Meet our Featured Artists for Sotto Voce’s upcoming production of Beethoven’s FIDELIO!
PRODUCTION TEAM
Alex Huddleston – FILM & STAGE DIRECTOR
Alex Huddleston is a Buffalo-based multi-media artist, originally from St. Louis MO. After completing his PhD in May 2020 from SUNY University at Buffalo in composition, he began pursuing artistic expression beyond the limitations of absolute concert music. An artistically nomadic creative, these activities include art installations, multimedia performances, digital art, photography, and filmmaking. In the latter category he has directed in a number of genres including experimental films, narrative films, music videos, and documentary. His highly anticipated documentary series titled “Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo: A Home for All” was recently screened to great acclaim. He has been an artist-in-residence at Rust Belt Books, and composed several film scores with collaborators including photographer Eric Weeks. His directorial debut for staged music drama was UUCB’s 2023 production of Dido and Aeneas. This was followed by a double-bill of Puccini’s Il Tabarro and Suor Angelica with Operallora.
The originator of Sotto Voce’s ‘opera nouveau’ aesthetic, He strives always to both preserve the integrity of the art-form whilst drawing contemporary audiences into the drama through terms shared between both. In Sotto Voce’s first season, he presented his first narrative screenplay – a modern retelling of The Magic Flute. This highly ambitious production fused modern scripted filmmaking with historically accurate live music in a very successful hybrid event. A few short months later, he stage directed his fifth opera – his second production of Puccini’s Suor Angelica. In this production, interviews with contemporary survivors of the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI) reflected on the similarities between Puccini’s ~100 year old opera and their actual experiences in recent memory. These interviews were collaged and woven into the fabric of the opera. Sotto Voce’s next “opera nouveau” production was Lucia di Lammermoor, featuring an original script, where Sir Walter Scott will offer commentary and observations on the show interlaced with the music. Alex is excited to again be creating original short films to accompany this year’s productions of Cavalleria Rusticana and Fidelio.
His concert music has won highly competitive awards and has been performed in numerous cities in the United States, including New York City, Austin, Boston, and Buffalo, as well as in Italy and Portugal. He is a music critic and book reviewer for University of Cambridge press’s TEMPO. He is a producer for the ScoreFollower, Incipitsify, and MediatedScores YouTube channels, and edits content for many other YouTube channels.
Mason Cancilla – CONDUCTOR
Mason Cancilla, whose conducting has been described as “poised, elegant, and very polished.” (JoAnn Falletta) founded the Avanti Chamber Orchestra and Chorus in 2023. It has since become simply Avanti – a group of dedicated musicians ranging from amateur to professional. Together we form an ensemble, whose repertoire spans the Baroque through the Modern. Avanti is also dedicated to aiding in the development of young soloists and composers. In August of 2024 the orchestra performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica” and the two Romances for Violin and Orchestra for the 1st Annual Buffalo Beethoven Festival, also founded by Cancilla.
He is currently music director at St. Benedict’s RC Church in Buffalo and of Cantio Sacra at Canisius University. Mason is a conductor and team coordinator for Buffalo String Works. This summer, Mason will spend time at the Eastman School of Music studying and conducting Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem for the second time. This will be Mason’s fourth time attending Summer@Eastman. The past program’s included: Bach’s B minor Mass, Margaret Bond’s Credo, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem.
Mason is a graduate of the University at Buffalo (UB) with an MM in Orchestral Conducting. While at UB, he served as the assistant conductor of the University at Buffalo Symphony Orchestra (UBSO). He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Canisius College, now Canisius University, and an Associate of Science degree from Niagara County Community College, now SUNY Niagara. For a full bio please visit masoncancilla.com
Holly Bewlay – CHORAL DIRECTOR
Korean American soprano Ho Eui Holly Bewlay is acclaimed for her “sparkling charm” (Hartford Courant) and dynamic artistry across opera, operetta, oratorio, recital, and concert stages in the United States, South Korea, and Italy.
Dr. Bewlay has distinguished herself as a soloist in masterworks including Handel’s Messiah; Bach’s B Minor Mass and Magnificat; Mozart’s Requiem, C Minor Mass, and Exsultate Jubilate; Haydn’s The Creation and Lord Nelson Mass; Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater; Brahms’s Requiem; Schubert’s Mass in G Minor; Fauré’s Requiem; Poulenc’s Gloria; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. She also champions contemporary repertoire, with performances of Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living; Jocelyn Hagen’s Requiem: Ashes of Roses; Bob Chilcott’s St. John Passion; and Frank Ticheli’s Songs of Love and Life and Angels in the Architecture, among others. In 2023, she released her debut recording, HOLLY: 24 Italian Songs and Arias, now streaming worldwide.
Her collaborations include performances with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, Connecticut Choral Artists and Hartford Symphony, the Assisi Performing Arts Festival Orchestra and Chorus in Italy, the New Haven Symphony, and many others. As a recitalist and guest artist, she has appeared at Colorado State University, the University of Memphis, Auburn University, Columbus State University, Busan National University, and SUNY Fredonia, among others. She is also in demand internationally as a presenter and masterclass clinician, with recent engagements at the University of Seoul, Kyung Hee University, Busan National University, the 2022 Assisi Performing Arts Festival, the 2024 NATS National Conference, and the 2025 ICVT International Conference.
Her operatic repertoire includes leading roles such as Madama Butterfly (Madama Butterfly), Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Hanna Glawari (The Merry Widow), and Yum-Yum (The Mikado), with companies including Buffalo Opera Unlimited, Opera-Lytes, Mercury Opera, and Nickel City Opera, as well as performances on tour in Italy.
An esteemed pedagogue, Dr. Bewlay is Professor of Music at Buffalo State University, where she directs the voice program and teaches applied voice, vocal pedagogy, opera, and vocal chamber music. She has been recognized with the Outstanding Undergraduate Course Award for Service Learning from Buffalo State’s Civic Engagement Office and as Educator of the Year by OperaBuff, NY. She earned her B.M. in Voice from the New England Conservatory, and both her M.M. and D.M.A.—along with the prestigious Performer’s Certificate—from the Eastman School of Music. She has also completed three levels of advanced certification in Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method.
Jonathan Vogtle
REHEARSAL & OUTREACH PIANIST
Jonathan Vogtle is a collaborative pianist native to Rochester, New York. He received his Bachelor’s of Music in piano performance from Ithaca College under the tutelage of Dr. Jennifer Hayghe. He has worked as a music minister at several churches, including St. Paul’s of Webster, Caroline Center Church in Brooktondale, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo, and St. Joseph’s of Penfield, where he currently serves. Major works he has covered include Vox Balaenae by George Crumb, Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25 by Johannes Brahms, and Sonata in B Minor by Franz Liszt. Additionally, he served as the rehearsal and ensemble pianist for Opera Magnifico’s 2023 production of L’elisir d’amore. He is excited to join the Sotto Voce team for their 2023 relaunch.
CAST
Amanda Santos – LEONORE
A Florida native, spinto soprano Amanda Santos made her operatic debut with the Lyric Orchestra in Miami, Florida, and has performed roles on regional stages such as Cio-Cio San in Madame Butterfly, Leonora in Il Trovatore, and Giorgetta in Il Tabarro. Other engagements include a performance of Don Carlo for the Metropolitan Opera Guild and premiering the role of Mariana in Evan Mack’s Angel of the Amazon at the Sheen Center. A flexible crossover artist, Amanda has also performed in a variety of theater productions, performs regularly with her band Sordid Vibes, and has performed in concert with Grammy award-winning musical group The Chieftains. Amanda is also the Founder and Artistic Director of the local opera company Operallora.
Danny Leclerc – FLORESTAN
“Danny Leclerc’s singular voice is a harmonious encounter between a unique timbre, impressive agility in high registers and captivating power. Its rich and subtly nuanced timbre is the perfect vehicle to convey with accuracy and emotion the nuances of each interpretation. On stage, his natural presence is combined with a subtle mastery of the game, giving him a striking authenticity.
Danny has been a finalist for the CS Music competition 2024 and a grand finalist for the 23rd great tenor tournament in Czscecin Poland in 2024.
Tim Flynn – ROCCO
Bass-Baritone Tim Flynn has been active within the Buffalo music scene since moving there in 2005, after earning his Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from SUNY Fredonia. Since then, Tim has served as a bass section lead, cantor, and soloist for Holy Trinity Lutheran Church’s Chancel and Chapel Choruses, where he sings today. On the concert stage, Tim has performed with both Harmonia & Vocalis Chamber choirs over the course of several seasons. He has collaborated with the Camerata di Sant’Antonio, Buffalo Opera Unlimited, The Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Western New York Chamber Orchestra, Opera Sacra, Buffalo Choral Arts Society, Ars Nova, The Buffalo Chamber Players, and The Rolling Stones (ZIP Code tour) on major works, concerts, and programs throughout his career. Tim’s recent stage roles include Bartolo in Le Nozze de Figaro, Beniot in La Boheme (Buffalo Opera Unlimited- Fall 2024 & 2023, respectively) and Colline in La Boheme” (Niagara Arts and Cultural Center-Fall 2022). Tim made his debut with Sotto Voce in the role of Sarastro for their February 2024 production of The Magic Flute, sang the role of Raimondo for their March 2025 production of Lucia di Lammermoor, and returns this season as Rocco in Fidelio.
Jessie Downs – MARZELLINE
Jessie Downs is a soprano and the Founder & Artistic Director of Sotto Voce. Jessie’s performances have been described as “simply stunning,” “a tour de force,” her voice as “sweet,” “very round,” and her range “impressive.” Recent operatic roles include Lucia in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Pamina and The Second Lady in different productions of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Suor Angelica in multiple productions of Puccini’s Suor Angelica, Mimi in Puccini’s La Boheme, and Sashatya in her own opera, The Second Sight. After a year and a half focusing on the administrative and directorial side of Sotto Voce, Jessie is excited to return to the Sotto Voce stage as Marzelline in Beethoven’s Fidelio. Other upcoming roles include Micaëla in Carmen and Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana.
Pengyu Yang – DON PIZARRO
Baritone Pengyu Yang from China is a third year DMA student at Michigan State University with fully scholarship and Teaching Assistantship, he has a Master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music, and a Bachelor’s degree from Communication University of China. Mr. Yang’s previous credits include Ford from Falstaff by Verdi with Michigan State University; Dandini from La Cenerentola by Rossini with Michigan State University; Masetto from Don Giovanni by Mozart with Michigan State University; Antonio and Bartolo from Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart with Manhattan School of Music. Opera scenes include lead roles in Die Zauberflote and Les mamelles de Tiresias. Mr. Yang’s awards include the first prize in the Emperor International Vocal Competition in 2016, Michigan District Winner and Dr.David Dichiera Award in Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in 2023, Great Lakes Regional Encouragement Award in Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in 2024.
Robert Flora – JAQUINO
Robert Flora is a classically trained vocalist with a wide range of operatic and concert experience. He has performed leading roles with Tri-Cities Opera, Delaware Valley Opera, and Binghamton University, including Belcore (L’elisir d’amore), Elder Gleaton (Susanna), and Papageno (Die Zauberflöte). He toured in children’s operas such as Stone Soup and Pinocchio, where he appeared as Max, the Wolf, and Dulcamara. Robert has also produced youth opera programming in Philadelphia and portrayed Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro. In summer 2025, he sang internationally with two professional choirs in Europe.
Theodore Chang – DON FERNANDO / DON PIZARRO COVER
Theodore Chang is an aspiring baritone from New York. Highlights from the 2025-2026 season include the Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro and Rochefort in Anna Bolena with New York Opera Forum, covering Caretto in the American premiere of Korngold’s The Silent Serenade with Mannes Opera, and Fedorov in Clint Busoni’s The Christmas Spider with New Jersey Opera Theater. Other career highlights include Flora’s Servant and Germont cover for New Jersey Opera Theater’s La Traviata, Masetto and Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Chicago Summer Opera, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte with the Queen’s Summer Vocal Institute, Mr. Jones in Street Scene and Antonio in Le nozze di Figaro with Frost Opera Theatre. He has also served as an auxiliary chorister in productions of L’elisir d’amore and Carmen with Florida Grand Opera. He is a M.M. in Voice student at the Mannes School of Music and earned a B.M. in Vocal Performance from the University of Miami Frost School of Music. He is a member of the eVoco Voice Collective, a Long Island based vocal ensemble where he resides and maintains a teaching studio.
Zane Merritt – TENOR PRISONER
Zane Merritt originally hails from Dubuque, Iowa, but has considered Buffalo his home for over a decade. He holds a PhD in music composition from the University at Buffalo and a Masters in composition and guitar performance from Butler University, studying with Michael Schelle, James Aikman, and Frank Felice. As a performer-composer, he has played his music internationally, performing in Toronto and Nagoya, Japan. His recent works include Sonatas for horn, oboe, and trumpet and music for guitar duo and guitar trio. He has released nearly 200 albums on streaming services under various pseudonyms, such as DJ Dogbreedz, Torture Foam, Wrongfish, Oxen Family, and Question the Monorail. He is a regular livestreamer of music composition and Super Mario World on Twitch under the name lungfish3000. More information is available at www.zanemerritt.com
Anthony Bellisimo
BASS PRISONER & DON FERNANDO COVER
Bass, Anthony Bellissimo is from Buffalo, NY. Over the last decade he has developed a full bass sound after resuming vocal training in 2012 with Dr Maria Vetere PHD, and attending master classes with renowned Conductor, Richard Bonynge.
Opera had been abandoned for musical theater and there was little singing for 25 years with an uncooperative work schedule.
Having studied voice performance at SUNY Buffalo in the 70’s, 25 years later later he obtained a BA in Communicative Disorders and Sciences.
He has performed in numerous Buffalo theater groups:
Roles performed include:
The Poet in “Kismet”, The Butcher in Musicfare’s “Fiddle on the Roof”, 1776 Kavinoky Theater, and in ensembles in several other musical productions .
He performed Colline in a La Boheme adaptation (Buffalo Opera Unlimited), but recently performed the full role in a production by Opera Niagara. He performed the role of Silvano in Un Ballo in Maschera Opera Unlimited in Buffalo.in 2022.
Christen May Mayer
SOPRANO CHORAL LEADER & LEONORE COVER
Lyric soprano Christen May Mayer, originally from Texas and Florida, earned her Master of Music in Opera Performance from Oklahoma City University (2024). She has since performed as Sieglinde (Die Walküre) with Dramatic Voices Midwest, Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) with Opera DeMetro, Berta (Il barbiere di Siviglia) with First Coast Opera, and covered Monica (The Medium) with Bold City Opera and Clotilde (Norma) with New Jersey Opera Theater.
A dedicated advocate for arts outreach, Christen has performed with Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma presenting hundreds of interactive shows in schools and is currently an educational artist with Painted Sky Opera performing children’s opera and leading educational seminars on the voice and opera theater. She is delighted to make her debut with Sotto Voce, covering the role of Leonore in Fidelio from the chorus, and looks forward to singing Zweite Dame (Die Zauberflöte) with Opera Arlington in the upcoming season, along with additional concert and chorus work throughout the region.
Jessica Moss
SOPRANO CHORAL LEADER & MARZELLINE COVER
Jessica Moss is an artist to watch. Most recently she has been seen as Serpina in Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona. Jessica reprised the role of Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with Sunny Side Opera, Inc. in Tampa Florida. Other notable roles include Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen with Opera Theatre of Connecticut, Zina in Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters and Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas with Miami Music Festival, Cendrillon from Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon with Houston Operativo, Fiordiligi in Mozart’s Così fan Tutte and Gretel from Hänsel und Gretel by Humperdinck with The Peabody Opera, and the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Amalfi Coast Opera Festival.
In Competition, Jessica was Grand Prize winner in the Charleston Symphony Young Artists Competition, First Place winner in the NATS Regional Competition, and a finalist in the Hal Leonard Art Song Competition and Civic Morning Musical Competition.
Jessica has participated in masterclasses led by Metropolitan Opera performers Ben Heppner, Eric Owens, Sherril Milnes, Michael Sylvester, Jonathan Beyer, and Timothy Long.
Dan Gunderud
TENOR 1 CHORAL LEADER &
TENOR PRISONER COVER
Dan Gunderud (62) is an electrical engineer working as the Safety Manager in a process equipment manufacturing firm in Tonawanda.
Dan has been singing in various choruses and choirs in both Eastern and Western NY since the fourth grade. He has also been a member of the New Hackensack Reformed Church Klokken Ringer hand bell choir under Betty Garee. He has training in piano, classical and jazz guitar and a dubious year of trumpet lessons.
This is Dan’s first foray into opera.
Michael Warner
BASS 1 CHORAL LEADER & BASS PRISONER COVER
This is Michael Warner’s second production with Sotto Voce. He has had leading roles in recent past productions with Opera-Lytes of Buffalo theater company, and was in the chorus of The Marriage Of Figaro put on by Buffalo Opera Unlimited in 2024. He is a retired RN and has been a voice student of Maria Goodrich at Community Music School for the past five years. He is excited to be a part of the opera and working with all the talented individuals involved.
Sotto Voce 