Mayhem in Opera
October 22, 2023
Mayhem in Opera Review
by Opera at Florham
Mayhem in Opera was a thrilling, emotion-filled performance. With Arias from Mozart's Così Fan Tutte, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, Verdi's La Traviata, and more, Soprano Brenna Markey and Baritone Patrick Wilhelm gave a show-stopping performance.
Artistic Director and Pianist Mary Pinto shared, "I believe that Opera serves as a conduit for a wide range of emotional reactions, and the selections we're showcasing today encapsulate the very essence of why we cherish this art form. Within a remarkably short span, we are invited to traverse a spectrum of emotions – from laughter to tears, and even moments of bewilderment – as we become intimately acquainted with characters who metamorphose, teeter on the brink of madness, or find themselves entangled in ill-suited romantic liaisons."
Don't miss the next performance, Holiday Spectacular on Sunday, December 3, 2023.
Mayhem in Opera 2023
BRENNA MARKEY
Soprano
Brenna Markey, American Soprano, has been gaining acclaim for her voice and dramatic interpretation, singing a richly varied repertoire in both Opera and concert. Returning to Opera at Florham this fall, Brenna alo recently covered Berenice in Rossini’s L’Occasione Fa il Ladro for Opera South West. In the fall of 2022 Brenna appeared as Elisetta in Cimarosa's Il Matrimonio Segreto at Sarasota Opera marking her house debut. Ms. Markey enchanted the audience as she performed in the November 2019 Opera at Florham Bel Canto program concert as well as The Opera at Florham Violetta DuPont 2018 Vocal Competition where she was a finalist and recipient of the
encouragement award. Ms. Markey received her Bachelor degree in music from Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance in Philadelphia.
PATRICK WILHELM
Baritone
Patrick Wilhelm, Baritone, has been praised as having an"ardent" and "burnished" sound (Broad Street Review) and a "distinctive timbre" (Philadelphia Magazine) and "gorgeously plush color" (Parterre Box). Patrick is a 26 year old baritone from Philadelphia and just completed his master's degree at the Curtis Institute of Music. Patrick has performed at Wolf Trap Opera as a Studio Artist where he covered Valentin in Gounod’s Faust and as Marchese d’Obigny in Verdi’s La Traviata. Previous Opera credits include the title role in Impressions of Pelléas, Junius in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, Bill in Bernstein's A Quiet Place, Zaretsky in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, and Mr. Gobineau in Menotti's The Medium, all with the Curtis Opera Theatre.
MARY PINTO
Artistic Director & Piano Accompanist
Mary Pinto, an acclaimed accompanist and vocal coach, has worked with international opera singers and major American opera companies for the past 25 years. Ms. Pinto's career began as a rehearsal pianist for noted opera companies: Dallas Opera, Chicago's Lyric Opera, Omaha Opera, and others. In 2012, Ms. Pinto coached and was rehearsal pianist for Metropolitan Opera star and international soprano Deborah Voigt as she prepared for the three Brünhilde roles for the Met's production of Wagner's Ring Cycle which was featured in the documentary Wagner’s Dream: The Making of the Met's Ring Cycle and premiered at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival.
In 2022, Ms. Pinto was invited to be official accompanist for the Giulio Gari Competition and to accompany singers in the Gerda Lissner Song, Zarzuela and Aria Competition. She made her Carnegie Hall debut playing for the winners of the Gerda Lissner Winners Concert. In 2021, Ms. Pinto coached and directed scenes at the Summer Opera Festival of Morelia and coached at the Queens Summer Vocal Institute. In the fall of 2020, she performed at Black Opera’s tribute to Jessye Norman. She spends her summers on the coaching staff at Masterclass d' Ischia, Italy. She has worked with the NJ State Opera and Light Opera of NJ, and internationally with Opera Noire’s Ensemble in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Ms. Pinto is on the faculty of Montclair State University as a private coach, accompanist, and prepares students for opera productions. She serves as Artistic Director and accompanist for Opera at Florham while maintaining coaching studios in New Jersey and New York City.
Mary received her Bachelor’s degree in Music for piano performance from DePauw University and a Master’s in Music degree for piano and voice accompaniment from University of Illinois.