Our February 2, 20205 concert features brilliant opera talent!

Resident Artists commit to an intensive program while living in Detroit from September through May, training directly with Doucet and other members of the Detroit Opera community in specially crafted and individualized curricula of voice, movement, language, and career guidance.

Brianna J. RobisonRiver GuardCole BellamyKendra Faith BeasleyCameron J. Rolling

Cole Bellamy

Baritone, Cole Bellamy hails from Olathe, Kansas. In 2024, Cole will make his debut at Santa Fe Opera as an Apprentice Singer in the world premiere of Gregory Spears’ The Righteous (Deacon 1). In the 2023-2024 season, Cole was a studio artist at Opera NEO in San Diego where he was featured in the annual Aria Gala at the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center and was described by the San Diego Story as a “rich baritone” with “commanding presence and fearless declamation”.  In the same season, he was a first-place winner in the 2024 Madame Role Palmai-Tenser Scholarship competition hosted by Mobile Opera. Cole’s solo professional debut was with Wichita Grand Opera in Il barbiere di Siviglia (Fiorello) and made his professional concert debut with Tallahassee Community Chorus as the baritone soloist in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.As a masters’ student at Florida State University, Cole has participated in numerous productions by the Florida State Opera, including Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire (Stanley Kowalski) and Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro).He completed his undergraduate studies at Wichita State University where he performed in several productions, including Cosi fan tutte (Guglielmo) and Street Scene (Frank). Additionally, he sang the baritone solos in the university choir’s performances of Brahms’ Requiem and Orff’s Carmina Burana. 

Upcoming Performances:

Santa Fe Opera

  • La traviata and L’elisir d’amore : Chorus
  • The Righteous by Gregory Spears : Performing the Role of Deacon 1

Detroit Opera Main Stage Assignments:

La Traviata: Performing the role of the Baron and covering the role of Germont

Rinaldo: Covering the role of Argante

Cosi fan tutte: Covering the role of Guglielmo

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Brianna J. Robinson

Soprano Brianna J. Robinson, whom The Boston Globe proclaimed as, “…a radiant voice and presence” is a native of Ravenna, Ohio and a proud graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and the Eastman School of Music. A former Jane and Steven Akin Emerging Artist with Boston Lyric Opera, she covered and performed roles such as Lucy in Gregory Spears’ Fellow Travelers, Mimi (cover) in Puccini’s La Boheme, Lena in Ana Solokovic’s Svabda and covered several roles in Paul Ruders’ TheHandmaid’s Tale. She recently stepped in as Julie in Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels’ 2023 Pulitzer Prize-winning opera, Omar. In the 2023-2024 season, she made her Carnegie Hall debut with The Cecilia Chorus of NY in Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem andwas a District Winner in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. Brianna also made several orchestral debuts including the Akron Symphony Orchestra, Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra/New World Chorale, and the Handel and Haydn Society in the powerful performances of ‘Crossing the Deep’. Ms. Robinson was named a finalist in the Benjamin Matthews Vocal Competition with Opera Ebony and was awarded first prize at the 6th Getting to Carnegie Competition. She made her international debut in Ruse, Bulgaria in 2021 creating the role of Ophelia in the world premiere of Joseph Summer’s Hamlet.  Brianna returned to Boston Lyric Opera in 2024, in the role of Leontine in Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-George’s The Anonymous Lover. https://www.briannajrobinson.com/ 

Events:

  • Early Music Access Project

Dargen‘s AMASS – Soprano Soloist

March 2024

  • Castle of Our Skins

Love and Justice Residency & Portrait Concert with Adolphus Hailstork

March 2024

  • Boston Lyric Opera + Castle of Our Skins

Bynes’ The Wanderer’s Tethering – Featured Soloist

April 2024

  • Nabosha Valley Chorale

Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem – Soprano Soloist

Groton Hill Music Center

April 2024

  • Pioneer Valley Symphony

Bond’s Credo – Soprano Soloist

May 2024

  • Boston Landmarks Orchestra (Unannounced)

Juneteenth Performance – Featured Soloist

June 2024

Detroit Opera Mainstage Assignments:

La Traviata: Performing the role of Annina and covering the role of Violetta.

Cosi fan tutte: Covering the role of Fiordiligi

Rinaldo: Covering the role of Almirena

Central Park Five: Performing the role of Anton’s Mother/Kevin’s Mother and Ensemble

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Kendra Faith Beasley

Mezzo-soprano, Kendra Faith Beasley, acclaimed by Opera News for her “big voice, powerful at both extremes of the range,” makes her debut in Des Moines Metro Opera the 2023-2024 season. As an Apprentice Artist with DMMO, Kendra will take on the dual roles of Florence McKeller/Mrs. Smithson in Lila Palmer and Damien Geter’s riveting opera, American Apollo.

With recent successes including standout performances as Berta in Cincinnati Opera’s Il barbiere di Siviglia and Girlfriend #3 in New Orleans Opera’s Blue, Kendra’s talent continues to captivate audiences. Notably, she premiered the role of “Raksha” in the Glimmerglass Festival’s innovative adaptation of The Jungle Book in 2022, under the direction of Francesca Zambello. A distinguished alumna of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music with an Artist Diploma and the University of Kentucky with a master’s degree in performance, Kendra’s achievements reflect her dedication to her craft.

Her exceptional talent was further recognized when she was chosen from a pool of hundreds of applicants
to become one of Detroit Opera’s esteemed Resident Artists for the 2024-2025 season.

During her residency with Detroit Opera, Kendra will grace both the Detroit Opera House stage and various other performance venues with a richly filled schedule

Upcoming Performance:

  • American Apollo: Performing the roles of Florence McKeller/ Mrs. Smithson at Des Moines Metro Opera

Detroit Opera Mainstage Assignments:

  • La Traviata: Performing the role of Flora.
  • Rinaldo: Covering the role of Mago.
  • Cosi fan tutte: Covering the role of Dorabella.
  • Central Park Five: Covering the Roles of Sharonne Salaam and Ensemble.

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River Guard

Tenor River Guard, hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, boasts an impressive musical journey. He received The Rebanks Family Fellowship and International Performance and Residency Program from The Glenn Gould School in 2021 and is an alumnus of The Aspen Music Festival and School (2019) and the Opera in the 21st Century program at The Banff
Centre for Arts and Creativity (2018). Notable roles include Lenksy in Eugene Onegin (Highlands Opera Studio), Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia (The Glenn Gould School), Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi (ICAV Institut Canadien d’Art Vocal), and Miles in Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up (Aspen Music Festival and School).

River has also covered the roles of Cavaradossi in Tosca and Salm Polk in Susannah at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis and the Detroit Opera Resident Artist Program, where he took on Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and Dr. Richardson
in Breaking the Waves by Missy Mazzoli. His versatility extends to performances with the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings as Soldat and Harlekin in Viktor Ullmann’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis.

River, a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Toronto Opera School, is set to debut on the Detroit Opera stage this season in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen as Pasek. In the 2024 summer season, River will be a member of the Florentine Opera Summer Studio Ensemble and looks forward to returning as a Detroit Opera Resident Artist for a second year in the fall.

Upcoming Performances:

  • Detroit Opera Main Stage Assignements:
  • La Traviata: Performing the role of Gastone and covering the role of Alfredo
  • Cosi fan tutte: Covering the role of Ferrando

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Cameron J. Rolling

Cameron J. Rolling hails from Waycross, Georgia and is recognized for his “mellifluous baritone” (Classical Voice San Francisco) in the realms of opera, oratorio, symphonic, and recital performance. As a 2023 Young Artist at the prestigious Merola Opera Program, Cameron performed the role of Junius in Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia. He has been
selected as a Young Artist for the Glimmerglass Festival for the 2024 season where he will sing the role of Sylvano in Cavalli’s La Calisto and cover the roles of Mr. Lister/Karl Marx/Voiceover/Solomon Weil/Witness 8 in Kevin Puts’ Elizabeth Cree. In November 2024, he will make his symphonic debut as the bass soloist for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Savannah Philharmonic.

Recent performances include the role of Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte (UMKC Opera), bass soloist in Bach’s Jesu Meine Freude and Mendelssohn’s Elijah (UMKC), as well as bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah (Spire Chamber Ensemble). He has also served as chorus master for Massenet’s Chérubin (UMKC Opera). Cameron won first place in the 2020 Classical Singer Magazine’s national voice competition. He holds Master of Music degrees in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory (UMKC) and a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education with concentrations in voice and conducting from Mercer University.

Upcoming Performances:

  • Glimmerglass Festival:
  • La Calisto: Singing the role of Sylvano.
  • Pirates of Penzance: Sylvano
  • Elizabeth Cree: Covering the roles of Mr.Lister/Solomon Weil/Karl Marx/Voiceover/Witness 8
  • Detroit Opera Main Stage Assignments:
  • La Traviata: Performing the role of Marchese D’Obigny
  • Cosi fan tutte: Covering the role of Don Alfonso
  • Central Park Five: Covering the Roles of Raymond’s Father/Matias Reyes/Ensemble

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