Creative Collaborations Project
Fresh Squeezed Opera believes that collaboration across disciplines, fields, and media pushes the genre of opera forward. With our Core Company Residency Program, Fresh Squeezed Opera aims to connect singers and composers, and give them the resources to collaboratively create new work and grow professionally.
Music has always been pushed forward by a community of creators. When were no computers to play music back, composers relied on other musicians. Presently, composers and performers are more isolated than ever. FSO bridges this gap to create unique music and life-changing experiences. Through our collaborative and unique performance processes, we are preparing the next generation of composers and performers with the tools to collaborate effectively, learn and grow together, and improve their respective works.
Starting January 2018, our Core Company Residents will each partner with a composer to collaboratively create a new piece of music. This piece will be premiered at our Showcase in November 2018. Fresh Squeezed Opera will create the pairings. Over the course of six months, the singer and a composer will work together to write a piece of music. FSO will provide the pairings with a pianist and a space to work. We will also connect them with experts on vocal technique, text-setting, engraving, and any other professionals requested to guide you throughout the process.
This collaborative process is so important in creating new works. Singers will come out of the journey with a sense over ownership over the works, a better understanding of contemporary composition practices, and renewed mastery over their own technique. Composers will come out with vastly improved knowledge about writing for voice, experience in creating collaborative work, and an enhanced understanding of text setting. Both will have had a transformative and life-changing experience through this process, whether by improving your musicianship, or by meeting new and inspiring people.
Victoria Benson
Soprano
Soprano Victoria Benson began her career at the age of eleven when she performed as one of the Three Spirits in Mozart's The Magic Flute at Virginia Opera. While still in high school, she attended the Washington National Opera Institute for Young Singers and performed as a soloist and choir member throughout the DC metro area, including at The Kennedy Center. Victoria received her musical degrees from Ithaca College and Westminster Choir College, where she performed in many operas and scenes programs as well as solo recitals. She currently studies with Kate Johnson. Last year Victoria took on new challenges: She sang her first pants role as Pedro in Utopia Opera's Don Quichotte, performed in her first Russian opera, Iolanta, with New Opera NYC, and premiered the new work La Zombiata with Fresh Squeezed Opera.
Denise Crawfort
Soprano
Described as possessing a voice “with a timbre like bubbles encasing glitter”, soprano Denise Crawfort was most recently seen with Fresh Squeezed Opera as Avery in the New York premier of Baby Shower. After winning praise for her last-minute turn as Ännchen in Der Freischütz, Ms. Crawfort has gone on to perform the roles of Phyllis in Iolanthe and Mrs. Nordstrom in A Little Night Music. In addition to her performances with Fresh Squeezed Opera, Ms. Crawfort has frequently performed with Hartford Opera Theater in their new music festival,New in November. Other performance highlights include the title role in Patience, Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia, Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, Drusilla in L’incoronazione di Poppea, and Adele in Die Fledermaus. Proud to be a core company member of Fresh Squeezed Opera, Ms. Crawfort is excited to sing The Yellow Wallpaper after first performing an excerpt from the piece at the Showcase of New Opera Arias and Songs in 2014. A graduate of Ithaca College and UNC Greensboro, Denise currently studies with Camille Gifford.
Christine Duncan
Mezzo Soprano
New York City-based mezzo-soprano Christine Duncan is quickly gaining recognition for her vocal power and clarity as well as a commanding stage presence. 2016-17 engagements include Zita/La Zia Principessa in Gianni Schicchi/Suor Angelica with the Festival di Narni in Italy, and the world premiere of Juliet Palmer's a cappella opera, Sweat, at Brooklyn's National Sawdust with the Center for Contemporary Opera. The 2015-2016 season included Christine's debut in the title role in Donizetti's La Favorita and Flora in La Traviata with West Side Opera Society. New opera roles included Xenobia in the Boston premiere of Jillian Flexner's La Zombiata: A Zombie Love Story, and the workshop and premiere of Andrea Clearfield's Mila: Great Sorcerer with American Lyric Theatre. The 2015-16 season also marks Ms. Duncan's professional debut as a dancer and choreographer in The Yellow Wallpaper, a collaboration between Fresh Squeezed Opera Company and The Curiousity Cabinet. Christine recently made her mainstage debut as Flora in La Traviata opposite Metropolitan Opera soprano Angela Meade at Astoria Music Festival under the baton of Keith Clark.Other recent roles include Dorabella in Così fan tutte with Astoria Music Festival, Der Komponist and Dryade in Ariadne auf Naxos with the Land of Enchantment Opera, and Lel in the US premiere of Rimsky-Korsakov's Snegurochka (The Snow Maiden) with the Lowell House Opera, where she was praised by Arts Fuse Boston for her vocal warmth and dexterity. Previous engagements also include Prince Orlofsky in Die ledermaus with New York Lyric Opera Theater, La Ciesca in Gianni Schicci with the Land Of Enchantment Opera and Lady Sangazure in The Sorcerer with the MIT Gilbert and Sullivan Players, where she premiered a reconstruction of the character's 'lost aria'. A well-rounded performer, Christine has also toured Europe with world folk choir Northern Harmony, acted in plays, and has twelve years of dance training. Christine holds an MM degree in Vocal Performance from the Longy School of Music and a BA in Music from Connecticut College. Christine is a student of Andrea DelGiudice.
Jane Hoffman
Soprano
Jane will begin the 2016 season returning to the Pasadena Opera to cover Mrs. Gleaton in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, conducted by Dana Sadava and directed by Sara Widzer. In August of 2015, Jane was a member of the Emerald City Opera Artist Institute, where she sang The Fire and The White Cat in The Child and The Spells by Ravel, conducted by Andres Cladera and directed by Keturah Grünblatt, and also participated in a masterclass with soprano Elizabeth Futral. Earlier in 2015, she appeared in Fresh Squeezed Opera’s New York premiere of Baby Shower by Bruce Trinkley.She has performed operatic roles such as Blondchen (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Frasquita (Carmen) and Olympia (Les contes d’Hoffmann). In concert she has performed as a soloist in works such as Couperin’s Leçons de Ténèbre and Bach’s cantatas BWV 140 “Wachetauf” and BWV 202 “Weichet nur.” Jane received a Master of Music degree in Voice from the Manhattan School of Music. For her bachelor’s she attended Sarah Lawrence College, where she performed with the Sarah Lawrence Orchestra as a soloist in works such as Missa Brevis in C (Mozart) and Messe de Minuit (M.A. Charpentier).
Sean Patrick Jernigan
Baritone
Sean Patrick Jernigan (lyric baritone) explores the intersecting worlds of opera, sacred music, musical theatre, and contemporary vocal arts. Recent performances: Michael in the music/multimedia project April (NYC/Montreal premiere), Father David in musical The Dismal Life of Conrad Crum (workshop). Regional work: ensemble Les Misérables (Riverside Theatre), Oliver Hix/ensemble The Music Man (Geva Theatre Center), ensemble Sweeney Todd (Geva). Favorite roles include Dr. Craven The Secret Garden, Conrad Birdie Bye Bye Birdie, and Schaunard La Bohéme. Vocal performance degrees from University of Memphis (BM) and Eastman School of Music (MM). Sean lives in Brooklyn where he also pursues the healing arts teaching yoga and meditation. Mr. Jernigan is excited to debut Scopes with Fresh Squeezed Opera!
Claire Myers
Soprano
Soprano Claire Myers has performed as a soloist in operatic and concert settings across the country. Currently appearing as Micaëla in Carmen with Golden Rose Opera, Ms Myers recently appeared in Susannah with Utopia Opera, performed the title role of Suor Angelica, and spent the summer with the Caramoor Music Festival. Ms Myers has been seen in diverse roles including Erste Dame (Die Zauberflöte), Parasha (Mavra), Amor (Orfeo ed Euridice), and Maria (Coming to America). Ms. Myers has also performed as a soloist in works by Britten, Mozart, Haydn, Pergolesi and Johann Strauss with the University of Colorado University Choir, the Boulder Youth Symphony and the Emerald City Opera Orchestra, among others. A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, she received her B.M. from the University of Colorado, and her M.M. at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. Claire studies with Margaret Lattimore in New York City.
Barbara Porto
Soprano
Barbara Porto is an emerging soprano who has been praised for her bell-like tone quality and engaging stage presence. Most recently, Ms. Porto performed the role of Denise in Offenbach's Le Mariage aux Lanternes with Apollo Opera, and appeared in scenes as Susanna in Cantanti Project’s concert, Hits and Hidden Gems of Mozart and Massenet. Other operatic roles include Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Crobyle (Thaïs), Petrovna (Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tsar’s Bride), Servilia (La clemenza di Tito), Anna Gomez (Menotti’s The Consul), Giannetta (L’Elisir d’Amore), and Barbarina (Le nozze di Figaro).
Equally committed to new music, Ms. Porto was a Young Artist at the Institute and Festival for Contemporary Performance in June 2013. There, she had the privilege to sing in a workshop for renowned soprano Toni Arnold, and publicly perform Berio's Circles with percussion and harp ensemble. Currently, Barbara is engaged to perform the role of Rose Cauley in the New York premiere of Bruce Trinkley's Baby Shower with the Fresh Squeezed Opera Company. A California native, Ms. Porto holds a B.A. in both Music and Psychology from Occidental College, where she studied with Alma Mora Ponce. She also holds a M.S. in Special Education from CUNY Hunter College. Barbara earned her M.M. Performance degree at Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of soprano Anna Skibinksy. She resides in New York City, and continues her vocal study with Mark Schnaible.
