Dec 10, 2004 5 min read

Five Pittsburgh area singers will appear in Gian-Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” at 7 p.m. today in the sanctuary of Asbury United Methodist Church of Uniontown. This popular Christmas opera will be the second performance of the 2004-05 Asbury Festival Recital Series and is open to the general public.

Singing voice specialist Kimberly Steinhauer of the University of Pittsburgh Voice Center will portray the impoverished mother, along with her son, Luke Steinhauer, in the role of Amahl, the crippled shepherd boy.

As a singer, Kimberly Steinhauer has been heard at a variety of musical venues, ranging from musical theater to opera to sacred music.

Most recently, she has appeared as soloist with the Reading Pops Orchestra, finalist with the Marvin Hamlisch Search for the Stars at Heinz Hall and featured singer at the Voice Foundation Gala in Philadelphia. She has served as soprano soloist and director of choirs at Mount Lebanon United Lutheran Church.

As a voice educator, she has taught vocal music for grades K-12, guided the private voice studio at California University of Pennsylvania and instructed communication science courses at Duquesne University. As research health specialist for the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, she was awarded a federal grant to study the relationship among teaching techniques and vocal training and rehabilitation.

At the Voice Center, she works collaboratively with the medical team to tailor exercises and repertoire specifically for singers of all ages who have experienced vocal injury. She is a founding partner of Estill Voice International and her work has been published in the “Journal of Voice and in Professional Voice: The Science and Art of Clinical Care.”

Luke Steinhauer is a fifth-grade student in the Upper St. Clair School District, where he has been seen as Gavroche in the high school’s production of “Les Miserables.” He has sung the National Anthem for the Wild Things and was in the ensemble and understudy for Winthrop in “The Music Man” for the Pittsburgh CLO. An avid pianist, he has won first place in the Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association Competition.

The role of King Melchior, made famous by singer/actor David Aiken in the 1951 NBC Television premiere of “Amahl,” will be portrayed by Woody Brown. He has long been active as on oratorio soloist throughout the Pittsburgh region, appearing in Mendelssohn’s “Elijah,” Haydn’s “The Creation,” the Requiem settings of “Brahms, Mozart and Durufle” and Lucas Richman’s “In the Day When I Cried Out,” under the direction of the composer.

Brown recently sang in the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale’s presentations of Bach’s “St. John Passion.” His opera credits include “La Boheme,” “Cosi fan Tutte,” “The Crucible” and “Old Maid” and the “Thief” as a conductor. He has served as assistant conductor of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and has directed numerous orchestras throughout the Pittsburgh area.

Tenor Guy Russo will return to Uniontown in the role of King Kaspar, having performed it originally with the Greater Uniontown Chorale. Russo has performed with opera companies and symphonies throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. He has sung a number of roles with the Pittsburgh Opera and Pittsburgh Opera Theater and has appeared with the Pittsburgh, Wheeling, Youngstown and Westmoreland Symphony Orchestras.

Russo has been the tenor soloist at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, Rodef Shalom and Temple Sinai. He has been the director of music at Community Presbyterian Church of Ben Avon, continues to be the choral director for Carnegie Mellon University’s Pre-College Summer Institute and director of vocal music at Sewickley Academy. He is also the music director/conductor for the Pittsburgh Savoyards.

Appearing as the Nubian King Balthazar will be Antwayn Maurice Hopper who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in musical theatre at Carnegie Mellon University. His teacher and mentor is Tom Douglas, director of the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh. His regional credits include Music Theatre of Wichita’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Me & My Girl,” “West Side Story” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

The role of the Nubian Page will be played by Ian Legeion, who is a music education and performance major at Seton Hill University. Page graduated from Yough High School and has appeared in area presentations of “Into the Woods,” “Oklahoma,” “Bye, Bye Birdie” and “Cinderella.” He is a member of the Westmoreland Choral Society and is the baritone soloist for the First United Presbyterian Church of Greensburg.

Assisting this cast as the shepherds and villagers will be the Chancel Choir of the Asbury United Methodist Church and community singers. The choir will also perform a brief concert of traditional Christmas pieces on the second half of the program.

The opera is under the stage and musical direction of William M. Dreucci, director of music at Asbury and founder and past music director of the Greater Uniontown Chorale. Accompanist will be Joanna Ball, president of the Mozart Music Club of Connellsville and accompanist for the Uniontown Chorale.

Tickets for “Amahl and the Night Visitors” may be purchased in Uniontown at the Fayette Area Chamber offices, Ellis Music Store, Judy’s Do Re Me Music Shop and in the Uniontown Mall at Amend’s Jewelry. Tickets will also be sold one hour before the performance at the church, corner of South Beeson Avenue and Dunbar Street. Group rates are available by calling 724-557-1119.

“A Meet the Performers” reception in the church social hall will follow the performance. Asbury Church is handicapped accessible.