Young artist program
Emily Kurcan Stephenson
Soprano Emily Kurcan Stephenson is thrilled to be part of the inaugural year of Vegas City Opera’s Young Artist Program! Praised for her “impressive high notes” (How Was The Show) and “glowing upper range” (Examiner.com), Ms. Stephenson performs regularly around the Las Vegas valley. In addition to her regular concert work, recent favorite roles include La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, featured solos in Pagliacci, Countess Ceprano in Rigoletto, Rigoletto and Zinnia in L’Etoile.
Prior to moving to Las Vegas, Ms. Stephenson maintained an active performance schedule in Minnesota and Colorado. Favorite performances include Cupid in Garden of Song Opera’s Orpheus and Eurydice, Aline in Empire Lyric Players’ The Sorcerer, and Minnesota Concert Opera’s outreach production of Opera 101. Additionally, Ms. Stephenson was a featured soloist with Sonomento and Coro!
Katherine Armantrout Ewell
Katherine Ewell - a proud native of Boulder City, Nevada-- has recently returned to the Las Vegas area after completing her master’s degree in vocal performance and pedagogy from the University of Houston. She is thrilled to be performing as a young artist this season with Vegas City Opera! A few of her favorite credits include Baby Doe in The Ballad of Baby Doe (University of Houston), Norina in Don Pasquale (UH), the national premiere of Lady Teazle in School for Scandal (UH), Millicent Jordan in Dinner at Eight (UH), Nanetta in Falstaff (Utah Vocal Arts Academy) and Mimi in La boheme (Brigham Young University). Katherine also had the privilege of being an invited soloist in the world premiere of the new oratorio Eine Herde, Ein Hirte in Vienna. When she isn’t performing or teaching voice, you can probably find her snuggling with her husband and two cats.
Miguel Alasco
Miguel Alasco is a tenor, classically trained since 2007 and a Young Artist at Vegas City Opera. He has sung in ensembles and minor roles for UNLV Opera Theater including Carmen, L'elisir d'amore, and Ariadne auf Naxos. In 2016, he served as the cover for the role of Rodolfo, as well as singing in the chorus, in UNLV's Spring production of La bohème, and has performed roles with Sin City Opera, in their 2017 production of L'Etoile - The Star as Tapioca, and in their 2018 production of Pirates of Penzance as the cover for Frederic, as well as a pirate and policeman. He also recently performed in his first musical theater role, playing the Padre in PS Production’s 2017 production of Man of La Mancha.
Marshal Morrow
A Young Artist at Vegas City Opera, baritone Marshall Morrow recently performed the role of Rambaldo in La Rondine as a Young Artist at Lidal North in Oslo, Norway. His roles include Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola, Dandini in Isouard's Cendrillon and the summer of 2017, Marshall performed the role of Le Surintendant des plaisirs in Massenet's Cendrillon the role title of Don Giovanni at Trentino Music Festival. Other performance credits include the role of Miton in the U.S. premiere of Delibes' Le Roi L'a Dit. His scene work includes Lucia di Lammermoor (Enrico), Florencia en el Amazonas (Alvaro) , Die Fledermaus (Eisenstein), Dead Man Walking (Joesph DeRocher), and Die Lustige Witwe (Danilo and Baron Zita). Marshall performed/ created the role of Gregory in a workshop of Vera by Matthew Barnson in collaboration with American Opera Project. Marshall has sung with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Alan Gilbert. He has also performed with Opera Las Vegas under the baton of Gregory Buchalter. This season at Vegas City Opera, Marshall will be performing Tom/John (The Face on the Barroom Floor), The Pirate King (Pirate of Penzance), Corporal and Sulpice (Daughter of the Regiment), Escamillo (Carmen), Marcello (La Bohéme in Concert), and The Forester (Cunning Little Vixen).
Rabuel Aviles
Rabuel Aviles is a mezzo soprano currently studying at UNLV under Dr. Kimberly James. She’s performed in many Operas at UNLV including, the Chinese teacup in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges, Oberon in Britten’s Midsummer Night’s dream, Orlofsky in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, as well as the chorus in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Le Nozze di Figaro, and Chorus in Puccini’s La Bohème. She covered Cherubino in Le nozze, and was also the counsel in G&S’ Trial by Jury. This season at UNLV she will be Mother Marie in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites.
Rabuel made her Sin City Opera debut in Kurt Weill’s Seven deadly sins as the mother. She was also a sister in G&S’ pirates of penzance, as well as Ruth’s cover.