All is Calm
Meet the Artists
Casey Robards Kelly Kitchens Zachary Biddle Christopher Burchett Dylon Crain Jesse Donner Andrew Hallem Kyle King Corey Logsdon Robert Mellon Zach Morris Chad Sloan Christopher G. Smith Cory Spalding Drew Pungratz Brandon Witish
Casey Robards
Korean American adoptee, Casey Robards (Suh Jung Ahn) is a music director, pianist and vocal coach known for her sensitive musicality, expert collaborative skill, and stylistic versatility. Her performances regularly cross between opera, art song, chamber music, Negro spirituals and American popular music. Her music making is committed to beauty, justice and sharing untold stories.
In 2024-2025, Robards makes conducting debuts with Kentucky Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Opera Columbus, Soo Opera, El Paso Opera; presents song recital programs with Kenneth Overton, Karen Slack, Latoya Lain, Jennifer Lien and piano duo concerts with Anthony Patterson. Dedicated to the performance, research and promotion of music by African American composers, her recent recording release “What Dreams We Have” with Kenneth Overton (Lexicon Classics) debuted at #10 on the Billboard Chart for Top Classical Album. Her latest CD release is “Contemplations” (Navona Records) with Bernhard Scully, formerly with the Canadian Brass. A sought-after recitalist, she has performed throughout the U.S., Europe, Central and South America and Asia.
Robards is Music Director of Ensemble Concept 21 a chamber group in South Bend, IN devoted to the performance of contemporary music and the mentorship of young and emerging composers and Chair of the Sacred in Opera Initiative (National Opera Association). An experienced pedagogue, Dr. Robards is currently Asst. Prof. of Lyric Theatre at the University of Illinois. Over 17 seasons at the Bay View Music Festival, she served as Head of Collaborative Piano, co-directed an opera scenes and art song intensive, the American Spiritual Intensive, and played hundreds of concerts. She has been on the faculty of Indiana University, Oberlin Conservatory and Central Michigan University, given workshops and masterclasses at several colleges and worked as repetiteur for Santa Fe Opera and New Orleans Opera.
www.caseyrobards.com
Kelly Kitchens
Kelly Kitchens is professional director, actor, and arts educator based out of Seattle, Washington.
Kelly’s honors include: four-time nominated and two-time recipient of the Gregory Falls Award for Outstanding Director; winner of the Broadway World Critics’ Picks for Best Direction of a Play; two time winner of Seattle Theater Writers award for Best Direction of a Play; Broadway World nominee for Best Direction of a Musical; named Best Director by the Seattle Weekly Readers Poll; named in Seattle Magazine’s inaugural list of “Top 20 Most Talented People in Seattle”; and a nominee for the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Mayor’s Arts Award.
Some past projects include: directing Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Orfeo, and La bohème (Kentucky Opera); directing Bizet’s Carmen (Tacoma Opera); directing the NYC workshop of Esther, a new dance musical; directing the US Premier of Meek (Denizen Theater, NY); stage directing O+E, an adaptation of Gluck’s ed Euridice Orfeo (Seattle Opera); directing Sunset Boulevard and The Light in the Piazza (Showtunes Theatre Company); directing Hand to God (Gregory Award recipient for Outstanding Production), Ironbound (Gregory Award nominee for Outstanding Production), Grounded, and The Thanksgiving Play (Seattle Public Theater); directing Medea, As You Like It, and The Tempest and performing the roles of Jaques in As You Like It and Kate in The Taming of the Shrew (Seattle Shakespeare Company); directing Waitress (WVPT); directing Pride and Prejudice (Theaterworks, Colorado); directing A Christmas Carol (ACT); directing The Revolutionists (ArtsWest); adapting and directing She’s Come Undone (Book-It Repertory Theatre).
Kelly is an Artist in Residence at the University of Washington, a member of Actor’s Equity Association, and a member of The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Kelly earned her B.A. from Vanderbilt University and her M.F.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.
www.kellykitchensdirector.com
Zachary Biddle
Zachary’s formative training took place at Ball State University, where he cultivated his artistry under the mentorship of distinguished faculty, vocal coaches, and through extensive work with the university’s Opera Theater. His time there afforded him opportunities to portray a range of roles across styles and eras, including Mars, God of War in Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld (2019), the Commentator in W.A. Mozart’s Don Giovanni (2019), Simone in Giacomo Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi (2018), and Bob Becket in Gilbert & Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore (2017). These performances reflect not only his versatility, but also his growing reputation for musical sensitivity and dramatic authenticity.
Beyond the stage, Zachary remains deeply committed to the advancement of music in his community. He serves as a volunteer with the Youth Choir of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Louisville and contributes annually to the church’s celebrated Boar’s Head & Yule Log Festival. His devotion to service is further exemplified through his membership in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, where he frequently participates in community outreach, charity sing-alongs, and musical initiatives that extend the joy of performance to diverse audiences.
In 2025, Zachary joined Kentucky Opera in the premiere of Chandler Carter’s This Little Light of Mine, marking an exciting new chapter in his artistic journey. With every performance, he continues to expand his repertoire, deepen his craft, and bring his resonant voice to stages and communities alike.
Christopher Burchett
A champion of new music, Christopher has created roles in 16 world premieres, including the title role in Gilgamesh with Beth Morrison Projects, M. Carré-Lamadon in The Greater Good with Glimmerglass Opera, Baritone Soloist in Blizzard Voices with Opera Omaha, Jack Absolute in The Rivals with Skylight Opera Theatre, Soldier in Oceanic Verses at The Kennedy Center, Victor in Buried Alive with Fort Worth Opera and Fargo Moorhead Opera and Orsen in Too Many Sopranos with Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre.
Christopher can be heard on the Naxos record label in Stephen Hartke’s The Greater Good, Mohammed Fairouz’s No Orpheus and the title role of Bernard Rands’ opera Vincent. Other recordings available include Arnold Rosner’s The Parable of the Law with the London
Philharmonic Orchestra on Toccata Classics as well as the first complete recording of Marc Blitzstein’s The Cradle Will Rock on Bridge Records, Paola Prestini’s Oceanic Verses on the VIA label, and Joseph Summer’s The Tempest on Albany Records.
www.christopherburchett.com
Dylon Crain
Louisville, Kentucky native, tenor Dylon Crain has had a lifelong association with Kentucky Opera, performing over twenty productions as an ensemble member and comprimario singer in roles such as Postiglione in La fanciulla del West, the Newspaper Collector in A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Younger Brother in Dead Man Walking. As an associate artist with Kentucky Opera, Dylon co-presented an educational program,“The Science of Singing” for K-12 schools in Jefferson County. Similarly, he is an educational outreach artist for Cincinnati Opera, where he helps to curate and present an opera storybook-based educational program for elementary and public schools in Kentucky. Dylon was recently a Studio Artist at Opera Maine, where he sang the role of Paul in Gareth William’s Rocking Horse Winner and covered Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola.
Dylon’s mainstage credits include the roles of Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Don Basilio/Don Curzio in Le nozze di Figaro, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Martin in The Tender Land, Ernesto in Don Pasquale, Captian Silvio/Pasquin in Le docteur miracle, Little Bat in Susannah, and more.
As a concert soloist, Dylon is highly sought after as the swan in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana and frequently performs major works such as J. S. Bach’s Weihnachtsoratorium, W. A. Mozart’s Requiem, and G. F. Handel’s Messiah. Dylon has been an ensemble member and soloist with groups such as The Artefact Ensemble, Louisville Chamber Choir, Bourbon Baroque, Kentucky Bach Choir, and the Louisville Master Chorale.
As a student at the University of Louisville, Dylon was deeply engaged in the realm of new music through the Grawemeyer Award and the New Music Festival. As a member of the New Music Ensemble, he collaborated closely with composers like Kaija Saariaho, Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez, Bent Sørensen, Brett Dean, and David Dzubay. A passionate advocate for new music, Dylon has commissioned works and premiered compositions by composers such as James May, Cullyn Murphy, Alex Berko, and Brittany Green. Dylon served as the tenor soloist in Mammoth, a new piece with the Louisville Orchestra featuring Davóne Tines and Yo-Yo Ma, as part of Ma’s series Our Common Nature. This original composition by Teddy Abrams, the Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra, explored the history of Kentucky’s only national park via a cantata, incorporating poetic meditations from three writers associated with Kentucky—Robert Penn Warren, Wendell Berry, and Ada Limón.
Recent performances include Harlekin in Victor Ullman’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis with the Louisville Orchestra and Tommaso in A Nation of Others by Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell with the University of Kentucky Opera Theater. Upcoming performances include Carmina Burana with the Paducah Symphony Orchestra and Mozart’s Requiem with the Northeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra.
Jesse Donner
A graduate of the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, tenor Jesse Donner has distinguished himself on the operatic and concert stage with his “vibrant” (Chicago Classical Review) “fresh and juicy” (Chicago Tribune) voice. The 2022-2023 season included performing the role of Pinkerton (MADAMA BUTTERFLY) with Lubbock Symphony, recording the tenor soloist for Stacy Garrop’s new oratorio TERRA NOSTRA under the Cedille Records label, productions of (ALL IS CALM) with Kentucky Opera, and a return to the Metropolitan Opera for (AIDA). The 2021-2022 season took Donner to the Metropolitan Opera for the first time for roles in productions of Boris Godunov and Die Meistersinger. Recent seasons comprised of a return to Union Avenue Opera in his role debut as Rodolfo (LA BOHEME), a role debut as Danilo (THE MERRY WIDOW) with St. Petersburg Opera, a return to Dupage Opera as Danilo (THE MERRY WIDOW). In prior seasons, Mr. Donner joined the Louisville Orchestra as the soloist in Mozart’s REQUIEM and Handel’s MESSIAH, Toledo Opera for their Fall Gala Concert, and the Chicago Philharmonic. He also made debuts with Union Avenue Opera as Ismaele (NABUCCO) and Dupage Opera as Eisenstein (DIEFLEDERMAUS) and sang Emperor Alteum (TURANDOT) with Cedar Rapids Opera.
Mr. Donner was a resident artist at Lyric Opera of Chicago from 2014-2017, where he was commended for his “polished” and “heroic” tenor (Chicago Classical Review). Mr. Donner won the 2015 Luminarts Fellowship and the Bel Canto grand prize, a special encouragement award from the 2014 Metropolitan Opera National Council Regional Auditions, and first place in the 2012 Michigan Friends of Opera Competition. A native of Des Moines, IA, Mr. Donner completed graduate and post-graduate studies at the University of Michigan and received a Bachelor of Music degree from Iowa State University.
Andrew Hallem
A native of Detroit, Michigan, bass-baritone Andrew Hallam is committed to connecting with audiences through the multi-faceted possibilities of opera and song.
He opened the 2024-25 season with performances as Nardo in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera and Peter Quince in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) Opera Theatre and as a bass soloist for Collegium Cincinnati’s Messiah. He went on to join Kentucky Opera for the chorus of Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Pygmalion, and returned to Cincinnati Opera for its 2025 Summer Chorus, appearing in productions of Verdi’s Rigoletto, Puccini’s Tosca, Bock’s Fiddler on the Roof, and Opera Chorus Cabaret. Andrew also performed in Cincinnati Song Initiative’s Let It Be New digital concert, where he premiered three newly commissioned works. He then concluded the season as Ibn-Hakia in Queen City Opera’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta.
Last season, Andrew workshopped the role of Mr. Baron in Missy Mazzoli’s Lincoln in the Bardo with Cincinnati Opera’s Opera Fusion: New Works. This performance was held in Cincinnati on behalf of the Metropolitan Opera. He later appeared as Revírník (Forester) in CCM’s production of Leoš Janáček’s Příhody lišky Bystroušky (The Cunning Little Vixen) and joined Cincinnati Opera for its 2024 Summer Chorus, featuring Verdi’s La traviata and Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio.
For the 2022-23 season, he performed throughout the metro Detroit area with the Motor City Lyric Opera (MCLO) and as a chorister for Detroit Opera’s production of Aïda. Through MCLO’s Opera on Wheels initiative, Andrew engaged in outreach productions, such as The Billy Goats Gruff, to bring free, educational, and interactive opera to children from diverse backgrounds in Michigan. In addition, he joined Opera in the Ozarks as an Emerging Artist, where he performed the roles of Dr. Dulcamara in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and Grandpa Moss in Copland’s The Tender Land.
Other credits include Leporello in Mozart’s Don Giovanni through the Vienna Summer Music Festival, and Papageno in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with German dialogue, Le Premier Ministre in Massenet’s Cendrillon, Primo Giudice in Alessandro Stradella’s La Susanna, the Doctor in William Grant Still’s Highway 1, U.S.A., and the Ripley Constable in Adolphus Hailstork’s Rise for Freedom: The John P. Parker Story with the University of Michigan Opera Theatre.
Andrew has also been a featured soloist on the recordings of An Anthology of African and African Diaspora Songs in 2022 and An Anthology of Songs of Joseph Bologne in 2023. Having gained international recognition for his opera and art song repertoire, he was invited to be a guest speaker and performer for the Voces del Sol ensemble in Lima, Peru, in 2022.
Andrew Hallam received a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the University of Michigan, a Master of Music in Voice Performance at CCM, and is now engaging inCCM’s Artist Diploma Program. There, he received the 2025 Sam Adams Award and won the Seybold-Russell Award in the 2023 CCM Opera Scholarship Competition.
For more information, visit www.andrew-hallam.com.
Kyle King
Kyle King, bass, is an active member of the Louisville music community; singing in ensembles such as the Kentucky Opera Chorus, the Louisville Chamber Choir, and the choir at The Episcopal Church of the Advent. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the University of Louisville, he has performed roles such as Sarastro in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Il Commendatore and Masetto in Don Giovanni, and Grandpa Moss in Copland’s The Tenderland. King has also been featured alongside the Louisville Orchestra, being a member of the choral ensemble for the world premiere of Mammoth (2023), and most recently a soloist under the direction of Eric Whitacre conducting Mozart’s Requiem. This past April, he and his wife welcomed their first child; a daughter.
Corey Logsdon
Corey Logsdon is a versatile performer with a passion for bringing compelling characters to life on stage. A veteran of regional theatre and opera, Corey’s diverse performance credits include the iconic role of Young Stephen in The Stephen Foster Story at Bardstown Amphitheater, and memorable turns in UofL Opera Theatre productions such as Mr. Splinters in The Tender Land and the dual roles of Matt of the Mint and Filch in The Beggar’s Opera (Britten). He has also graced the stages of Kentucky Opera in Tosca, Thais, Madama Butterfly and, most notably, This Little Light of Mine. Beyond opera, Corey’s theatrical credits span a wide range of genres, from playing Huck Finn in Big River at Shelby Co. Community Theatre to memorable appearances at Actors Theatre of Louisville, including Resident Alien (’97 Humana Festival), A Christmas Carol (as Young Ebenezer Scrooge), and The Wizard of Oz. He has also contributed his vocal talents to major choral works with Voces Novae, Louisville Orchestra, and the UofL Cardinal Singers, performing in works such as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Verdi’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana and special touring performances of Mozart’s Requiem in Italy. He honed his craft at the American Musical & Dramatic Academy (Los Angeles) and the University of Louisville School of Music. With a commitment to artistic excellence and a dynamic stage presence, Corey Logsdon continues to captivate audiences with his talent and versatility.
Robert Mellon
American baritone Robert Mellon has been praised not only for his “glorious voice that burst[s] out brimming with life and vigor,” but also for having “immense skill as an actor.”
During the 2025-2026 season, Mr. Mellon makes a role debut as Billy Bigelow in a concert version of Carousel with Will Rogers Stage, sings the Major General in Pirates of Penzance with both Tulsa Opera and Opera Theater of St. Louis and returns to Detroit Opera as Sid in La Fanciulla del West. He also sang Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Anchorage Opera, joined Opera Tampa for Doctor Malatesta in Don Pasquale and entertained St. Louis audiences as Frank in Die Fledermaus and Quince in Midsummer Night’s Dream. He reprises his award-winning role as Falstaff with Geneva Light Opera in the summer of 2025. In 2026 Robert makes his Canadian debut as Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro with Manitoba Opera.
2024 engagements included Detroit Opera as Terry in Breaking the Waves, Florida Grand Opera for Tonio in Pagliacci and Opera Theatre of St. Louis for roles in La
bohème and Galileo, followed by Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Indianapolis Opera. In the 2022–2023 season he returned to Livermore Valley Opera to sing George in Of Mice and Men and made several house debuts: Winter Opera St. Louis as Leporello in Don Giovanni, Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Escamillo in Carmen and Tulsa Opera as Taddeo in L’italiana in Algeri. Robert returned to Pensacola Opera as Marcello in La bohème and Syracuse Opera/Tri-Cities Opera for the title role in Le nozze di Figaro. Additional engagements included a role debut as Dandini in La Cenerentola with Opera Maine, where he previously performed Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro and Papageno in Die Zauberflöte.
Robert returned to Opera de Oviedo as Marcello in La bohème and Gubetta in Lucrezia Borgia, having previously performed with the company as Simone in Eine Florentinische Tragödie and Tonio in Pagliacci. He made his debut with Opera Philadelphia as Marullo in Rigoletto and Pensacola Opera as Papageno in Die Zauberflöte. With In-Series Opera, Mr. Mellon sang the role of Iago in Otello. A
frequent performer with Union Avenue Opera, he won spectacular reviews in the title role of Falstaff, where he sang the “honor aria” with an “authority and comic force” that made it a “genuine showstopper.” That performance won him the St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera.
Other outstanding credits include San Diego Opera as Schaunard in La bohème, Las Vegas Opera as Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Union Avenue Opera as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Syracuse Opera in the roles of Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte and Leporello in Don Giovanni. He sang in the world premiere of Dear Erich with New York City Opera and performed as Willem/Usher in the American premiere of Glass’s The Trial with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. In a double bill with Livermore Valley Opera, he sang the title role of Gianni Schicchi and delivered a performance of Simone in Eine Florentinische Tragödie that won the company the American Opera Award. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, he sang Simone in “robust, dark-hued tones that consistently rang out at the forefront of the musical texture…with a steely vocal edge that never interfered with the beauty and flexibility of his singing.”
Concert work includes the Mozart and Duruflé Requiems, Dvorák’s Te Deum, Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solonelle, Bach’s Magnificat, and Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death. In a concert performance of La Belle et
le Bête with Present Music he sang the roles of Le Père, Ludovic, and L’Usurier
Zach Morris
Zackery Morris, tenor, is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina and now based in Paris, Kentucky. Zackery is thrilled to collaborate with the incredible team at Kentucky Opera once again during this upcoming 2025-2026 season. At home on the oratorio, opera and musical theatre stages, Zack has worked with a wide array of organizations focusing on vocal music. Most recently, Zackery was featured in Kentucky Opera’s 2024 production of Amahl and the Night Visitors (2024) and as a chorister in This Little Light of Mine (2025). In addition to Kentucky Opera, Zackery has worked with several opera companies nationally including Opera Saratoga, American Lyric Theatre, Opera Maine, Bayview Music Festival, The Ohio Light Opera, University of Kentucky Opera Theatre, Gulf Shore Opera and Carolina Opera. Some of his favorite performance credits include Alamaviva (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Jonathan Dale (Silent Night), Tobias (The Medium), The Four Servants (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Anthony (Sweeney Todd) and Tateh (Ragtime). Dr. Morris is in-demand as an oratorio/choral performer and a frequent collaborator with Louisville’s own Artefact ensemble. Specializing in baroque, classical and modern vocal literature, Zackery has performed alongside the Bach Akademie Charlotte, Kentucky Bach Choir, Fort Wayne Bach Collegium, Alchemy Viols, North Carolina Baroque Orchestra, Bourbon Baroque and many regional church music festivals and programs. In addition to his performance engagements, Zackery is an Academic Advisor for the amazing music students of the University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts.
Chad Sloan
Chad Sloan, baritone and Professor of Voice at the University of Louisville, has performed with Kentucky Opera, Utah Opera, Dayton Opera, Tanglewood Music Center, Anchorage Opera, Arizona Opera, Opera Memphis, New York City Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Atlanta Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Bar Harbor Music Festival, BOP of Montréal, Atlanta Opera, Aspen Opera Theater, and Tacoma Opera.
His recent opera roles include Ponchel in Puts’ Silent Night and the Father in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. Upcoming performances feature appearances in Kentucky Opera’s production of All is Calm and as Don Pedro in Songbird.
As a concert soloist, he has been featured in Handel’s Messiah with the Louisville Orchestra, Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, and Utah Symphony; Orff’s Carmina Burana with the South Bend Symphony, Columbia Pro Cantare, and Flagstaff Symphony; and Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem with the Lexington Philharmonic. He has also appeared with the Twickenham Music Festival, Bach Festival of Winter Park, Ensemble for the Romantic Century, and Chicago’s CONTEMPO series alongside eighthblackbird and the Pacifica Quartet.
Christopher G. Smith
Christopher G. Smith, an African American tenor from Southwest Ohio, holds degrees in Music Performance (voice) from Central State University (B.M.) and Miami University (M.M.). He maintains an active career as a soloist, voice teacher, recording artist, composer, and music director, contributing to impactful projects with Heartbeat Opera (NYC), Mad River Theater Company, and The Young Professionals Choral Collective. Smith has conducted and collaborated with choirs spanning kindergarten to college, community ensembles, and choirs of incarcerated citizens. Now based in Louisville, he serves as visiting professor of voice at Wilmington College (OH), where he also directs the Wilmington College Chorale. Recent performances include tenor soloist in Wilberforce University Chorus’s The Ordering of Moses, conductor for Kentucky Opera’s Juneteenth Jubilee Choir (2025), and guest soloist with the Miami University Choir Collective at Miami Sings Music Hall.
Cory Spalding*
Cory Spalding is a Louisville-born baritone with credits in opera, musical theatre, and concert performance. He earned his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Louisville, where he is now pursuing his Master’s degree. Cory has performed with UofL Opera Theatre, Kentucky Opera, and other regional companies, with roles including Ophemon in The Anonymous Lover, Quinn the Bartender in Speed Dating Tonight!, Bobby Strong in Urinetown, and Ko-Ko in The Mikado. Beyond the stage, Cory has appeared twice at Carnegie Hall in New York City—most recently as soloist in the world premiere of Michael John Trotta’s Veni, Veni Emmanuel with the UofL Singing Cardsmen. He was also a featured vocalist in Mammoth by Teddy Abrams, in collaboration with world renowned celloist Yo-Yo Ma. With the internationally acclaimed UofL Cardinal Singers, Cory has toured South Africa, China, and Germany, and he has also performed at Carnegie Hall with the ensemble. In 2023, he was awarded 1st Place in both Classical and Musical Theatre at the NATS Murray State Regional Competition. Now in his third year with Kentucky Opera, Cory is grateful to share his love of music with the Louisville community that has shaped his artistic journey.
*University of Louisville Apprentice Artist
Drew Pungratz
Drew is thrilled to return for his third season performing with Kentucky Opera. A graduate of the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education, he has enjoyed bringing his passion for music and performance to the stage with the company. Originally from Lexington, he and his wife recently relocated to Cincinnati, and are excited to still be able to continue performing in Louisville!
Brandon Whitish
Brandon Whitish, baritone and Wisconsin native, studied vocal performance at Luther College (2018) and later earned his master’s degree at the University of Northern Iowa (2022). He is the most recent recipient of the Encore Excellence Graduate Award and a 2024 finalist in the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition. Whitish originated the role of Conor in the world operatic premiere of A Nation of Others by Mark Campbell and Paul Moravec and is a current member of the American Spiritual Ensemble. In the summer of 2022, he joined the Sherrill Milnes Voice Studio, where he performed the role of Tommy Albright in Lerner and Loewe’s Brigadoon and was coached by world-renowned baritone Sherrill Milnes.
Some of Whitish’s notable opera performance credits include Father in Hansel and Gretel, Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Elder McLean in Susannah, Betto in Gianni Schicchi, Moralès in Carmen, The Duke of Plaza-Toro in The Gondoliers, and Baron Mirko Zeta in The Merry Widow. He currently resides in Lexington, Kentucky, where he studies with Dr. Everett McCorvey while pursuing his DMA at the University of Kentucky.
www.brandonwhitish.com