Patrice Michaels, soprano and Ken Smith, piano

Friday, November 7, 2008, 7:30 p.m.
Performing Arts Center
General Admission: $20
Students: $5

Ms. Michaels includes in her operatic credits the Hal Prince production of Candide at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She made her debut in the 1990-91 season with the Cleveland Opera as Marzelline in Fidelio and has sung with Central City Opera, Tacoma Opera , The Banff Centre, Canada and Chicago Opera Theater. Her recording as Monica in Menotti's The Medium (Cedille Records) continues to receive international critical acclaim.

Recital appearances for Ms. Michaels include three consecutive seasons at the Festival of Contemporary Music in Havana, Cuba and tours of Mexico, Japan, Venezuela, Barbados and Belize. She performs frequently in the United States and Canada, including a recital with pianist John Browning for Music at the Supreme Court, as guest artist with the Chicago Chamber Musicians, for the Schubert Club of St. Paul and for many academic institutions, including Harvard, Northwestern and as guest clinician at the University of Tel Aviv.

A Mozart specialist, Patrice Michaels promotes and tours a special concert, Divas of Mozart's Day. This dramatic program with duets and narration by internationally syndicated radio announcer Peter Van de Graaff was invited to Salzburg during the summer 2006 Anniversary celebrations. Ms. Michaels can be heard on the Amadis recording of the Requiem and on Music of the Baroque's Great Mass in C Minor. The Divas of Mozart's Day on Cedille Records was released in 2002 and continues to garner international acclaim.

She has received consistent critical enthusiasm for her other recordings on the Cedille label, including Songs of the Classical Age; A Vivaldi Concert; The World of Lully; To Be Sung Upon the Water; Songs of the Romantic Age; 20th Century Baroque; Clearings in the Sky; The Virtuoso Handel; The Vorisek Mass in B Flat, La vie est une parade and her newest release, American Songs.

Ms. Michaels serves as Associate Professor of Opera Theater and Studio Voice at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Formerly assistant professor of piano, University of Missouri (Columbia), Ken Smith is principal coach at seminars for the Bel Canto Foundation (Chicago). He has had a notable career for 25 years in Chicago area, including serving as music director for various opera productions. He is also a former coach for the opera divison of the St. Charles International Music Festival, and has performed recitals as soloist and a collaborative artist throughout North America, Germany, Italy, Japan and Central America.

This program is also the guest artist recital for the South Dakota Music Teachers Association 2008 Conference.