December 15, 2023
The presentation of Lily at the Monroe Township Library in New Jersey was a success!
You can watch some of the
performance here:
September 15, 2023
Another Lily Presentation is Coming!
Scenes and selections from the opera Lily will be presented in a performance/lecture at 1 p.m. Nov. 16, 2023, at the Monroe Township Library, 4 Municipal Plaza, Monroe Township, NJ 08831.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is recommended as the series is very popular and there is limited seating.
Click here for Lily at the Library
May 1, 2023
The blog Outward Sound wrote a piece about "Lily," discussing the how the opera, while set in the 19th century, examines its female protagonist through a contemporary lens. You can read the piece
here: Finding Forgiveness in Opera, Part 1.
November 14, 2022
Watch "Lily" on YouTube!
October 14, 2022
The "Lily" recording project was recently featured "Carroll Magazine."
Click here to read the article: "It Belongs to All of Us"
September 2, 2022
Filming of the video production of "Lily" was completed July 31! We are now working on final edits. This wonderful production will be made available sometime this fall.
Stay tuned!
February 22, 2022
We are thrilled to announce that there will be a video production of "Lily" in Summer 2022 under the direction of Stephen Strosnider.
It will take place on the campus of McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. If you would like to donate to this recording project, you may do so through our GoFundMe campaign.
The principals will be:
Katie Procell as Lily
Han Jeong Wook as Seldon
Jeffrey Gates as Gus
Allison Deady as Judy
Marcelle McGuirck as the Milliner
The Lily Symphonic Ensemble conducted by Juliano Aniceto
Stephen Strosnider, Director
Video production by Fraimework Productions
Katie Procell
Soprano Katie Procell has been praised throughout the Baltimore area for her "arresting stage presence" (Peter Dayton). Her musical curiosity includes the avant-garde and she has performed Pierrot Lunaire, Ginastera's String Quartet No. 3, Messiaen’s Harawi, Berio Sequenza III and more. Past opera credits include Susanna (The Marriage of Figaro; Peach State Opera; cover), various roles in two-woman collection of short new operas Elevator (ENA Ensemble); Lisa (La Sonnambula; Opera Alchemy); Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro; Peabody Conservatory); Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi; Alchemy); Krysia (understudy, Out of Darkness: Two Remain; Baltimore Theatre Project); Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia; James Madison University); Valencienne (The Merry Widow; JMU); Phyllis (Iolanthe; Luray Opera Theater); Patience (Patience; JMU); Despina (Così fan tutte; Alchemy & Luray). She studies with Elizabeth Futral and has studied with Phyllis Bryn-Julson at Peabody Conservatory (MM '18) and Kevin McMillan at James Madison University (BM '16) and has also trained as an apprentice artist with Opera Roanoke.
Procell is represented by Spotlight Artists Management and is a resident artist with Sparrow Live. She works closely with composer Peter Dayton, has premiered several of his works, and will make her album debut with Dayton’s vocal chamber music in 2022, Stories Out of Cherry Stems. This upcoming season she will appear as Papagena (Die Zauberflöte; Lighthouse Opera).
Han Jeong Wook
Originally from Seoul, Korea, tenor Han Jeong Wook received his Bachelor of Art at Korea National University of Arts and his Master of Music at Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. He has studied with Soprano Ah Young Hong at Peabody, Tenor Yim Ung-Kyun in Korea, and bass Taikai Takahashi in Japan. He has received awards from notable competitions, including the Tokyo International Vocal Competition which became a catalyst for his career in Japan. He is currently the first Korean regular member of the Japan Vocalist Forum, one of the largest classical vocal associations in Japan. He has performed in Korea and Japan as an artist and soloist at Tokyo International Association of Artists, Saitama City Opera, and Opera Osaka, singing the roles of Rodolfo (La Boheme), Edgardo (Lucia di Lamermoor), Alfredo (La Traviata), and Il duca di Mantova (Rigoletto). In addition, to his operatic career, he has also actively participated in oratorio and cantata works such as Handel's “Messiah” and Beethoven “Symphony No. 9”. After moving to the U.S., he was featured in the Peabody Opera Theatre mainstage production of G. Puccini’s Il Trittico as Luigi (Il Tabarro) and K. Mecheem’s Pride and Prejudice as Mr. Bingley. At the 2019-20 season of Bel Cantanti Opera, he played as Il Duca di Mantova from Verdi’s Rigoletto, 2021-2022 season, he performed a role of Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata and Mozart in Rimsky Korsakov’s opera Mozart and Salieri.
Jeffrey Gates
Baritone Jeffrey Grayson Gates is a Texas native who is quickly distinguishing himself as a talented young performer across the United States. Most recently, Mr. Gates was selected as a winner of the Vocal Arts DC Young Artists Competition, and the Washington D.C. District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, previously having been a Regional Finalist in the Midwest Region. He was also named the Grand Prize Overall Winner at the 2010 Naftzger Young Artist Auditions in Wichita, Kansas – the first male vocalist to win the award since 1946. Shortly after, Mr. Gates completed his Bachelor of Music degree as a student of Dr. William Nield Christensen at Oklahoma City University where he received The Steven Dickson Encouragement Award, sponsored by baritone Ron Raines. Mr. Gates recently received a Graduate Performance Diploma in Voice from the Peabody Conservatory, studying under William Sharp.
In addition to opera and musical theater, Mr. Gates has extensive experience on the concert stage. Most recently, he performed a series of art song recitals with Vocal Arts DC, including a recital on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Recently, he has appeared as the baritone soloist Mozart’s Requiem with the Richmond Symphony, Duruflé’s Requiem at Epiphany Episcopal Church in Timonium, MD. He has performed as soloist in Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, and excerpts of Vaughan Williams’ Hodie with the Oklahoma City University Symphony Orchestra. He has also been featured as the baritone soloist in Händel’s Messiah with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra and Canterbury Choral Society in 2008 and 2010, as well as various other organizations throughout the United States.
Jeffrey Grayson Gates’ upcoming engagements include: Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia with Hexacollective; Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Hub Opera Ensemble; Soloist in Händel’s Messiah with the Harford Choral Society; Soloist in Carmina Burana with the Susquehanna Symphony; Soloist in Fauré’s Requiem with the Harford Choral Society; Chorus in Nabucco with Lyric Opera Baltimore.
Jeffrey Grayson Gates currently resides in Baltimore, MD with his wife, soprano Courtney Kalbacker. For more information, please visit http://www.JeffreyGatesBaritone.com.
Allison Deady
Allison Deady has the start of a promising career, possessing a voice and stage presence that is captivating audiences. This season Allison can be seen singing Marta in Knoxville Opera’s Mefistofele, with Baltimore Concert Opera and the Spoleto Festival, and playing Marcellina in Peach State Opera’s production of Le Nozze di Figaro. She also performed in Franklin Light Opera’s inaugural production of Cendrillon as Armalinde.
Her career highlights include performances with Chicago Lyric Unlimited, Knoxville Opera, Chautauqua Opera Company, and Nashville Opera. Symphonically, Allison has performed with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and Brevard Music Center Orchestra. Favorite roles include Elizabeth Proctor (The Crucible; University of Tennessee Opera Theater), Mrs. McClean (Susannah; Nashville Opera), Tisbe (La Cenerentola; SUNY Fredonia Opera), Lola (Cavalleria rusticana; Knoxville Opera) and Mrs. Herring (Albert Herring; Janiec Opera Company).
A champion of new works, Allison workshopped Sister Carrie with Grammy-winning composer, Robert Aldridge and debut Speed Dating, Tonight! by Michael Ching.
Ms. Deady received her Bachelor of Music and Music Education at SUNY Fredonia and her Master of Music at the University of Tennessee. Allison comes from Rochester, NY and she currently resides in Philadelphia with her Boston Terrier, Darcy.
Learn more about Allison on her website.
Juliano Aniceto
Juliano Dutra Aniceto is one of the most significant upcoming conductors of his generation, developing his career in the United States and in South America. Juliano has conducted the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Peabody Symphony Orchestra, the São Pedro Opera House, the East Carolina University Opera Theatre, the São Paulo State Youth Orchestra, among others.
With 11 operatic productions and 3 music theater productions in his repertoire, Juliano is recognized by his versatility among genres and musicality. Juliano was the music director Humperdinck’s opera “Hansel and Gretel.” In 2022, he will serve as music director for the recording of Garth Baxter’s opera Lily.
Currently under the mentorship of Maestro Marin Alsop, and serving as her graduate assistant, Juliano is enrolled in the doctorate program at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University and the recipient of the “Artistic Excellence Scholarship.” Juliano also serves as the Executive Assistant for the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship and as Hugh Hawkins Fellow researcher at The Johns Hopkins University.
Juliano has participated in masterclasses with Marin Alsop (his mentor), Kurt Masur, Claudio Cruz, Isaac Karabtchevsky, Ernani Aguiar, Kenneth Kiesler, Martin Schmidt, and Osvaldo Ferreira.
Juliano Aniceto was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and from an early age, his talent was recognized: reviews of his concerts, as a flute soloist, classified him as “A soloist with great future” (Invitation to the Classics, Clovis Marques).
Garth Baxter
Composer Garth Baxter is noted for his modern traditionalist style of writing. This is a style that combines the traditions of form and clear melodic writing with the use of contemporary approaches to harmonies and other elements. He is recognized as one of the preeminent composers of art songs and has been described as an unabashed lyrical, tonal composer.
Baxter was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1946, and moved to California when he was nine years old. He earned music degrees from Pepperdine University and California State University at Northridge. He studied composition with Robert Hall Lewis, Joseph Wagner, and William Thornton. In addition to writing music, Baxter currently teaches and mentors emerging composers.
Baxter’s compositions for chorus, orchestra, symphonic band, piano, organ, flute, voice, and guitar, as well as other instrumental combinations, have been performed throughout the world. His music has been featured on radio and on-line programs worldwide. He has received numerous awards, commissions, and honors. His music has been the topics of Doctoral and Master’s Theses.
His recording, ASK THE MOON, works for voice and piano by Garth Baxter, released January 2018 by PARMA Recordings (Navona), has been praised worldwide. The recording Katherine Keem Sings Songs and Arias by Garth Baxter, from Centaur Records, has been acclaimed for its significant contribution to the voice and guitar repertoire.
A recording of Baxter’s instrumental works, Resistance, was released from PARMA Recordings (Navona) February 2019 and has received wonderful reviews. His work Still Falls the Rain was featured on the album Voices of Earth and Air, Vol. 3 released by PARMA (Navona) in October, 2020. A new recording of recent music from Mr. Baxter will be released by PARMA Recordings near the end of 2022.
Baxter’s works are published by ALRY Publications, Columbia Music Company, Les Productions D’OZ, Doberman-YPPan, Guitar Chamber Music Press, Mel Bay Publications, North Star Music and Theodore Presser.
Lisa VanAuken (Lisa Van Allen)
Librettist Lisa VanAuken holds an MFA in Fiction from Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she held a fellowship as the assistant editor of The Literary Review; An International Journal of Contemporary Writing. Her short prose was nominated for inclusion in Best New American Writing and The Pushcart Prize. Lisa’s work has been published in many literary journals, including Fourth Genre, Many Mountains Moving, Fugue, Limestone, The MacGuffin, Sou’wester, The Literary Review (TLRweb), Flyway, Southeast Review, CICADA, Baltimore’s Citypaper, and many other venues. Her novels have been published pseudonymously, most prominently under the name Lisa Van Allen, by three major houses, translated into over nine languages, and appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.
Stephen Strosnider
Director Stephen Strosnider is honored to be bringing the beauty and grandeur of Lily to audiences everywhere this summer. A Carroll County native, Stephen has been working within the performing arts industry for over twelve years as an actor, director, scenic designer, and teacher. He has performed and designed throughout the DMV area including The Kennedy Center, Metro Stage, and our wonderful Carroll Arts Center hailing him “funny, sincere, and exceptionally entertaining!” Community member’s may recall his acclaimed productions of La Boheme and The Elixir of Love at The Scott Center as well as his numerous productions through Take the Stage Drama School. A graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory, he is currently the Technical Director and Theater Coordinator for McDaniel College’s Theater Arts Department.
December 6, 2015 – The arias Long Ago from Act I, Scene III and How Strange to Think from Act II, Scene II of Lily were performed by Soprana Shannah Timms Yerofeyeva and Diana Thompson Greene in a concert presented by the MacDowell Club of Mountain Lakes December 6th at 3 PM. Also on the program were Grandmother, think not I forget by Garth Baxter, September from the Four Last Songs of Richard Strauss, as well as works by Rachmaninoff, Schubert, Handel and Bach and the aria Ain’t it a pretty night from Susannah by Floyd. It took place at:
Franciscan Oaks
19 Pocono Road
Denville, NJ
October 17, 2014 – Katherine Keem will sing Is this the cost? The penalty I pay? from Act II, Scene II of Lily as part of the OperaBelle concert at the Arts@midday series at the St. Albans Parish 3001 Wisconsin Ave. NW Washington, DC 20016.
September 26, 2014 – Is this the cost? from Act II, Scene II was performed by Soprano Katherine Keem and pianist Andrew Stewart at the OperaBelle Fall Recital at Edenwald Retirement Community, Towson, Maryland.
February 19, 2014 – Soprano Katherine Keem and Pianist Andrew Stewart gave the world premier of: Is this the cost? The penalty I pay? from Act II, Scene II of Lily at the “Happenings at the Harman” series at The Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, DC.
March 8, 2013 – How Strange to Think, from Act II, Scene II of Lily was given it’s world premier by Mezzo Soprano Megan Ihnen, and pianist Hillary Kruh, at the Baltimore Composers Forum 20th Anniversary Concert at An die Musik, Baltimore, MD.
October 22, 2011 – Pianist Andrew Stewart performed Garth Baxter’s Romance Without Words at the Autumn Sounds at the Enoch Pratt Parish Hall concert in Baltimore, Maryland.
May 8, 2011 – The piano work Romance Without Words, based upon themes from Act I, Scene II of Lily, was given its world premier by Elitza Harbova at the Casal Palocco in Rome, Italy.
May 2011 – “Romance Without Words” (the piano work based on the aria and duet from the second scene of Lily) was given its world premier May 15, 2011 in Rome, Italy by Elitza Harbova.
May 2010 – The song “I Will Always Be Beholden” from Act I, Scene I of Lily was featured on the radio show Music sans frontières on station 3RC from Melbourne, Australia. This show is unique in that is plays music of all genres from around the world. This aria, as well as several art songs by Garth Baxter, were the only classical pieces played during the 2 hour show on Tuesday, March 23, 2010. Learn more…
The entire Lily cast and crew at the end of filming.
Director Stephen Strosnider goes over production notes at a Lily rehearsal.
Conductor Juliano Aniceto poses with Lily composer Garth Baxter.
Katie Procell and Jeffrey Gates perform in Lily Act I, Scene III.
Jerrold Kalstein, President of Boheme Opera New Jersey; Lisa VanAuken, librettist; Charles Schneider, baritone; Sandra Pucciatti, pianist and manager of Boheme Opera; Samantha Blossey, soprano; Garth Baxter, composer