Oziel Garza-Ornelas' young career already includes appearances with many opera companies in Europe and North America, including The Washington Opera (Belcore in L'Elisir d'Amore and Papageno in Die Zauberflöte), Frankfurt Opera (Belcore), Grand Théâtre de L'Opera de Limoges (Marcello in La Boheme), San Diego Opera (Schaunard in La Boheme), Orlando Opera (Schaunard), Sarasota Opera (Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Lescaut in Massenet's Manon), Piedmont Opera (Lescaut and Marcello), Grand Théâtre de Genève, L'Opera de Nancy and the Neues Festspielhaus, St Pölten (Emuke in Tania Leon's Scourge of Hyacinths produced by Robert Wilson), Connecticut Opera (Escamillo in Carmen), and Di Capo Opera Theater in New York (Silvio in I Pagliacci).  Recent engagements include debuts with the Santa Fe Opera as Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Opéra Royal de Wallonie, in Liège, Belgium as Germont in La Traviata, and New Israeli Opera as Dandini in Rossini's La Cenerentola, and Teatro Bellas Artes in Mexico City as Taddeo, Opera Carolina as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Kentucky Opera as the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro, Shreveport Opera as Germont, and Rigoletto for Nevada Opera.

He has appeared as a featured soloist in concert with the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne led by Jesús López Cobos in Handel's Messiah, American Symphony Orchestra (Avery Fisher Hall debut) in the role of Solomon in Kurt Weill's oratorio The Road to Eternity, Yale Philharmonia led by Robert Shaw in Hindemith's Requiem for Those we Love, New Mexico Symphony led by David Lockington in Carmina Burana, Ohio Chamber Orchestra in Handel's Alexander's Feast, Pennsylvania Sinfonia inVaughn-Williams' A Sea Symphony and Bloch's Sacred Sercive, Charlottesville Symphony in Haydn's Theresienmesse,Yale Glee Club Bach's in B-minor Mass, New Haven Symphony in Mahler's Eighth Symphony, and Jacksonville Symphony in Bach's Christmas Oratorio and Handel's Messiah.  He has been a winner of numerous prizes, including awards from the Leiderkranz Foundation, Baltimore Opera Vocal Competition, Placido Domingo's Operalia Competition, Sullivan Foundation, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Connecticut Opera Vocal Competition, Lola Hayes Vocal Awards, Zachary Auditions, Houston Opera Studio competition, Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow, and Concerto Competition of the University of Cincinnati.  A native of Mexico, Mr. Garza-Ornelas earned an Artist Diploma from Yale University under the tutelage or Richard Cross and Doris Yarick-Cross. While at Yale, Mr. Garza-Ornelas performed the roles of Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, the four villains in Les Contes d'Hoffmann, and Ramiro in L'Heure Espagnole as well. He earned his Bachelor and Master of Music Degree in voice from the University of Cincinnati, where he sang the role of the Forester in The Cunning Little Vixen.

February 20, 2005  Louise Mendius, Soprano with Carolyn Cline, Piano

Louise Mendius has been praised for her exceptional ability to bring life to her roles while singing with a warm, colorful, “plush soprano voice.” She has delighted audiences with her unique combination of vocal and dramatic skills in performances ranging from art song to opera.  Ms. Mendius’ portrayals include the roles of Mimi in La Boheme, Cio Cio San in Madama Butterfly, Liu in Turandot, Georgetta in Il Tabarro, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus, and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with Opera Southwest in New Mexico, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana with the Scottsdale Symphony Orchestra and the University of New Mexico Opera Studio, where she was a guest artist, Najade in Ariadne auf Naxos with the Santa Fe Opera as an apprentice artist, and the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Batiquitos Festival in San Diego. Other roles include Alice Ford in Falstaff, Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte, Estelle in A Closed Case (world premier), and Frasquita in Carmen. She has appeared with Tacoma Opera, the Lyric Opera of Dallas, the Minnesota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Pensacola Opera, Opera Southwest, and several European houses, among others.   In addition to her operatic appearances, Ms. Mendius has performed Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Mass in B Minor and Magnificat in D, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and 9^th Symphony, Brahms’ Deutches Requiem, Mozart’s Grand Mass in C Minor  and Requiem, Vaughan Williams’ Hodie, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah.  She is also a frequent concert artist.  Ms. Mendius is a graduate of the University of New Mexico, where she earned her masters in the musical arts. She also spent two years at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia.

March 17, 2005  David Malis, Baritone with Mutsumi Moteki, Piano

David Malis, the only American singer to win the prestigious Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, is one of the leading baritones of his generation.  He began his career with the San Francisco Opera, debuting as Papageno in Die Zauberflöte at Stern Grove.  He has since appeared on the main stage at the War Memorial Opera house as Ford in Falstaff, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Marcello in La Bohème, Silvio in Pagliacci, Ping in Turandot and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  Also a regular at the Metropolitan Opera, Mr. Malis’ eleven seasons there have included appearances as Marcello, Papageno, Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos, and Ned Keene in Peter Grimes.  In the Met’s Opera in the Parks Series, he has sung Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Belcore in L’elisir d’amore.  Additionally, he has interpreted roles on many of the world’s opera stages including London’s Royal Opera at Covent Garden, La Scala in Milan, the Teatro Colòn in Buenos Aires as well as the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the Vienna Staatsoper, and the Netherlands Opera to name but a few.  A frequent recitalist and orchestral soloist, Mr. Malis has appeared not only at Carnegie Hall, but also with orchestras such as the Hong Kong Philharmonic, as well as in such prestigious locations as Stockholm’s Royal Palace.  Mr. Malis currently acts as Opera Director for the Crested Butte Music Festival during the summers.