Matthew Lepold (baritone) has appeared with several local orchestras and opera companies in roles ranging from Gilbert and Sullivan, to a soloist part Handel’s Messiah, as Ramphis in Aida with the George Mason University Orchestra, and in I Pagliacci with the Maryland Opera Society. He was a 1997 Metropolitan Opera Regional Finalist. Mr. Lepold studies with John Fiorito.

Jennifer Roderer (mezzo-soprano) is in demand by such companies as the New York City Opera, Virginia Opera, Sarasota Opera, Glimmerglass, Toledo Opera, and the Washington National Opera. In Wagner’s works, she made her Chicago Lyric Opera debut in 2002 as Waltraute in Die Walküre, a role she also sang in the Ring operas in Seattle in 2001. She has made a European debut at Opern Air Gars in Austria as Amneris in Aida.

Roy Stevens (tenor) recently made his heldentenor debut at Austria’s Tiroler Festspiele after an already successful career as a bass-baritone. Aside from several Wagner roles in the heldentenor repretoire, he has performed Florestan in Fidelio, Don José in Carmen, Canio in I Paglicci, Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos, and others. Baritone career highlights included a role in War and Peace at the Metropolitan Opera, and engagements at the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris and at Barcelona’s Gran Theatre del Liceu.

Jennifer Wilson (soprano), a native of Fairfax, made her debut in the title role ofTurandot with the Connecticut Opera. She recently made her Wagnerian debut as Helmwige in Die Walküre at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and covered Leonore in Fidelio with Washington National Opera in 2003. Upcoming engagements include her return to Lyric Opera to sing Helmwige and Gutrune and to cover Brünnhilde in Wagner’s complete Ring next season, the title role in Turandot at the Santa Fe Opera and at the Houston Grand Opera.

Thank You For Your Support. Tonight’s concert is made possible through the underwriting of two generous Wagner Society Members, Cecilia and Guillermo Schultz. The Wagner Society also gratefully acknowledges the financial contributions of its many sponsors, donors and patrons as well as the services of its many other supporters and volunteers.

P.O. Box 33051

Washington, D.C. 20033

Telephone 301.907.2600 ● Facsimile 301.907.8671

www.wagner-dc.org

The Wagner Society of Washington, D.C.

Proudly Presents

The Eighth Evelyn Lear and Thomas Stewart

Emerging Singers Concert

Matthew Lepold, Baritone

Jennifer Roderer, Mezzo-Soprano

Roy Steven, Tenor

Jennifer Wilson, Soprano

The Friday Morning Music Club Orchestra

Sylvia Alimena

Music Director and Conductor

The Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center

Northern Virginia Community College

Alexandria, Virginia

Friday, May 21, 2004, 7:30 P.M.