Open Door Days

Soprano Jamie Chamberlin, who has been praised for her "shimmering tones" by Opera News, is the co-creator and host of Sing Out Loud! along with her husband, tenor Nathan Granner and their rescue pup, Esther the Opera Dog. Jamie made her LA Opera main stage debut in 2004 singing the High Priestess in Aida and the Cretan Woman in Idomeneo, following an exciting professional debut singing the world premiere of Salonen's Wing on Wing with the LA Phil. Since joining the LA Opera Connects family in 2006, she created the role of "Soprano Jamie" in Open Door Days at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and has represented LA Opera in legendary venues, schools, and historic locations throughout Los Angeles. A star of Long Beach Opera, Jamie has received critical acclaim for her portrayals in contemporary operas such as Candide (Cunegonde), Marilyn Forever (Marilyn Monroe) and The Invention of Morel by Stewart Copeland of The Police, for which Schmopera dubbed her a "superhuman soprano" for her soaring high notes. Jamie is a Delos recording artist and her voice can also be heard in the Coen Bros. 2016 film Hail Caesar! during the epic water ballet scene. She holds both a BA and MM from the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, where she now serves as a Lecturer in Vocal Technique. Jamie also maintains a private voice studio, and will be an Artist in Residence at Manchester University in May 2021.

Sing Out Loud

Music as Medicine

His solo appearances with the company include, most recently, the principal ensembles for Candide and Crossing in 2018. He made his LA Philharmonic debut in Stravinsky’s Renard and has performed with the LA Master Chorale since 2007. He was a soloist in Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Boca Del Rio Orchestra in Veracruz, Mexico, for the inaugural concert of a new state of the art performing arts center, with the President of Mexico in attendance. He has been a concert soloist under the batons of Gustavo Dudamel, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Grant Gershon, to name a few. He has performed more than 30 operatic roles and has sung in over 20 films, including Coco, Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Other appearances include the Traveler in Curlew River (Jacaranda), Shostakovich’s Orango (LA Philharmonic), Philip Weston’s Marie’s Orchard (Center Stage Opera) and leading roles in several zarzuelas. He has been praised for his “rich, lush baritone” and for having a “superb voice, which commanded the stage.” 

Tenor Ashley Faatoalia is a versatile, young artist born and raised in Los Angeles. Ashley studied vocal performance at Chapman University and has been singing professionally since that time. Opera News calls his singing “hauntingly beautiful” crediting him with “a voice of winning purity and variety of expression” and The San Francisco Chronicle calls him “Sweet-toned.” Ashley's recent engagements include performances as: Bobby McCray in the world premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera The Central Park Five with Long Beach Opera, The Crab Man in Porgy & Bess with Seattle Opera, Lyric Tenor in EUROPERAS with LAPhil, and his debut as Marco Polo in the Emmy-Award-winning, Pulitzer Prize-nominated Invisible Cities with The Industry. For the last ten years, Ashley has also had the fortune of working with LA Opera Connects going into the community and sharing music with all who wish to enjoy. (AshleyFaatoalia.com - follow him @ashthetenor)

Opera Tales

Dr. Tali Tadmor is a Los Angeles-based pianist, educator, music director and vocal coach. Her performance career includes collaborations with a wide variety of musicians and appearances at worldwide venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and The Great Hall at the heart of China’s Forbidden City. Though classically trained, Tali is sought after in a wide variety of musical settings, ranging from world music, pop and worship, to her own compositions.

Tali received both Master and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees on full scholarship from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California (USC) majoring in Keyboard Collaborative Arts. She is currently serves as Chair of the Collaborative Piano program at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) and has been with the LA Opera family since 2008.

Eli Villanueva, a talented and passionate musician, director and educator, brings his magic to every project on which he works. His uniquely energetic and joyful approach draws out consistently remarkable performances from community members and students new to performing, as well as from seasoned professionals. In his 16th season as Resident Stage Director and teaching artist for LA Opera Connects, Eli teaches and directs as many as 2,000 students annually in original productions including, the acclaimed In-School Operas, Opera Camp, and the Community Opera at the Cathedral conducted by Music Director, James Conlon.

Mr. Villanueva’s compositions are praised for their appeal to audiences and performers alike. His commissioned works of One-Act operas include Then I Stood Up which premiered in 2017, The White Bird of Poston, Friedl and The Festival Play of Daniel, an adaptation of the 13th-century liturgical play, Play of Daniel. In addition, music ranging from solo to choral works can be found through publishing companies, Fred Bock Music, Laurendale Associates, and Cherry Lane Music.

Opera Camp
Secondary In-School Opera
Elementary In-School Opera
Opera Tales