A Little Night Music 2024 Cast
Desiree Armfeldt - Heather Hertling Narducci
Heather Hertling Narducci has spent her life using music as a performer, teacher, and therapeutic musician. Born and raised in Bloomington, IN she was lucky to have been exposed to various art forms that shaped her career on the operatic, concert, musical theatre and dramatic theatre stages across our country. Heather holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. In recent years, Heather has worked with the Indiana Summer Festival Theatre as Mrs. Paroo in their production of The Music Man, as Mama in Moses Man, and was seen with Cardinal Stage as Sue Bayliss in the play All My Sons. With the Bloomington Playwrights Project, Heather portrayed Ethel in the new musical production Tuning In. On the concert stage, Heather has appeared as soloist with the New Jersey Pops, Bloomington Pops, Evansville Philharmonic, and the Waterbury Symphony. Heather and her husband, Daniel can be heard on two recording projects they created together: Christmas Once More & Our Broadway Romance. Heather is an active volunteer with groups here in Indiana and beyond. She is involved with the Miss America Opportunity and has judged on the national, state, and local levels. She represented the state of New Jersey in the Miss America Pageant in 1992 and was a double talent winner in Atlantic City for her operatic performance. Heather is proud to be part of the Singing Hoosiers Alumni Council and as a volunteer for the USA International Harp Competition. |
Fredrik Egerman - Daniel Narducci
Daniel Narducci has appeared across the globe on opera, concert, and musical theatre stages from New York’s Lincoln Center to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Mr. Narducci has performed with many of the world’s most prestigious orchestras, including the Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Pops, Chicago Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Houston Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, and the Detroit Symphony. He portrayed Lancelot on two national tours of Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot, most notably opposite Robert Goulet’s Arthur. Daniel’s role debut as Arthur in Camelot was in Indianapolis Opera’s production of Camelot for which he was awarded Best Actor in a Musical by the BroadwayWorld Indianapolis Awards. Other roles with the Indianapolis Opera include Marcello in La Bohème and Escamillo in Carmen. He has appeared in principal operatic roles with the Washington National Opera, New Orleans Opera, Central City Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Kentucky Opera, Nashville Opera, and Opera Santa Barbara. Daniel co-starred with Frederica von Stade and the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra in a program broadcast internationally by PBS entitled Pops at the Phil: A Century of Broadway. Mr. Narducci created the role of Captain Hook on the world premiere complete recording of Leonard Bernstein’s Peter Pan, co-starring Linda Eder. He was featured on the BBC television documentary Kurt Weill in America: I’m a Stranger Here Myself. Daniel received his Doctor of Music in voice from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and is a member of the voice faculty at the Ball State University. www.danielnarducci.com |
Anne Egerman - Rachel Kobernick
Rachel Kobernick is a soprano currently based in Cincinnati, OH. Her recent role engagements include Nella in Opera on the James’ production of Gianni Schicchi, as well as covering the title role in Tchaikovsky’s Undina with Queen City Opera. This past summer, Rachel sang in the choruses of Lucia di Lammermoor and Madame Butterfly with Cincinnati Opera. She returned there this fall to workshop the role of Willie alongside Christine Goerke in Lincoln in the Bardo, a new Missy Mazzoli work commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera. Additionally, she premiered two new roles in Nathan Felix’s immersive opera series. She is passionate about introducing opera to new audiences, and works frequently in outreach initiatives with Cincinnati Opera, Opera on the James, and more. Rachel enjoys performing in all areas of the genre, singing as a soloist and ensemble member with local arts organizations such as Cincinnati Song Initiative, Ensemble Con Fuoco, Kol Reyna and The Union (Breath Collective). Next year, Rachel will be an apprentice artist with Sarasota Opera for their winter season, and is thrilled to be making her role and company debut as Anne in A Little Night Music with Indianapolis Opera. |
Countess Charlotte - Anne Fuchs
Soprano Anne Fuchs has enjoyed an international performance career of operatic, contemporary and musical theatre repertoire. She made her debut with the Indianapolis Opera last year singing First Lady in The Magic Flute and appears with the company in numerous outreach performances around the city. In Europe, Anne sang with the Oldenburgishes Staatstheater for two and a half years in roles such as Papagena in Die Zauberflote, and Ida and Adele (cover) in Die Fledermaus in Oldenburg, Germany. Other European highlights include a televised production of Cosi fan tutte as Fiordiligi with the Lyric Opera Studio of Weimar, Germany, a sound project entitled Notte Splendida Notte in Rome, Italy, for the International Year of Astronomy, and performances as featured artist with "Palazzo Ricci" opera studio in Tuscany. A Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Regional Finalist at the age of 20, Anne has performed many leading soprano roles including Lucia, Donna Elvira, Adina, Pamina, Santuzza, and Rosalinde with South Bend Lyric Opera, Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh, Queens Opera Association, Rising Star Singers, Lexington Opera Society, and others. She has also appeared as a soprano soloist with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, Delaware Valley Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonietta Nova, and the Grammy-award-winning contemporary choir, "The Crossing". Anne is proud to call Indianapolis home. |
Henrik - Jonathan Elmore
Tenor Jonathan Elmore debuts this May at Indianapolis Opera as Henrik in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. Most recently, Jonathan performed the role of Adolfo Pirelli in IU’s production of Sweeney Todd. During his time at IU, Jonathan has also performed the roles of Count Danilo Danilovich (Die lustige Witwe), Guard (Anne Frank), Ouf (L’Ètoile), and Ralph Rackstraw (HMS Pinafore), as well as Secondo Soldato (L’incoronazione di Poppea). Alongside his mainstage roles at IU, Jonathan has participated in the choruses for Il Barbiere di Siviglia, L’incoronazione di Poppea, and Highway, 1 USA. This summer, Jonathan will be joining the Ravinia Festival’s Steans Music Institute as a Vocal Fellow. Jonathan is currently a Doctor of Music degree candidate at Indiana University, where he also earned his Master of Music degree in Voice and is currently studying with soprano Heidi Grant Murphy. A Southwest Virginia native, Jonathan received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocal Performance at Virginia Tech (20) under the tutelage of tenor Brian Thorsett. Jonathan is also an active collaborative pianist and currently maintains a roster of 9 undergraduate vocalists at Indiana University. |
Madame Armfeldt - Kathleen Hacker
Kathleen Hacker, soprano, made her New York City debut as soloist with the American Symphony Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall and has sung with major symphony orchestras across the country, including those of Baltimore, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Seattle, and Indianapolis. She has had an extensive history with the Indianapolis Symphony Yuletide Celebration; as a regular cover for Sandi Patty, as an ensemble member, and as a featured artist on the original ISO Yuletide Celebration CD. She can also be heard as soprano soloist on the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir 75th anniversary release of Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Highlights as a chamber musician include two seasons with the Marlboro Music Festival, and over 250 concert performances to her credit. Kathleen is Professor of Music Emerita at the University of Indianapolis where she taught all things vocal, led professional development and creativity classes, and served as Artistic Director of the University Opera Theatre. She is an avid supporter of young singers and has been a mentor and judge for Schmidt Vocal Arts, and the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Academy. Kathleen comes full circle with her appearance in A Little Night Music, as she first came to Indianapolis to work with the Indianapolis Opera Outreach Ensemble. She lives with her husband of many years and their puppy in a pleasant house with a giant garage and works diligently to remain apace with their two daughters, one son-in-law, and an exceptional grandson, all who have not yet chosen to live right across the street. |
Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm - H. Conor Angell
Born and reared in Ireland, Dr. Conor Angell is chair of the Music, Theatre, and Dance department at Taylor University. Previously, he taught at Houghton College and Wabash College. As stage director and music director, his credits include Cosi fan tutte, The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro, The Light in the Piazza, She Loves Me, Little Women, White Christmas, Oklahoma!, Gianni Schicchi, Dido and Aeneas, Into the Woods, Annie, Mary Poppins, Working, I Love a Piano, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and more. His productions have been recognized by awards from the National Opera Association. As a baritone, Angell has won awards in the Chicago Oratorio Competition, American Prize in Vocal Performance, and Heafner-Williams Vocal Competition, among others. While completing his doctorate degree at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, he appeared in performances of A View from the Bridge, Il barbiere di Siviglia, The Tale of Lady Thi Kinh and Gianni Schicchi. Before his studies at IU, Angell was a studio artist at Kentucky Opera, singing roles in Werther, Pirates of Penzance, Verdi’s Otello, Telemann's Don Quichotte and Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta. Other credits include roles in Le nozze di Figaro, Così fan tutte, La bohème, Rigoletto, Susannah, Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflöte, Madama Butterfly, La vida breve, Candide, The Music Man, The Sound of Music, Camelot, and The Gondoliers. Angell has sung at the Opera North and Brevard Music Center summer festivals, and as a recitalist and concert soloist throughout the eastern and midwestern US. |
Petra - Liz Culpepper
Liz Culpepper, mezzo-soprano, is thrilled to be joining Indianapolis Opera as a Resident Artist this season. She was educated at the University of Texas (B.A. Music - Voice; 2015) and received her Master’s in Voice from Indiana University in 2017. While she was at IU, Liz sang the following roles: Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Mrs. Sedley (Peter Grimes), Madame de Croissy (Dialogues des Carmélites), La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica), and Serse (Serse). She has also appeared at a number of summer music festivals. Notable appearances include Brevard in 2018, where she reprised the role of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, in 2019 at the Princeton Festival in Nixon in China as the First Secretary, and with Teatro Nuovo in the 2022 season. Most recently, Liz made her solo debut at Lincoln Center with Teatro Nuovo as La Comare in Crispino e la Comare and was an Apprentice Artist at Sarasota Opera for their 2023 Winter Season. Liz is based in New York City where she is a core singer with Teatro Nuovo and she studies with Will Crutchfield. Prior to her Master’s degree, Liz specialized as an Early Music soprano with a special emphasis on the works of Bach. Through her work with Will Crutchfield and Teatro Nuovo, Liz has shifted her focus to historically informed performances of the Bel Canto repertoire with a special interest in Rossini. One of her long-term career goals is to sing all of his heroines. Coming up, Liz will perform with Teatro Nuovo in their 2024 season. |
Fredrika - Zoe Lowe
Zoe Lowe is a 16 year old mezzo-soprano passionate about musical theatre, but is thrilled to participate in her debut at the Indianapolis Opera. She has appeared in many productions locally and has slowly been transitioning into regional theatre. She is a homegrown Indianapolis area artist who is very thankful for the “village” who raised her. Zoe plans to someday get her BFA in musical theatre and continue to pursue her passion. Recently, Zoe appeared in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as a Children’s Chorus member at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre, Bright Star as Young Alice Murphy at Creative Grounds Fine Arts Academy, Triangle as Kate Leone at the Phoenix Theater with Q Artistry, and Elf as a youth ensemble member at Constellation Stage and Screen. Other favorite credits include Uzo in Godspell, Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden, Young Cosette in Les Misérables, and Cinderella in Cinderella. She won a Superior award for Duet Musical at Indiana State Thespian Conference and an Excellent award for Solo Musical. She received a perfect score at ISSMA State Solo and Ensemble for her solo performance and is a member of Master Chorale with the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. Zoe is excited to continue growing her skills and is thankful for the wonderful opportunities given to her. If you want to follow her journey in musical theatre, follow @zoenatanalowe on Instagram. |
Mrs. Nordstrom - Rachel Purvis
Rachel Purvis, soprano, is a native of Indianapolis, IN, where she made her professional debut as Papagena in Die Zauberflöte with Indianapolis Opera in May of 2023. Recently, Purvis was also seen in Puccini’s Tosca (Chorus) with Indianapolis Opera, and sang the title role in Dvořák’s Rusalka under the direction of Luke Housner of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. Purvis has performed internationally with La Musica Lirica and the International Opera Performing Experience singing the title role of Suor Angelica, Mimì (La Bohème) and Alice Ford (Falstaff) as well as in choruses of Verdi’s La Traviata and Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites. Purvis earned her Performer Diploma (2021) and Master’s degree (2020) in Vocal Performance under the tutelage of Jane Dutton at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. At IU, she performed the role of Mrs. Grose (The Turn of the Screw) and appeared in the choruses of La Traviata and Wagner’s Parsifal. During this time, she also was the second prize winner with the Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Competition. She earned her undergraduate degree in voice at Butler University, where she performed the roles of Edith (Pirates of Penzance), First Witch (Dido and Aeneas), Madame Pompous (Too Many Sopranos), and the title role in Suor Angelica. |
Mrs. Anderson - Rachelle Woolston
Rachelle Woolston, soprano was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and completed her bachelor's degree in voice at Brigham Young University, then master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. A Rocky Mountain Region Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, some of Dr. Woolston’s favorite stage roles include Angelica (Suor Angelica), Nedda (I Pagliacci), Adina (Elixir of Love), Violetta (La Traviata), Cio-Cio San (Madama Butterfly), The Queen of the Night (The Magic Flute), Valencienne (The Merry Widow), and Mother Abbess (The Sound of Music). She has performed both as a soloist and ensemble member with numerous choral groups and orchestras, including the Varna International Orchestra in Italy, Midland-Odessa Symphonic Choir, VOCE, Indianapolis Symphony Pops, Kokomo Symphony, Vox Society of Los Angeles, Southern California Mormon Choir, Vocal Arts Ensemble, and multiple local church choirs. Dr. Woolston has an eighteen-year career as a private voice instructor and was most recently an adjunct professor at Midland College and the University of Texas Permian Basin, where she taught applied voice, lyric diction, vocal pedagogy, music appreciation, introduction to music in theater, and ran a summer musical theater camp. She has worked as the Director of Education & Community Engagement for Indianapolis Opera, and as faculty of Marian University in Indianapolis. Rachelle enjoys collaborating with talented musicians in recital performances, including with her bassoonist husband, PJ. In her free time, she loves to travel, listen to podcasts, practice yoga, and enjoy her four children. |
Mrs. Segstrom - Courtney Porter
Courtney Porter— a native of Uniondale, New York— began her musical journey with her father in church. Since then, Courtney has continued to minister in churches and schools throughout the United States with specially curated recital programs: Hold On! A Celebration of African American History (2019 and 2023), The Embrace recital series (2023), with special collaborations with Trio Noire (2021 - present), a group of two sopranos and one mezzo soprano who champion the music of African American composers. Courtney Porter is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Kentucky (UK) under the tutelage of Dr. Everett McCorvey. Her most recent presentations include the Mezzo Soprano soloist in Gustav Mahler’s Second Symphony with the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra (2023), Carmen (Carmen scenes, 2023) and Third Lady (The Magic Flute, 2022) with the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre, and the Mezzo Soprano soloist in Julia Perry’s Stabat Mater with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra (2021). Courtney beams at the achievement of collaborating with local and regional professional theater companies since her arrival to Kentucky— Voices Amplified, in her role of Angie Dickinson in The Prom (2023) and with the Lexington Theatre Company in their production of The Sound of Music (2023). Courtney Porter’s current residency with the Indianapolis Opera (Spring 2024) offers a unique training opportunity that inspires and nurtures her aspirations to share her light. |
Mr. Erlanson - Gavin Hughes
Gavin Hughes is a native of Jackson, Mississippi where he sang in churches throughout the region from childhood through college. He began his classical journey in 2015. In 2017, Hughes debuted his first role as “Cephus” at the Thalia Mara Hall with the Mississippi Symphony orchestra in Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha. In 2021, Hughes graduated from Jackson State University with his Bachelor’s of Music Education and began the pursuit of his masters degree under Russell Thomas at IU Jacobs where he debuted his first lead opera role as Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with the IU Jacobs Opera Theater. In February 2023, he sang his first flamenco role with the IU Jacobs Opera Theater as Ruiz Alonso in Ainadamar. That following May, Hughes made his professional title role debut in Charles Lloyd, Jr.’s Emmett Till with Opera Southern Company. In the following month, he was featured in a video and audio recording presenting Kenyan folk songs for Carnegie Hall’s “Musical Explorers” program. In October, Hughes will sing the role of the Count Belfiore in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera, in his final show with the IU Jacobs Opera Theater, and in the Spring of 2024, Hughes will serve as tenor resident artist with Indianapolis Opera for their 49th season. |
Mr. Lindquist / Frid - Aaron Eaves
Baritone and Kentucky native Aaron Eaves is currently finishing a Doctorate in Musical Arts at the University of Kentucky where he studies with Cynthia Lawrence-Calkins. Recently he was a hired choral fellow with the Spoleto Festival where he was a part of the production of Barber’s Vanessa. He has performed many opera roles and recently sang the role of Papageno in The Magic Flute and Schaunard in La Bohème with the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre. He has performed other major roles such as the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Estates Theatre in Prague and Marcello in La Bohème in Croatia. He received a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Westminster Choir College in 2018 before attending the University of Kentucky. He performed in many productions with the Westminster Opera Theatre while at Westminster Choir College including Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus and Le Marquis de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites. He has performed in major concerts including the bass soloist in Messiah with the Garden State Philharmonic Orchestra and the title role of Elijah with the Westminster Symphonic Choir. He has also competed in many competitions and was a 2020 Alltech Vocal Scholarship Contest finalist and encouragement award winner. He was also a semifinalist at the Orpheus National Vocal Competition and a district competitor for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 Metropolitan Opera Laffont competition. |
Quintet Soprano Cover - Victoria Korovljev
Victoria Korovljev is a rising young soprano with a warm lyrical timbre. She is the Resident Artist Soprano for Indianapolis Opera this Spring of 2023, where she is debuting as Zweite Dame and covering Pamina in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Victoria celebrated her Caribbean heritage with a debut as Elsa in the world premiere of The Pirate’s Daughter, commissioned by Romanza Lyric Opera. In the Fall of 2022, she was featured as Siren in Minnesota Opera’s production of Rinaldo. Also in 2022, she made her debut with Opera Grand Rapids as Female Soloist 2 in the world premiere of Stinney: An American Execution, which was recorded for PBS. In addition, Victoria made her role debut of Countess Almaviva with Trentino Music Festival. At TMF, she placed as a Finalist in their Young Artist Competition. Most recently, Victoria qualified as an alternate finalist with the Opera Birmingham Voice Competition. Furthermore, with much acclaim from the judges, Victoria qualified as a Semi-Finalist in the Palm Springs Opera Guild Competition and Jacques Offenbach Grand Prix. In the upcoming 2022-2023 season, Thursday Musical of Minneapolis selected Victoria as a featured solo artist in their Artist Series. During the pandemic, Victoria recorded two episodes introducing children to opera for Minnesota Public Radio and Minnesota Opera. Shortly thereafter, she was a visiting artist with Northern Light Opera Company, where she sung the character Catherine in Pippin. Other recent engagements include singing the role of Frasquita, as well as being a Finalist in the American Prize Competition for Women in Opera. Before the shutdown, Victoria took part in the workshops and premiering ensemble for Minnesota Opera’s newest commission, Edward Tulane. |