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The Creative Team
(Production Staff) (Professional Performers)

YORK Professional Performers

Leonard Rowe, baritone (performing the role of York)

Baritone Leonard Rowe, a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts, has performed with New York City Opera, Virginia Opera, Piedmont Opera, Greensboro Opera, Opera Carolina, Pamiro Opera, and Triangle Opera.

Mr. Rowe began the 2001-2002 season with a debut at Pamiro Opera (Green Bay, WI) singing his first Silvio (I Pagliacci). This was followed by debuts with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra (Marullo in Rigoletto), and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra (Orff’s Carmina Burana). Leonard was heard as the Boy in Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Bernstein Festival, and he celebrated his New York City Opera debut, singing the title role in Porgy and Bess. In his debut at New Orleans Opera he sang the role of Jake in Porgy and Bess.

In June 2002, Leonard Rowe will debut with the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra as male soloist in a concert presentation of Porgy and Bess. During the 2002-2003 season he will debut with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, singing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. In his October debut with Long Leaf Opera, he will sing the role of Stephen Kaumalo in Kurt Weill’s Lost in the Stars, and in the new year he will sing Abimilach in Samson and Delilah with the Opera Company of North Carolina. In addition he will be heard as baritone soloist in an “Opera Gala” with the North Arkansas Symphony.

Highlights of recent seasons include De Bretigny in Manon with Piedmont Opera, Gregorio in Romeo et Juliette with Opera Carolina, his debut with the Opera Company in North Carolina in the contemporary Starbird by H. Mollicone, his debut in the role of Porgy at Virginia Opera, and the world premiere of Luyala with Triangle Opera.

Concert credits encompass work as soloist with the North Carolina Symphony, The Winston-Salem Symphony, The Louisville Orchestra, The Greensboro Symphony and the NCSA Symphony Orchestra including a performance at New York’s Lincoln Center. In a career highlight he was asked to replace baritone Sherrill Milnes in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. His musical flexibility was an asset when he performed with The Currents, a contemporary chamber orchestra based in Richmond, VA where he performed in the whimsical Frankenstein! by H.K. Gruber.

Tamara Haskin, soprano (performing the role of Mary, York's wife)

Well known for delivering exciting, power-packed performances, The Gilbraltar Chronicle sites Tamara Haskin as "offering a musico/dramatic performance of the highest calibre."

Haskin is the 1^st Place winner of the 2001 New York Vocal Artists Competition, and winner of the Altamura/Enrico Caruso International Voice Competition, the Vera Scammon International Voice Competition, the Rising Star Voice Competition, and the South Orange Symphony 2000 Vocal Competition.

December 2001, marked Ms. Haskin's Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall concert debut as a featured artist in the Voices of the New Millennium and the New York Vocal Artists Concert Gala.

February 2002, marked her New York City Opera debut in the role of The Strawberry Woman in Porgy & Bess.

Haskin has been featured singing the title roles in The Minnesota Opera's Educational Outreach Presentations of Aida and Tosca, as well as title role Opera Illinois' Educational Outreach Tours of Porgy & Bess, along with its mainstage cover.

This former fellow of Jerome Hines' Opera Music Theater Program studied abroad in Paris, France at the Institut International D'Art Vocal DeJean, where she performed numerous Art Song Recitals. Her repertoire of operatic roles includes Countess Almaviva, Donna Anna, Aida, Tosca, Bess and Serena.

In September 2002 Ms. Haskin will be back at New York City Opera covering the role of Sister Rose in Dead Man Walking.

Brett Hyberger, baritone (performing the role of William Clark)

Acclaimed for his commanding stage presence and powerful baritone voice, Brett Hyberger's operatic repertoire includes many diverse roles from Marcello in La Bohéme, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, to Lindorf and Schlemil in Les Contes d'Hoffmann. He has played Frank in Die Fledermaus, and Grandpa in The Tender Land. Frederick Egerman in A Little Night Music, Ali Ben Hashim in Desert Song, and Bill Cracker in Happy End. With Lyric Opera Cleveland, Mr. Hyberger performed Colline in Puccini's La Bohéme and Don Inigo Gomez in Ravel's L'heure Espagnole. In addition, he has performed for Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, L'opera Piccola, Light Opera Works, and DuPage Opera; and has been a guest artist with Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and Lawrence Conservatory in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Most recently, Mr. Hyberger performed the role of Assan in Gian Carlo Menotti's The Consul with Portland Opera . A finalist in the 2001 Eleanor Lieber Awards, Mr.Hyberger participated in Portland Opera Works, the education and outreach program of Portland Opera.

As Regional Soloist Winner for the Bel Canto Chorus of Milwaukee, Hyberger worked with Pennsylvanian composer Richard Wargo, performing the role of the Mayor in Wargo's The Pied Piper of Hamelin under the direction of Richard Hynson.

Mr. Hyberger was highlighted as a soloist in Chicago's Day of Music Festival and was also chosen as soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performing Schoenberg's Moses und Aron in Berlin, Germany under the baton of Pierre Boulez.

Brett Hyberger resides in Coralville, Iowa , with his wife, Amanda, and his son, Aaron. A student of Dr. Rachel Joselson, Hyberger has enjoyed rediscovering art song and recently has developed an interest in Russian song literature. He holds degrees from Austin Peay State University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Northwestern University.

Norman Spivey, baritone (performing the role of Meriwether Lewis)

Norman Spivey joined the Penn State University School of Music faculty in 1992. He teaches studio voice and coordinates and teaches the class voice and voice pedagogy programs.

Dr. Spivey earned the Bachelor of Music degree in voice performance from Southeastern Louisiana University, the Master of Music in voice and opera from The University of North Texas, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in voice performance from The University of Michigan. He traveled to Paris on a Fulbright grant, and continued his studies with renowned baritones Gérard Souzay and Gabriel Bacquier. While in France he was awarded the Harriet Hale Wolley Award as artist-in-residence at the Fondation des Etats-Unis. Spivey toured France and Canada as Papageno in Die Zauberfl&oml;te in addition to singing with l'Opéra de Lille, l'Opéra de Nantes, and l'Opéra de Nancy. Remaining active in concert and oratorio work, he has sung Schubert's Winterreise in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and gave the American premiere of Poulenc's rediscovered Quatre Poèmes de Max Jacob. Fellowships have included the Aspen Music Festival and the Institute for Advanced Vocal Studies in Paris. An active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Spivey was chosen as an intern for the prestigious NATS Intern Program, and later hosted this program at Penn State. He has served as President of the Allegheny Mountain Chapter of NATS, Governor of the Pennsylvania District of NATS, and National Vice-President for NATS Workshops. He has served on the voice faculty at Southeastern Louisiana University, and joined the Penn State School of Music faculty in 1992. As Associate Professor of Music he teaches singing to students in the School of Music and in the BFA in Music Theatre program as well as courses in voice pedagogy.

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Updated: November 5, 2002