Coffee Symphony

Narrator: Haksung Lee

Born in South Korea, Haksung joins the Queen City Opera as a Narrator (Tenor) in “Coffee cantata” BWV 211 by J.S. Bach. He recently performed together with QCO in Fidelio by L. van Beethoven as a tenor chorister (2022) and in Defiant Requiem by G. Verdi as tenor soloist cover (2022).

Haksung will appear at the Cincinnati Opera’s 2023 Summer Festival as a tenor chorister in Lucia Di Lammermoor, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Madama Butterfly. As a soloist, he recently performed in the May Festival 25 for 25: A New Time for Choral Music (2023). And he performed the role of Valcour in the opera L’amant Anonyme with CCM Opera (2022). He also performed the role of Prunier in La Rondine, the role of Fenton in Falstaff, and the role of Priest in The Magic Flute.

Haksung is currently working towards a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree with Prof. Stuart Skelton at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). He holds a Bachelor of Music from Korea National University of Arts in South Korea and a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Herr Schelndrian: Jacob Junbo Zhou

Jacob Zhou is a baritone from Jinan, China. Mr. Zhou is completing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice and a cognate in Choral Conducting at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). Mr Zhou was appointed by the Conservatory to teach undergrad and graduate level of Applied Voice for Non-Majors at CCM. Mr. Zhou was an Assistant Professor in Voice at the Musical Theater Department at Beijing Dance Academy in Beijing, China. He was also offered Adjunct Professor positions at Xavier University and Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati. The research project Mr. Zhou led won the Ethics in Action Award granted by University of Cincinnati Office of Research, and was featured on UC main website, UC official social medias, and Operawire.com.

Mr. Zhou has performed with many opera companies and symphonies, including Cincinnati Opera, Opera San Jose, Sarasota Opera, Queen City Opera, Nickel City Opera, Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, CCM Philharmonic, and the Lebanon Symphony Orchestra. The productions Mr. Zhou was in have been featured by NPR, the Wall Street Journal, Playbill, Broadwayworld.com, Operawire.com and many other American mainstream medias. This summer Mr. Zhou will be singing Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly with Cincinnati Opera.

Liesgen: Holly Thiemann

Holly Thiemann, soprano, has graced the stage of several operas and concerts with institutions such as Teatro Nuovo, The University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music, Chicago Summer Opera, and The University of Memphis. Among her favorite roles are Lisa in La Sonnambula, Celia in Lucio Silla and Rose in Ruddigore. She attended the Seraphic Fire workshop with Aspen Summer Music Festival, co-directed opera scenes for opera club at CCM, and assistant directed a production of Le Nozze di Figaro in Memphis. Holly is currently working on a Master’s degree at CCM and is also pursuing certification in YogaVoice®.

Ms. Thiemann has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, including first place in the Las and Sara Savell Fourth Biennial Vocal Competition, the Presser Award, the Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Award, and first place in TN regional NATS. She is eagerly anticipating her debut with Queen City Opera as Liesgen and is thrilled to be performing with director Craig Hella Johnson’s Vocal Arts Ensemble this spring.

Holly’s performance is generously sponsored by Tom Brody in memory of Judy Brody.

Stage Director: Tess Klibanoff

Raised in Rochester, NY Tess is a singing actress, stage director, and choreographer, with over 22 years of formal training. Tess incorporates elements of dance and body awareness into her work. She just completed her role debuts of the title role in Handel’s Agrippina and of Mère Marie in Poulenc’s Les Dialogues des Carmélites. This Spring, Tess choreographed a musical review for Oldenburg Academy and will be singing in Opera Fusion: New Works Workshop with Santa Fe Opera in Gregory Spears and Tracy K. Smith’s The Righteous singing the role of Ruth. This summer, she returns to the Cincinnati Opera Chorus and will be stage directing the Bach Coffee Cantata for Queen City Opera as well as associate directing Chicago Summer Opera’s production of Handel’s Rinaldo.

Some other recent credits include Core Chorister for Cincinnati Opera, Dorothée in Chevalier de Saint-George’s L’Amant Anonyme and Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro.  She also debuted the role of Turnspit in LAH-SOW’s production of Dvořák’s Rusalka, the title role in Bizet’s operas Carmen and Djamileh at CCM’s Opera Bootcamp, and Suzy in CCM’s production of La Rondine. Some of Tess’s other roles include Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, and Musetta in La Boheme.