NDSU Opera

This cast 💛🦬💚

Today’s THE day!!! Come see your in this wonderful show! 💛🦬💚

🎶🎭 MAGIC FLUTE Cast Spotlight 🎭🎶

Last but certainly not least is mezzo-soprano Olivia Desing who plays a priestess and sings in the chorus. Olivia is a first-year vocal music education major from Barnesville, Minnesota. She performs with the NDSU Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers. Magic Flute is Olivia’s first opera!

NDSU Opera is excited to bring Mozart's masterpiece The Magic Flute to life on Sunday, February 26 (2:00PM) at Festival Concert Hall. Tickets for Thursday's canceled performance will be honored at Sunday's performance.

In case you missed us this morning, NDSU Opera's Julie Ly and Director Kelly Burns was on North Dakota Today this morning to talk about their upcoming production of Die Zauberflöte.

Watch this morning's segment: https://www.valleynewslive.com/video/2023/02/24/ndt-ndsu-opera-february-24/
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🎶🎭 MAGIC FLUTE Cast Spotlight 🎭🎶

Our leading players: tenor Kyle Berkley (left) as the noble Prince Tamino, soprano Jessica Livdahl (middle) as the beautiful Princess Pamina, and baritone Floyd Althoff (right) as the lovable birdcatcher Papageno.

Kyle is a guest artist with NDSU Opera and is noted for his warm tenor tone, agility of voice, musical sensitivity, and charismatic stage presence. His stage roles include Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Frederic in Pirates of Penzance, Kaspar in Amhal and the Night Visitors, Henrik in A Little Night Music, Buford in Cold Sassy Tree, and Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas. He has performed with Opera Saratoga, Opera Cleveland, Sugar Creek Opera, the LancasterChorale, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Lancaster Festival Orchestra and Fargo-Moorhead Choral Artists. Kyle sang the world premiere of I’ve Known Rivers (2019) by American composer Gwyneth Walker. He teaches K-5 elementary music in the West Fargo School District and previously taught voice lessons at NDSU and Ohio University. Kyle holds the M.M. in voice performance from the University of North Carolina–Greensboro and a B.M. in vocal music education from Kent State University in Ohio.

Jessica is from Fargo, North Dakota and is currently a fourth-year student studying voice performance. She has previously been seen with the NDSU Opera in the roles of First Witch in Dido and Aeneas and Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro. Jessica serves as soprano section leader for the NDSU Concert Choir and has performed as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah. Jessica’s love of opera began at age 8 when she first sang in the children’s chorus for the Fargo-Moorhead Opera’s production of La Bohème. Jessica regularly performs with the FM Opera chorus and has been seen in their recent productions of Don Giovanni, Cinderella, and Le nozze di Figaro.

Floyd is a senior voice performance and anthropology major from Grand Forks, ND. They have performed with the NDSU Opera as the Sorceress in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and Achilla in Handel's Giulio Cesare in addition to several scenes programs. They have also performed with the FM Opera as a chorus member in Don Giovanni, Il barbiere di Seviglia, and Le nozze di Figaro, and will perform in the chorus of FM Opera’s upcoming production of La Bohème.

NDSU Opera is excited to bring Mozart's masterpiece The Magic Flute to life on Sunday, February 26 (2:00PM) at Festival Concert Hall. Tickets for Thursday's canceled performance will be honored at Sunday's performance.

🎶🎭 MAGIC FLUTE Cast Spotlight 🎭🎶

Power struggles abound between soprano Mara Campbell (left) as the notorious Queen of the Night and bass Zion Zaloudek (right) as Sarastro, High Priest of the Sun.

Mara was brought up in Florida and earned a B.M. in voice performance from Florida Southern College where she studied with renowned mezzo-soprano Beverly Wolff. She completed her M.M. in voice performance at NDSU under the tutelage of Dr. Virginia Sublett. With Opera NDSU, she has performed the role of Lady Billows (Albert Herring) and excerpts from the roles of Manon, Fiordiligi, and Musetta in scenes programs. Mara’s professional engagements include performances with Opera Tampa, The Florida Lyric Opera, The Spanish Lyric Theater, and the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, among others. She is currently a Challey Fellow in the D.M.A. voice performance program at the Challey School of Music and also is the voice studio teacher for Theatre NDSU.

Zion comes from River Falls, Wisconsin. He has previously performed in Dido and Aeneas and as the Wolf in Barab’s Little Red Riding Hood. Zion is a second-year M.M. voice performance student at NDSU. He enjoys being a member of the NDSU Concert Choir.

NDSU Opera is excited to bring Mozart's masterpiece The Magic Flute to life on Thursday, February 23 (7:30PM) and Sunday, February 26 (2:00PM) at Festival Concert Hall.

🎶🎭 MAGIC FLUTE Cast Spotlight 🎭🎶

Up next, our Three Ladies: soprano Camden Pruitt (left) as the First Lady, mezzo-soprano Julie Ly (middle) as the Second Lady, and mezzo-soprano Lauren Sandison (right) as the Third Lady.

Camden is from Woodstock, Georgia. She performed the title role last year in NDSU’s production of Dido and Aeneas as well as scenes that included Grandma in Little Red Riding Hood, Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro, and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. This Fall, Camden covered the role of Contessa for FM Opera’s Figaro, and will also sing chorus in the upcoming La Bohème production. Camden recently won an Encouragement Award in the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition for the North Dakota-Manitoba District. She is completing her M.M. in voice performance this semester.

Julie recently graduated with a B.S. in music and a minor in psychology at NDSU. Previous performances with NDSU Opera include the Second Witch in Dido and Aeneas, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, and various characters in opera scenes. Julie was a regular soloist in NDSU’s annual Messiah and was recently a guest soloist with the Grand Forks Master Chorale. Julie has performed with the FM Opera chorus for multiple seasons in production of Don Giovanni, Cinderella, and Le nozze di Figaro. She was an active member in many of NDSU’s ensembles such as the Concert Choir, Madrigal Singers, and BisonArts Singers. When she’s not singing, Julie continues to manage and build her cosmetology business.

Lauren is a first-year M.M. student in voice performance. She received two bachelor’s degrees in music and religion from Augustana University in 2021. At NDSU, Lauren serves as a graduate assistant for the voice area and is a member of the NDSU Concert Choir. She teaches piano and voice lessons at Schmitt Music in Fargo. Lauren performed the role of Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro with the Vienna Summer Music Festival in 2022 and with Augustana University in 2019. She also sang the role of Bradamante in Handel’s Alcina with the Chicago Summer Opera in 2020.

NDSU Opera is excited to bring Mozart's masterpiece The Magic Flute to life on Thursday, February 23 (7:30PM) and Sunday, February 26 (2:00PM) at Festival Concert Hall.

Lewis Groves (pup of NDSU piano professor Dr. Bob Groves) brings so much light and love to the cast of Magic Flute at this afternoon’s tech rehearsal!
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🎶🎭 MAGIC FLUTE Cast Spotlight 🎭🎶

Our Three Spirits: sopranos Hannah Ray (left) as the First Spirit and Ziyan Hu (middle) as the Second Spirit, and mezzo-soprano Liz Wilhelmi (right) as the Third Spirit.

Hannah is from Faribault, Minnesota and is a sophomore studying voice performance. Hannah is a member of NDSU Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers. Her recent performances include the ensemble of Theatre NDSU's production of Jekyll & Hyde, chorus in NDSU Opera's Dido and Aeneas, and various roles in opera scenes. She covered the role of Emmie in Minnesota Opera's production of Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten and performed the role of Helen in Lewis Murphy's Belongings through the Project Opera program under Minnesota Opera.

Ziyan is from China and received an M.A. in music from the Wuhan Conservatory of Music. After completing her music degrees in China, she taught high school music for three years. Ziyan is a first-year M.M. voice performance student.

Liz is a second-year student in the B.S. music degree program. She is a mezzo-soprano and participates in the NDSU Concert Choir, Madrigal Singers, BisonArts Singers. Magic Flute is her first full opera. Learning close harmonies within the trio of Spirits has been a very fun challenge for her, and she has had a blast working with her fellow performers to put all the pieces of the production together.

NDSU Opera is excited to bring Mozart's masterpiece The Magic Flute to life on Thursday, February 23 (7:30PM) and Sunday, February 26 (2:00PM) at Festival Concert Hall.

🎶🎭 MAGIC FLUTE Cast Spotlight 🎭🎶

Next up, our Speaker and Priests: baritone Micah Nicolai (left) as the Speaker, tenor Riley Spoden (middle) as the First Priest, and tenor Caleb Ruziska (right) as the Second Priest.

Micah is originally from the rural town of New Rockford, ND. He recently graduated from NDSU with a B.M. in voice performance and is delighted to be playing the role of the Grandfather/Speaker. His most recent role with NDSU Opera was Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas. He was also recently a member of the chorus in Le nozze di Figaro with Fargo-Moorhead Opera.

Riley is from St. Cloud, Minnesota and is in his second year studying vocal music education. In his senior year of high school, he received best in site at Minnesota solo ensemble competition. Riley is a member of NDSU Concert Choir, Madrigal Singers, and BisonArts Singers. This is his first time being a part of an opera production.

Caleb is a sophomore double major in music and biomedical sciences. Caleb spends a lot of his day in the music building, participating in NDSU Concert Choir, Madrigal Singers, and some chamber choirs. This is his debut with the NDSU opera and his first opera ever! He is so excited for this opportunity, and for the future to come!

NDSU Opera is excited to bring Mozart's masterpiece The Magic Flute to life on Thursday, February 23 (7:30PM) and Sunday, February 26 (2:00PM) at Festival Concert Hall.