Conductor Robert Tweten has been described as leading with “verve and precision,” his pacing as “flawless”, and having a “musicality and near-symbiotic accord with singers which always impresses.” Most recently the Canadian native returned to Canada to conduct Mozart’s Don Giovanni for Opera Ontario and Tosca for Vancouver Opera, and covered La traviata for Lyric Opera of Chicago.

For the Santa Fe Opera, where he serves as Head of Music Staff, Mo. Tweten has conducted Don Giovanni, Katya Kabanova, The Pirates of Penzance and Ermione, as well as their 50th Anniversary Concert in 2006. As a frequent Guest Conductor with the Santa Fe Symphony he has led them in orchestral concerts as well as in Handel’s Messiah and the Mozart Requiem. Mo. Tweten was recently seen conducting The Merry Widow at Opera Southwest, where he served as Principal Conductor and has also led productions of Falstaff and La traviata.

Garnett Bruce, Director

Garnett Bruce continues to stage productions for leading national and international houses. The 2008/09 season includes his first production of Otello for Kentucky Opera, Madama Butterfly for returns to San Diego Opera and Utah Symphony and Opera, revivals of his production of La Cenerentola for Austin Lyric Opera and Orlando Opera; and La boheme, his first production as the newly named Artistic Adviser and Principal Stage Director for Opera Omaha. Mr. Bruce also serves on the directing faculties of the Aspen Music Festival and Peabody Conservatory.

Highlights from his past seasons include Turandot, La Traviata and collaborating with Peter Sellars for Doctor Atomic at the Lyric Opera of Chicago; Tosca (Opera Pacific, Houston, Denver, Cleveland); Turandot (San Francisco, Dallas, Cleveland, Louisville); Aida and Samuel Barber's Vanessa for San Diego Opera; new productions of La Cenerentola and Die Zauberflote for Lyric Opera of Kansas City; new productions of La Clemenza di Tito and La Cenerentola for Wolf Trap Opera; Carmen for Palm Beach Opera; Il Barbiere di Siviglia for Utah Symphony and Opera; Orfeo ed Euridice for Chattanooga Symphony and Opera; and Francesca Zambello's productions of Madama Butterfly (Houston, Opera Pacific, Pittsburgh) and Jenufa (Dallas, San Francisco) and made his European debut staging the David Hockney production of Turandot for Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Italy.

Mezzo Soprano Sandra Piques Eddy has been praised by the Boston Globe as "a charismatic mezzo with future star written all over her" with a voice possessed of "extraordinary richness of timbre and expressiveness." In her recent portrayal as the title role in Spoleto Festival's La Cenerentola, The New York Times wrote "The brightest sparkle belonged to Ms. Piques Eddy, a swan necked mezzo with fine technique, a range of colors from honeyed to bright and charm to burn." Her combination of beautiful tone, artistic sensitivity and superlative stagecraft have served to make Ms. Eddy one of North America's most highly acclaimed singing actresses.

Sandra Piques Eddy's 2008-09 season currently includes appearing as the title role in La Tragedie de Carmen with Chicago Opera Theater, the title role in La Cenerentola with Austin Lyric Opera, the role of Charmian in Antony and Cleopatra with New York City Opera, and the roles of Juno and Ino in Semele with Florentine Opera. She also sings Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte with Opera North (UK) in an upcoming engagement.

Mr. Angelini made his European debut in 2006 as the Conte di Libenskof in Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims at the prestigious Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Italy. In 2007 he made his debut with the Opera Orchestra of New York with Eve Queler in the role of Roderigo in Rossini’s Otello, which was followed by his debut at the Théåtre de la Monnaie in Brussels in the world premiere of Benoît Mernier’s Frühlings Erwachen in the role of Hänschen Rilow and his debut as Lindoro in L’Italiana in Algeri at the Teatro Communale in Bologna.

He opens the 2007-2008 season at the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome as Ferrando in Così fan tutte, will be heard as Ramiro in La Cenerentola at the Connecticut Opera, and in Handel’s Judas Maccabeus with the LA Opera under the baton of James Conlon. Future seasons bring him to Ft. Worth and Austin as Ramiro in Cinderella

Steven Condy, baritone, has been critically acclaimed for his singing and acting abilities, performing with opera companies throughout North America. The Washington Times says he has “the comic timing of John Candy and a voice that remains flexible, rich and true through every intricacy…,” and Anthony Tomassini of the New York Times says, “I vote the prize for the most naturally clear diction… to the hardy baritone Steven Condy….”

John Boehr, Dandini

Baritone John Boehr has become known for his beautiful, velvetly-rich voice leading to his being one of the most alluring young talents sought after today.

A native of Waco, TX, he has been a member of the prestigious Apprentice Artist program and a resident artist with The Minnesota Opera singing numerous roles with each company. Mr. Boehr has also sung with Pittsburgh Opera, Palm Beach Opera and Tanglewood. He will return to The Minnesota Opera in 2009 to sing the role of Figaro in their production of The Barber of Seville. Other upcoming engagements include Dandini in Cinderella with Austin Lyric Opera in the autumn of 2008, and the title role in Salieris Falstaff with the Greenwood Music Festival in 2010.

Labeled by critics as having a voice that is “velvety, finely handled, richly expressive, alternately stentorian, and tender,” and having acting abilities that are “especially noteworthy, first-rate, sharp timing, enough comic talent to succeed on his acting ability alone,” bass-baritone Kristopher Irmiter has performed over 70 roles with more than 30 opera companies.

His engagements have taken him to San Francisco Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Portland Opera, Baltimore Opera, Atlanta Opera, and Hawaii Opera, to name a few. Mr. Irmiter has displayed a vast range both vocally and dramatically, performing to critical acclaim such diverse roles as Scarpia in Tosca and the title role in Don Pasquale, as well Ferrando in Il trovatore, The Royal Herald in Lohengrin, Donner in Das Rheingold, and Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, and most recently as Escamillo in Carmen with the San Francisco Opera. In recent seasons, Mr. Irmiter made debuts with Pittsburgh Opera as Orest in Elektra, Opera Columbus as Scarpia in Tosca, Opera Omaha as Zuniga in Carmen, and most recently, Zaccaria in Nabucco with the Todi Music Festival.

Elizabeth Cass, Tisbe

Elizabeth Cass was most recently seen as Mercedes in Austin Lyric Opera's production of Carmen. Other roles with ALO include Sonyetka in Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk and the Third Handmaid in Richard Strauss's Elektra. Ms. Cass started her operatic career singing in apprenticeship and young artist programs with the Central City Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Shreveport Opera, Opera in the Ozarks, Seagle Music Colony, and the Aspen Music Festival. She has also sung with Fort Worth Opera, the Fort Worth Symphony and Bronx Opera. Ms. Cass sang for the Gala performance of the opening of The Long Center for the Performing Arts with the Austin Symphony in De Falla's The Three Cornered Hat which won an Austin Critics Table award.

Coloratura soprano Cara Johnston made her debut with Austin Lyric Opera in last season's Carmen as Frasquita. Ms. Johnston's career spans opera, musical theatre, and concert work. Her operatic engagements have included Musetta in La Boheme with Chautauqua Opera, Clorinda in La Cenerentola with Lyric Opera of San Antonio, Cunegonde in Candide with Opera Boston, Frasquita in Carmen with the Ash Lawn Opera Festival, and a personal favorite, Amy in Little Women with the Ash Lawn Opera Festival and the Cabrillo Contemporary Music Festival.