Cast of Rigoletto
SeungHyeon Baek
Rigoletto
Baritone SeungHyeon Baek is quickly gaining recognition for his rich baritone voice and commanding stage presence. He recently completed his fourth season at the Metropolitan Opera, where he covered Marcello in La bohème, a role he has also performed with Opera Orlando, Pacific Symphony, and Hawaii Opera Theatre, and previously covered at the Met and the Bravo! Vail Music Festival. He also covered Ford in Falstaf at the Met. Upcoming performances include Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opera Grand Rapids and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Baek’s recent credits include the Father in Hansel and Gretel with New Orleans Opera, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with NJ Festival Orchestra, Scarpia in Tosca and the title role of Gianni Schicchi with St. Petersburg Opera, the title role in Rigoletto with Opera Orlando, Gianni Schicchi in Gianni Schicchi with Opera Steamboat. He also performed Conte di Luna in Il trovatore with Opera San José, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor and Sonora in La fanciulla del West with Maryland Lyric Opera, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opera North, Yamadori in Madama Butterfly with Canadian Opera Company and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro with Opera Tampa. A native of South Korea, Baek holds degrees from ChungAng University, the Manhattan School of Music, and Mannes College of Music.
Laura Leon
Gilda
Ms. Leon is a Cuban coloratura soprano acclaimed for her portrayal of the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. In December 2024 she portrayed the role with Florida Grand Opera and Opera News praised her as “a rare dramatic coloratura,” highlighting her “impressive range—from a solid mid-range to plush high notes—and impeccable technique, with spot-on roulades and dazzling staccatos.” Critic Robert Croan noted that her performance of the second-act aria “almost stopped the show.” She is also celebrated for her performance of all four heroines in Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann, most recently with Opera Louisiane and Opera Orlando—an exceptional feat demonstrating her vocal versatility and dramatic command. Recent world premieres include Rose in The Factotum with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Dulcinea in La Ruta de Don Quijote with Camerata Antonio Soler in Spain, Ana Maria in the orchestrated premiere of Zorro with Opera Southwest, and La Catrina in El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego with Opera Omaha. Other notable roles include Adina in L’elisir d’amore with Opera in Williamsburg, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi with On Site Opera, Christina Kahlo in Frida with Opera Southwest and El Paso Opera, Norina in Don Pasquale, Amore in Orfeo ed Eurydice, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Musetta in La Bohème, Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, Adele in Die Fledermaus and Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor. Ms. Leon is passionate about innovative productions and is especially committed to works that amplify Latino voices and explore themes of immigration and cultural identity in the United States.
Joshua Wheeker
Duke of Mantua
Joshua Wheeker
Philip Cokorinos
Sparafucile/Monterone
Hailed by Opera News for his “comedic high jinks” and “first-rate singing,” Philip Cokorinos has appeared in more than 400 performances of 40 operas at the Metropolitan Opera, including “Live from the Met” telecasts of Don Giovanni; the world premiere of The Ghosts of Versailles, and the Met’s premieres of Sly, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Gambler, and Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk; and recent productions of La bohème and Tosca. Last season, Mr. Cokorinos returned to the Met to cover Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro. He also joined Opera Tampa to sing the title role in Don Pasquale, El Paso Opera to sing Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette, and he finished his season with the Bard Music Festival, reprising the role of Grandfather in Martinů’s Julietta. This season he rejoins the Metropolitan Opera, to cover Matthieu in Andrea Chenier. He also joins Florentine Opera as the Sacristan in Tosca and reprises his Frère Laurent with Resonance Works. Outside of the Met, recent appearances include Benoit/Alcindoro in La bohème with The Atlanta Opera and Pacific Symphony, Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore with Anchorage Opera and San Francisco Opera (cover), and the Sacristan in Tosca at Los Angeles Opera and Opera San Antonio.
Rebecca Luttio
Maddalena/Countess Ceprano
Rebecca Luttio, mezzo-soprano, began her musical journey in Seattle, Washington, as a dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet, performing in Seattle Opera’s Nutcracker at age ten. She earned a dance scholarship to St. Olaf College, where she also discovered her passion for opera, ultimately completing a master’s degree in vocal performance at the prestigious New England Conservatory in Boston. While still a student, she performed leading roles in every mainstage production and secured her first professional contract as the title role in La Tragédie de Carmen with the Chicago Opera Theater. That same year, she showcased her acting talents in Harvard’s American Repertory Theater production of the play Cardenio. Upon graduation, Rebecca joined Florida Grand Opera’s Young Artist Program, excelling in roles such as Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Nicklausse in Les Contes d’Hoffmann. She was later handpicked by Lorin Maazel for the Castleton Festival, where she sang Lucretia in The Rape of Lucretia. Other notable performances include Medea in Giasone at Chicago Opera Theater. Rebecca’s recent debut with Gulfshore Opera featured her in titular roles from Carmen and Samson et Dalila, marking a significant milestone in her career as she transitions into dramatic repertoire and performs some of opera’s most iconic roles. Notably, Ms. Luttio was named a finalist in the upcoming 2025 Salzburger KlangKrone International Singing Competition, a semifinalist in the 2024 Covent Garden Opera Competition, and a finalist in the Premiere Opera Foundation’s 2024 Competition in New York.
Susan Neves
Giovanna/Duchess
Susan Neves
Turner Staton
Count Ceprano/Usher
Staton (bass-baritone) hailed for his “sonorous and floor shaking” singing, is a native of Kansas City, Missouri. As an Artist in Residence with Opera Colorado from 2022-2024, Turner was seen in performances of Don Giovanni (Masetto, Leporello cover), Samson et Dalila (Old Hebrew), Rigoletto (Ceprano, Monterrone cover), Turandot (Timur cover), as well as the touring shows of La Cenerentola (Alidoro/Don Magnifico), The Pirates of Penzance (Pirate King), L'elisir d'amore (Dulcamara), and Romeo & Juliet (Capulet/Tybalt). In 2025 he was hired back to Opera Colorado as Sergeant Sulpice in La fille du régiment. In 2022, he spent time with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City as an Apprentice Artist where he performed in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Steve Jobs (Paul Jobs cover), Tosca, and was a featured soloist in the premiere of Baseball: a Musical Love Letter. Additional performances include Le Nozze di Figaro (Figaro), Cosi fan Tutte (Don Alfonso), La Calisto (Mercurio), and Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle. Summer festivals include Des Moines Metro Opera as an Apprentice Artist (2025), Opera Saratoga as a Festival Artist (2022), and Tanglewood Music Festival as a Vocal Fellow (2020/21). Turner holds degrees from Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (M.M.) and Pepperdine University (B.M.), and received an Artist Diploma certificate from William Jewell College.
Anthony Capizzi
Borsa
Anthony Capizzi is a rising young tenor hailing from Stuart, Florida, and a graduate of the Stetson University School of Music under Russell Franks. A lifelong scholar of the performing arts, he possesses a deep-rooted passion for both the operatic tradition and contemporary music theatre. Anthony's most recent role was that of Robert in Sondheim's Company, with other prominent roles including Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Rodolpho of Puccini’s La Bohème, and Sam Kaplan in Weill’s Street Scene. As a dedicated thespian, he additionally has an interest in the technical aspects of theatre, with experience in production assistant and stage technician roles. Rigoletto marks Anthony's eighth show with Vero Beach Opera, and audiences may remember his performance as Gastone in Vero Beach Opera's 2025 performance of La Traviata.
Nicholas Dieux
Marullo
Baritone Nicholas Dieux is a recent graduate of Stetson University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, studying under Dr. Craig Maddox and Dr. Chadley Ballantyne. At Stetson, he performed principal roles in mainstage productions including the Forester in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen, Lancelot Du Lac in Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot, Dr. Falke in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus and Count Almaviva in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. During his final year at Stetson, Nicholas was a 2024-2025 Opera Orlando Apprentice Artist, appearing in Verdi’s Macbeth and Requiem. He has also performed internationally as Papageno in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with Lyric Opera Studio Weimar. Most recently, he reprised Papageno with AVA coach Luke Housner’s Summer Opera Workshop and returned to Weimar to reprise Count Almaviva again with Lyric Opera Studio Weimar, and performed the role of Marchese d’Obigny for Vero Beach Opera La Traviata. Nicholas is currently pursuing his Master of Music in Vocal Performance at Louisiana State University, studying with Dennis Jesse. This season, he sings the title role in LSU Opera’s production of Le Nozze di Figaro.
Grace Lauther
Page/ Monterone’s daughter
Grace Lauther