Guest Artists

           Victoria Cannizzo                    Nicholas Simpson                 Daniel Scofield          March, 23, 2025

Rising soprano Victoria Cannizzo recently made her debut with Opera Hong Kong as Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Other recent roles include Suzel in Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz, the soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem, and Mimì, Cìo-Cìo San, and Floria in three concerts of excerpts from Puccini’s La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, and Tosca. The 2019/2020 season brings a return to the title role in Puccini’s Tosca with Opera in the Heights as well as Violetta in Verdi’a La Traviata. Before the pandemic, Ms. Cannizzo was scheduled to make her Swedish debut at Liù in Puccini’s Turandot with Opera på Skäret, now rescheduled to August of 2021.

Ms. Cannizzo was praised for her “dark and meaty” voice and her “stunning, shimmering pianissimo” in her portrayal of Leonora in Verdi's Il Trovatore with Baltimore Concert Opera.  Her performances of the same role at Tri-Cities Opera were hailed as “complex” and “absolutely exquisite.”  A scholarship recipient at the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv, Israel, Ms. Cannizzo covered the role of Rosalinde in Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. She also appeared as Donna Elvira in scenes from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and as Violetta in excerpts from Verdi’s La Traviata. Her performance of the full role was hailed as “a mark of artistry…strikingly beautiful, Cannizzo captured the genesis of Violetta’s hopeful but tragic circumstance – to love and to be loved.”

Ms. Cannizzo was the 3rd Prize winner in the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera Competition, the Grand Prize winner of the Metropolitan International Vocal Competition, the 2nd Prize winner of the New Jersey State Opera Competition as well as a finalist grant winner from the 2013 Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Foundation and the Altamura/Caruso International Vocal Competition.  She was the winner of the St. Bonaventure Prize from the Liederkranz Foundation in New York, where she appeared at the Winner’s Concert in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. She was one of two singers from New York chosen to advance to Vienna, Austria to compete in the prestigious Hans Gabor Belvedere International Singing Competition. Ms. Cannizzo remained in Europe, and was awarded two Young Artist Scholarships from Raina Kabaivanska and Renato Bruson for her participation in their master classes at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. She was subsequently awarded a grant from the Raina Kabaivanska Fund and the America for Bulgaria Foundation, and made her European concert debut at the Sofia National Opera and Ballet Theater in Bulgaria.

Ms. Cannizzo regularly performs throughout her native New Jersey with the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea, as well as in recital with Jane Steele. She has performed the roles of Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Micäela in Carmen, Liù in Turandot, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, and Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly. Other awards received include an Encouragement Award from the Schuyler Foundation for Career Bridges, which was renewed the following year, and the Rising Star Scholarship from the St. Cecilia Foundation.  Ms. Cannizzo holds a Master of Music in Opera from Binghamton University/Tri-Cities Opera, and a Bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Chicago.

        

Tenor Nicholas Simpson “possesses a voice that is flexible, but powerful...he literally stunned the public with his technical and expressive capability” (Corriere di Rimini) and has been praised by Opera News, for his “bel canto bona fides” and performances which “immediately seized attention with his full-bodied, brightly projected voice.”

The 2022-2023 season will see Nicholas returning to Lincoln Center to sing Paolo Erisso in the heroic bel canto masterpiece Maometto II, and being featured as the title role of Wagner’s Lohengrin in a showcase with the Metropolitan Opera Guild and Wagner Society of New York, along with performances as the tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah in New York and in Washington DC.

In May of 2022, Nicholas made his debut at Carnegie Hall with the New England Symphonic Ensemble as the tenor soloist in Vaghan Williams’ Serenade to music, and Mozart’s Regina coeli and Missa brevis.

In the summer of 2021 Nicholas performed the role of Almaviva with Teatro Nuovo at New York’s Lincoln Center. A departure in repertoire for Mr Simpson, he was nevertheless widely lauded.  Opera Wire’s Chris Ruel noted that Nicholas is a “fantastic young tenor at his best, combining compelling acting with technical virtuosity,” Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times relished in his “Bright sound and expansive lyricism... embellishments emanated from the melody and the mood,” while Opera News’ Judith Malafronte noted that ““Nicholas Simpson’s Count Almaviva grew in confidence over the evening, and his bright sound and winning music-making, as well as his impersonations, were a delight….the highlight of the evening.” These performances marked the triumphant first full length opera performances in New York since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During 2018 and 2019, Mr. Simpson performed as Don José in Carmen, and as a soloist in opera and musical theater cabarets while traveling through Italy, France, Spain, Jordan, Egypt, India, Australia, and New Zealand on the Azamara Quest in conjunction with Magic City Opera. Shortly thereafter, during the summer of 2019, Nicholas was heard in a solo show at “Broadway’s Living Room,” 54 Below, with pianist Monica Lü. Late 2019 saw Mr Simpson singing the tenor soloist in productions of Handel’s Messiah at Hunter College and at Irvington Presbyterian Church.   He also reprised his interpretation of Don José with Miami’s Magic City Opera. Mr Simpson was also recently named the Grand Prize Winner of the MiOpera competition in Chicago in early 2020.

During the 2017-2018 season, Mr Simpson was heard as King Charles II in the New York premiere of Carlisle Floyd’s final opera, The Prince of Players, with the Little Opera Theatre of New York, and as the tenor soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Performance Santa Fe, under the baton of Joseph Illick. He aslo appeared as Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos with Berlin Opera Academy, as Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca with the Maryland Symphony, in a series of Christmas Concerts with the Orchestra of Saint Peter by the Sea, in a concert tour of the south with mezzo soprano Cindy Sadler, and as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with The Festival of the Atlantic.

In May 2017, Mr Simpson sang the role of Giovanni in Daniel Catán’s opera La hija de Rappaccini with Alamo City Opera, which made history as the first professional Spanish language opera performed in San Antonio.

In 2016, Mr.Simpson brought his vocal power to bear in a variety of leading roles, including Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West at Apotheosis Opera, Don José in the Maryland Symphony’s and in Spotlight on Opera’s productions of Carmen; and the tenor soloist in Carmina Burana with the Flint Symphony; as well as appearing in numerous concert series across the United States.

Other recent seasons found Mr. Simpson making role and house debuts as the Kronprinz in Kevin Puts’ Pulitzer Prize winning opera Silent Night with Fort Worth Opera and singing a critically acclaimed performance as Paul in Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt with Cleveland Opera. Cleveland Classical noted that he was “… splendid as Paul, negotiating a punishingly high and demanding vocal line with strength and agility.” In 2015, Mr Simpson became the first tenor to sing the title role in the Dresden version of Wagner’s Tannhäuser in New York City since 1966. The performances of Tannhäuser with Apotheosis Opera were a success, and it was noted that “Tenor Nicholas Simpson was a full-throated hero who carried the role from beginning to end without strain.” (Voce di Meche). Mr. Simpson has also appeared as Peter Quint in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw and Rodolfo in La bohème with Hub Opera.  DC Theater Arts praised his “smooth, deeply rich tenor voice and a powerful presence as the poet Rodolfo” and noted his dramatic abilities as “exceptional”.

Mr. Simpson has appeared as Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana with the Altoona Symphony, in the title role of Don Carlo with the Martha Cardona Theater, and in the title role of Il sogno di Scipione with Gotham Chamber Opera. He covered the role of Vaudemont and performed student matinees for Dicapo Opera’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, sang Count Alberto in Opportunity Makes the Thief with Little Opera Theatre of New York; as well as Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana and Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi with Spotlight on Opera. He has performed with Sarasota Opera, Union Avenue Opera, Utah Festival Opera, and the Mediterranean Opera Studio & Festival in Sicily, and appeared in Austin Opera’s Opera on a Stick outreach concerts.

Mr. Simpson grew up singing musical theatre, and has appeared professionally as Roger Sherman in 1776, Phil in Gypsy, the tenor of the foursome in Girl Crazy, and Nicely Nicely (understudy) in Guys and Dolls for Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre.

On the concert stage, Mr. Simpson has been noted for his interpretation of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. He has performed the work with Chorus Austin, the Altoona Symphony, the Hershey Symphony, and Performance Santa Fe. Other recent concert appearances include the title role in Joshua with the San Gabriel Chorale and Orchestra, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Brooklyn Symphony, Rachmaninov’s Vespers with Chorus Austin, and in highlights of Tannhäuser at the Baldwin-Wallace Wagner intensive program, under the direction of Timothy Mussard and Jane Eaglen.

In 2011, his “lusty” performance of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solenelle with Chorus Austin earned him an Austin Critics nomination as best classical vocalist of the year in Austin for a performance that “made you feel the blood’s pulse and heat” (Austin Chronicle) and received the Desert Theatre League Award as Best Performer for his run of eight performances of the program "Nicholas Simpson in Love" at the Arthur Newman Theatre.

Other concert appearances include the Four Tenors Concert with Opera Delaware, selections from Tannhäuser for Performance Santa Fe, Don José in Carmen for Spotlight Concerts, and as a guest soloist with the Grace and Spiritus Chorale. Mr Simpson is also a member of the crossover quartet Prosecco.

An accomplished singing teacher, Mr. Simpson has taught voice at Southwestern University, the Mediterranean Opera Studio, and he currently serves on the faculty of the Spotlight on Opera summer program, and is artist in residence with the Barbara Ingram School for the fine Arts, and has been a guest masterclass clinician and teacher at Mount Saint Mary University. Simpson’s students have been admitted to Boston Conservatory, Northwestern, Mannes, Carnegie Mellon, the Eastman School of Music, the University of North Texas, and Southwestern University for undergraduate study, and the Eastman School of Music, the University of Texas, The Royal College of Music (London, UK,) Boston Conservatory, and the University of Texas at Austin for graduate performance degrees in voice. His students have gained admission to the prestigious Seagle Colony, the Miami Music Festival, Curtis Summerfest, the Washington National Opera Institute, and Utah Festival Opera.

Mr. Simpson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Missouri, and a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music.                       

    Daniel Scofield       Baritone

       

 Dramatic baritone Daniel Scofield is a two-time prize winner of the The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a recipient of the Olga Forrai Foundation grant for dramatic voices in opera.

Mr. Scofield has made role debuts as Scarpia in Tosca for Tri-Cities Opera, and Jack Rance in La fanciulla del West for Opera Orlando. In concert with the Rapids Symphony he performed Germont in La traviata, and in Oklahoma with the quickly rising Painted Sky Opera, he portrayed Rigoletto.

Apart from his opera performances, Mr. Scofield is also highly regarded as a concert performer. He has showcased his talents with orchestras across the country, including the Plano Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and Indiana University Orchestra, among others. His concert repertoire includes works by Haydn, Handel, Britten, Stravinsky, and Mahler, among others.