A Passion for Puccini

Giacomo Puccini^{[n 1]} (22 December 1858 – 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest^[1] and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long line of composers, stemming to the late-Baroque era. Though his early work was firmly rooted in traditional late-19th-century Romantic Italian opera he later developed his work in the realistic verismo style, of which he became one of the leading exponents.

His most renowned works are La bohème (1896), Tosca (1900), Madama Butterfly (1904), and Turandot (1924), all of which are among the most frequently performed and recorded of all operas.

(Wikipedia)

Praised for her “luminous strands of silver vocalism” (Parterre Box) and her “voice of both power and beauty” (Operawire), soprano Jessica Sandidge will appear as an opera singer on Apple TV’s The Morning Show Season 4. Her recent performance in the title role of Tosca in Los Angeles will be screened at a movie theater in North Hollywood. Other credits include the role of Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow, with Musica Viva in Hong Kong. Last season she debuted in title roles, including Susannah with Delaware Valley Opera and Manon Lescaut with Opera Festival of Chicago. Last year, she also sang the role of Eva Peròn in the US premiere of Corpus Evita, by Carlos Franzetti, and reprised the role of Micaëla in Carmen: The Traveller with Pensacola Opera.

Ms. Sandidge has given several concert performances, such as the world premiere of Ivo Antognini’s A Prayer for Mother Earth, at Carnegie Hall. This concert also included solos in Requiem for the Living by Dan Forrest. She was also a solo artist in the National Chorale\\\'s Messiah Sing-in at David Geffen Hall and performed Violetta’s Aria \\\"Sempre libera\\\" at Rose Hall.

Upcoming events include reprising the role of Susannah with St Petersburg Opera and a role debut as the Foreign Princess in Rusalka with Opera Modesto. Ms. Sandidge has performed roles and concerts with The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Sarasota Opera, St Pete Opera, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Pacific Opera Project, Gulf Shore Opera, American Opera Project, Heartbeat Opera, among others.

“Money-­notes worth every penny,” “powerful singing,” “wonderful acting,” “movie star good looks,”and “passionate elegance” are just a few of the phrases used by critics to describe spinto tenor Isaac Hurtado. Critically acclaimed for portrayals of Don José in Carmen, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Werther in Werther, Alfredo in La Traviata, and Roméo in Roméo et Juliette, Rodolfo in La Bohème, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Duca in Rigoletto, and Tamino in Die Zauberflöte,  Mr. Hurtado is “the complete package.”

Mr. Hurtado’s 2025-26 engagements include Alfredo in La Traviata with Orquesta Filarmónica del Estado de Chihuahua, Mexico, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte with Opera Tampa, Don José in Carmen on tour with Teatro Lirico D’Europa, and Werther (Amelia Island Opera), and a concert debut with Opera Las Vegas: “A Passion for Puccini.”

The 2024-25 season included appearances as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly in Palm Desert, CA (Teatro Lirico d’Europa), and Alfredo in La traviata (Opera Idaho), a debut with Orquesta Filarmónica del Estado de Chihuahua, Mexico in the gala “Tutto Verdi,” a return to Opera Idaho in “Opera in the Park,” and “Deborah Voigt and Friends Gala’ (Utah Valley Operafest).

In the 2023-24 season Mr. Hurtado starred as The Prince in Dvorak's Rusalka (Opera Orlando), and as Don José in Carmen (Opera Southwest). He made his Carnegie Hall debut as tenor soloist in Nunes-Garcia’s Missa de Requiem for MidAmerica Productions and performed the tenor solos on the award-winning recording of Dwight Bigler’s Mosaic for the Earth, released on the Tonsehen label. He also appeared in recital with Opera Orlando, as tenor soloist in Verdi’s Requiem (Salt Lake Choral Artists), Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony, (Brigham Young University), and "Opera Gems" (Opera Roanoke).  Other recent appearances include the role of Don José in both Carmen and La Tragèdie de Carmen (Utah Festival Opera) and (Utah Opera).

Aaron Oberlander is a baritone who received his Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance with a focus in Pedagogy at the University of Houston. Recently he has performed works with Moores Opera Center, Mercury Early Music Chamber Ensemble, Santa Rosa Symphonic Chorus, and Operativo Houston. Currently he plans to continue his graduate work at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to receive his Master of Music. Mr. Oberlander believes strongly in a personal connection to music and maintains that the art form should remain as free and unhindered as possible while still remaining fun for all ages. He has taught voices of all ages since 2018 in operatic, choral, musical theater, and more casual genres.

Claudia Affan is an emerging soprano residing in Las Vegas. She holds her BM in vocal performance from Auburn University, where she studied with Dr. Matthew Hoch. She has an MM from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she continues her studies. Affan was a studio artist with Opera Las Vegas for their 2024-2025 season, and is pleased to return this season. Her operatic roles include Jenny Slade in Robert Ward’sRoman Fever, Sam in Emily Clements’sLetters to Lily, The Daughter in Michael Torke’sStrawberry Fields, Kitty Hart inDead Man Walking, Clorinda inLa Cenerentola, and Berta inIl barbiere di Siviglia. Her concert work includes Handel’sMessiah and Mozart’sRegina coeli, K. 108. Affan has received awards at the state, regional, and national level from NATS, the Vann Vocal Institute, MTNA, and Alabama Federation of Music Clubs. She studies voice with Dr. Linda Lister.