Marie's Orchard
CAST FOR THE PREMIERE PRODUCTION
SHIRA RENEE THOMAS
• Marie Shabata
Shira Renee Thomas made her triumphant debut with Townsend Opera Players in Modesto, CA as Juliet in Gounod's Romeo and Juliet in 2010. Her "vibrant portrayal" and "vocal fireworks" as the tragic heroine were hailed by critics. She also made her East Coast debut in 2010, thrilling enthusiastic audiences as Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto with Opera Company of the Highlands in New York.
Thomas has delighted audiences in many diverse leading roles including Marguerite in Faust, Gilda in Rigoletto, Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Violetta in La traviata, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, Adina in L'elisir d'amore, Micaela in Carmen, Fiordiligi in Cosí fan tutte, Fanny in Rossini's La Cambiale di matrimonio, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Papagena in The Magic Flute, and the dual characters Isabelle/Madeline in The Face on the Barroom Floor (Mollicone). Ms. Thomas also debuted the character of Pieta in the world premiere, staged version of Eric Whitacre’s groundbreaking work, Paradise Lost - Opera Electronica.
Ms. Thomas portrayed the role of Mrs. Hayes in Floyd's Susannah, andcovered soprano Nicole Cabell in the role of Pamina in Die Zauberflöte at Orange County, CA's Opera Pacific. As a resident artist of that company, Thomas was a featured soloist in numerous events, including "Opera in the Park" and "Opera Under the Stars". She also performed the role of Pamina in the Pacific Symphony's Family Musical Mornings presentation of The Magic Flute.
Thomas was a Festival Artist with the Utah Festival Opera Company in 2009, where she was a soloist on two different orchestra concerts, singing "Deh vieni non tardar" from Le nozze di Figaro, as well as "June is Busting Out All Over" from Carousel, both with the UFOC orchestra conducted by Maestro Barbara Day Turner. In addition, she covered the roles of Micaela in Carmen and Yum-Yum in The Mikado, and was chosen as a finalist in the Concorso Lirico International Opera Competition.
Among the numerous awards and scholarships earned by Ms. Thomas, she was awarded 1st prize in the prestigious Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Vocal Solo Competition in North Wales. The Musical Eisteddfod has hosted such competitors as Luciano Pavarotti and Bryn Terfel in past years.
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BENJAMIN BUNSOLD 
• Emil Bergson
Benjamin Bunsold is making waves in the bel canto repertoire as a charming, young tenor with a natural musicality and solid top register. Last season he performed Alfred in Die Fledermaus at Opera Delaware and the Arbor Opera Theater, Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte at the Shreveport Opera and Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi at Opera Tampa. Mr. Bunsold’s active 2008 performance schedule included the role of Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor for Opera Company of North Carolina, Il Duca in Rigoletto with New Opera St. Louis, Laurie in Little Women for Opera Delaware, Gastone in La Traviata for Opera Memphis with Maestro Michael Ching and Camille in The Merry Widow for Opera New Jersey.
In other recent seasons Mr. Bunsold sang the roles of Fenton in Falstaff at Fort Worth Opera, Nemorino in L’Elisir d’amore and Il Duca in Rigoletto for Opera in the Heights with Maestro William Weibel. His repertoire also includes Alfredo in La Traviata which he performed for Asheville Lyric Opera, Opera in the Ozarks and covered at Fort Worth Opera. In Mark Adamo’s new opera Lysistrata, he sang Nico in a concert presented by the composer with the Van Cliburn Foundations’ Cliburn at the Modern series in Fort Worth, Texas.
Benjamin Bunsold has been accepted to several prestigious resident artist/apprenticeship programs. In 2005 and 2006 he participated in the Glimmerglass Opera Young American Apprenticeship Program. The previous year he was engaged by the The Utah Festival Opera and from 2004 - 2006 he was a Resident Artist with Fort Worth Opera. In 2007 and 2008 he worked with Sherrill Milnes and Maria Zouves at VOICExperience in Tampa, Florida and at the Tampa Opera.
Benjamin’s future engagements include Beppe in Il Pagliacci at Opera Columbus and Carmina Burana at the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra.
ABDIEL GONZÁLEZ
• Frank Shabata
Puerto Rican baritone, Abdiel González, has been praised for his “rich, lush baritone” and for having a “superb voice, which commanded the stage.” Recently Mr. Gonzalez was excited to make his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic soloing in Stravinsky’s Renard under the baton of Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Roles performed include Mercutio in Roméo et Julliette, Shrike in the West Coast Premiere of Miss Lonelyhearts, Athanaël in Thaïs, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Pandolfe in Cendrillon, Morales in Carmen, Guglielmo in Cosí fan Tutte, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, King Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Ko-Ko in The Mikado, The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, and Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha.
Mr. Gonzalez is proud to have performed lead roles in 3 Zarzuelas, an art form which he loves dearly. These include the title role in Luis Alonso, Paquiro in Goyescas and Don Pedro in El Barberillo de Lavapies.
The concert stage has seen him as a soloist in Händel’s Messiah, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Fauré's Requiem, Rutter's Mass for the Children, Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, Haydn’s Creation, Mozart’s Requiem and Mass in c minor, Bach's St. Matthew Passion and St. John Passion, Vaugh William's Fantasia on Christmas Carols and Five Mystical Songs, Lizst’s Via Crucis, Brahms' Requiem, and Britten's War Requiem.
He was a first place winner in the San Diego District of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions as well as in the Opera 100 Competition.
JAY STEPHENSON 
• Anthony Chevalier
Jay Stephenson regularly performs both in the United States and in his native country of Canada and is much sought after for his rich, sonorous baritone voice. In November 2009, he flew to Canada to sing Schaunard in “La Boheme” (Opera Kitchener).
Most recently, he performed Dr. Grenvil in both Santa Monica and in Long Beach after understudying the role with Opera Santa Barbara in March. Last season, he received a glowing review for Gernot in the North American staged-premiere of Wagner’s first opera, “Die Feen” (Lyric Opera of Los Angeles). Other recent roles include: Guglielmo, Belcore, Valentin, Germont, Don Alfonso, and Gianni Schicchi. Mr. Stephenson previously sang Barone Douphol and Rigoletto for Center Stage Opera and was honoured to mark his third production with the company creating the role of Anthony Chevalier in the world premiere of Philip Westin’s Marie’s Orchard.
ADRIEN ROBERTS
• Angelique Chevalier
Adrien Roberts has her Master's degree from Manhattan School of Music. Ms. Roberts recently covered the role of Roberta in Tobias Picker's opera, An American Tragedy. Ms. Roberts has sung leading opera roles including: Marguerite in Faust, Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Marie in The Bartered Bride, Adina in L'Elisir d'Amore, Violetta in La Traviata, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and Giulietta in Verdi's Un Giorno di Regno.
She has also performed in the Opera Buffs 2009 Spring Showcase, in LA Opera's education short, Tanis in America and is currently performing with O.C. Opera's children's outreach program. Ms. Roberts recently won the 2010 A.E.I.O.U. Vocal Competition.
E. SCOTT LEVIN
• Bill the Bartender
Place Holder ---Jay Stephenson regularly performs both in the United States and in his native country of Canada and is much sought after for his rich, sonorous baritone voice.
NATHAN BAGLYOS
• Preacher and Bar Scene Friend 2
Place Holder ---Jay Stephenson regularly performs both in the United States and in his native country of Canada and is much sought after for his rich, sonorous baritone voice.
CARL DARCHUK • Bar Scene Soloist
KIRK GARNER • Bar Scene Friend 1
JACQUELINE CRIST-FRANZEN • Wedding Scene Soloist
STEVEN HUBER • Violin Soloist
CENTER STAGE OPERA CHORUS
David Brinck, Chorusmaster
Rebecca Ahia
Nathan Baglyos
Mara Bloomfield
Alexandra Borboa
David Brinck
Jacqueline Crist-Franzen
Carl Darchuk
Kirk Garner
Jessica Grams
Shannon Gray
E. Scott Levin
Jessica Mamey
Rodney McCormick
Linda Smith
Kelsey Springsted
SUPERNUMERARIES
Annaliisa Lepisto
Annamaria Lepisto
Arieanna Lepisto
Jacklyn Lepisto