Rebecca Herman

Rebecca, Artistic Producer of Local Opera Local Artists (LOLA) in Austin, TX & opera stage director, is a storyteller who thrives on surprising, exciting, & moving audiences large & small. She is the Associate Director for Tomer Zvulun’s production of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, recently seen at Calgary Opera and Utah Opera. In the 23-24 season, she is excited to be joining Colorado Opera as assistant director for Don Giovani, Opera Omaha as assistant director for La Traviata, and returning to Austin Opera to direct Carmen.

Notable LOLA productions include: La Femme Bohème (La Bohème cast with all treble voices); La Clemenza di Tito: a Retelling (told through the eyes of Berenice of Cilicia, Tito’s lover through added monologues spoken between musical numbers instead of the traditional recit); We Might Be Struck By Lightning (a devised work using classical Art song to tell two interwoven stories performed by 2 singers and 4 dancers); and Lardo Weeping (a chamber opera featuring Dinah LeFarge “a rather large, sexual, woman of independent means,” who invites the audience into her living room for an evening of stories, musings, ranting, and ultimately physical transformation).

Rebecca loves to collaborate with living composers and librettists. In the last several years, she has been able to facilitate the development of 4 new works: Lardo Weeping (Stopschinski, Galloway); Good Country (Allegretti, Raker); Undine Speaks (Allegretti, Herman) and Un Cuento des Luces y Sombras (Cordero, Barboza). She finds working with living composer/librettist teams exhilarating, challenging, and rewarding.

Keith Allegretti

Born in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1989, Keith Allegretti is a composer and pianist who enjoys working comfortably in many genres, including chamber, orchestral, vocal, and electronic music. Recently, his music has been performed at several concert series including Chicago Lyric Opera's Beyond the Aria, Latitude 49's Bagatelles Project, Tetractys New Music's Here be Monsters, and Local Opera Local Artists's Lied. His opera Good Country received its first performance at the University of Texas thanks to a grant from UT's College of Fine Arts Diversity Committee in 2019. It has since been performed by Local Opera Local Artists (LOLA) and Portland State University. Currently residing in Austin, Texas, Keith is an active performer and teacher. He enjoys playing piano in any sized ensemble, and currently co-directs Austin Community College's inaugural new music ensemble where he serves on the composition and theory faculty. In addition, he maintains a private studio of piano and composition students in the Austin area.

Kenzie Slottow

Kenzie Slottow (they/them) delights in interdisciplinary and multimedia storytelling - so of course they love playing for new operas! They play flute and serve on the board of directors for new music chamber orchestra Density512, as well as the Austin Flute Choir (Austin Flute Society), and they perform annually with Gilbert & Sullivan Austin (The McAdo, Yeoman of the Guard, HMS Pinafore) and Golden Hornet’s Young Composers Collective. In 2021 Kenzie had the pleasure of performing the role of Frederic (The Pirates of Penzance) in a reimagined musical short film by Density512 - some of the vocal parts were lipsynced, but they played all the flute and piccolo parts! Kenzie holds a Master of Flute degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where they studied with Marianne Gedigian. They freelance as a production sound mixer/recordist, maintain a small private studio of flute students, and design curriculum with climate consulting firm Sustain Tomorrow. Outside of work, you can find Kenzie exploring Walnut Creek park with their pup, singing tenor in their church choir, or reading fantasy novels. They live tucked away in a greenbelt in Austin with their spouse AV, their good friend Laura, and two little dogs, Florence and Bilbo. Find out more at kenzieslottow.com.

Kevin Arratia-Diaz

Young Mexican American tenor, Kevin Arratia-Diaz, is a talented musician who has performed for Fashion Artists, artist programs in Europe and Opera Companies such as OPERA San Antonio, Austin Opera, LOLA, One Ounce Opera, Gilbert & Sullivan-Austin and official back up tenor for Houston Grand Opera. With extensive experience performing in diverse repertoire from baroque to modern, he has also excelled in various genres, showcasing remarkable versatility that captivates audiences. Kevin has had the pleasure of performing the roles; The Obsessed Photographer (Glory Gone), TV Announcer (The Manchurian Candidate), Oronte (Alcina), Leonard (The Yeomen of the Guard), Gherardo (Gianni Schicchi), Monsieur Vogelsang (Der Schauspieldirektor) and Frederic (The Pirates of Penzance). Kevin has also performed with Un/Heard Voices, a T/B chamber ensemble which advocates for the LGBTQIA+ and premiering brand new modern works for local composers. From classical to contemporary, Kevin brings both technical skill and emotional depth to every performance. His dedication to the craft and ability to adapt across different musical styles make him a standout performer and inspiring individual. Upcoming engagements include his NY debut as the lead tenor for No Man’s Land, opera workshop, with The Curiosity Cabinet in June. More Information on this artist and more can be found at www.kevinarratiadiaz.com.

Kristin Bilodeau

Coined as a “clear, well-produced soprano” (San Diego Story), and praised for her “beautiful singing” (The Theatre Times), Soprano Kristin Bilodeau brings clarity and nuance to the stage. Kristin is currently a Resident Artist with Austin Opera. While a Resident Artist, Kristin has performed the role of “The Nominee’s wife” in The Manchurian Candidate and covered the roles of “Eleanor” (The Manchurian Candidate) and Micaela (Carmen). Kristin represents AO at donor and community functions, in the opera chorus, and is featured in their annual Resident Artist Showcase. You’ve seen Kristin around Austin with One Ounce Opera in their award winning micro-opera “An Artist’s Regrets” and with Gilbert & Sullivan Austin as “Elsie” in Yeoman of the Guard. Kristin is currently a Choral Scholar at UBC Austin. Spending a decade in Boston, MA has performed with esteemed companies such as Grammy Award winning ensemble Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Odyssey Opera, Mass Opera, Opera Del West, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, The Gena Branscombe Project, Masterworks Chorale, Boston LandMarks Orchestra. Making a rise in the competition scene, Kristin was named a Grand Finalist in the Piccola Opera NH Opera Idol Competition and a Regional Finalist in the Talents of the World International Voice Competition. Kristin’s most notable roles have included Rosalinda (Die Fledermaus), Micaela (Carmen), Governess (Turn of the Screw), Monica (The Medium), and First Lady (The Magic Flute). Kristin received her Master’s of Music Degree in Vocal Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music and her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music.

Zach Matteson

A violinist of many origins (Maryland, Siberia, Montana), Zachariah is proud to call Austin, TX home. Zachariah obtained his Bachelors (2014) and Master’s (2016) at the University of Maryland under the tutelage of David Salness, Kimberly Fisher, and Irina Muresanu. At UMD, Zachariah formed Invoke, a genre bending string quartet(+), before moving to complete his Artist Diploma (2018) with Invoke as the Young Professional String Quartet Program at the University of Texas at Austin. With Invoke, Zachariah has had the privilege of studying with members of the Guarneri, St. Lawrence, Enso, and Miro Quartets. He has been a core member of the chamber orchestra, Austin Unconducted since 2022, and also joined the Austin Symphony Orchestra in the Fall of 2023 as a member of the 1st violin section. When he's not making tunes with Invoke or the Symphony, you can find him at a local coffee shop writing down some haikus, working on his graphic novel "S.A.S.Q.U.A.T.C.H," slurping down ramen from Ramen Tatsuya, or adding to his crazy collection of shirts from the local goodwill. You can find out more at www.zachmatteson.com

Lisa Goering

Stage management credits include: Middletown, A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Flea in Her Ear (St. Edward's University); Hedda Gabler, As You Like It, A Streetcar Named Desire (Austin Shakespeare); The Who's Tommy, Ragtime, The Drowsy Chaperone, RENT, Hairspray (ZACH Theatre); Little Shop of Horrors (Zilker Theatre Productions); and It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (Penfold Theatre Company).  Lisa has also worked as an ASM for Austin Opera, and as the Production Manager for Jarrott Productions and ZTP.  In addition, Lisa works as a costume technician locally and regionally.