Amistad

Antonio Watts, baritone, (Cinque) is a 3-time Grammy Award winner celebrated for his powerful, cultivated voice. He has performed at major venues including The Metropolitan Opera House, Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and Lincoln Center. Critics have praised his compelling presence, with Opera News noting he “showcased a cultivated baritone,” and Chicago Sun-Times calling his voice “powerful and attractive.” Internationally, Mr. Watts has performed benefit concerts and led masterclasses in Ghana to support children’s health initiatives. He has also appeared in national broadcasts across Europe and Africa. Highlights of his multifaceted career include performances with Kathleen Battle’s Underground Railroad tour, Broadway’s Rocktopia, and Kanye West’s operas Nebuchadnezzar and Mary. He has appeared with The Bronx Opera, Frick Collection Museum, and as cabaret headliner at The Metropolitan Room.

Omar Bowey, (Trickster God) is an exciting tenor with stunning versatility. Meche Kroop has described his voice as a “fresh sweet tenor”. Mr. Bowey’s operatic work includes Tamino, Don Ottavio, Ferrando, Nemorino, & Nate (Highway One, U.S.A.). Soloist concert work includes Gounod’s St. Cecilia Mass, Saint-Saëns’ Oratorio de Noël, Handel’s Messiah, & Kathleen Battle’s Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey. Mr. Bowey has been seen touring with the American Spiritual Ensemble as well as on PBS with the New York Philharmonic. Recent engagements include recording Aaron Zigman’s Èmigrè with Deutsche Grammophon and the American premier of the work at David Geffen Hall under the esteemed director of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Long Yu..

Patrice P. Eaton, mezzo-soprano, (Goddess of the Waters/Ensmble) is a dynamic performer known for her versatility across genres and her commitment to new music. A former member of the children’s choruses at both the Metropolitan Opera and New York City Opera, she has since appeared with Shanghai Symphony, On Site Opera, Opera Ebony, Syracuse Opera, and Caramoor’s Bel Canto series. Recent highlights include solo performances in The Ordering of Moses with Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Abyssinian Mass (Blue Engine Records), and concerts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Chautauqua Institution. A founding member of The American Spiritual Ensemble, she is featured on their debut album Ole Time Religion. Ms. Eaton is currently pursuing her DMA at CUNY Graduate Center and serves as Artistic Director of Three on 3 Music.

Victoria Antionette Davis, soprano, (Margu/Ensemble) has performed at the Kennedy Center and at a White House event hosted by the Obamas. She recently appeared in Suor Angelica with Opera Susquehanna, Highway 1 and Proving Up with Opera Ithaca, and premiered Stardust—a new work written for her—with Helios Opera. She is also featured on BMOP’s recording of Tobias Picker’s Awakenings. A District Winner in the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition, Ms. Davis has received honors from the Jensen, Giulio Gari, and Gerda Lissner foundations, and won First Place in the Harlem Opera Competition. She recently covered Indra Thomas in La Vestale with Teatro Grattacielo and will be soloist in Messiah with Harlem Opera Theater. A graduate of Oberlin and Mannes, she continues to build a vibrant career rooted in passion, artistry, and faith.

Thomas Balfour Austin, tenor, (Abolitionist Tappan/ Kaleh/Ensemble) is a rising Philadelphia-born artist known for his vibrant stage presence and musical depth. A former jazz trumpeter with the Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra, he performed at the Umbria, Montreux, and Nice Jazz Festivals, and the Kennedy Center before shifting to classical voice. He holds degrees from Penn State, Montgomery County Community College, and a master’s from the University of Delaware. Highlights include La liberazione di Ruggiero with UD Lyric Theater, solo work in Messiah, Elijah, and Seven Last Words of Christ, and performances with Delaware Symphony Orchestra. A NANM District winner and Musiktheater Bavaria Young Artist, Thomas continues advanced study with tenor Jesús Garcia. His work bridges opera, spirituals, and sacred music, grounded in heritage and authenticity.

Brian McQueen, bass, (John Qunicy Adams/Grabeau/ Ensemble) has appeared with On Site Opera, Tapestry Opera, New York Opera Festival, Trilogy Opera, and Janiec Opera, and recently sang the title role in The Swann, a new opera by Tamar-kali Brown, at Harlem Stage. Highlights include performances with New Camerata Opera and appearances in recital across Japan, the UK, and the U.S., including venues like The Metropolitan Opera Guild and Poetry International in London.Their performance work spans genres, from Porgy and Bess to experimental theater, including Here, Serpent at Dixon Place and Future St. at Bard College and the Broad Museum. A finalist in Opera Ebony’s Benjamin Matthews Voice Competition and a fellow with Emerging Leaders in New York Arts, Brian is also a dedicated advocate for housing justice and social equity.

Sheree Spencer (Stage Director/Narrator) is a dynamic stage director, producer, and performing artist known for her bold interdisciplinary vision and dedication to centering underrepresented voices. Born in Toronto with Barbadian heritage, she brings a rich cultural lens to her work and is currently based in New York City. Amistad with Connecticut Lyric Opera marks her U.S. directing debut. Her directing credits include the world premiere of Plaything with Musique 3 Femmes in Berlin and its Canadian debut at Opera McGill, Sanctuary & Storm with ReNaissance Opera and Vancouver Opera, and assistant directing Gould’s Wall for Tapestry Opera and Aportia Chryptych at Canadian Opera Company. Sheree’s work combines theatrical innovation with a commitment to legacy-building and cultural storytelling. As a producer, she has held key roles with Toronto Fringe, Luminato Festival, and Volcano Theatre’s Treemonisha. A 2024 Mellon Foundation Producing Fellow with Beth Morrison Projects, she has worked on Black Lodge at The United Theatre (LA) and BRIC (NYC), and Next Gen at National Sawdust. Across all platforms, Sheree creates space for transformative narratives and collaborative artistry.

Kyle P. Walker (Music Director/Accompanist) is acclaimed for his artistry as both soloist and collaborator, and for using music as a platform for social reflection and justice. His performances have been heard on NPR, WQXR, and PBS, and featured at major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The Apollo Theater, and internationally in Australia’s Adelaide Town Hall and Tantaloona Cave. A bold curator and interpreter, Walker is known for programming that pairs classical masterworks with pieces by historically excluded composers, prompting deeper engagement with music’s cultural context. His 2023 solo debut at South by Southwest marked the first classical piano performance in the festival’s history, exemplifying his mission to expand the reach of the art form. In opera, Walker has served as music director, rehearsal pianist, and onstage performer with companies including American Opera Projects and Seattle Opera. His credits include world premieres such as Lucidity by Laura Kaminsky and Blind Injustice, based on real cases from the Ohio Innocence Project. His work reflects a deep sensitivity to musical narrative and the power of collaborative storytelling.

Kazem Abdullah (Conductor) is an acclaimed conductor celebrated for his dynamic artistry, stylistic versatility, and commitment to broadening access to classical music. He recently opened the season at the Metropolitan Opera conducting Anthony Davis’s X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, hailed by The New York Times as “an American classic.” This season includes debuts with the Naples Philharmonic, Kansas City Symphony, and North Carolina Symphony, along with returns to the Indianapolis Symphony and Seattle Opera. Abdullah is also recognized for premiering major new operatic works, including Omar by Rhiannon Giddens, Castor and Patience by Gregory Spears, and pieces by Caroline Shaw, Anthony Davis, and Daniel Bernard Roumain. A former Generalmusikdirektor in Aachen, Germany, he has conducted over 25 operas and collaborated with renowned soloists including Midori and Angela Gheorghiu. Known for his thoughtful interpretations and community-centered programming, Abdullah continues to lead performances that connect deeply with both traditional and new audiences around the world.