Jessica Jones & Michael Baitzer
2 pm Sunday, September 26, 2004
Presented in association with the Marilyn Horne Foundation

Soprano Jessica Jones is acclaimed for the beauty of her voice and her superb musicianship with America’s leading opera companies and orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. In 2003-2004, Ms. Jones appeared with the Houston Ballet, performing Strauss’ Four Last Songs. She also will present her New York recital debut under the auspices of The Marilyn Horne Foundation.

In the 2002/3 season, Ms. Jones made her Chicago Symphony debut under Lorin Maazel in Aaron Kernis’s Simple Songs, which she later sang with the New York Philharmonic under Maestro Maazel on a program featuring Mahler’s Second Symphony. She debuted with the San Francisco Symphony in Britten’s Les Illuminations under Yan-Pascal Tortelier and returned to the Baltimore Symphony for Zemlinsky’s Lyric Symphony under Emmanuel Krivine. She debuted with the San Diego Symphony in Strauss’s Four Last Songs and returned to the Houston Ballet in Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder. Her operatic season was highlighted by her Utah Opera debut as Love Simpson in Carlisle Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree.

Ms. Jones is a graduate of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, where she appeared as Micaela in Carmen, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, and Myrtis in the world premiere of Carlisle Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree. Other recent operatic appearances include Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with the Wolf Trap Festival Opera, the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro with Spokane Opera and Fiordiligi with Aspen Festival Opera.

Ms. Jones has been the recipient of numerous prizes, including a 2000 Sullivan Foundation Grant, First Place in the 1998 Jenny Lind Competition and the Opera Birmingham Competition the same year. She was the recipient of the Lotte Lehmann Fellowship at the Music Academy of the West and was also a participant in the Britten-Pears School in England, the ensemble of the Opera Theatre of St. Louis and the Steans Institute at the Ravinia Festival.

Michael Baitzer, piano, is in his fifth year as an Associate Coach with Juilliard, as well as serving on Music Staff for Spoleto Festival USA for four years, and Assistant Conductor with Central City Opera for five years. A graduate of Drake University with degrees in vocal and piano performance, he has helped to prepare over 60 opera productions with companies and festivals such as Houston Grand Opera, Minnesota Opera, Spoleto Festival USA, Central City Opera, Merola Opera Program with San Francisco Opera, and the Aspen Music Festival, as well as Juilliard, New England Conservatory, and the University of Minnesota. An avid recitalist, Michael performs regularly with singers on the Marilyn Horne Foundation and Young Concert Artists rosters. He also is in constant demand as a coach and audition pianist. Upcoming events include Die Fledermaus, Oedipus Rex, Le Rossignol, I Capuleti ed I Montechi, Les Contes d'Hoffman, and Le Joggler de Notre Dame for opera, as well as recitals in Sanibel Island, FL and Bishopsville, SC.