TROY — The Troy-Hayner Cultural Center will present a concert of operatic favorites by the Dayton Opera Artists-in-Residence Program on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 pm.

This innovative program was established in 1987 to serve as a professional training program for young singers as a bridge to move from their educational experience into the arena of a professional opera company. Since its inception, over one hundred young artists have participated in this program. Artists are selected by audition and, in addition to their training schedule, they work together to perform education and outreach programs in our community.

The Hayner is fortunate to have the opportunity to help showcase four exceptional artists. Each will bring their own unique perspective and experience. Gabrielle Flannery is a soprano who performed with the American Spiritual Intensive as a soloist and ensemble member for a series of concerts. The ASI is a ten-day intensive opportunity to study and perform repertoire from the American negro spiritual genre. In October she performed as Lucy in Dracula: Bloodlines with the Dayton Philharmonic and Dayton Ballet. In November she will make her Dayton Opera debut in Sweeney Todd. Flannery received her undergraduate degree from Lee University and will receive her master’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa this December.

Tessa Fackelmann is a mezzo-soprano and a native of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and an Artist Diploma from the University of Ottawa. Since 2020, Tessa has been based in Houston, Texas where she completed her Master of Music at Rice University. In 2022, Tessa was a Studio Artist with Wolf Trap Opera where she sang The Bridesmaid in Der Freischütz. This past summer, Tessa was an Apprentice Artist with the Santa Fe Opera where she made her mainstage debut as The Kitchen Girl in Dvorak’s Rusalka.

Artega Wright is a baritone and is deeply committed to nurturing and inspiring the next generation of opera enthusiasts and performers. He made his Dayton Opera debut as Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors and Donner in Das Rheingold. He had the honor of performing as Il Talpa in Puccini’s haunting masterpiece, Il Tabarro, performed aboard the historic 1908 lightship Ambrose with the esteemed, On Site Opera. Wright will also be featured as a soloist with the Dayton Philharmonic in their magical Magic Carpet Concerts. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Artega now proudly calls the Midwest his home. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in vocal performance from Southern Methodist University and Wayland Baptist University.

Carl Rosenthal is a tenor and will appear in the Dayton Opera’s Sweeney Todd as Pirelli and in Tosca as Spoletta as well as various other concerts and touring productions. He appeared in last season’s Dayton Performing Arts Alliance productions of Das Rheingold as Froh, Amahl and the Night Visitors as King Kaspar and in Handel’s Messiah as a tenor soloist. Rosenthal was also a member of the touring productions of The Elixir of Love as Nemorino and in Who Wants to be an Opera Star? He hails from Arlington, Virginia and holds a Master of Music from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University. He worked as a mathematics teacher in New York City before pursuing a career in classical music.

The Hayner is proud to present this collaboration with the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance as a free concert. This is made possible through the generosity of the citizens of Troy and our loyal sponsors. Learn more about Hayner’s cultural events and the good folks who support them at www.TroyHayner.org .