Kamuela (HI)—Kahilu is delighted to present ‘OperAloha’, on Sunday, January 14, 2024 at 3 p.m.
Welcome to OperAloha, a true celebration of the power and beauty of opera, where talent from diverse backgrounds harmonizes to create an unforgettable experience! This January, OperAloha brings you an extraordinary lineup including tenor Moisés Salazár, mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz, bass-baritone Samson Setu, soprano Maria Valdes, and pianist/producer Ronny Michael Greenberg. This exceptional ensemble will delight you with their voices and performances, transcending language barriers and celebrating a wide range of genres and cultural diversity. They will take you on a journey through their artistic lives, sharing their earliest musical experiences, what drew them into the world of opera and where they are on their journeys today. Join us for this one of a kind multi-cultural and multi-genre showcase of world renowned opera artists at Kahilu where the universal language of music takes center stage!
Mexican-American tenor Moisés Salazar is an impressive rising star with a reputation for his rich romantic sound and versatile vocal color. Currently a first-year Adler Fellow with the San Francisco Opera, his recent portrayal of Pinkerton in the Merola Opera Program’s Grand Finale concert garnered high praise from the San Francisco Chronicle, commending his “gleaming, powerful account” that transitioned from “restrained but resonant” to “forcefully expressive” with full-throated ardor. In the current season, Salazar is making waves with his San Francisco Opera house and role debut as B.F. Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, as well as his performance as Aldeano in the SFO premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s El ultimo sueño de Frida y Diego, and covering the role of Apparition of a Youth in Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten. Salazar’s achievements extend beyond the stage, as he has received industry recognition through various competitions, including the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, the Pasadena Vocal Competition, and the Opera Index Vocal Competition.
New Zealand-born Samoan bass-baritone Samson Setu is quickly emerging as a global talent in opera. He recently made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in Don Carlos as part of the Lindemann Young Artist program. A graduate of the Royal College of Music, Setu also honed his skills in prestigious programs like the Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Programme for Young Singers, and the Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist of 2018. He made his mark as a finalist in the IFAC HANDA Australian competition in 2019, securing placements at the State Opera House in Saarbrücken, a Goethe Institut Centre, and the International Vocal Arts Institute Summer Program in New York. His noteworthy performances include roles in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial By Jury, Debussy’s L’enfant Prodigue and Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. He is now a member of Zürich Opera’s International studio.
American soprano Maria Valdes, lauded as a “first-rate singing actress,” has an illustrious career featuring an array of notable performances. Recent years saw her join prestigious companies such as the Houston Grand Opera, Hawaii Opera Theater, and Atlanta Opera, performing in world premieres and acclaimed productions like The Snowy Day, Glory Denied, and The Threepenny Opera. Her repertoire includes Mozart’s Requiem, Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Standout performances from earlier seasons include her debuts with Atlanta Opera, Washington Concert Opera, Gulfshore Opera, and her reprising role in Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem with Mobile Symphony. Valdes made her debut with the New York City Opera and graced the stages of The Berkshire Opera Festival and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Her accolades include top prize at the Corbett Opera Scholarship Competition at Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Shoshana Foundation Grant.
Acclaimed for their stylistic range and emotive performances, Nikola Printz is an Adler Fellow with San Francisco Opera and a former participant in the prestigious Merola Opera Program. They’ve gained recognition for their solo Schwabacher Recital Series debut, and made significant contributions during SFO’s centennial season, with roles in Strauss’s Die Frau ohne Schatten and Gabriela Lena Frank’s El ultimo sueño de Frida y Diego. Career highlights include title roles in performances with Opera San José , Opera Memphis, and West Edge Opera. Also experienced in jazz and cabaret, Printz has been featured in Yoshi’s Jazz Lounge and Club 1923, and joined the San Francisco Symphony for their annual Holiday Gaiety show. An advocate for accessibility in the arts, Printz is currently learning ASL.
Pianist and Producer, Ronny Michael Greenberg is a leading innovator in the world of performing arts. A native of Montreal, he has toured internationally performing in venues including the Vienna Konzerthaus, Carnegie Hall, Montreal’s Place des Arts Theater, the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, and across Italy, New Zealand, and Hawaii. Mr. Greenberg has worked with San Francisco Opera, Hawaii Opera Theater, the Merola Opera Program, Chicago Collaborative Arts Institute, and the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. Equally passionate about musical, visual and culinary arts, Mr. Greenberg is the CEO of Taste of Talent, a performing arts organization that showcases the connective power of music and art through innovative and collaborative programs, and promotes entrepreneurial empowerment of artists.
This concert is sponsored by Carol &Clive Davies, Jayne &Peter Davis, Marianne Falkner, Marsha &Tom Kerley, and Sara Nealy. There are two ways you can watch:
IN-PERSON: We are delighted to be able to offer In-Person tickets ranging in price from $40 – $70, which can be purchased at Kahilu.org.
ON-DEMAND: Available On-Demand online. On-Demand tickets for this show, which are good for an entire household, are $19.99 and available at Kahilu.TV. Monthly and annual subscriptions are also available for Kahilu.TV. Can’t watch it live? Catch it on-demand the next day, the next week, or the next month.