A Madison Symphony Christmas

Adriana Zabala is acclaimed for operatic, concert and recital performances throughout the U.S. and abroad. The New York Times has hailed her as “a vivid, fearless presence,” and the L.A. Times as “an extraordinary, vibrant mezzo-soprano.” In addition to traditional operatic roles such as Cherubino and Rosina, Ms. Zabala has created characters in distinctive new works such as Sister James in Cuomo and Shanley’s Doubt (recently broadcast on PBS’ Great Performances), Rosie Cheney in Puts and Campbell’s The Manchurian Candidate, Erminella in Musto and Campbell’s Volpone, the title character in Aldridge and Garfein’s Sister Carrie, Manja in Cohen and Brevoort’s Steal a Pencil for Me, and Lucy Talbott in Bolcom and Campbell’s Dinner at Eight.

In U.S. premieres, the mezzo was heard as Amore in L’Albore di Diana, the title role in Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, and received international acclaim for her role in Glass’ Waiting for the Barbarians with Austin Opera. She recently joined Arizona Opera as Paula in Florencia en el Amazonas, reprised the role with both San Diego and Madison Opera, sang Nicklausse in Les Contes D’Hoffmann, also with Madison Opera, and sang the role of Joanna in the revival of Carly Simon’s Romulus Hunt with Nashville Opera. She made her role debut as Mary Johnson in Spears’ Fellow Travelers with Minnesota Opera, and reprised the role with Madison Opera. Ms. Zabala made her European operatic debut in Valencia, Spain under the baton of Maestro Lorin Maazel at the Opera Palau des Arts, and returned the following season for two productions conducted by Maestro Zubin Mehta.

Nathaniel Stampley, a Milwaukee native, is a proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin where he received his Bachelors of Music Degree. Broadway credits include: CATS, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, The Color Purple (original production and the revival), and The Lion King. He had the pleasure of playing “Mufasa” on the West End in the Disney UK’s The Lion King. National tours: The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (Los Angeles NAACP Award nomination), Ragtime and Orpheus Returns. Off-Broadway performances: Big Love, Signature Theatre (NY); Fiorello! and Lost in the Stars, NY City Center’s Encores!; and The First Noel, Classical Theatre of Harlem (AUDELCO Nomination). Regional performances: The Bridges of Madison County (Joseph Jefferson nomination), Man of La Mancha (Joseph Jefferson Award Actor in a Principal Role-Musical) Marriott Theatre; The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, The A.R.T.; Abyssinia, North Shore Music Theatre; Pacific Overtures, Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Strike Up the Band and One Touch of Venus, Auditorium Theatre’s Ovations! series; Violet, Once on This Island and Big River (Joseph Jefferson Award nomination), Apple Tree Theatre; Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s The Color Purple, Dreamgirls, and Man of La Mancha; Showboat, Sacramento Music Circus; The Skylight Music Theater’s Harriet, the Woman Called Moses, El Capitan, Girl Crazy, The King and I, Porgy and Bess (opera).

Nathaniel’s concerts include: The Marriage of Figaro and Songs from Around the World with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He recorded with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra (Naxos) and performed American Favorites from Gershwin to Copland and Home for the Holidays concerts. He performed Something Wonderful, a Rogers and Hammerstein tribute concert, at Lincoln Center; The Weill Music Institute concert series at Carnegie Hall: Musical Explorers and Link Up with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Other concerts include Lyrics and Lyricists and Musical Introduction Series at the 92Y, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, El Paso Symphony Orchestra, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra, West Michigan Symphony, and Bernstein’s Mass and West Side Story with the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Nathaniel directed 19 Secrets and Painted Red for Sacred Ground Productions. He was a voice artist on the animated series, NFL Rush Zone (Nick Toons). He also appeared on the hit television shows, Law & Order: SVU (NBC), The Blacklist (NBC) and Blue Bloods (CBS). He is an Artistic Associate at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. He is also a Lunt-Fontanne Fellow awarded by the Ten Chimneys Foundation with master teacher and mentor Ms. Phylicia Rashad.