Kristen Watson, Soprano
Hailed by critics for her “blithe and silvery” tone and “winning stage presence,” has made solo appearances with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Mark Morris Dance Group, Boston Baroque, Emmanuel Music and the Handel & Haydn Society at such venues as Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and Boston’s Symphony Hall. Praised for her “keen musicianship, agility and seamless control,” Ms. Watson has been recognized by the Concert Artists Guild, Oratorio Society of New York, Joy in Singing, American Bach Society, and Louisville Bach Society competitions and was awarded the Virginia Best Adams Fellowship at the Carmel Bach Festival. Opera audiences have heard Ms. Watson in productions with Boston Lyric Opera, Boston University Opera Institute, and Intermezzo Opera in such roles as Anne Trulove in The Rake’s Progress, Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Adele in Die Fledermaus. A versatile crossover artist, Ms. Watson has made several appearances as a featured soloist with the Boston Pops under Keith Lockhart. Other solo performances include the Boston Early Music Festival, Aston Magna Festival, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Evansville Philharmonic, Gulf Coast Symphony, Topeka Symphony, Pittsburgh Camerata, and the Arizona Early Music Society.

Ryland Angel, Countertenor
Born on St Cecilia’s day, Ryland Angel has received a Grammy® nomination and performed in Monteverdi’s Orfeo, Gavin Bryars’ Doctor Ox’s Experiment and Fairy Queen at ENO (and Barcelona), Gluck’s Orfeo (Koblenz), Amadigi (Karlsruhe), Venus and Adonis (Flanders Opera), Dido and Aeneas (Opera Comique), Peri’s Euridice (Rouen), The Play of Daniel (Spoleto) and Ballet Comique de La Royne (Geneva). He has performed on over 40 recordings including music of Charpentier, Scarlatti, Stradella,  Lorenzani, Peri, Händel,  Monteverdi,  Beaujoyeux,  Purcell,  Bach and Spears (EMI, Sony, Universal, K317, Koch, Virgin Classics etc) and film soundtracks of Le Petit Prince, La Peau, Henry 4th, Machete and the PBS TV special ‘Heavenly Voices’. Recent engagements include Doux Mensonges (Opera National de Paris), Radamisto (St. Louis), Agrippina (NYCO), Tolomeo (Muziektheater Transparant), Semele (Cologne), Rodelinda (Holland), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Florentine and Kansas Opera), Julius Caesar (Utah Opera, Boston Baroque and Opera Colorado), Sant Alessio (Paris, London, New York), Ulysses (Toulouse), Theodora (UNT at Dallas Opera), Händel’s La Ressurezione with Ars Lyrica, Carmina Burana with National Chorale (Lincoln Center), St John Passion with St Thomas church and Houston Bach Society, and Messiah with Händel and Haydn Society, St Thomas church, Worcester Chorus, Trinity church Wall Street (Lincoln Center) and Musica Sacra at Carnegie Hall. New recordings include “Sacred Seven - Chant” (Cosmos), “Freud und Lust” - Buxtehude/Bach solo cantatas (Deux-Elles), Rosenmuller solo cantatas with Artek and Vespers by Colonna (Houston Chamber choir). Ryland is also delighted to announce his newest venture which combines his two greatest passions; Kitchen Opera Company® for the love of music and food. www.rylandangel.com

Steven Brennfleck, Tenor
Steven Brennfleck, has been consistently acknowledged for his consummate artistry, vocal flexibility, and moving interpretations on the operatic and concert stage.  Praised by the New York Times as “…dramatically astute” and a “…stand out” performer, he has received recognition from some of the country’s top vocal competitions:  The American Bach Society Vocal Competition, Classical Singer Magazine’s AudComps (2nd Place ‘08), and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (District Winner ‘06, ‘09, & ’10).  His operatic credits include Laurie in Adamo’s Little Women, Dr. Binch in Aldridge’s Elmer Ganty, El Remendado in Carmen, Cégeste in Glass’ Orphée, Beppe in I Pagliacci, Testo in Monteverdi’s Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, Don Curzio in Le Nozze di Figaro, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Parpignol in La Boheme, Pang in Turandot, and Gonsalve in Ravel’s L’Heure Espagnol with companies including the Caramoor Festival, Glimmerglass Opera, New York Lyric Opera Theatre, Portland Opera, Spoleto Festival USA, The Tanglewood Festival, and the Westminster Opera Theatre.  He has also collaborated with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Princeton Pro Musica, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, and The Handel Choir of Baltimore.  His engagements for the 2012/13 season feature performances with New York’s American Opera Projects and Philadelphia’s Lyric Fest. 

Dashon Burton, Bass-baritone
Dashon Burton is a native of Bronx, NY. Praised for his "enormous, thrilling voice seemingly capable ... [of] raising the dead;" and “nobility and rich tone,” (New York Times) he is active in a wide range of repertoire and feels privileged to have worked with artists and ensembles all across the U.S. as well as in Cameroon, Canada, Italy and Germany. Prominent collaborations include Pierre Boulez, Masaaki Suzuki and Steven Smith. He began his studies at Case Western Reserve University and graduated from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music. Upon graduation, he was invited to join Cantus, a professional men's classical vocal ensemble based in Minneapolis. With the nine member ensemble, he collaborated with renowned organizations and artists including the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Boston Pops, James Sewell Ballet and Bobby McFerrin. He appears on albums recorded with the ensemble, including the eponymous album, “Cantus,” which was singled out by National Public Radio as a top ten recording of 2007. After completing his tenure with Cantus in 2009, Dashon completed his Master of Music at Yale University's Institute of Sacred Music, having studied with Professor James Taylor. His solo repertoire includes such diverse roles as Jesus in Bach's St. Matthew Passion, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Superintendent Bud in Britten's opera Albert Herring, and Ned Rorem's song cycle, War Scenes. For more information, please visit www.dashonburton.com