Chad Armstrong is a first year Resident Artist with Dicapo Opera Theatre, performing roles in The Merry Widow, Manon Lescaut, Gianni Schicchi, Le Villi and Puccini’s Mass. This past year Mr. Armstrong performed the roles of Marcello in La Bohème with Little Opera Theater of New jersey, Wagner in Faust with Tulsa Opera and Germont in Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata with the OU Opera Theater. Other roles performed have been Mozart’s Figaro and Don Alfonso, Donizetti’s Dulcamara and Puccini’s Schaunard.

Mezzo-soprano Jessica Kimple, a native of Iowa, recently received her MM degree in voice from The Manhattan School of Music.  She has been granted scholarships to study voice in St. Petersburg, Russia and the Centro Studi Lirica opera program in Novafeltria, Italy.  While in Italy, Ms. Kimple performed in opera scenes from Le Nozze di Figaro, Cosi fan tutte, and La Cenerentola.  Her roles include Estrella from La Perichole, Second Lady from The Magic Flute, Mum from Albert Herring, and Cherubino from MSM's Outreach performances of The Three Little Pigs.  In May, Ms. Kimple will be performing the role of Zita in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Mercedes in Dicapo's Outreach program of scenes from Carmen.

Todd Geer, a native of Charlotte, NC, holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Binghamton University and completed the Merola Opera program and Adler Fellowship with San Francisco Opera. He made his debut with San Francisco Opera in 1999 as Don Gaspar in La Favorite and as Rodolfo in La Bohème the same season. He has also sung with Bangkok, Sarasota, Festival, Tri-Cities, Dayton, Sacramento, and San Diego Operas, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. With a special affinity for Verdi and verismo composers, Mr. Geer has sung roles that include Cavaradossi in Tosca, the title role of Stiffelio, Carlo in I Masnadieri, Radames in Aida, Rodolfo in La Bohème, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Don Jose in Carmen, Canio in Pagliacci, Turiddu in Cavaleria Rusticana, and recently appeared as Renzo in the North American premiere of Zandonai’s La Farsa Amorosa with Teatro Grattacielo in New York. Future engagements include Carmen with the Princeton Festival, soloist with the Aegean Festival, Madame Butterfly in Bangkok and Idaho and Pagliacci with Syracuse opera.

This season soprano Kristin Sampson performed the title role of Anna Glawari in The Merry Widow, Suzanne Michaud in the NY première of Thérèse Raquin and will cover the role of Manon in Manon Lescaut with Dicapo Opera Theatre. Ms. Sampson joined Dicapo for the 2005-2006 season to sing the roles of Mimì in La Bohème, Susannah (cover) in Susannah, and Brunhilde in Die Lustigen Nibelungen. Other recently acclaimed portrayals include Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare with the Hudson Valley Opera and Delaware Valley Opera, Despina in Così Fan Tuttle with Opera of the Hamptons, Mimì in La Bohème with the Little Opera Company of New Jersey, Violetta in La Traviata with Opera of the Hamptons, Hudson Opera Theater, Delaware Valley Opera and Metropolitan Lyric Theatre of New Jersey, Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore and Norina in Don Pasquale both with Shaker Mountain Opera. Additionally, Ms. Sampson was a regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera competition, was a finalist in the Liederkranz Competition and won the audience choice award at the Shreveport Opera, Singer of the Year Competition.