Program Guide

PERFORMANCE
INFORMATION

CAST BIOS

GROOM — Junhan Choi

Baritone Junhan Choi (Groom), a native of South Korea, is a dynamic interpreter of a wide variety of repertoire on opera, oratorio, and concert stages. He recently appeared roles such as Registrar&Commissioner, Madama Butterfly, Dandini(cover), La Cenerentola, Bass solo, Eurydice, and Schaunard(cover)&Alcindoro, La Boheme with Boston Lyric Opera as part of his 2022-2024 seasons as a Jane and Steven Akin Emerging Artist.
Mr. Choi is a prize winner in many international competitions, such as the 54th Viñas International Voice Competition(Spain/Three Extraordinary Prizes - Mercedes Viñas, Victoria de los Ángeles, Franz Schubert), the Berliner International Music Competition(Germany/Golden Medal), MassOpera’s Vocal Competition(1st Place), Rochester International Vocal Competition and St. Botolph Emerging Artist Grant for excellence in music. He made his Carnegie Hall debut for ‘Tribute to Dmitri Hvorostovsky’ concert as a baritone soloist as a first prize recipient of 2017 Talents of the World International Voice Competition.

BRIDE — Emma Robertson

OLD MAN — Patrick Bessenbacher

Patrick Bessenbacher (Old Man/Chorus) was raised in Overland Park, KS, where he grew up a three sport athlete and an avid music lover. Most recently, Patrick sang the role of Tonio in Opera Company of Middlebury’s production of La fille du régiment as well as premiering the role of Peter Fagan in Carla Lucero’s newest opera Touch about the life of Helen Keller. He also joined Opera San Jose and the Florentine Opera performing the role of Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia. Patrick is represented by Robert Mirshak and Mirshak Artists. He received his Bachelor’s in Music at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and his Master’s in Music from The Juilliard School. Patrick enjoys spending his free time with family and friends, in the mountains skiing, on the beach having a drink, or just on the couch, enjoying everyones’ company.

ASTRONAUT — Fred VanNess Jr.

SPY — AddieRose Brown

AddieRose Brown (SPY/CHORUS) is delighted to make her Boston area debut with Cambridge Chamber Ensemble in this rare Menotti riddle. Originally drawn to singing by the simplicity and sincerity of Scottish and American folk music, mezzo-soprano AddieRose Brown now imbues operatic and concert stages with the same heartfelt authenticity and creative spirit. Following recent performances as a Resident Artist with Teatro Nuovo in Montclair and at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, New York Classical Review praised AddieRose for her “moving account... notable for its poignancy and the loveliness of her velvety lower range.” The 24/25 season brings a string of exciting engagements that include joining the Hudson Valley Singers as the mezzo soloist in John Corigliano’s darkly lyrical Fern Hill, beginning a Fellowship with Madison Avenue Baptist, NYC, in their Emerging Artist Program, and returning to the New Philharmonic for her role debut as Giannetta in L’elisir d’amore.

EXECUTIVE — Courtney Elvira

Courtney Elvira (Executive Manager) is a Mexican-American opera singer and has sung for companies like Dayton Opera; Brava! Opera Theater; Opera Ithaca; Des Moines Metro Opera; Opera Saratoga; Kentucky Opera; Opera Ithaca; St. Petersburg Opera; Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Savannah Voice Festival.

Her awards include winning the West Tennessee District (2020) and Connecticut District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (2018). She was also a Finalist in the Butler Opera International Vocal Competition (2019). Ms. Elvira was the recent recipient of the Creative Pinellas
2022 Professional Artist Grant ($5000) for her career achievements.

Ms. Elvira maintains an active film career. She’s played roles in multiple Lifetime movies, including Kara in Controlling My Husband, Nicole Adamson in From Dangerous Heights, notably directed by Haylie Duff, Officer Ramirez in Roommate Regret and Principal Marta Gutierrez in Nightmare PTA Moms; as well as roles in SAG films, like Athena (VO) and Hispanic Newswoman in Mother Nature

DEATH — Andrew Boisvert

Andrew Boisvert, Bass, has been hailed as “thundering” (San Diego Story) with a “deep warmth” (The Rutland Herald). Recent 2024 performance highlights include singing Unnamed Bass in Too Many Sopranos with Cedar Rapids Opera, Frank in Die Fledermaus with Bel Cantanti Opera, and Il Carceriere in Cedar Rapids Opera’s Tosca. Previous 2023 and 2022 highlights include making his Indianapolis Opera debut as Zuniga (where he also covered Escamillo) in Carmen, returning to Sarasota Opera to cover Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni and Lo zio Bonzo in Madama Butterfly, singing Il Re di Scozia in Opera Neo’s production of Ariodante (August 2022), covering Sergeant Sulpice in St. Petersburg Opera’s production of La fille du Régiment (June 2022), and performing as Sam in Fargo-Moorhead Opera’s production of Trouble in Tahiti (March 2022) as well as covering Alidoro in their performance of Rossini’s Cinderella (April 2022).

DEATH'S LACKEY — Jacob O'Shea

Jacob O’Shea (Death’s Lackey) is a rising young Baritone whose performances have been deemed, “visually and vocally [commanding]” (Boston Musical Intelligencer). Last season, O’Shea completed his second year as a Bailey Apprentice Artist at Palm Beach Opera and was an Apprentice Artist at Des Moines Metro Opera. Previously, he has also worked with Central City Opera, Boston University Opera Institute, and the Seagle Festival. Role highlights include Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Colline (La bohème), The Sodbuster (Proving Up), and Paul (If I Were You). O’Shea is thrilled to be back home in Boston and to return to Cambridge Chamber Ensemble after taking part in their production of Forbidden Love.

BELLBOY — Thai Johnson

GROOM COVER, OPERA SINGER — David Smyth

David Smyth is a Boston-based baritone, well-known for his charismatic stage presence and distinctive, warm timbre. He has sung numerous roles in opera, operetta, and oratorio, and recent highlights include Silvio in I Pagliacci, Rabbi David in L’amico Fritz, Count in Nozze di Figaro, Escamillo in Carmen, and Florian in Princess Ida. David discovered a passion for classical singing shortly after completing his doctoral studies in mathematics, and continues to study privately while also working as an associate professor in the math department at Tufts University. He has interdisciplinary research interests in mathematical logic, philosophy, and cognitive science, motivated by his long-term goal of proving that the world needs less AI and more opera.

BRIDE COVER — Kate Wood

KATE WOOD (Bride cover) is a Boston-based soprano returning to Cambridge Chamber Ensemble after “deploy[ing] her pure soprano with a goddess’s dignity” (Boston Musical Intelligencer) as Venus in their 2022 production of John Blow’s Venus and Adonis. Earlier in 2024, Ms. Wood dazzled audiences as Norina in Don Pasquale with Quisisana, and created the role of Chloris in Ted & Togo Productions’ adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Haunted Palace in its micro-operatic world premiere. In 2025, Kate returns to St. Petersburg Opera as Fredrika & Mrs. Nordstrom cover in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. Other recent roles include La Fée in Cendrillon, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Madame Herz in The Impresario, Olympia in Les contes d’Hoffmann, and Lucy in The Telephone. Also a concert soloist, Kate has recently performed Mendelssohn’s Hear My Prayer and Fauré’s Requiem with Old South Church and Vivaldi’s Gloria with Masterworks Chorale. More at katewoodsoprano.com.