American soprano Hallie Schmidt has performed with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Seattle Opera, Tacoma Opera, Pacific Northwest Opera, Vashon Opera, to name a few.

Recent performances include Blonde in Die Entfürung aus dem Serail and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Pacific Northwest
Opera, Frasquita in Tacoma Opera’s Carmen, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, and The Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute (filmed production) with Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Originally from Olympia, WA, Hallie received her Bachelor of Music from Oklahoma City University, and an Artist Diploma from William Jewell College in Kansas City, MO. Hallie has received awards from the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, Lotte Lenya Competition, the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and was the 2023 winner of the Seattle Opera Guild Singer Development Awards.

In the 2024-2025 season at Opera Colorado, Hallie will cover Marie in Daughter of the Regiment and Musetta in La bohème, as well as sing Inez in Il trovatore. She will also sing Gretel and Berta in the touring productions of Hansel and Gretel, and The Barber of Seville.

Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, mezzo-soprano Melanie Dubil strives to contribute to experiences in which the world of classical vocal music can be relatable, accessible, and cathartic.

Melanie’s most recent operatic credits include The Pirates of Penzance (Edith), Street Scene (2nd Nursemaid) with Central City Opera and Don Giovanni (Donna Elvira) and Cinderella (Angelina) with Opera Colorado. As a Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Apprentice Artist with Central City Opera Melanie appeared in Roméo et Juliette (Stéphano), and Kiss Me, Kate (Wardrobe Lady/Chorus).

Alongside Bard College Conservatory’s The Orchestra Now (TŌN) and the Graduate Vocal Arts Program, Melanie appeared in Iolanthe (Queen of the Fairies), The Cunning Little Vixen (Lapák/Mrs. Pásková), Seven Deadly Sins (Anna I), and The Medium (Mrs. Nolan). Previously, Melanie appeared in Heggie’s Two Remain (Edka) as a Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Studio Artist with Central City Opera. Melanie is passionate about exploring the art of song, especially in contemporary idioms by composers that best represent her. Growing up in an Armenian- and Ukrainian-American household, Melanie has always been curious about her ancestry and how she can learn more about it through her music-making. Most recently, Melanie shared the work of iconic Armenian composer and ethnomusicologist Komitas Vardapet in an art song recital for Central City Opera’s annual Lunch and a Song series. Last Spring, Melanie won first place in Art Song Colorado’s (ASC) 2024 competition, and she will present a recital in November 2024 in the Denver area as part of ASC’s song recital series.

Melanie returns as an Artist-in-Residence with Opera Colorado (OC) in the 2024-25 season where she will cover The Marquis of Berkenfield in Daughter of the Regiment as well as perform the role for their annual student matinee at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Additionally, she will sing in The Barber of Seville (Rosina) and Hansel and Gretel (Hansel) as part of OC’s touring productions. Melanie is ecstatic to return to Opera Colorado for a second season!

Daniel Miller, a native of Arvada, Colorado, is thrilled to join Opera Colorado’s roster of talented Artists in Residence for the 2024-25 season. With a robust background in opera performance, Daniel holds a Bachelor’s degree from The University of Northern Colorado and a Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University.

This season, Daniel is particularly excited to be covering and performing the role of Tonio Daughter of the Regiment and sing the role in the Student Matinee performance. Additionally, he will study cover for the role of Rodolfo in La Bohème. Daniel will also bring his dynamic talent to the Touring Productions, taking on the roles of Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville and the Witch in Hansel and Gretel. He is excited to engage with diverse audiences and demonstrate his versatility as an artist. Previous roles include a variety of opera and musical theater alike, such as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, The Mayor in Albert Herring, Laurie in Little Women, and many others.

Throughout the year, Daniel will be a vibrant presence at various Opera Colorado events, contributing his passion and expertise to the company’s mission of bringing exceptional opera experiences to the community.

Alex Granito is a baritone from Orange County, CA. He is delighted to join Opera Colorado for a second year as an Artist in Residence for the 2024-25 Season, during which he performed in the Daughter of the Regiment mainstage production and Student Matinee (Corporal). He also sings in Opera Colorado’s touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Figaro) and Hansel and Gretel (Father). In the summer of 2024, Alex was a Studio Artist at Chautauqua Opera and sang in the world premiere of Love, Loss, and the Century Upon Us (Young Man). In the 2023-24 Season with Opera Colorado, Alex sang in the mainstage productions of Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni, cover/Student Matinee), Samson and Delilah (Second Philistine), The Flying Dutchman (Ghost Chorus), and in Opera Colorado’s touring productions of The Elixir of Love (Belcore) and Cinderella (Dandini). In the summer of 2023, Alex was a fellow at Music Academy of the West where he sang in La bohème (Schaunard). Alex earned his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Vocal Performance at San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he studied under Cesar Ulloa.

Bass-baritone Oliver Poveda Zavala, originally from the highland country of Ecuador, is a graduate of the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. In the 2024-25 Season, Oliver joins the Opera Colorado Artist in Residence program, during which he will sing in the touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Bartolo) and Hansel and Gretel (Father cover).

Oliver made his debut as José Castro in La fanciulla del West as an Apprentice Artist with Central City Opera for their 2024 summer festival season, where he also covered the role of Ashby in La fanciulla del West and Mr. Olsen in Street Scene. In 2023, Oliver appeared in Opera Colorado’s Student Matinee performance of Don Giovanni (Masetto), sang in Die Fledermaus (Dr. Falke) with Opera in Williamsburg, and participated in Central City Opera’s apprenticeship program, where he sang in the Emerging Artists Matinee of Romeo and Juliet (Frère Laurent) and in Otello (Elmiro Cover).

Oliver has worked with multiple companies in Colorado, including Opera Steamboat, Boulder Opera, and Denver Immersive Opera, where he performed in La bohème (Colline), the abridged version of Lori Laitman’s The Three Feathers (Frog King), Xavier Montsalvatge’s El gato con botas (El ogro), and Bluebeard’s Castle (Duke Bluebeard). In 2022, he sang in Don Giovanni (Leporello) with the Vincerò Academy in Mazatlán, Mexico, and in 2021, he made his company debut with Opera in Williamsburg in The Elixir of Love (Dottore Dulcamara). In 2021, he performed in ISOFOM’s production of The Marriage of Figaro (Bartolo and Antonio) in Morelia, Mexico. Other recent roles include Monsieur Presto Les mamelles de Tirésias (Monsieur Presto), L’enfant et les sortilèges (Le fauteuil and L’arbre), Cabildo (Gaoler), the Magic Flute (Sarastro), Gianni Schicchi (Simone), and Il tabarro (Talpa) with the Lamont Opera Theatre during his studies at the University of Denver. Oliver is the 2021 and 2022 winner of the Ann Logan Craft Vocal Competition, a 2021 finalist at the Denver Lyric Opera Guild Competition, and a recipient of the Sherry Shepherd Sargent Memorial Award.

James Eder is a bass from Columbus, OH.  He is excited to join Opera Colorado for the 2024-25 Season as an Artist in Residence. On the mainstage, James performed in Daughter of the Regiment (Hortensius, mainstage and Student Matinee). He also sings in Opera Colorado’s touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Ambrosio, Bartolo cover) and Hansel and Gretel (Sandman).

In 2024, he returned to Opera Carolina in their production of Turandot (Timur) and was a soloist in Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor with his hometown Columbus Symphony. In 2022 and 2023, James sang in Gianni Schicchi (Simone) with Chautauqua Opera and Opera on the James and Tosca (Sacristan) with Opera Carolina. While in Chautauqua, James also performed in The Mother of Us All (Anthony Comstock). In 2021, James performed in La serva padrona (Vespone) and L’inganno felice (Ormondo) with Sarasota Opera, then reprised the role of Ormondo with Opera Southwest. During the summer of 2020, he was a young artist with Chautauqua Opera, performing in the world premiere song cycle, In Our Silence.

Other recent engagements include La bohème (Colline) with Cleveland Opera Theater, Ariadne auf Naxos (Truffaldino) with Cincinnati Opera, Nabucco (The High Priest of Baal) with Sarasota Opera, and Another Brick in the Wall (The Judge) with Cincinnati Opera. James earned a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from The Ohio State University.

Oleg Bellini was born and raised in Alessandria, Italy, the son of an opera singer. He joined Opera Colorado as the Artist in Residence Collaborative Pianist in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Seasons, where he served as the coach and pianist for our touring productions. Oleg has been the Resident Collaborative Pianist at Opera Colorado since 2023.

Ms. Koepke comes from a diverse performance background ranging from musical theater to stage plays to opera to cabaret. Ms. Koepke attended the University of New Mexico, where she earned a double Master’s degree in Vocal Performance and Child Psychology & Behavioral Studies. After receiving her degrees, she continued to study theatre, becoming a Shakespearian trained actress through the Addison program, a partner program of the Royal Shakespeare Academy. She has performed such classical roles as Katherine (Taming of the Shrew), Ophelia (Hamlet), Juliet (Romeo and Juliet) and Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing). Her professional operatic career began in 1999 with the Santa Fe Opera, first as a young artist and later a Resident Artist. Her operatic performance credits include Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel), Liu (Turandot), Musetta (La bohème), La Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte) and Norma (Norma).

A full lyric soprano, she has performed such iconic musical theater roles as Maria (The Sound of Music), both Eponine and Fantine (Les Misérables), Guinevere (Camelot), Adelaide (Guys and Dolls) and The Baker’s Wife (Into the Woods). In 2001, Ms. Koepke won the prestigious Thespian Tribute award for her performance of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. In 2004 she received critical acclaim for her performance of the role of Claudia Draper in Tom Topor’s stage play, Nuts.

In 2005, Ms. Koepke began to focus her career in stage directing. Well-versed in multiple genres of theater, Ms. Koepke has directed productions such as The Cunning Little Vixen, Madama Butterfly, A Little Night Music, The Pirates of Penzance, Inherit the Wind, The Tempest and A Lion in Winter.

Ms. Koepke began working with Opera Colorado in 2007, where she serves as the Director of the Opera Colorado Artist in Residence Program and the Director of Education & Community Engagement. She creates the abridged scores for the company’s Touring Productions, translating the text and adapting the music as well as designing each production. She also serves as the lead dramatic coach and stage director for the program. She has directed Opera Colorado’s touring productions of Rossini’s Cinderella and The Barber of Seville, Gounod’s Romeo & Juliet, Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Bizet’s Carmen and Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love.

She is the creator of the American Song program for Opera Colorado which is now in its sixth season.