Upcoming concert on April 12 at 2:00 PM
Volare
Jodi Karem, Soprano
Jodi Karem, Soprano
Jodi Karem, Soprano
Growing up in the Lebanese culture, Ms. Karem wasn’t exposed to opera until college, when she performed in her first one – act opera, Beauty and the Beast (Vittorio Gianni), and knew that this was what she wanted to do. As a malleable performer, Jodi Karem has been described as “astonishing to witness her versatility”. She performs in both opera and concert in a variety of roles and styles throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. In 2024, Ms. Karem performed the roles of Miss Havisham (Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night) at OperaFest Dunedin and at St. John’s in the Village in NYC, Mme. Lidoine (Dialogues des Carmélites) under the baton of Gregory Buchalter, and Hélène (Hélène) by Camille Saint-Saëns with South Florida Lyric Opera.
In 2023, Ms. Karem had the opportunity to cover the role of Leonore (Fidelio) with St. Petersburg Opera under the baton of Maestro Mark Sforzini and perform in several preview concerts of this wonderful opera. She also performed with South Florida Lyric Opera in the roles of Mme. Patacha (Pierrette et Jacquot) and the title role Herminie (Berlioz). In 2022, Ms. Karem performed in music festivals such as Music @ Moccasin Lake and Arts Earth Festival in Mississippi. In 2021, Ms. Karem performed the role of Lady Macbeth both in Opera for Earth’s New York City production and in Austin, TX for the Neill Cochran House Museum’s Porch Concerts Series. In 2019, Ms. Karem was a prize winner in the Lyra New York International Vocal Competition, Opera Division. Ms. Karem’s 2019 performances include the role Alice Ford (Falstaff) and Gertrud (A Hand of Bridge) as well as concert performances in Dubai, UAE and in Germany. In Ms. Karem’s performance of Venus in Wagner’s Dresden version of Tannhäuser with Apotheosis Opera in New York City, she “inhabited her role with seductive tone and movements”. In her portrayal as the Mother in Amahl & the Night Visitors, Ms. Karem “reached emotional and vocal heights that set the pulse racing and the emotional barometer practically bursting” (BrooklynDiscovery.com).
Ms. Karem premiered the role of Lady Mabel with the Center for Contemporary Opera's production of The Secret Agent in New York City, the European debut with the Armel Festival in Hungary as well as in Avignon, France at Opera Grand Avignon. The release of The Secret Agent CD features Ms. Karem as part of the debut cast. Miss Karem has premiered numerous new operas: The Secret Agent, Kafka’s Women, Venus and Adonis, and Ada. As a mezzo soprano, Ms. Karem has performed with Springfield Regional Opera, Long Leaf Opera, Union Avenue Opera, Inter Cities Opera, Florentine Opera’s Italian Festival, Skylight Opera, Natchez Opera Festival, Center for Contemporary Opera, Armel Opera Festival and Opera Grand Avignon. In a performance of Santuzza with Cape Cod Opera, Ms. Karem’s performance was described as "one of the finest performances I have witnessed, not just stylistically, but in every other way - acting, emotion, facial expression, body movement." (operaOnline.us)
Recent concert performances include guest solo artist with OperaMaya in Cancun, Mexico, the Athena Music Foundation in Dubai, UAE, with the Canton Symphony Orchestra, performing scenes from Tosca and Tannhaüser, and with New York Dramatic Voices in excerpts from La Gioconda and La Fanciulla del West. Other performances include a performance at Carnegie Hall as a Soloist in Mozart's Vesperae solennes de confessore, as a soloist at Carnegie Hall in Mozart's Requiem, soloist in the Dayton Philharmonic's Messiah, as guest artists with the Canton Symphony Orchestra, as a soloist with the Louisville Orchestra, a concert and master class at Wabash College, as a soloist with the Palm Beach Theatre Guild, Waukegan Public Library Concert Series, Northwest Community Church Concert Series, and Carmen preview concerts with Florentine Opera in Milwaukee. Ms. Karem has been a prize winner and scholarship recipient with Opera Columbus Competition, National Opera Association, Marguerite McCammon Vocal Competition, Lyra New York International Vocal Competition, Aspen Music Festival, Bay Area Summer Opera Theatre Institute and Opera Theatre of Lucca. Young artist programs include Natchez Opera Festival, Cincinnati Opera Outreach Ensemble, Utah Opera, and Aspen Opera Theatre. Ms. Karem also performs in recital throughout the United States, and had the opportunity to perform as a solo artist for the Metropolitan Opera Guild's "Spinning Strauss" Master Class Series with Jane Marsh as well as for the Lincoln Center Patrons.
Ms. Karem works to grow her home community’s exposure to opera and musical arts. She raises funds to give musical training and performance experience to young kids, teaching them vocal and acting skills and shows them her love of musical arts in order to create our next generation of singers and music lovers. She has also worked with children from the Delta, an impoverished community in Mississippi, giving them musical enrichment summer programs. Her documentary of this experience has been invited to 4 film festivals. See it here: https://youtu.be/VqyWdmz10h0
Tom Hall, Baritone
Jodi Karem, Soprano
Jodi Karem, Soprano
Dramatic baritone Thomas Hall has become internationally known for his rich, powerful voice, particularly in the heldenbaritone roles of Wagner and Strauss. Last season, Mr Hall sang the role of Telramund in Lohengrin for the Metropolitan Opera under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Mr Hall’s recent European engagements have included the role of Wotan in the critically acclaimed production ofDie Walküre for Sofia Opera Wagner Festival,and the title role in Der fliegende Holländer and Jochanaan Salome for the the Badisches Staatstheater. A noted interpreter of the works of Richard Strauss, he has previously sung Jochanaan for Opera Australia, the Norwegian Opera and Ballet, the Royal Danish Opera, Tiroler Landestheater and Pfalztheater Kaiserlautern. His other Strauss roles include Kunrad Feurersnot for Teatro Massimo Palermo, Orest Elektra for Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and Barak Die Frau ohne Schatten for Theater Kiel.
Beginning his music career as a horn player, Mr. Hall changed to singing at the age of 27. He made his European debut in 2011 at the Savonlinna Opera Festival as Telramund in Lohengrin, a role that hel ater reprised at the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Polish National Opera, and Korea National Opera. He returned to Savonlinna in the title role of mDer fliegende Holländer and went on to head other productions with Opera Hong Kong, Teatro Regiodi Torino, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Circuito Lirico Lombardo, and Opera po Skaret. He added the three Wotan/Wanderer roles in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungento his repertoire with three complete cycles for Theater Kiel, Die Walküre for Grange Park Opera, Das Rheingold and Siegfried for the Staatstheater Wiesbaden, and Siegfried for Oldenburgisches Staatstheater.
His other roles include Scarpia in Tosca, the Villains in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, and Amonasro inAida. Concert repertoire includes Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and Puccini’s Messa di Gloria
Jennifer Lamont, Soprano
Jennifer Lamont, Soprano
Jennifer Lamont, Soprano
A Tampa Bay native, soprano Jennifer Lamont is known for her “captivatingly
charismatic” stage presence, “rich, golden” voice, and signature arpeggio laugh. This season, she sang in the chorus of Opera Tampa’s The Shining and The Magic Flute, premiered the role of The Diva in Nathan Felix’s immersive Meta-Opera, and covered the title role in St. Pete Opera’s Susannah. Her upcoming engagements include Macbeth with Opera Tampa, and Musetta cover for La bohème with St. Pete Opera.
She is an avid performer in local productions, including Blanche de la Force in Opera for Earth’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, The Shining and La Traviata with Opera Tampa, South Florida Lyric Opera’s Pierrette et Jacquot/Un mari a la porte and Acis and Galatea, and St. Pete Opera’s Turandot, Lucia di Lammermoor, Samson et Dalila, and Carmen. In 2023, she graduated from Florida State University with her B.M. in Voice
Performance. Her favorite credits include Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), Blanche
(Dialogues des Carmélites), Beátriz (La hija de Rappaccini), and Mabel (Pirates of
Penzance). Outside of singing, Jennifer is a board member of the IAWM and has
published original research in musicology. Instagram: @LamontSoprano
Teresa Ancaya, Pianist
Jennifer Lamont, Soprano
Jennifer Lamont, Soprano
Teresa Ancaya has been a pianist with the St. Pete Opera since 2009, playing rehearsals, concerts, outreach and much more. Ms. Ancaya has also performed with esteemed organizations such as Opera Tampa, USF Chamber Singers, The Master Chorale, Patel Conservatory, Gulf Coast Youth Choirs, Orlando Opera, The Florida Orchestra, The American Musical; Dramatic Academy, Vienna Summer Music Festival, Opera Lakeland and Opera for Earth.
Ms. Ancaya holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance (Cum Laude) as well as a Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She has studied
piano accompaniment from the University of Miami and in Salzburg, Austria. She held a piano instructor positions at Hillsborough Community College, Southeastern University, Florida
International University and University of South Florida. Although a busy performer, Ms. Ancaya also has a private studio in Lutz, Fl.
Known mainly for her piano skills, Ms. Ancaya is well – versed in choral music as well. She has sung as a chorus member with several organizations such as Opera Tampa, USF Singers as well as for various churches and synagogues throughout Tampa Bay. As a freelancer, Ms. Ancaya
stays very busy and is seen throughout Tampa Bay playing piano in the opera scene, churches, schools, country clubs, hotels and restaurants.
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