INTERNATIONAL OPERA
PROJECTS
ARTISTIC STAFF
About the Artists
Artistic Director and founder of International Opera Projects, Courtney Ross decided to take matters into her hands when she developed a company that would highlight operas both old and new. She found that many of her colleagues, both composers and singers, yearned for an outlet to showcase their work and talent. Berlin seemed like the perfect location for such an endeavor as it is so culturally diverse. Thus, the idea for International Opera Projects was born.
As well as overseeing most of this summer's fesitval activities and assembling a team of dedicate, talented artists, Courtney will be singing the role of Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte.
Her life as a singer has brought her to many new and interesting locations around the world and she has had the privilege to sing with companies such as Fort Worth Opera, New York Opera Exchange, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Bremen Philharmonic, Teatro La Vittoria, Opera Singers Initiative, Bel Cantanti Opera, West Bay Opera, the National Philharmonic, Opera Moderne, Opera San Jose, The Stockton Opera & Symphony, the Waterford Concert Series, and the Santa Cruz Chamber Symphony.
Courtney also has a strong appreciation for contemporary classical music and has been involved with several collaborations including the world premiere of Jorge Martin’s BEFORE NIGHT FALLS in which she sang the role of the Moon. This opera premiered at Fort Worth Opera and was recorded by Albany records 2010. She also sang on recording of the title role in an opera by up and coming composer Daniel Masmanian entitled ARDI.
Ms. Ross received her M. M. in vocal performance from the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. She is a recipient of the Cecilia Award for Vocal Excellence from Shenandoah Conservatory where she completed her bachelor’s degree. Other honors include the Concert Artist Award from the Metropolitan International Music Festival Vocal Competition, a Fielder Grant scholarship and a grant from the Anna Sosenko Assist Trust.
Born in Vancouver, BC,Canada, Rebecca Fox is no stranger to the stage and live performance.
Since Rebecca was young, she has grown up on the stage, both performing, directing and producing.
Upon completing her time at the famed American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, Rebecca worked professionally in New York, Toronto, and Berlin. Rebecca got her start producing and directing in Toronto when she became a member of Red One Theatre Collective, where she produced and directed many independent works and shows including Upstart Cabaret. During her time in Toronto, she became a member of The Cindy Tanas Actors Studio where she co-produced Norm Fosters, The Melville Boys and other Canadian plays. Rebecca also spent time at Second City Toronto. In 2012 Rebecca moved to Berlin Germany, where she quickly began producing and
directing her own works including Ozzie and Juju Christmas Spectacular, and Ozzie and Juju.... in the beginning with writing and performance partner Andrew Young. She continues to perform with companies in Berlin such as The Gin Palace Cabaret, and Pasta Opera as well.
Currently Rebecca teaches at Die Etage where she teaches young actors Meisner Technique, performance and audition technique. Along with producing directing and teaching, Rebecca runs her own fast growing actors studio where she coaches emerging as well as seasoned professionals. Rebecca is thrilled join the cast and team of Mozarts Cosi Fan Tutte for her Operatic directorial debut.
Alden Gatt, a New York City based pianist and conductor, is a much sought-after coach and accompanist. The Music Director of New York Opera Exchange since 2010, he has conducted many operas, including Don Giovanni, Die Fledermaus, and Carmen. Since 2012, he has been a vocal coach at New Jersey City University. In 2016 he performed at Carnegie Hall as part of Marilyn Horne's "The Song Continues" Masterclass Series.
Originally from Naples, Florida, Mr. Gatt began winning awards in many piano competitions at an early age, including the “Turiel Prize” in the Naples Music Club, and the first prize in the Southwest Florida Concerto Competition, where he performed Prokofiev’s First Piano Concerto with the Southwest Florida Symphony. He also received second place in the NY State MTA Piano Competition, and was a semi-finalist in the Anton G Rubinstein International Piano Competition in Dresden, Germany. He recently won the Marilyn Horne Song Competition at the Music Academy of the West.
Alden Gatt attended the Eastman School of Music, where he studied solo piano, accompanying, and conducting with Barry Snyder, Dr. Jean Barr, and Brad Lubman. Having lived in Beijing for a year during high school, he minored in Chinese, and he also speaks French, German and Italian.
Darren Saady, born in Sydney, Australia has been living in Berlin for a year working as a freelance repetituer and vocal coach. Having obtained a Masters degree and Artists Diploma in repetiteur from the Guildhall School, London, he was invited to be a staff repetiteur of the 2015 Festival der jungen Stimmen, Internationale Opernwerkstatt in Switzerland by Verena Keller and Roman Brogli-Sacher. In 2014 Darren was a staff répétiteur for the Music Academy International Opera Program in Trentino, Italy, where Renata Scotto was a guest teacher, and was also invited to the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School in Brisbane, Australia working with, among others, John Fisher (The Met, La Scala), Robert Lloyd and Richard Hetherington (ROH). In 2013 he attended the Georg Solti-Peretti Accademia répétiteur’s course in Barcelona, Spain, where staff included Sir Richard Bonynge, Jonathan Papp and Pamela Bullock. Darren has also worked privately with Victor Morris (former Head of Music, English National Opera) in Sydney.
Darren has played orchestral keyboard for the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Opera Australia (Peter Grimes, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk , The Makropulos case), and worked as repetiteur for the Chelsea Opera Group, London. He was also a vocal coach at the Australian Institute of Music. He has performed as a concert accompanist in numerous gala concerts, Lieder, artsong and operatic recitals in the UK, Germany and Australia, including for the Royal Over-seas League at Australia House in London.
Denis Chevallier studied the piano, harpsichord, harmony, analysis and orchestration in Boulogne's and Versailles' conservatories in France, and in Paris' CNSMDP ( superior music and dance conservatory ). Working mainly in France and Germany, he accompanies many singers in lied/melody/opera arias recitals, and plays as well as a pianist or harpsichordist in solo or chamber music concerts.He is a vocal coach as well , both for lyric and baroque repertoire, and taught as such from 2000 to 2007 at Notre Dame de Paris' music school . He plays with " les muses galantes", Paris' orchestral ensemble, the Berlin philarmonikerchor, the Berliner Palestrinachor, il seminario musicale, les arts florissants...
He has been composer in residence at the “Casa de Velazquez” in Madrid, for the years 2007-09. His works has been premiered by Sorbonne university's choir ( dir A.Alonso ), the mezzo-soprano L.Richardot, the organist T.Escaich, the ensembles Correspondances, 2e2m, Residencias, Plural, Soli tutti, Pasdeloup orchestra... He also (re)orchestrated Offenbach’s “Barbe bleue”, for the company “les brigands”, (dir. B.Lévy) , Mussorgsky’s Pictures of an exhibition, for Radio France philarmonic orchestra, Vaughans Williams’ “Songs of travel” for l’Arcal.