Noon Music In May

Opera Company of Middlebury

Puccini and His Contemporaries

Early-career professionals from the Opera Company of Middlebury (OCM) present a program of Puccini and his verismo contemporaries, such as Respighi and Leoncavallo as a precursor to OCM’s June productions of Puccini’s operas, La Bohème and Gianni Schicchi. The singers of the Youth Artist Program hail from around the country as well as China, Denmark and Colombia – truly the stars of tomorrow!

Singers Amanda Cabán, Melina Jaharis and Orlando Montalvo Avalo will be joined by Hayley Abramowitz, Andrew Boisvert, Héctor Camacho-Salazar, Lifan Deng, Hayley Fox, Gregory Gropper and Johannes Linneballe, accompanied by pianist and Young Artist Program Artistic Director Alejandro Roca.

Hayley Abramowitz is based in Washington, DC. Recent roles include the Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte, Loudoun Lyric Opera), Frasquita (Carmen, Opera Western Reserve), and Carrie Pipperidge (Carousel, Pensacola Opera). They have also performed in scenes as Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Manon (Manon), Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor), Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), and Norina (Don Pasquale). Hayley holds degrees from Indiana University (MM ‘20, PD ‘21) and the University of Maryland (BM ‘18). hayleyabramowitz.com

Andrew Boisvert, Bass, has been hailed as “thundering” (San Diego Story) with a “deep warmth” (The Rutland Herald). Performance highlights in 2025 include singing as the Bass Soloist in the Verdi Requiem with the Schenectady-Saratoga Symphony Orchestra as well as joining Sarasota Opera to cover Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia and covering Bartolo again in Le nozze di Figaro. Upcoming performances include making his Finger Lakes Opera debut as Sparafucile in Rigoletto. andrewboisvertbass.com

Mezzo soprano Amanda Cabán is an accomplished performer based in Chicago, IL, known for her rich color and expressive voice. Some of her notable roles are Candela (El Amor Brujo), Ma Moss (The Tenderland), Old Lady (Candide), Meg (Falstaff), Carmen (Carmen), Dorabella (Così fan tutte), and Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro). Cabán has also appeared as the soloist for works such as: the Ellingboe Requiem, Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, and the Mozart Requiem. Cabán maintains a private studio out of Chicago, IL, and serves on the board for the Chicago chapter of NATS. amandacaban.com

Héctor Camacho-Salazar, tenor, is a graduate student from Bogotá, Colombia pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance and Literature at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Recently, Héctor performed the roles of Ali Hakim (Oklahoma!), The Time Traveler (Black Square), Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi), and Burrs (The Wild Party). At the University of Illinois, he has performed in many productions in both opera and musical theatre, earning him several merit-based awards.

Chinese baritone Lifan Deng holds a Master of Music in Voice and Opera from Northwestern University and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Music from Case Western Reserve University. His 2024-2025 season includes Masetto in Don Giovanni and Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Madison Opera, and Papagano in The Magic Flute with Opera For The Young. Mr. Deng is excited to join the Opera Company of Middlebury this summer. lifandeng.com

Hayley Fox is a soprano marking waves in new and classic repertoire alike. Sung roles include Lauretta in OCM’s Gianni Schicchi, Elle (La Voix Humaine, CCPA, ‘25), Colette (Le devin du village, CCPA, ‘24), Micaëla (Carmen, CCPA, ‘24), Mrs. Hayes (Susannah, Wolf Trap, ‘22) and Sagredo/Marie/Eos (Galieo/Galilei, CCM ‘22). Recent covers include Mimí (La Bohème, OCM, 2025), Cendrillon (Cendrillon, Cedar Rapids Opera ‘25). hayleyfoxmaloney.com

Gregory Gropper is an American baritone, based in NYC. A graduate of University of Michigan BM, and Manhattan School of Music MM, Gregory played the title role in Der Kaiser von Atlantis at MSM in ’24 as well as the title role in Gianni Schicchi at Berlin Opera Academy summer ’24. When he’s not singing or learning music, you can find him on the basketball court.

Heralded by Opera News for their “lush” voice, Melina Jaharis is a Greek-American with a “rich, dark, resonant” mezzo soprano. This season includes world premieres, Beyond the Horizon and Tin Angel with Teatro Grattacielo, as well as Marcellina. Additionally, Melina will be joining Heartbeat Opera as the Page & Slave and Herodias cover. Previous companies and roles include Carmen, Madre di Butterfly (Sarasota Opera), Maddalena /
Countess Ceprano (Wolf Trap), Donna Elvira, Santuzza, Amneris, Ortrud and Azucena. melinajaharis.com

Tenor Orlando Montalvo Avalo is elated to return to OCM! His diverse performance background spans opera, musical theater, and oratorio. Recent highlights include performing the role of Spoletta in Tosca with New Orleans Opera and a Messiah performance with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Last season at OCM, he portrayed Dormont in La Scala di Seta and a Peasant in La Fille du Regiment. He holds vocal performance degrees from LSU and Rhode Island College.

Johannes Linneballe

Opera coach and conductor Alejandro Roca’s (Artistic Director, OCM Young Artist Program) recent engagements Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at Liceu Conservatory in Barcelona, Rossini’s The Barber of Seville and Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, and debuts with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra, Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Cláudio Santoro National Theater in Brazil. Roca has collaborated with renowned conductors Rinaldo Alessandrini, Gustavo Dudamel, Andrés Orozco-Estrada and Daniella Candillari and has appeared in recital with numerous vocalists around the world. Roca has served as a conductor and pianist at the Opera of Colombia and his repertoire includes more than 75 fully prepared operas and zarzuelas. Roca serves as Lecturer in Music/Opera Coach at the Yale School of Music and has recently been appointed Artistic Director of the Opera Company of Middlebury Young Artist Program. He previously served as director of the Opera Workshop at Central University, in Bogotá, Music director at Scuola Italia and Opera Viva summer programs and has served as Director of the Cartagena International Music Festival’s academic program.