The Opera Colorado Artist in Residence Program* is vital to the company’s mission of bringing opera to thousands of people across the Rocky Mountain region. Each season’s Artists in Residence perform in schools, community centers, and other venues across the state; take on select mainstage roles for Opera Colorado; and are the featured performers in the annual Student Matinee. Their eight-month residency in Denver also includes training and coaching from artistic staff and guest artists.
For more information, please contact Cherity Koepke, Director of the Opera Colorado Artist in Residence Program, at ckoepke@operacolorado.org or 303.778.0371.
The Artist in Residence Program is sponsored by Ken and Donna Barrow, with additional support from Patrick Spieles.
MEET THE 2020-21 ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE

Catherine Swindle
sopranoCatherine Swindle (soprano) is from Lubbock, Texas, and is a graduate of Manhattan School of Music with a master’s degree in Classical Voice. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Vocal Performance and French from Texas Tech University. She was recently awarded second place in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions New England Regional competition after winning the Connecticut District competition. Some concert highlights include performing Respighi’s Il Tramonto with the American String Quartet and participating in artist Lee Mingwei’s Sonic Blossom installation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Other previous credits include Die Zauberflöte (First Lady), Bloch’s Macbeth (Première sorcière), Mozart’s Così fan tutte (Fiordiligi), and Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea (Poppea). She is delighted to be part of the Opera Colorado Artist in Residence program for the 2020-21 Season. She will perform in the touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Berta) and The Pirates of Penzance (Mabel), and in the mainstage productions of Cavalleria Rusticana (chorus), Carmen (Frasquita), and The Shining (Mrs. Grady).

Kendra Broom
mezzo-sopranoKendra Broom (mezzo-soprano) grew up in the California Bay Area and studied at Manhattan School of Music on the Birgit Nilsson Scholarship and at the Curtis Institute of Music as a Shaun F. O’ Malley Fellow. She is a recipient of the Shoshana Foundation’s Richard F. Gold Career Grant. Her recent appearances include title roles in Pelléas et Mélisande, L’enfant et les sortilèges, and The Rape of Lucretia, with other credits in Le nozze di Figaro (Cherubino), Hänsel und Gretel (Hänsel), and Lakme (Mallika). She was a featured guest with Curtis Institute’s 20/21 Ensemble, OPERA America’s New Works Forum, WWFM’s Celebrating Our Musical Future, and Opera Philadelphia’s Double Exposure. This season, she will perform in the touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Rosina) and The Pirates of Penzance (Ruth), in the mainstage production (Mercedes) and student matinee performance (Carmen) of Carmen, and in the mainstage production of The Shining (Mrs. Massey).

Devin Eatmon
tenorDevin Eatmon (tenor) is from Ocala, Florida. His performance history includes summers at Opera in the Ozarks (2015) and Aspen Music Festival (2018 and 2019). He holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Florida State University, where he studied with bass-baritone David Okerlund and performed in Bolcom’s Lucrezia (Lorenzo), Carlisle Floyd’s Prince of Players (George Villiers), Puccini’s La bohème (Rodolfo), Floyd’s Of Mice and Men (Curley), and Heinrich Marschner’s Der Vampyr (Edgar Aubrey). Having just completed his master’s degree as a graduate teaching assistant, Devin is excited to be one of Opera Colorado’s 2020-21 Artists in Residence. He will perform in the touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Count Almaviva) and The Pirates of Penzance (Frederic), in the mainstage production (Dancaïre) and student matinee performance (Don José) of Carmen, and in the mainstage production of The Shining (Lloyd the Bartender and Bill Watson).

Isaiah Feken
baritoneIsaiah Feken (baritone) returns for his second season as an Opera Colorado Artist in Residence. Last season, he performed in the mainstage production (Police Sergeant) and student matinee performance (Figaro) of The Barber of Seville. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Isaiah received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Georgia. Performances with UGA Opera Theatre include Don Pasquale (Malatesta), Cosí fan tutte (Guglielmo), The Marriage of Figaro (Count Almaviva), and the title role in Don Giovanni. Other credits include Falstaff (Ford) with the Crested Butte Music Festival, as well as Kiss Me, Kate! (Fred Graham) and the world premiere of A New Kind of Fallout (Harry Stritch) with Pittsburgh Festival Opera. As an Artist in Residence for Opera Colorado’s 2020-21 Season, he will perform in the touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Figaro) and The Pirates of Penzance (Pirate King), in the mainstage production (Remendado) and student matinee performance (Escamillo) of Carmen, and in the mainstage production of The Shining (Horace Derwent).

Thomas Lynch
baritoneThomas Lynch (baritone) is from Long Island. He received his bachelor’s degree from Westminster Choir College at Rider University and his master’s degree from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee. He has participated in young artists programs such as Bel Canto at Caramoor, Seagle Music Colony, and Hawaii Opera Theater. His recent performances include The Great Gatsby (Nick Caraway), Cosi fan tutte (Guglielmo), Eugene Onegin (Commander/Officer), Dialogues of the Carmelites (Marquis de la Force), The Consul (John Sorel), The Manchurian Candidate (Sgt. Raymond Shaw), and Salome (2nd Soldier/John the Baptist cover). Other performances include soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra under Rossen Milanov and baritone soloist for Goodall’s Eternal Light: Requiem with the MIT Cambridge Chinese Choral Society. Tom is excited to be joining the Opera Colorado Artist in Residence Program, during which he will perform in the touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Ambrogio/ Figaro cover) and The Pirates of Penzance (The Major General), and in the mainstage productions of Cavalleria Rusticana (chorus), Carmen (Morales), and The Shining (Crooner).

Timothy Madden
bass-baritoneTimothy Madden (bass-baritone) is from Kosciusko, Mississippi, and studied at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He received acclaim for performances in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Nick Bottom), Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore (Despard), and Gianni Schicchi (Simone). He was recently seen in Forever Plaid (Smudge) with Musical Theater Heritage. In 2020, he was scheduled to perform in Britten’s Albert Herring (Superintendent Budd) as a guest artist with the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Other scheduled performances included The Pirates of Penzance (Samuel) and Sky on Swings (Elder 4/Administrator cover) with Opera Saratoga and Platée (Jupiter) with Opera NEO. Timothy joins Opera Colorado as an Artist in Residence for the 2020-21 Season, during which he will perform in the touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Dr. Bartolo) and The Pirates of Penzance (The Sergeant of Police), and in the mainstage productions of Carmen (Zuniga) and The Shining (The Senator).

Stephen Variames
coach accompanistStephen Variames (coach accompanist) is a freelance pianist and composer from Allen, Texas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Composition from Baylor University, a master’s degree in Vocal Coaching from Oklahoma City University, and an Artist Diploma in Opera Coaching from the Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati. Former companies include Cincinnati Opera, Nashville Opera (Young Artist), Pensacola (Young Artist), Roundabout Opera for Kids in Cincinnati, Opera in the Ozarks, and Pittsburgh Festival Opera. His opera, Leaving Vaughan Behind, is the recipient of multiple grants. Other works have been premiered with Cincinnati Soundbox, The Lynx Project, and Salon 21. This season, Stephen will act at the primary coach and accompanist for the company’s touring productions of The Barber of Seville and The Pirates of Penzance. He will also work on additional repertoire throughout the season, including mainstage works of Cavalleria Rusticana, Carmen, and The Shining, and serve as featured pianist for school and community performances across Colorado.
2019-2020
- Laura Soto-Bayomi*, Soprano
- Kira Dills-DeSurra, Mezzo-Soprano
- Thomas Cilluffo, Tenor
- Isaiah Feken, Baritone
- Eric McConnell, Bass-Baritone
- Joshua South, Bass
- Tyler Tucker, coach accompanist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2018-2019
- Rebekah Howell, Soprano
- Kira Dills-DeSurra, Mezzo-Soprano
- Aaren Rivard, Tenor
- Nicholas Kreider*, Baritone
- Edward Laurenson, Baritone
- Eric McConnell, Bass-Baritone
- Tyler Tucker, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2017-2018
- Nicole Keeling, Soprano
- Vanessa Naghdi, Soprano
- Katherine Beck, Mezzo-Soprano
- Nathan Ward, Tenor
- Nicholas Kreider, Baritone
- Heath Martin, Baritone
- Andrew Hiers*, Bass-Baritone
- Jordan Ortman, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2016-2017
- Allison Nicholas, Soprano
- Danielle Lombardi, Mezzo-Soprano
- Omar Najmi*, Tenor
- Charles Eaton, Baritone
- Ryan Bradford, Baritone
- Parisa Zaeri, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2015-2016
- Emily Robinson, Soprano
- Danielle Lombardi, Mezzo-Soprano
- Benjamin Werley, Tenor
- Charles Eaton*, Baritone
- William Bryan, Baritone
- Alaina DeBellevue, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2014-2015
- Leah Bobbey, Soprano
- Katherine Sanford, Mezzo-Soprano
- Brett Sprague*, Tenor
- Andrew Paulson, Baritone
- Daniel DeVicente, Bass-Baritone
- Allan Armstrong, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2014
- Coleen Jackson, Soprano
- Louise Rogan, Mezzo-Soprano
- Brett Sprague, Tenor
- Jared Guest*, Baritone
- Benjamin Sieverding, Bass
- Taylor Baldwin, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2012-2013
- Morgan Harmison, Soprano
- Cassidy Smith*, Mezzo-Soprano
- Joshua Bouillon, Tenor
- Alexander DeSocio, Baritone
- Jared Guest, Baritone
- Steven Aguilo-Arbues, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2011-2012
- Amy Maples, Soprano
- Danielle Greiner, Mezzo-Soprano
- Dustin Peterson, Tenor
- John Allen Nelson, Baritone
- Christopher Besch*, Bass-Baritone
- Steven Aguilo-Arbues, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2010-2011
- Christie Hageman, Soprano
- Julia Tobiska, Mezzo-Soprano
- Adam Ulrich, Tenor
- Benjamin Moore*, Baritone
- Ryan Speedo Green, Bass-Baritone
- Steven Aguilo-Arbues, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2009-2010
- Donata Cucinotta*, Soprano
- Julia Tobiska*, Mezzo-Soprano
- Brendan Daly*, Tenor
- Lukas Graf*, Baritone
- Jeffrey Seppala*, Baritone
- Alexander Scopino*, Bass
- Steven Aguilo-Arbues*, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2008-2009
- Anna Noggle*, Soprano
- Donata Cucinotta*, Soprano
- Wendy Buzby*, Mezzo-Soprano
- Brendan Daly*, Tenor
- Lucas Goodrich*, Tenor
- Jeffrey Seppala*, Baritone
- Rodolfo Nieto*, Bass-Baritone
- Steven Aguilo-Arbues*, Pianist
*Joint recipients of the Norblom Award
2007-2008
- Michelle Trovato*, Soprano
- Kristin Berhmann*, Mezzo-Soprano
- Eve Orenstein*, Mezzo-Soprano
- Hak Soo Kim*, Tenor
- Carlos Aguirre*, Baritone
- Rodolfo Nieto*, Bass-Baritone
- Steven Aguilo-Arbues*, Pianist
*Joint recipients of the Norblom Award
2007
- Lianne Coble, Soprano
- Sangeetha Appavoo, Soprano
- Christina Rosas, Mezzo-Soprano
- Chester Pidduck, Tenor
- Gregory Bruce, Baritone
- Christopher Job, Bass
- Christopher Thompson, Pianist
2006
- Mary Ellen Assue, Soprano
- Heather Hill, Soprano
- Leslie Remmert Soich, Mezzo-Soprano
- Andy Truex, Tenor
- Adam Sattley, Tenor
- Jonathan Morales, Baritone
- Michael Tilley, Pianist
2005
- Kearstin Piper Brown*, Soprano
- Sharon Eisert, Soprano
- Julie Baron, Mezzo-Soprano
- Eapen Leubner, Tenor
- Jeremy Aye, Baritone
- Colin Brady, Bass-Baritone
- Michael Mastronicola, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
2004
- Elizabeth Brooks, Soprano
- Veronica Chapman-Smith, Soprano
- Jennifer DeDominici, Mezzo-Soprano
- Andrew Ranson, Tenor
- John Fulton, Baritone
- Marc Heeg, Pianist
2003
- Stacey Canterbury, Soprano
- Emily Sinclair, Soprano
- Jennifer Herzig*, Mezzo-Soprano
- John Tiranno, Tenor
- Bradley Thompson, Baritone
- Glen Denis, Pianist
*Recipient of the Norblom Award
*Prior to the 2018-19 season, the Artist in Residence Program was known as the Young Artist Program.