Opera for the Young

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Baritone Alex Cook recently received his Master of Music in Vocal Performance at UW-Madison. While at UW-Madison, he was featured in productions including "Songbird", "A Little Night Music", "Our Town", and "Le nozze di Figaro", as well as in the role of Papageno in The Austrian-American Mozart Academy’s 2025 production of "The Magic Flute" in Salzburg, Austria. In addition to performing, Alex has also taught private voice instruction and provided diction coaching.

Originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Jared Cohen is an alumnus of Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, where he earned a Master of Music degree. He also holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Cohen has appeared in a wide range of operatic and musical theater repertoire. Most recently, he performed the role of Frederic in Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Chicago’s production of The Pirates of Penzance. This past summer, he was a Studio Artist with Central City Opera. Cohen studied with Karen Brunssen and Timothy LeFebvre.

Alexandra Burch is a Soprano and Voice/Piano Instructor located in Chicago, IL. She most recently appeared as chorus and Mimi (cover) for Opera Festival of Chicago, chorus and Despina (cover) in Mozart’s Cosí fan Tutte, she appeared in the world premiere of Scott Gendel’s Everlasting Faint in the role of Lucy (Madison Opera), chorus and Musetta (cover) in Puccini’s La Boheme (Madison Opera), and the Governess in Britten’s Turn of the Screw (DePaul University). This November, she made her concert debut as a chorister in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s performances of Carmina Burana by Orff. Recently, she was awarded an encouragement award at the Illinois District of the Laffont Competition, as well as the second place Harvey Award from the Musicians Club of Women.

Rachael Brolin is a Madison-based pianist, singer, and teacher. Rachael has worked as a music director with Music Theatre of Madison and UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts and frequently performs with Madison-based musical theatre companies. She sings and plays for the LunART Choir and enjoys diverse performing opportunities as a collaborative pianist and singer. She also teaches piano and voice at Monroe Street Arts Center and serves as Finance Manager at Capital City Theatre. She is excited to join OFTY for her first season!

Lydia Bangura is a soprano hailing from Phoenix, Arizona who enjoys singing art song, chamber works, spirituals, and oratorio. She was recently selected as a semifinalist in the Federation of the Art Song competition (2025) and won third place in the Chicago SongSlam art song competition (2026). Her recent and upcoming operatic roles include the title role in Lehar’s The Merry Widow, Countess Almaviva in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and Mother Gertrude in Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel. In 2026, Bangura looks forward to presenting recitals as a featured artist in the Washington International Young Artists Music Series.

📣Opera for the Young is honored to announce the touring cast for our 2026-27 season featuring "Rusalka: A Mermaid's Tale"! 💫🧜‍♀️

Rusalka:
Lydia Bangura
Alexandra Burch
Sachie Ueshima

Jezibaba:
Isabella Daltoso
Leah Rockweit
Hannah Wheeler

Prince:
Erik DeMario
Jared Cohen
Sasha Tomasevich

Sea King:
Alex Cook
Grady Hayden
Joel Rogier

Pianist:
Rachael Brolin
Vincent Fuh
Steve Radtke

Soprano Megan Brunning has toured with Opera for the Young in five productions over the course of a decade. including performances in the role of Miss Addy in TWO different seasons of "Elixir of Love" and as Queen of the Night in TWO seasons of "Magic Flute"!

Most recently, Megan has performed as a member of the chorus in this summer's Bayreuth Festival in Bayreuth, Germany.

Soprano Megan Brunning has toured with Opera for the Young in five productions over the course of a decade. including performances in the role of Miss Addy in TWO different seasons of “Elixir of Love” and as Queen of the Night in TWO seasons of “Magic Flute”! Most recently, Megan has performed as a member of the chorus in this summer’s Bayreuth Festival in Bayreuth, Germany.