Abigail
Martin
Soprano
Abigail Martin
Soprano Abigail Martin has performed nationwide both in concert and on the opera stage. Recent
concert performances include Bach's B Minor Mass, Vivaldi's Gloria, and Saint-Saëns's
Christmas Oratorio. Abigail has delighted audiences in roles such as Donna Elvira in Don
Giovanni, the title role of Carlisle Floyd's Susannah, Micaela in Le tragèdie de Carmen, Gretel
in Hansel and Gretel, Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, and
Belinda in Dido and Aeneas in which she was deemed “smooth and fluidly agile”. Abigail holds
a Master of Music and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory of The
Johns Hopkins University, and is a doctoral candidate with the University of Minnesota. When
she is not performing, Abigail maintains a full collegiate voice studio and enjoys spending time
with her husband and children. This Christmas season, she will appear as a featured soloist with
the Lancaster Chorale and with Highland Presbyterian Church's annual Christmas oratorio.
Laura
Zahn
Mezzo-Soprano
Laura Zahn
A rising dramatic mezzo-soprano, Laura Zahn has been praised for her “warm, voluptuous voice clearly
destined for Puccini and Verdi.” Highlights of the 22-23 season included role debuts as Romeo in I
Capuleti e i Montecchi, Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana and Secretary in Menotti’s The Consul.
That spring, Ms. Zahn also stepped in for an ailing colleague to reprise the role of Siebel in Faust,
marking her debut with Opera Baltimore. Previously, Ms. Zahn joined Opera Orlando for their Viva
Verdi season, which focused on the works of Giuseppe Verdi. There Laura performed Giulietta di
Kelbar (Un giorno di regno), Flora Bervoix (La Traviata) and Maddalena (Rigoletto). This season, Ms.
Zahn is slated to make role debuts as Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana and Teresa in La Sonnambula
as well as a house debut with Opera Delaware and an international debut in Hong Kong singing
highlights from Carmen. She has also performed with LA Opera, Boston Lyric Opera and debuted in
Carnegie Hall in 2019.
An accomplished competition singer, Laura finaled in Opera Mississippi’s 2021 John Alexander
National Vocal competition and semi-finaled in the 2020 NYIOP/Premiere Opera Foundation
Competition and the 2016 Mildred Miller International Voice Competition. Ms. Zahn holds degrees
from The Boston Conservatory and Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music.
Samual
Keeler
Tenor
Samual Keeler
Samual Keeler (Washington, D.C.), tenor, has been hailed for his “rich tenor,” (Culpepper Times) “strong vocals and crisp, clear delivery” (DC Theatre Scene). He recently appeared on stage in concert alongside Michael Spyres as part of the Guild Hall/Bel Canto Boot Camp Resident Artist Series and as Edgardo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera D’Oro. Other recent appearances include Ramiro in Rossini’s La Cenerentola, Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata, Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Sam Kaplan in Kurt Weill’s Street Scene and Lurcanio in Handel’s Ariodante. He keeps a regular performance schedule as a soloist in the greater Philadelphia region.
Luke
Harnish
Bass-Baritone
Luke Harnish
Praised for his “luxuriant baritone” (San Diego Story) and “securely produced bass” (Opera
Today), Luke Harnish is quickly establishing himself as a nuanced performer of opera, oratorio,
and recital repertoire. Mr. Harnish will join Sarasota Opera as a Studio Artist for their 2024
festival season, where he covers Il Conte di Walter (Luisa Miller) and Zuniga (Carmen). In the
summer of 2024, he rejoins Santa Fe Opera where he sings Messenger in La traviata and several
roles in the World Premiere of Gregory Spears’ new opera, The Righteous.
Harnish recently made role debuts as Schaunard in La bohème with Wichita Grand Opera and
Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Penn Square Opera. Prior to these engagements,
Harnish was a 2023 Apprentice Artist at the Santa Fe Opera, where he sang Apollo (L’Orfeo)
and covered the roles of Angelotti (Tosca) and Physician (Pelléas et Mélisande).
During the 2022 – 2023 season, Harnish completed a residency with Lyric Opera of Kansas City.
There, his roles included Zuniga and Escamillo (cover) in Carmen, Dottore Grenvil in La
traviata, and King Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors. Another highlight of the season,
he sang Raphael in Haydn’s The Creation with Nashville Symphony Orchestra.
Other recent repertoire highlights include Papageno (Die Zauberflöte) and the title role in
Eugene Onegin, both with Opera Neo. A district winner of the 2022 Metropolitan Opera
Laffont Competition, Harnish is a recipient of awards from other prestigious competitions
including the Loren L. Zachary National Vocal Competition, the Orpheus National Vocal
Competition, and the Naftzger Young Artists Auditions.
Debra
Ronning
Piano
Debra Ronning
Debra Ronning, pianist has an extensive background in music performance and education.
She has performed extensively throughout Pennsylvania and elsewhere both as a soloist and in chamber
ensembles. Her repertoire often includes unique and original works by contemporary composers.
Musical mentors include Alexander Fiorillo and Vladimir Sokoloff. Many of her students have been
prizewinners in local and state keyboard competitions. She recently retired as Director of Keyboard
Studies at Elizabethtown College. Her freelance background included musical theater directing, ballet
and opera accompanying, as well as performing as an orchestral pianist. She has held leadership roles
at the state and national level of the Music Teachers National Association. She served on the artistic
committee for Gretna Music, serves as a board member of the Mount Joy Dog Park and is a deacon at
Donegal Presbyterian Church in Mount Joy, PA. She is an avid golfer and gardener. Ms. Ronning is an
advocate for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation.