Featuring
Victor Cardamone has garnered much attention and critical acclaim over the last decade, and continues to do so. His voice has been described by critics as “beautiful,” “bright,” “clear,” “gorgeous,” “heroic,” “ideal,” “lovely,” “penetrating,” “powerful,” “strong,” “sweet,” and “thrilling,” among other descriptors.
Hailing from the northeast outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Victor earned his Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Youngstown State University, with a double major in applied voice and French horn. He took additional coursework at Ball State University, where he served as a graduate teaching assistant in the voice department, before transferring to the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music and earning both his Master of Music in Vocal Performance and his Artist Diploma in Opera Studies. He has trained with Misook Yun, Jon Truitt, and Tom Baresel. He has coached with Hyery Hwang, Eileen Downey, Kathy Kelly, Marie-France Lefebvre, Grant Loehnig, John Churchwell, Bob Mollicone, and Andrew King, among others. He has studied Schubert lieder extensively (including the songs of 1817, Die schöne Müllerin, Winterreise, and Schwanengesang) with Ken Griffiths. He has also studied conducting with the late Steve Gage, as well as somatic body movement and The Grief Recovery Method® with Susan Moser.
Victor has bowed with Opera Western Reserve, the Warren Philharmonic (Warren, Ohio), New Castle Lyric Opera (New Castle, Pennsylvania), Asheville Lyric Opera, Brevard Music Center, Cincinnati Opera, the Charleston Symphony (Charleston, South Carolina), Wolf Trap Opera, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, Opera Project Columbus, Opera Columbus, the Merola Opera Program, the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera, San Francisco Opera, the Santa Rosa Symphony, Livermore Valley Opera, the Glacier Symphony, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Western Plains Opera, Opera Naples (Naples, Florida), and the Portland Symphony Orchestra (Portland, Maine). His major role credits include Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Ralph Rackstraw (H.M.S. Pinafore), Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi), Don Ramiro (La Cenerentola), Larry Renault (Dinner at Eight), Jeník (The Bartered Bride), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Count Almaviva (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Rodolfo (La Bohème), and Tamino (Die Zauberflöte / The Magic Flute). His major cover credits include Ernesto (Don Pasquale), Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Chevalier de la Force (Dialogues des Carmélites), Steve Wozniak (The Revolution of Steve Jobs), and Shanty (Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio). His major concert credits include Carmina Burana (Orff), Choral Fantasy (Beethoven), Die erste Walpurgisnacht (Mendelssohn), Jephte (Carissimi), Johannes-Passion (Bach), Magnificat (Bach), Messiah (Handel), and The Creation (Haydn). An advocate and champion of new music, he has lent his voice to a number of significant projects over the past few years. As a member of Opera Fusion: New Works, he was part of the first workshops and studio recordings for Eurydice (co-commissioned by The Metropolitan Opera and Los Angeles Opera), Blind Injustice (sponsored by the Ohio Innocence Project), and The Hours (co-commissioned by The Metropolitan Opera and the Philadelphia Orchestra).
Victor was a four-time Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, sole recipient of the Encouragement Award ($1,000) in the 2017-2018 season and Second Place recipient ($3,500) in the 2021-2022 season, narrowly missing his chance to sing on the main stage. He was also a four-time Corbett Competition award winner, receiving the Seybold-Russell Award ($10,000) in 2018, The Corbett Award (top prize, $15,000) in 2019, the Corbett Opera Award ($5,000) in 2020, and the Andrew White Memorial Award ($10,000) in 2021. He was a Semifinalist in the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition in 2019. He is a proud recipient of the Richard F. Gold Career Grant ($8,000) from the Shoshana Foundation in 2022. He was a Tier I Finalist and recipient of the Bonnie Bell Encouragement Award ($2,000) in the James Toland Vocal Arts Competition in 2023. He was a Finalist and Winner of the Prize of the Audience ($1,000) in the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition in 2025. He was a two-time Quarterfinalist in the Tbilisi Opera Crown, an international voice competition that takes place in the country of Georgia every 2 years. He was a Quarterfinalist in the 63rd Concurs Internacional de Cant Tenor Viñas in Barcelona, Spain. He was a former finalist for Washington National Opera’s Cafritz Resident Artist Program and Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center. He is a graduate of the prestigious Adler Fellowship Program at San Francisco Opera.
Driven by a voracious artistic appetite, Victor draws from many musical traditions when using the voice that God gave him. He grew up steeped in the sounds of the Baptist church, among a family of deacons, missionaries, and pastors. He views performing as a way of serving his community, while paying forward the love and support he has received.
When not singing or studying scores, Victor can be found making something delicious in the kitchen and chilling with his favorite feline, a black cat named Bill.
One of the most accomplished and versatile singers on the international opera stage today, American tenor Gregory Kunde appears regularly at the most prestigious opera houses around the world, working with conductors and orchestras of the highest caliber.
Recent highlights of the tenor’s schedule include his widely acclaimed debut as the title character in Verdi’s rarely heard Stiffelio at the Teatri Piacenza, his groundbreaking debut and interpretation as Captain Vere in Vienna’s production of Britten’s Billy Budd, and his remarkable debut as Dick Johnson in Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West in Hamburg. Continuing to explore the world of the Great American Songbook, the tenor performed his swing standards with the Tokyo Philharmonic at Suntory Hall, among other concerts featuring both beloved tenor arias and swing songs. Kunde took on the challenge of three consecutive productions of Giordano’s Andrea Chenier in Parma, Berlin, and Torino, receiving great acclaim for his nuanced portrayal of the tortured revolutionary poet.
Renowned worldwide for his interpretation of the title role of Verdi’s Otello, Kunde has performed to critical acclaim at the Weiner Staatsoper, Teatro dell’opera di Roma, Bayerische Staatsoper, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro Communale di Bologna, Semperoper Dresden, Festival Perelada, Teatro Municpal di Sao Paola, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Opera National de Paris, Teatro Municipal di Piacenza, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Teatro San Carlo di Napoli, Opera de Monte Carlo, Seoul Philharmonic, and Tokyo Philharmonic. Making his debut in this now-signature role, Kunde first performed it at La Fenice.
Other significant moments include Kunde’s role debut as Florestan in Beethoven’s Fidelio at the Opera Nice Côte d’Azur; Don Alvaro in Verdi La Forza del Destino for the Verdi Festival, Teatro Regio di Parma, and the Semperoper Dresden; Canio in Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci for the Teatro Regio di Parma and Teatro Communale di Bologna; the title role of Giordano’s Andrea Chenier in Bologna, Berlin, Parma, Vienna, and Rome; the title role of Britten’s Peter Grimes in Rome, Valencia, and Hamburg; Radames in Verdi’s Aida for L’Arena di Verona, Teatro dell’opera di Roma, Madrid Teatro Real, Teatro Municipal di São Paulo, Bayerische Staatsoper, Wiener Staatsoper, and with Maggio Musicale in Moscow; Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca for Rome, Los Angeles, the Puccini Festival; Manrico in Verdi’ Il Trovatore for LA Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, La Fenice, La Coruna; and Calaf in Turandot in Hamburg, Barcelona, Tel Aviv, L’Arena di Verona, Paris, Madrid; Enee in Berlioz’ Les Troyens in Munich, Paris, Milan; Jean de Leyden in Meyerbeer’s Le Prophete at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin; the title role in Verdi’s Don Carlos for Opera Royal de Wallonie-Liege; Samson in Saint-Saens Samson et Dalilah at the Metropolitan Opera, Palau des Arts Valencia, Teatro de Maestranza Seville, Teatro Regio di Torino, and at the Marinsky in Saint Petersburg; and a return to the podium to conduct Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Teatro La Fenice.
On the concert platform, highlights include the title role in Verdi’s Ernani for the Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos, des Grieux in Puccini Manson Lescaut for Dallas Opera, Verdi Requiem and Calaf in Turandot with the Israeli Philharmonic under the baton of Zubin Mehta, Mahler Das Lied von der Erde at the BBC Proms, the title role of Peter Grimes with Sir Antonio Pappano at the Accademia Nationale di Santa Cecilia and Faust in Berlioz’ La Damnation de Faust at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam with Charles Dutoit.
Acclaimed throughout his earlier career for his domination of the French and Italian bel canto roles, Kunde has now established himself as the definitive interpreter and leading exponent of many of the Verdi roles and other such dramatic repertory. Since his critically acclaimed debut as Verdi’s Otello at La Fenice in 2012, he has performed this signature role globally. Moving into this dramatic repertory, Kunde has earned the unique distinction of being the only tenor in recorded history to perform both Rossini and Verdi Otello in the same season (2014/15 and 2015/2016).
John Osborn, tenor, from Sioux City, Iowa, has garnished international acclaim in opera houses and concert halls all around the world. He began his operatic career with Des Moines Metro Opera in 1993, is a Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Awards, and is First Place Winner of the Operalia Vocal Competition Placido Domingo.
His early career included many roles in Rossini operas including Il Conte d’Almaviva in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, Principe Ramiro in LA CENERENTOLA, Lindoro in L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI, Conte di Libenskof in IL VIAGGIO A REIMS, and Don Narciso in IL TURCO IN ITALIA; and Mozart roles as Don Ottavio in DON GIOVANNI, Ferrando in COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Tamino in DIE ZAUBERFLŐTE, and Belmonte in DIE ENTFÜRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL.
He was equally at home in roles by Donizetti including Nemorino in L’ELISIR D’AMORE, Ernesto in DON PASQUALE, Edgardo in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, Fernand in LA FAVORITE, Tonio in LA FILLE DU REGIMENT, Percy in ANNA BOLENA, and Roberto in ROBERTO DEVEREUX. Bellini roles include Elvino in LA SONNAMBULA, Arturo Talbot in I PURITANI, and Pollione in NORMA.
His career changed paths with his debut as Prince Léopold in LA JUIVE by Fromenthal Halévy and the Opéra National de Paris Bastille, and taking on the role of Arnold Melchtal in Rossini’s GUILLAUME TELL in his debut with L’Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Italy. He has consequentially performed this epic role in more productions and performances than anyone in the history of opera. He graduated to the more lyrical role as Eléazar in LA JUIVE, and has performed other important French leading tenor parts in Gounod’s FAUST and ROMEO ET JULIETTE; Massenet’s MANON and WERTHER; Meyerbeer’s LES HUGUENOTS, LE PROPHETE, and ROBERT LE DIABLE; Berlioz’s BENVENUTO CELLINI and DAMNATION DE FAUST; and LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN by Jacques Offenbach.
Recent concert appearances include, Tenor soloist in “Messa da Requiem” by Verdi with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Riccardo Muti, and again with the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra; Faust in “Damnation de Faust” with Teatro San Carlo conducted by Charles Dutois; and Rossini’s “Stabat Mater” with the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nezet-Séguin.
John Osborn’s prestigious awards include the 2010 Goffredo Petrassi Award (cultural); 2012 Aureliano Pertile Award (tenor); 2014 Bellini d’Oro (bel canto); 2015 Friends of the Dutch National Opera “Prix d’amis” (best performance); the 2015/16 Friends of Liceu Critical Award (male singer) for his portrayal of Benvenuto Cellini; Abbiati Critics Award in Italy; and most recently an Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Award for his program; “John Osborn: a Legend Returns” with Lynette Tapia, soprano, conductor Ryan Haskins, and the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra with Iowa Public Television.
Equally at home on the concert stage and in the opera house, American conductor Christopher Franklin has been praised for his keen theatrical instincts and vibrant performances. His continued success in the Italian operatic repertoire is a natural result of having launched his career in Italy, where he lives actually.
M° Franklin is Principal Conductor of Minnesota Opera in Minneapolis since 2024 and the appointment was renewed until the end of season 2028/29.
He has conducted in most of major Italian venues including Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, Teatro San Carlo di Napoli, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Teatro Regio di Torino, Arena di Verona, and he has also performed in several world leading venues as the Musikvereinssaal and the Konzerthaus in Vienna, Herculessaal in Munich, Teatro Real de Madrid, Musikhalle Hamburg, Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées Paris, Palau de les Arts Valencia.
A sought-after guest conductor, Mr. Franklin has conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, Münchner Symphoniker, Czech Philharmonic Prague, Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI, Orchestra Verdi di Milano, Filarmonica Toscanini di Parma.
Among his highligths Turandot and Hansel und Gretel at San Francisco Opera, Peter Grimes and Turn of the Screw at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, Die Fledermaus at New National Theatre Tokyo, I Puritani and Otello at Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona, Attila at Opera de Tenerife, L’Occasione fa il ladro at Royal Opera House in Oman, Il turco in Italia at Teatro Comunale in Bologna, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci at Macerata Opera Festival, La sonnambula at Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris.
Over the years Mr. Franklin has established a collaboration with Juan Diego Flórez, appearing with him on tour in many concert venues around the world.
M° Franklin was first-prize winner of the Gino Marinuzzi International Conducting Competition. He began studying the violin at the age of six in his hometown Pittsburgh, while his conducting studies began with Charles Bruck at the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors in Hancock (USA), then he earned his MM in conducting at the University of Illinois and his DMA at the Peabody Conservatory with Frederik Prausnitz. He was awarded a scholarship to study at the Tanglewood Music Center, where he worked with Seiji Ozawa, Robert Span, and Gustav Meier, and subsequently a Fulbright Fellowship to study at the Musikhochschule in Saarbrücken. He also attended the conducting class of Gianluigi Gelmetti at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena where he was awarded the “Franco Ferrara” Prize.
Recent highlights are: Così fan tutte in Minneapolis; La cambiale di matrimonio at Rossini Opera Festival; Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci in Saint Etienne; Verdi’s Otello in Novara and Rovigo; Roméo et Juliette in Minneapolis; Die Zauberflöte and Adriana Lecouvreur at Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liège; Massenet’s Manon at Opera de Tenerife.