Opera Legends in Black

Christina Mancheni, soprano, is a current doctoral student at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Christina was recently a featured artist in the 34th St.Bart’s Music Festival, under the direction of Maestro Steven Mercurio. Recent roles include Fanchette (The Sea Cadet), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Salomea (Frederica) and Nichette (Madeleine) all with the Concert Operetta Theater. She also was featured as the soprano soloist in the Brahms' Requiem, with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra. During her studies at Miami University, she performed the roles of Sister Genovieffa (Suor Angelica), Nella (Gianni Schicchi) and The Fairy God Mother (Cendrillon). Christina also performed the title role in Alcina, as well as Despina (Così Fan Tutte) and Papagena (The Magic Flute) with the UNLV Opera Theater. Christina won first place in the prestigious New Jersey State Opera Alfredo Silipigni Vocal Competition. She has also won awards from the Gerda Lissner Foundation as well as from The National Association of Teachers Singing.

Christian Shelton, Tenor is a student at UNLV. He is currently a senior at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he is majoring in Vocal Performance and studies with voice teacher Dr. Alfonse Anderson. He won 1st place at the National Classical Singer competition 2023 in the Classical University Divison. Christian also won 1st place for local NATS in 2023. He gained international attention with his powerhouse rendition of Andra Day’s "Rise Up" for the Indeed 2021 Super Bowl commercial. He has garnered the praise of many celebrities including, Sam Smith, Meghan Trainor, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, and Jennifer Hudson.

Monica McCullough has performed on the operatic stage and has appeared often as a concert and chamber soloist.  In 2018, Monica performed as a guest soloist in Sin City Opera’s Mostly Mozart Concert at The Starbright Theater. In 2016 and 2017, she was the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah at the Big Bear Performing Arts Center and in the Las Vegas Valley.  Her performance credits include appearances with Euterpe Opera, Golden West Opera Theatre (role of Pamina from Mozart’s die Zauberflöte), Nevada Opera Theatre, New West Stage Company, Channel One Television, Bell Flower Symphony, American Youth Orchestra, Moore Park College Theatre (role of Pamina from Mozart’s die Zauberflöte), Huntington Chamber Players,  Peabody Opera Outreach (role of Gertrude from Humperdinck’s Hänsel and Gretel), guest soloist for the Valley Committee for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and guest soloist in the premiere of Andrea Centazzo’s Return to Vukovar.

A member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Monica received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the University of Southern California, where she studied with Judith Natalucci. Currently, she is completing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree under the tutelage of Phyllis Bryn-Julson at the Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University.

Monica is a Visiting Lecturer of Music at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the Director of the Opera Discovery Program at the Institute for Young Dramatic Voices, founded by world-renowned mezzo-soprano, Dolora Zajick.  She also serves as the Nevada District Governor of the National Association of Singing, Cal-Western Region.

JAWAN JENKINS, Baritone and native of New York City. Jawan received his training early as a member of The Boys Choir of Harlem. Premiered roles include Asku in Stomping Grounds with The Glimmerglass Festival, Mr. Delgado in Jake Heggie’s It’s A Wonderful Life, and Ricky Ian Gordon’s A Coffin in Egypt, both with Houston Grand Opera. Roles with the Butler Opera Center include; Ford in Falstaff, Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Maquis de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites, Charlie in Three Decembers and, Vater in Hänsel und Gretel. With Houston Grand Opera, Opera to Go, he premiered three roles by Mary Carol Warwick. As a 2018 and 2019 Young Artist with The Glimmerglass Festival, he was seen in West Side Story, Silent Night, ShowBoat, Porgy & Bess, Blue, and The Ghost of Versailles. Jawan has had recent debuts with Vegas City Opera as Marcello in La Bohème, as Action in West Side Story with Opera San José, Asku in Stomping Grounds at Seattle Opera for a workshop performance, and a guest soloist with Albany Symphony Orchestra and Georgia Symphony Orchestra. He has also appeared in Champion at Lyric Opera Chicago.

Jawan obtained his Bachelor’s from Prairie View A&M University, Master’s in Opera Performance and Doctorate of Musical Arts in Voice Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from The University of Texas at Austin. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Voice at University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Pianist Katie Leung is a dedicated collaborative artist and chamber musician. A two-time winner of the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition, she joined the faculty of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in 2015. Previously, she held positions at numerous renowned music and dance institutions in New York City, including Lucy Moses School, Ballet Academy East, Rutgers University, and Manhattan School of Music.

Leung has worked with such artists as flutists Amy Porter, Demarre McGill, and Jasmine Choi, and cellist Raphael Wallfisch, as well as current and past members of major orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and Detroit Symphony. She has been a collaborative pianist at The Banff Centre in Canada, the Castleman Quartet Program, and the Bowdoin International Music Festival.

Leung attended the University of Michigan and Manhattan School of Music. She holds degrees in Piano Performance, Flute Performance, and Collaborative Piano.