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Ryan MacPherson played Camille and Caroline Worra sang the
title role in The Merry Widow at a recent Opera
Memphis performance. William Moore photo courtesy of
Opera Memphis
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MU Graduates Hit High Notes on New York Opera Scene
By Nancy Moen
When Caroline Worra, MM ’93, and
Ryan MacPherson, BES ’98, were music students together in
1993, they both sang in a Mizzou production of The Mikado.
Just 13 years later, music critics are praising their vocal
techniques and acting abilities as the two performers sing leading
roles with New York City Opera and other companies.
Paul Kellogg, the artistic director of New
York City Opera, says it is a great pleasure to work with Worra
and MacPherson. He calls them “superb artists and warm-hearted
individuals who have undoubtedly delighted City Opera audiences.”
In 2005, Worra, a soprano, and MacPherson, a tenor, reunited on stage in a performance at Opera Memphis when Worra sang the title role of The Merry Widow with MacPherson as Camille. Both singers have a fan base of “Mizzou groupies,” so many alumni traveled to Memphis to witness the reunion.
Worra is in her fifth season with New York City Opera and
has received many positive reviews from music critics. Marty
Umans photo
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Worra is in her fifth season with New York City Opera and has an enviable collection of reviews from music critics. Alex Ross of The New Yorker says Worra might be a “new soprano powerhouse.” David Shengold of Opera News writes that she is “destined for international stages.” Opera News featured her in its December 2005 issue.
Worra will sing the role of Donna Elvira
in New York City Opera’s production of Don Giovanni
on April 15 and 21. In her most recent appearance with that company
— mad Jenny in The Mines of Sulphur — Worra
drew praise from The New York Times for providing “…the
production’s high-wire vocal fireworks as well as its sharpest
emotional edges.”
Worra will return to Glimmerglass Opera this
summer for her fifth season. She is increasingly accepting roles
with regional companies as well and is known for her willingness
to experiment with roles, which delights directors.
MacPherson has been singing with New York City Opera since 2002. He appeared most recently with that company as the love-scorned composer Flamand in the fall 2005 production of Capriccio. In 2004, he sang the role of Iff the Water Genie in the premiere of Haroun and the Sea of Stories, and in 2005 he was Laurie in the company’s Japan tour of Little Women.
MacPherson has upcoming roles in productions of New York
City Opera, Opera de Nice in France, Opera Memphis and the
Kansas City Lyric Opera. Andrew Shurtleff photo
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Critics point to MacPherson’s resonant
voice and heartfelt performances. Anthony Tommasini of The
New York Times praised MacPherson’s performance in Capriccio. The music critic of Opera News said
MacPherson “stole the show” as Slim in the Central
City Opera production of Paul Bunyan. A critic for the
The Kansas City Star described MacPherson’s voice
as “rich, muscular, ringingly accurate.”
Upcoming lead roles for MacPherson include Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte with New York City Opera in November 2006 and with Opera de Nice, France, in January 2007; Camille in The Merry Widow with Kansas City Lyric Opera in May 2006; and The Duke in Rigoletto with Opera Memphis in April 2006.
Worra and MacPherson reunited twice this
winter on stages in New York and at Mizzou. They shared a debut
recital Feb. 11 at Carnegie Hall through Mizzou on Tour; and they
gave Mizzou a preview of that recital Jan. 29 in Jesse Auditorium.
More information on the performance schedules
of Worra and MacPherson can be found online at CarolineWorra.com
and RyanMacPherson.com.
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Last Update:
November 15, 2007
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