Dr. Sheila Dunn earned her Doctor of Music degree in vocal performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Since joining UWF in 2007, she has taught applied voice, vocal literature, vocal pedagogy, opera workshop and Women in Popular Music. As part of the UWF Irish Experience study abroad program, she performs and presents masterclasses at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

Her research areas include living and diverse composers of art song and portrayals of women in music of the Tin Pan Alley era. She maintains an active performing career in opera and as a concert artist and recitalist. Select roles include Kitty Hart (Dead Man Walking), Mabel (Pirates of Penzance), Beth (Little Women), Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Costance (Les Dialogues des Carmélites), Blonda (Abduction from the Seraglio), Despina (Cosí fan tutte), and Johanna (Sweeney Todd). In 2019, she performed a solo concert as part of the Les Dimanches Musicaux concert series at The American Cathedral in Paris.

Dr. Dunn served from 2013-2022 as the director of the Dr. Grier Williams School of Music at the University of West Florida. The Williams School of Music was established in 2020 after receiving the largest cash gift from a living donor in the history of the university with a scholarship endowment that is estimated to be in excess of 7.5 million dollars. An additional $1M endowment will allow the school to fulfill its five-year plan and work toward achieving long-term goals. Dr. Dunn is thrilled to return to her faculty role as director of voice, and to enjoy more adventures and laughter with her loving family.

Imara Miles is a mezzo-soprano from the DC/Maryland area. Originally a musical theatre performer, she performed in shows such as Guys and Dolls (Gen. Cartwright), The Pirates of Penzance (Ruth), Cinderella (Stepmother), and The Drowsy Chaperone (Title Character) before making her operatic debut in Gianni Schicchi (Zita). Since then she has performed in Dialogues des Carmélites (Mere Jeanne), Bernstein’s Mass (Street Singer), and Blue (Girlfriend #3 cover) with companies like IU Opera Theatre and The Glimmerglass Festival. A recent graduate of Indiana University, Imara received her bachelor’s degree from York College of Pennsylvania and has been involved with choirs such as NOTUS and the Grant Park Chorus in Chicago as a fellowship artist. Imara was recently awarded an encouragement award in the district round of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and this past summer she was a Tomita Young Artist with Finger Lakes Opera.

Joseph Lattanzi commands attention for his “robust vocalism,” “unmistakable charisma,” and “undeniable star potential.” Lattanzi established himself as a major artist in the current landscape of opera with his portrayal of Hawkins Fuller in the world premiere of Gregory Spears’ Fellow Travelers. The New York Times said “Joseph Lattanzi was splendid as Hawk, his buttery baritone luxuriant and robust.” Praise for his work encompasses nearly 10 years of raves from audiences in Cincinnati, New York City, Chicago, Phoenix, Tucson & Des Moines and critics from The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, Opera News & Opera Now. He can be heard on the original cast recording of Fellow Travelers. His recorded work also includes the world premiere recording of Blind Injustice, in addition to songs and duets with some of the music world’s finest interpreters.

Recent engagements include Paul Jobs in The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs at San Francisco Opera and a role and house debut as Belcore in L’elisir d’amore at Minnesota Opera. Future engagements include the title role of Don Giovanni at Arizona Opera and a world premiere with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

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American tenor Ben Gulley has been hailed as “outstanding” (Opera News) and “startlingly gifted” (San Francisco Classical Voice). The award-winning artist’s recent seasons have included feature roles in opera, solo engagements, concert, film work, touring and important appearances abroad.

Gulley’s engagements for the 2024-2025 season include an exciting variety of fully staged productions including Rodolfo in La bohème with Knoxville Opera, as well as concert engagements such as a holiday program with Orchestra Iowa, Carmina Burana with the Grand Rapids Symphony, and highlights from Bizet’s Carmen with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra.

Recent artistic and critical triumphs include his debut as Romeo in the rave-reviewed Roméo et Juliette with Opera Idaho (2024), headlining “An Evening with Sir Tim Rice” alongside the EGOT legend himself (2024), winning Broadway World’s “Best Actor In A Musical” award for his debut as Quasimodo in Dennis DeYoung’s Hunchback of Notre Dame with Skylight Music Theatre (2022), a debut as Cavaradossi in Tosca with Sarasota Opera (2022), Tenor Soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with Orchestra Iowa (2023) and international engagements as Tenor Soloist in Bruckner’s Te Deum with Maestro Hartmut Haenchen and as Tenor Soloist in Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde opposite renowned mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung with the Belgian National Orchestra in Brussels and Namur, Belgium under Maestro Hugh Wolff (2021).

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Dramatic soprano Kara Shay Thomson has built an expansive stage career by creating characters that push the limits both musically and dramatically. Ms. Thomson’s major roles include the iconic Puccini heroines Turandot and Tosca. Additional roles include Leonore; Fidelio, Sieglinde; Die Walküre, Santuzza; Cavalleria Rusticana, Donna Anna; Don Giovanni and Magda Sorel; The Consul.

Kara Shay is well known for taking on rarely performed dramatic roles including: The Woman; Erwartung, Cassandre; Les Troyens, Judith; Bluebeard’s Castle, Marta; Tiefland, Agäthe; Der
Freishütz, Vanessa, Zemfira; Aleko, Marietta; Die tote Stadt and Balkis in Odyssey Opera’s live recording of the US premiere of Gounod’s La Reine de Saba.

Company appearances include Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Virginia Opera, Utah Opera, Portland Opera,
Atlanta Opera, Dayton Opera, Opera Omaha, Kentucky Opera and Sarasota Opera. Kara Shay first appeared at Pensacola Opera in the role of the Countess; Le nozze di Figaro and returned to sing her signature role of Tosca plus multiple Jukebox Gala performances.

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