Award-winning baritone Corey McKern continuously earns critical acclaim and accolades in every appearance he makes. Of his performance as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, critics hailed: “Corey McKern… has all the goods to rise to star stature – timing, stamina, vocal heft and an easy-going stage presence – especially telling in Figaro’s signature aria, ‘Largo al factotum della citta.’” Recent engagements include the role of Older Thompson in Glory Denied with Opera Birmingham and performances as a soloist in Carmina Burana with Missoula Symphony, and Handel’s Messiah with the Alabama Symphony. Other engagements include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Tallahassee Symphony and a return to the Florentine Opera for a concert of “Opera’s Greatest Hits.” Upcoming, Corey will return to Pensacola Opera as the title role in their production of Don Giovanni.

Of his performance in La bohème, the Santa Fe New Mexican said, “Corey McKern’s resolute, robust-voiced and rambunctious Marcello, a perfect picture of a wannabe Parisian painter, was one of the best I’ve ever heard.” Mr. McKern garners attention at leading opera houses for his charming and dynamic portrayals of his signature roles: Marcello in La bohème in his Asian début at Opera Hong Kong, Santa Fe Opera, Florentine Opera of Milwaukee, Nashville Opera, and Opera Grand Rapids; Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Nashville Opera and Opera Birmingham; the Count in Le nozze di Figaro with Nashville Opera, Opera Cleveland, Opera Columbus, Michigan Opera Theatre, Tulsa Opera, Opera Birmingham, and Syracuse Opera; Gabriel von Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus with Nashville Opera and Florentine Opera; Papageno in Die Zauberflöte with Opera Omaha, Arizona Opera, Opera Birmingham, and Tulsa Opera; as Silvio in Pagliacci with Austin Lyric Opera, Arizona Opera, Opera Birmingham, and Central City Opera.

Karin Mushegain, called “superb” (The New York Times), and hailed for possessing “a rich voice and infectious theatricality” (Colorado Gazette), is captivating audiences with her exciting, energetic portrayals, dramatic poise, and dynamic vocal sound. During the 2016 – 2017 season, Ms. Mushegain portrayed Aldonza in Man of La Mancha with Indianapolis Opera, made her role debut as Despina in Così fan Tutte with Pasadena Opera, and sang Handel’s Messiah in concert with The Salastina Music Society.

Tenor Orin Strunk is a 2015 graduate of Westminster Choir College, where he received his Master’s Degree in voice performance. Orin currently studies with Jack LeVigni. Past voice teachers include Laura Brooks Rice, Lindsey Christiansen and Tamara Black. Mr. Strunk also studied with Lorraine Nubar while attending Juilliard’s Pre-College Voice Program. This past summer, Orin participated in numerous productions with the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center. At Brevard, Mr. Strunk debuted the role of Dr. Fowler in the world premiere of J. Mark Scearce’s Falling Angel. Orin also sang the roles of Tom Snout/The Wall in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the First Armoured Man in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Mr. Strunk is currently working as a chorus member with Opera Philadelphia, where he participated in their productions of Cold Mountain, Capriccio and L’elisir d’Amore, during the 2015-2016 season. Recently, Orin appeared in the chorus for Opera Philadelphia’s production of Turandot, during the 2016-2017 season. Future engagements include Rossini’s Semiramide with Opera Delaware, where Orin will sing in the chorus, and Floyd’s Susannah with Baltimore Concert Opera, where he will sing the role of Little Bat.

Eric is a native of South Dakota graduated with a Master’s Degree in vocal performance at the University of Colorado Boulder. There he was a featured soloist in Leonard Berstein’s Mass. In 2010 he performed the role of Tamino in Die Zauberflote with The Opera Theatre of the Rockies and again in 2012 with The Sounds of South Dakota. Eric earned his bachelor’s degree at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. As a 2013 Danis Wilson Apprentice Artist at Sugar Creek Opera he sang Lenny in Of Mice and Men and Sam in Susannah.

Praised for her “lustrous soprano voice”, Evelyn Saavedra is quickly establishing herself as a “gifted young singer to watch” (South Florida Classical Review). Born in Cuba and raised in Miami, Florida, Evelyn returned to Pensacola Opera for the 2017/18 season as an Artist in Resident where she was seen in the roles of Maria in Maria de Buenos Aires, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and Antonia in Man of La Mancha. During the 2016/17 season, she debuted as Young Alyce in Glory Denied, Sacerdotessa in Aïda, and Sister Catherine in the Florida premiere of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, where she also covered the role of Kitty Hart. Other operatic credits include Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Rose in Street Scene, The Governess in The Turn of the Screw, Featured Dater in the world premiere of Michael Ching’s Speed Dating Tonight, and Agrippina in Agrippina where she was praised for “coloring her vocalism expressively… she dominated every scene, singing with striking dramatic heft and passion” (South Florida Classical Review).

In 2016 she returned to the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center to perform the female title role of Epiphany Proudfoot in the world premiere of Falling Angel, an opera by J. Mark Scearce, where she was lauded for being an “alluring soprano (who) brought sensitivity to Epiphany” (Wall Street Journal). On the concert stage she has been featured in Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Handel’s Messiah with the Choral Society of Pensacola. The 2017/18 season marked her debut with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra where she appeared as a soloist in their Mozart Madness concert. Other credits include soprano soloist in Vaughn Williams’s Serenade to Music conducted by Keith Lockhart as well as his Symphony No.3 conducted by Jayce Ogren with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra.

Ms. Saavedra holds a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance & Literature from the Eastman School of Music where she received the first prize at the Friends of Eastman Opera Competition in 2015, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance from Florida International University.