Man and Bond’s Travels. With the St. Louis Symphony he appeared as Remendado in Carmen, and in a unique double bill of Carmina Burana and I Pagliacci, he received great critical acclaim for his portrayal of the Swan and Beppe with Opera Omaha. His television appearances include broadcasts of An Evening of Gilbert and Sullivan with the Boston Pops and the world premiere of Robert Greenleaf’s Under the Arbor, both aired on PBS.

John Sikora, Sciarrone

John Sikora is Director of Opera at Kent State University in Ohio where he has directed productions of La Traviata, The Elixir of Love, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Marriage of Figaro, and Die Fledermaus. Mr. Sikora directed productions of The Marriage of Figaro in 2003 and Don Giovanni in 2004 for the Lansing Lyric Opera in Michigan. He has been a guest director, adjudicator, and clinician for the National Association of Teachers of Singing events as well as regional opera competitions throughout the United States. Mr. Sikora has sung over twenty leading roles with regional opera companies throughout the country ranging from Basilio in Barber of Seville, Figaro and Bartolo in Marriage of Figaro, Rocco in Fidelio, Leporello in Don Giovanni, and Osmin in Abduction from the Seraglio.

Mr. Sikora most recently sang performances of J. S. Bach’s Coffee Cantata in Paris, Nice, and Frejüs, France with the American Friends of Baroque Music. His collaborations include performances with John Reardon, Carol Neblett, Vernon Hartman, Richard Clark, and Diano Soviero as well as productions with Boris Goldovsky, John DeMain, Anton Guardagno, and Bruno Aprea. He was heard in the world Premier of Holy Blood and Crescent Moon at Cleveland Opera in 1990, and was featured in the American Premier of Martinu’s War Requiem on the guest artist series at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Mr. Sikora was a national touring soloist with the Robert Page Singers. His solo concert engagements include Handel’s Messiah in Toledo, Akron, Youngstown, Canton Symphonies, Mozart Requiem in Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Erie Philharmonic, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Mansfield Symphony. Mr. Sikora has taught on the voice faculty at Ashland University and Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music. Mr. Sikora is a graduate of The Ohio State University, and a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Steven Larsen, Music Director

Steven Larsen’s seventeenth season leading the Rockford Symphony celebrates an era of dramatic change and soaring hopes for the arts in Rockford. Hired in 1991 to rebuild the orchestra, Larsen has transformed the RSO into one of the state’s finest ensembles, doubling its performance schedule and drawing ever-larger audiences of enthusiastic supporters. The Illinois Council of Orchestras recognized this dramatic turn-around by naming the RSO “Orchestra of the Year.”

During his tenure the orchestra launched a three-concert Pops Series, a Family Series, Summer Concert, an ambitious educational program, and many collaborations with area arts groups. In 1999, Larsen was named “Conductor of the Year” by the Illinois Council of Orchestras, which cited his achievements in making the RSO “one of the finest regional orchestras in the country.” Applauding this honor, the Rockford Register Star wrote, “(Steven) Larsen is the best ambassador the RSO has ever had.” That same year Larsen also received the “Mayor’s Arts Award” from the Rockford Area Arts Council. In 2005, along with his wife Martha Bein, Larsen received the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center’s Star of Excellence Award. In 2006, he was once again named Conductor of the Year by the Illinois Council of Orchestras. The ICO also awarded the RSO, under Mr. Larsen’s direction, 2007 Orchestra of the Year. An original member of the Friends of the Coronado Steering Committee, Larsen was also instrumental in guiding the campaign to renovate the Coronado Theatre.

In addition to his Rockford position, Larsen is beginning his eighth season as Music Director of the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, the resident orchestra of the Krannert Center for Performing Arts at the University of Illinois.

Larsen is a native of Chicago and a graduate of Northwestern University, where he received that institution’s first Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting degree. After conducting studies there with Bernard Rubenstein, he became a student of the Russian conductor Kyrill Kondrashin in the Netherlands, receiving a diploma from the Nederlandse Omroep Stichting Conducting Course. From 1976 to 1982, he served on the faculty of the American Conservatory of Music.

A significant portion of his career has been devoted to opera. For thirteen consecutive years he led productions for Chicago Opera Theater, ending his tenure there in 1992 after serving as Artistic Director. For three seasons he held the position of Music Director of the Opera Theatre of San Antonio, and served as Interim Artistic Director for the Dayton Opera. For six years he has taught at Chicago Musical College as a lecturer in Opera Performance. Guest conducting engagements have taken him to the opera companies of Honolulu, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Detroit, Westchester, and Dayton.

Vernon Harman, Director

Vernon Hartman returns to Rockford after directing the RSO’s 2006 production of La bohème. Mr. Hartman is Founder and President of Impresario Productions, LLC, an independent production company serving all aspects of the arts industry. To this task he brings over thirty-five years of experience as performer, director, producer, and administrator. For the better part of two decades Mr. Hartman was a stalwart at the Metropolitan Opera, where his many appearances included Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Valentin in Faust, Silvio in I Pagliacci, Ping in Turandot, Mercutio in Romeo et Juliette, Lescaut in Manon Lescaut, and Redburn in Billy Budd. He has produced and directed opera and musical theater for well over twenty organizations both here and in Europe, and holds or has held such titles as Producer of Opera, General/Artistic Director, Executive/Coordinating Producer, and Artistic Advisor for numerous opera companies, orchestras, and presenter houses. In the last two seasons Mr. Hartman has overseen productions of La bohème for the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, Porgy and Bess and The Pirates of Penzance for the Evansville (IN) Philharmonic, Suor Angelica/Gianni Schicchi and Le Nozze di Figaro at the Teatro Bramante in Urbania, Italy, Die Fledermaus at Kent State University, and Rigoletto with the Dubuque Symphony. Mr. Hartman’s busy 2007-08 calendar includes productions of Rigoletto (Greensboro Opera), L’elisir d’amore (Opera Santa Barbara), and Tosca (Rockford Symphony).

His guest appearances as a singer have taken him throughout Europe and North America. Mr. Hartman has sung leading roles with most of North America’s top regional opera companies including Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Carolina, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Dayton, Des Moines, Fort Worth, Grand Rapids, Greensboro, Hawaii, Knoxville, Long Beach, Milwaukee, Montreal, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Seattle, Tampa, Utah, and Virginia.

Mr. Hartman was born in Dallas, Texas and raised at San Marcos in the central Texas hill country. He attended Southwest Texas State University and North Texas State University and received an Artist’s Diploma from the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. After extensive experience as an athlete, professional musician, and broadcaster, he made his professional stage debut at Fort Worth’s Casa Mañana in South Pacific, followed by his operatic bow with the Fort Worth Opera in Salome.