• Georges Bizet - "Seguidilla" from Carmen (Leandra Ramm, mezzo-soprano)
• Charles Gounod - "Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle" from Romeo and Juliet (Leandra Ramm, mezzo-soprano) & Richard Wagner, "Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge" from Das Rheingold (Timothy Hill, baritone)
• Gaetano Donizetti - "Una furtiva lagrima" from The Elixir of Love (Angelo Marchese, tenor) & Giacomo Puccini, "Donde lieta" from La Boheme (Leslie Hochman, soprano)
• Giacomo Puccini - "O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi (Leslie Hochman, soprano)

Leslie Hochman Aiuvalasit, soprano
Leslie has been applauded for her unique portrayals of some of operas greatest heroines.  She has recently finished a three-year tenure as a Resident Artist with Tri-Cities Opera in Binghamton, New York.  While in Binghamton, Ms. Hochman sang roles including Mimì (La Bohème), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Violetta (La Traviata), Belinda (Dido and Aeneas), Mrs. Gobineau (The Medium), and Suor Genovieffa (Suor Angelica).  In addition to opera, Ms. Hochman is an active recitalist and chamber musician.  She has performed as a guest artist with Chamber Music International, where she sang the Dallas premiere of J. S. Bach’s recently recovered aria Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn’ihn, BWV 1127.  Ms. Hochman holds a Master’s degree from Binghamton University and a Bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Austin.  While at the University of Texas, she performed roles including Gretel (Hansel and Gretel), Servilia (La clemenza di Tito), and Olympia (Les contes d’Hoffmann).  Other opera credits include Adele (Die Fledermaus) with the Austin Singers’ Circle and Tebaldo (Don Carlo) with Opera Drammatica.  Originally from Austin, Texas, Ms. Hochman now makes her home in upstate New York with her husband.

Leandra Ramm, mezzo-soprano
Leandra has spent the last year performing in young artist programs across the country. Currently an artist in residence with Opera Carolina, she most recently completed apprenticeships at Des Moines Metro Opera, Sarasota Opera, and New Jersey Opera Theater. She is featured on the recently released recording of Mario and the Magician by Francis Thorne on Albany Records with the Center for Contemporary Opera in the professional premiere of the work. Upcoming engagements including her Kimmel Center debut as Hansel in Hansel and Gretel where she will be returning later this season to sing Meg in Little Women with the Center City Opera Theater. A winner of many competitions, Ms. Ramm has performed at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall.

Angelo Marchese-Ragona, tenor
Angelo recently appeared in the Village Light Opera’s production of The Merry Widow in the role of Camille. Previously, he performed with the Opera Company of Brooklyn as Borsa in Rigoletto and with Regina Opera in Die Fledermaus as Alfred. Other roles include Léon in Signor Deluso and The Conductor in La Divina, working with the composer, Thomas Pasatieri, as well as Remendado in Carmen and Roderigo in Otello. Mr. Ragona has also been a featured soloist in Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms in Italy, the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, and various concert venues throughout the New York area. Oratorio solo work includes Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Choral Symphony Society and the New York Cantata Singers. He also appeared with Florida Grand Opera’s productions of La Boheme, La Vida Breve, Faust, Rigoletto, Romeo et Juliette, Il Trovatore, Der Fliegende Hollander and L’Incoronazione di Poppea. Mr. Ragona is a graduate of the University of Miami.

Timothy S. Hill, bass-baritone
Baritone Timothy S. Hill has received accolades for both his beautiful singing and visceral stagecraft. Of his recent performance as Scarpia in Tosca, OperaNotes.com said “Timothy Hill was the star of the day.”  Newark’s Star Ledger newspaper called his Enrico in Lucia de Lammermoor, “…most polished, with a fine burly baritone and a developed actor’s sense of timing.”

During the summer of 2004, Tim participated in The Santa Fe Opera’s Apprentice Program for Singers.  His assignments included covering Paolo in Simone Boccanegra, Leonato in Beatrice and Benedict, and performing scenes from Madama Butterfly, and L’eliser d’amore.  In 2005, Tim returned to The Santa Fe Opera and sang the role of Sergeant in Il barbiere di Siviglia, covered the role of Madarin in Turandot and performed scenes from Barber’s A Hand of Bridge and Verdi’s Rigoletto.

Tim splits his time in between the of opera and music theater.  Some of his favorite roles include Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Sweeney in Sweeney Todd, Marcello in La bohéme, and Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods.  He also has sung the role Don Basilio in Paisiello’s orginal and rarely performed Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Theatre d’Evreaux in Evreaux, France.  Other roles also include Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore, Melisso in Alcina and King Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors.  Tim participated in the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts’ 2003 world premiere of Donizetti’s Elisabeth under the direction of Maestro Will Crutchfield.

Mr. Hill was the recipient of the distinguished Mrs. David C. Tyrrell Award at the Shreveport Opera’s Singer of the Year competition in 2000.