Heralded as “[one] of the most powerful voices of our time” by the Los Angeles Times, the “immensely gifted American bass-baritone Davóne Tines has won acclaim, and advanced the field of classical music” (The New York Times) as a path-breaking artist whose work not only encompasses a diverse repertoire but also explores the social issues of today. As a Black, gay, classically trained performer at the intersection of many histories, cultures, and aesthetics, his work blends opera, art song, contemporary classical, spirituals, gospel, and songs of protest, as a means to tell a deeply personal story of perseverance that connects to all of humanity. Davóne Tines is a winner of the 2020 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, recognizing extraordinary classical musicians of color. He also received the 2018 Emerging Artists Award from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and is a graduate of Harvard University and The Juilliard School. He is the first Artist-In-Residence for Michigan Opera Theatre starting in the 2021-22 Season.

Baritone Joshua Conyers, a native of Bronx, NY, is quickly being championed for his captivating performances as he continues to be recognized as one the promising young dramatic voices of today. Equally active in contemporary opera, Mr. Conyers performed the role of Jason in the world premiere of Matt Boehler’s 75 Miles, and Uncle Wesley in Carlos Simon’s Night Trip for Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative. His 2019-2020 season included returns to the Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera for First Priest in The Magic Flute, John Sorel in The Consul, cover of the Reverend in Jeanine Tesori’s Blue, and singing Jim and covering Jake in Porgy and Bess as well as Tom Joad in Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath with Aspen Opera Theater and VocalARTS. During WNO’s 2018–2019 season, Mr. Conyers performed Giorgio Germont in La traviata, British Major in Silent Night, Donkey in The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me, and Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin. Most recently Joshua was seen as Eustis in Le maréchal ferrant with Opera Lafayette and Tonio in Pagliacci and Tiger Brown in The Threepenny Opera, as part of Atlanta Opera’s innovative and acclaimed tent series.

American conductor Kazem Abdullah currently lives in Nürnberg, Germany. He was Music and Artistic Director of the City of Aachen, Germany from 2012 to 2017. During his tenure, he succeeded in reaching newer and diverse audiences through innovative programming and moving out of the concert hall, and into atypical venues. In addition to exploring new venues to bring concerts to audiences and experimenting with juxtapositions of styles in non-traditional concert formats, he also performed over 25 operas and collaborated with musicians such as Johannes Moser, Lise de la Salle, Angela Gheorghiu, Augustin Haedelich, and Midori. A passionate advocate of new music as well as established repertoire, Mr. Abdullah continues to develop relationships with national and international orchestras and opera houses. Among his recent orchestral credits are the symphony orchestras of Oregon, Indianapolis, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. In addition to his symphony engagements, he recently conducted an opera Gala for the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the American premiere of Charles Wuorinen’s opera Brokeback Mountain with the New York City Opera, and Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda for Cape Town Opera.

Ronnita Miller received her Masters of Music from the Manhattan School of Music and graduated from The Juilliard School before spending two years in the Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program at Los Angeles Opera.  In 2008, she became a principal artist in the ensemble at Deutsche Oper Berlin where she remained until 2019 singing many roles including Mama Lucia Cavalleria Rusticana, Third Lady Die Zauberflöte, Mary Der fliegende Holländer, Madelon Andrea Chenier, Ulrika Un Ballo in Maschera. Ronnita appeared in several roles in Der Ring des Nibelungen, most notably Erda and First Norn, roles she also sang at San Francisco Opera, Teatro Real Madrid, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Semperoper Dresden and The Metropolitan Opera of New York. She sang concert performances of the work at Tanglewood Festival, the Edinburgh International Festival and in Amsterdam at the Concertgebouw. Miss Miller has appeared in many concerts worldwide, and has shared the concert stage with Christian Thielemann, Simon Rattle, Andrew Davis, Alexander Vedernikov, Donald Runnicles, Fabio Luisi and Riccardo Muti among others.  Returning to the US in 2020, the artist joined Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for their Gala concert last fall, and she’s currently appearing as Mrs Peacham The Threepenny Opera at The Atlanta Opera. She returns to the Metropolitan Opera next season for the role of Big Stone in Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice.

Victor Robertson made his Metropolitan Opera debut in their new 2017 production of Merry Widow as Raoul, and concurrently his Broadway debut in its longest running show, Phantom of the Opera as Piangi. He made his professional debut in Baz Luhrmann’s Rent, an adaptation of Puccini’s La Bohème, at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, winning the coveted Ovation Award. Victor sang his signature role, Count Almaviva Il barbiere di Siviglia across the US, and continues to appear in bel canto roles nationwide. With a natural ability for contemporary music, Victor inaugurated the role of Benny “Kid” Paret in Terence Blanchard’s celebrated Champion in its world premiere in 2017 at Washington National Opera and later revived the role at Michigan Opera Theatre and at Opera de Montreal.   Other international highlights include Candide at Opera National de Lorraine in France, Rinaldo Armida at Garsington Festival Opera (UK), the title role Orpheus at New York City Opera, Sportin’ Life in Francesca Zambello’s production of Porgy and Bess on tour worldwide, and Rodolfo La Boheme at Royal Albert Hall in London.

Rising star Whitney Morrison has earned praise for her “big, gleaming soprano” (Chicago Classical Review) and “vocally sumptuous” performances (Chicago Tribune). A Chicago native and recent alum of the Ryan Opera Center, Morrison champions an African American aesthetic in classical music, embracing a style of performance that blends classical singing technique with elements of the gospel singing tradition. Of her most recent performance in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s virtual concert, “Lawrence Brownlee and Friends: The Next Chapter,” Opera News raved, “Whitney Morrison was simply astonishing in everything she sang…This is a voice we need to hear live.” Morrison’s future engagements include 7 Deaths of Maria Callas with Marina Abramović at the Greek National Opera Athens. She appeared earlier this season as Leonie Baker in the world premiere of Freedom Ride at Chicago Opera Theater, prompting The Wall Street Journal to declare, “One impassioned aria caught my ear: Leonie Baker (soprano Whitney Morrison)” and Classical Voice America to say, “the production’s big surprise was soprano Whitney Morrison, who nearly stole the show.” Morrison also garnered acclaim for her “richly textured performance and luxurious voice” (The Times Weekly) as Sister Rose in Dead Man Walking at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. While at the Ryan Opera Center, Morrison covered the roles of Liù (Turandot), Marguerite (Faust) and Mimì (La Bohème) and performed as Countess Ceprano (Rigoletto), Gerhilde (Die Walküre) the First Cretan Woman (Idomeneo) and the Confidante (Elektra).   Other recent credits include the role of Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) with Chicago’s Floating Opera Company and appearances at the 2018 Grant Park Music Festival and the Rochester Institute of Technology’s celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, “MLK Expressions.”