Hansel & Gretel

"Radiant in voice and striking in stage presence" (The Washington Post) Verdi soprano Lori Lind has won top prizes and career grants from The Annapolis Opera, Violetta DuPont, Albanese-Puccini, Liederkranz, Gerda Lissner, Schuyler-Bender and Tucker Foundations. She has been lauded as "riveting" (Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte - The Cleveland Plain Dealer), "astonishing" (Aida - The Houston Chronicle) and "dazzling…impress(ing) mightily..." (Violetta in La Traviata - Raleigh News Observer). More recently, her theatrical and musical arrangements, stage directing, and conducting have also been highly praised. Dr. Lind serves as Organist and Choirmaster at St. Thomas Epsicopal Church in McLean, Virginia, whose congregation graciously hosts Shakespeare Opera Theatre. She also maintains a private voice and music studio, judges competitions, and gives master classes throughout the region. She founded Shakespeare Opera Theatre in 2015 and has served as Managing Director ever since. A native Floridian, she now lives in Haymarket, Virginia with her dogs, Quimby and Romeo, where they love enjoying the four seasons of the Mid-Atlantic together.

Dr. Bloy has been with Shakespeare Opera Theatre as a pianist, vocal coach, and conductor since SOT’s 2016 production of Falstaff. In 2018, she became the Associate Artistic Director of the company. She is a vocal coach at George Mason University and has been on the faculties at Pennsylvania State University, Olivet College, and Blue Lake Fine Arts. Dr. Bloy has also served as music director at Atlantic Music Festival in Maine and Bethesda Music Festival in Maryland. In addition, she is an active recitalist in the Washington, D.C. area. Dr. Bloy holds degrees from Oberlin Conservatory, Pennsylvania State University, and Michigan State University. She resides in Haymarket, Virginia with her husband and two children.

Originally from Bogor, Indonesia, soprano Amanda Densmoor has been praised for her "clarion voice" which "soared to new heights" (Parterre Box). She was recently featured as a soloist on Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra’s US tour, making her debuts at Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center, and The Music Center at Strathmore. As a regular performer with Annapolis Opera, Amanda has been seen as Girl in Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, and as a bridesmaid in Le nozze di Figaro. Other roles include Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), Servilia (La clemenza di Tito), Nella (Gianni Schicchi), Suor Genovieffa (Suor Angelica), and Patience (Patience). As a concert soloist, Amanda has sung Orff’s Carmina Burana, Carissimi’s Jephte, Fauré’s Requiem, and Mozart’s Requiem. Amanda is a cantor and member of the professional choir at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Natalie Turner is a mezzo soprano from Warwick, Rhode Island currently based in Baltimore, Maryland. Natalie has portrayed many notable pants roles, including Enfant in Ravel’s “L’Enfant et sortilège,” Cherubino in Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro,” Hänsel in Humperdinck’s “Hänsel und Gretel,” Orlovsky in Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus,” and Ottone in Monteverdi’s “L’incoronazione di Poppea.” Also passionate about Oratorio Natalie has been the Alto soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony under the baton of Marin Alsop, and performed Orff’s Carmina Burana at Wolf Trap. Natalie earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from SUNY Purchase and her Master of Music in vocal performance from the Peabody Conservatory at Johns Hopkins University. Natalie received the Anita Erdman Award for Opera from the Peabody Conservatory.

Mezzo-soprano Maggie Ramsey is an opera singer based in Alexandria, VA. She is excited to be returning to Shakespeare Opera Theatre for the first time in two years! Maggie began singing with SOT in 2017 and has performed roles with them such as Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Emilia in Othello, and most recently covered all three mezzo-soprano roles in Hansel and Gretel. She also performs regularly with Victorian Lyric Opera Company, Young Victorian Theatre Company, and Bel Cantanti Opera Company. In 2018 she became a member of the Sopranessence women’s vocal ensemble and has appeared in concerts with them ever since. Maggie also sings as a freelance vocalist for churches around the area and carols with The Olde Towne Carolers every December. When not singing, she reads, plays New York Times word games, and writes reviews for the online publication Opera Today.

Soprano Alicia Woodberry has been praised for causing “the magic to appear” (OperaGene), with a voice and presence that linger long after the final note. Recent highlights include Mimì in La bohème with Shakespeare Opera Theatre, Miss Titmouse in Too Many Sopranos with Cedar Rapids Opera, and she looks forward to returning to the role of Gertrude for the upcoming performances of Hansel and Gretel. She has also appeared in works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Smyth with the Clarion Choir and the Cathedral Choral Society. A passionate advocate for new music, Alicia frequently collaborates with composer Garth Baxter, with whom she recorded From the Heart: Three American Women. Beyond the stage, she is an engaging educator at Opal Music Studio in Alexandria, VA. Originally from Illinois, Alicia is a proud dog mom to Ollie and loves to unwind by hiking and baking something sweet. She holds degrees from the Peabody Institute and Augustana College and is based in Washington, DC.

Praised for his “Deeply human Marcello” (La bohème) by Opera Codebar (Paris, France), JP Gorski reprises his role as Peter in SOT’s Hansel & Gretel. Audiences will recognize JP from roles such as Iago (Othello), Gregorio (Romeo & Juliet), the title role of Macbeth, and from Much Ado About Nothing where he portrayed the dual roles of Berlioz's Somarone and Shakespeare's Dogberry.

After graduating from James Madison University, JP studied at Bel Canto in Tuscany (Tuscany, Italy) where he performed as Figaro (The Barber of Seville), and the title role of Rigoletto. JP has performed with numerous companies including Charlottesville Opera (Virginia), Sarasota Opera (Florida), and Annapolis Opera (Maryland) where he appeared as Second Armored Man in The Magic Flute (November 2023) and The Commissioner in La traviata (March 2025).
JP currently works as a Branch Coordinator for ABC, an Apria company, and a data entry clerk for Reaching Potentials VA, LLC.

Antony Zwerdling hails from San Francisco, but currently lives in Alexandria, VA. He is an active performer in the greater Washington area. He has performed many roles,
including Papageno in The Magic Flute, Schaunard in La Bohème, and Figaro in The Barber of Seville. His credits include WNO, Wolf Trap, Washington Concert Opera, and Opera Lafayette.

As an Oratorio soloist, Zwerdling’s repertoire includes Messiah, the requiems of Brahms, Mozart and Fauré, and St. Matthew Passion. He has sung with Washington Bach Consort, Thomas Circle Singers, and Handel & Haydn Society. He has also presented several recitals, both of classical repertoire and as a singer-songwriter.

Zwerdling received his Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and Master’s from Boston University, and Doctorate from Shenandoah Conservatory, writing about songs of Samuel Barber. He teaches on the voice faculty at Hood College and College of Southern Maryland in addition to maintaining a private studio.

Gwen Baier is an expressive and passionate performer. Gwen hails originally from Williamsport, PA and is so excited to be working with Shakespeare Opera Theatre. Gwen received her Bachelor's degree from Marywood University under the instruction of Ellen Rutkowski and Dr. Rick Hoffenberg. She received her Master's degree from Shenandoah Conservatory in 2018, where she studied with Dr. Aimé Sposato, Robert Thieme, and Natalie Conte. Gwen is currently instructed by Jaclyn Surso, a graduate from UNCSA.
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Gwen has also worked with acclaimed opera singer Aprile Millo, maestro Richard Bonynge, and La Scala director Marco Gandini in Millo’s Operavision D’Oro program. She is also a two-time winner for the North CarolPast roles include Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro, La Suora Infermeria in Suor Angelica, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Lucy in The Telephone, and Anne in A Little Night Music.

Elizabeth Pope is a 24 year old soprano hailing from Maryland. In July 2024 Impressio hailed her Sofia Music Weeks appearance: “the rising world opera soprano Elizabeth Pope...captivated the audience to tears and evoked a bouquet of emotions.”

Highlights include a featured performance for the International Women’s Forum at Lincoln Center (2024), a Civic Morning Musicals prize created in response to her moving rendition of Hundley’s Waterbird (2023), and an understudy role in Kate Soper’s The Hunt, requiring simultaneous singing and violin playing. She has given recitals in Mexico’s Festival de Axixic and debuted with the Atlanta Music Society.

Praised for both opera and chamber music, Pope premiered her own arrangement of Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, “achiev[ing] the heights of expressivity” (Voce di Meche). A Manhattan School of Music graduate, she now studies with celebrated bass Valentin Peytchinov.

Melissa holds a Master's degree in Music from Temple University Boyer College of Music and Dance, a Bachelor’s degree in Music from Shenandoah Conservatory of Music where she received the Wind Ensemble Award in 2012, and in 2021 she completed her certification in k-12 music education from Notre Dame of Maryland University, where she received the honor of becoming a member of Kappa Delta Pi. She has studied voice with Kathryn Green, Jennifer Cherest-Flory, and Bree Nichols, and studied clarinet with Garrick Zoeter and Sam Caviezel. She currently performs with the Chamber Chorale of Fredericksburg and has performed with companies throughout DC, Maryland and Virginia, such as Bel Cantanti Opera Chorus, Opera Camerata Chorus, Teatro Lirico Chorus, Stafford Opera Troupe where she starred as Cinderella in their 2019 production of Cendrillon, Southern Maryland Light Opera Company Chorus for Naughty Marietta and The Mikado, and starred as Gretel in their 2008 production of Hansel and Gretel, played the role of Mother in the College of Southern Maryland’s production of Ragtime in 2018, and was Puck in Capitol Hill Arts Workshop’s 2017 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Melissa has been teaching privately for 13 years and is currently a General Music and Choir director with Charles County Public Schools. She resides in VA with her husband Norman and their daughter Willow.

Gene Allen (Lord Capulet). Prized for his strong bass voice, Mr. Allen has performed with SOT since 2018, portraying King Duncan and Old Siward in Macbeth (2024), Lodovico in Othello (2022), King Claudius in Hamlet (2020), Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet (2019), and covering Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors (2018 and 2022). Since 2020, he has served as an Executive Producer with SOT. Gene retired from federal government contracting in September, 2024, and lives in Ashburn, Virginia.

Soprano Donnette Rimmer is delighted to return to SOT for her second production. (She appeared as Lady Lennox in Macbeth in 2024). Originally from California, she has lived in the Washington DC area for most of her adult life. She has served as a soloist and section leader at several churches in DC and N. VA and performs regularly with local early music ensembles. Also a violinist and aspiring celtic harper, her musical opportunities have taken her to choral and instrumental ensembles in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Boston, Rome, the Loire Valley, and the Scottish Highlands. A retired attorney, Donnette specialised in international trade and intellectual property rights for the federal government.

Andrew Kraus, lauded by Elke Walters in the Fankische Andezeiting writing that “Kraus proved to be like a sensitive piano whisperer with his highly sensitive interpretive art”, is delighted to work with Dr. Lind and the wonderfully talented, skilled and committed cast and crew, as Musical Director for this seasons’ performances of Shakespeare Opera Theatres production of Romeo and Juliet. Previously on the faculties at James Madison University, Meredith College and University of Mary Washington, Kraus now freelances around DMV. In addition to regular concert performances, Kraus is known for his #Respite recordings. He teaches and coaches in person and over the internet at his Rockville studio, where as collaborator, he has a long history of helping aspiring artists produce award winning results. He lives in Rockville with his wife, Christine and his comfort animal, Max, a 114 pound Great Pyrenees mix.

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Opera singer, violinist, web developer, graphic designer, and master multitasker, Laura has starred in obscure operas, founded two opera companies (because one wasn't crazy enough), and juggles a career in web development & design while freelancing for nonprofits and artists. Her household is a zoo with a parade of dogs and cats, and she spends her free time painting everything in sight and trying to clean up after her menagerie. An ADHD-addled, middle-aged, leftist single mom in the conservative South (Chattanooga, TN), Laura lives for Dr. Pepper & Little Debbie Snack Cakes, loathes water and the gym, and yet is perpetually perplexed by her mysterious menopausal weight gain. Despite the chaos, she remains a Renaissance woman with a sharp wit and a healthy (ok, maybe more than healthy) dose of sarcasm thrown in for good measure.