There and Back Again Artists

Eli Katz (Orderly Hin und Zurück) was born into a family of musicians. He studied violin and piano along with his two sisters, and sang with his Dad. In high school he played Drums and sang in a Rock Band, and even schlepped his drums to cover for his teacher on a wedding gig! His computer and art skill, along with his attention to detail landed him in a coveted position as Artist at Exceptional Minds Studio, where he does post production graphic editing for award winning Major Motion Pictures. However, Eli’s love to perform keeps tugging him back into music. He had the great fortune of being mentored by Jeannine Wagner, who invited him to sing in the Wagner Ensemble which has taken him to Japan, Korea, France and the Czech Republic. 2019 opened up new singing opportunities with Galina Barskaya, and the Independent Opera Company. He has been in Romeo & Juliet, The Gipsy Princess, The Snow Maiden, as Toby in the Medium, and The Commendatore in Don Giovanni.

Tsubasa Nakatani Dancer has been dancing Hiphop, Jazz, Ballet and contemporary over 10 years. She has professionally performed music video, musical theater, live performance, commercial and TV shows in Japan and Los Angeles. This is her first time performing with opera company, and she is very excited to be part of crew.

Chelsea Obermeier Helene Hin und Zurück is a Lyric Soprano based out of Los Angeles, California. Chelsea has performed around the country with a variety of companies, including Opera Carolina, Pacific Opera Project, Independent Opera Company, and Opera Omaha. During her time in California, Chelsea has joined IOC as Odarka in A Cossack Beyond the Danube, the title role in Little Red Riding Hood, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, and the chorus of Snow Maiden. She has also sung several productions with Pacific Opera Project, including Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly. Chelsea holds a BM Vocal Performance degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a MM Vocal Performance degree from Temple University in Philadelphia. She is also an instructor in musical theatre and classical voice at Pierce College.

Alex Perkins Wise man, Truffaldino, Tenor solo in Shostakovich vocal cycle has always had a passion for music. Alex studied voice at El Camino College under the tutelage of Rhona Klinghofer, M.M., Julliard, where he was a featured soloist with the orchestra. It was also there where he debuted is first opera role, King Kaspar in Ahmal and the Night Visitors. Since then, Alex has performed with Long Beach Opera in their productions of The Death of Klinghofer and Difficulty of Crossing a Field. He is also an alumnus of the Angel Vocal Arts program, performing in several of their arts and oratorio recitals. For the past 9 years, Alex has performed with The Ensemble, a South Bay based group of classical singers who have produced an annual concert series of opera favorites. Follow him on Facebook @alexperkinstenor

Xavier Prado Prince, Love for the Three Oranges a native of Chile & professional singer with transcontinental experience in opera, oratorio, & television. He is the recipient of a number of awards & has performed leading roles in a wide range of repertoire with companies such as Opera Southwest, Sarasota Opera,Opera San Jose, Opera Buffs, California Philharmonic, Los Angeles Grand Ensemble, Guild Opera Company, Pocket Opera, Pa-cific Lyric Association, Huntington Beach Symphony, Palisades Symphony, Rousse Philharmonic Orches-tra, Golden State Pops Orchestra, Opera Chorus of Los Angeles & the Dream Orchestra, Ridgecrest Opera Guild, Livermore Valley Opera, Santa Barbara Choral Society, Center Stage Opera, Cameretta of Los Angeles, Independent Opera Company, CSUN Symphony, Antelope Valley Symphony, Opera en Cas-tellano. Recent roles include Kaschey in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Kaschey The Deathless with Independent Opera Company, Faust in Faust by Charles Gounod with Huntington Beach Symphony, and Romeo in Gounod’s Romeo and Juliette for a join production between Valley Opera and Performing Arts & Mission Opera.

Phil Pritchard Robert Hin und Zurück Phil trained at the Mountview Conservatoire in London, UK and The Kogan Academy of Dramatic Art. Recent Credits include ON GOLD MOUNTAIN with LA Opera, and LA TRAVIATA and TOSCA with Opera Santa Barbara. Other Credits include The Mikado & La Cenerentola, with the Pacific Opera Project, the latter at the Ford Theatre, LA. He played Ferrando in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Opera Company's production of Mozart's COSI FAN TUTTE and Sesto in GIULIO CESARE. He also appeared as Benvolio in Gounod's ROMEO & JULIET, Bobyl in THE SNOW MAIDEN by Rimsky-Korsakov., as Don Ottavio in DON GIOVANNI and as Puss in PUSS in BOOTS, all for The Independent Opera Company. Phil's first role in the US was in the Beatles Musical BACKBEAT at The Ahmanson Theatre. In the UK he has appeared in THE BARBER OF SEVILLE at The Royal Opera House 'Linbury Studio', LA TRAVIATA for Opera Piccola at The Edinburgh International Festival, the West End Production of Sondheim's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC directed by Sir Trevor Nunn, and in the Cameron Mackintosh production of LES MISERABLES.

Jamie Sanderson Baritone Weigl Vocal Cycle Doctor Hin und Zurück possesses a voice that critics have described as “mellifluous” and “commanding.” He recently played the first priest in Opera Neo’s virtual production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. in 2019 he played the Captain in Opera Neo’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Jamie earned a Master of Music from the Peabody Institute and a Bachelor of Music from the University of California, Irvine. At the Peabody Conservatory, Jamie performed as Marco in Gianni Schicchi, Le Baron in Massenet’s Cherubin, the Father in an outreach production of Humperdinck’s Hänsel and Gretel, and covered Manfred in Jake Heggie’s Out of Darkness: Two Remain. He was also featured as a street singer in Leonard Bernstein’s Mass under Maestro Marin Also

Britta Sterling Soprano soloist Weigl and Shostakovich is a Los Angeles based soprano, who has performed in operas and operettas with various companies around Los Angeles; including with Mission Opera, Glendale Centre Theater, Opera en Castellano, Cal State Los Angeles Opera Theater, Celestial Opera Company, and CSU Northridge Opera Theater. She has performed as a featured soprano soloist and chorister with the Roger Wagner Chorale on their Goodwill Heritage Tour of Japan and South Korea. Britta graduated from CSU Northridge with a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance.

Mariana Uchoa Dancer was born in Brazil where she began to dance at the age of 3. Mariana studied the Vaganova ballet method and performed with the group Jovem Ballet de Santa Catarina. She took some time off from dancing to finish her doctorate in LA and was thrilled to meet Liza Barskaya who inspired her to come back to the stage!

Alexis Wesley Aunt Hin und Zurück Mezzo-Soprano (From Jewish Folk Poetry) Versatile actor/mezzo-soprano Alexis Wesley is a frequent performer with IOC. Equally at home in opera, oratorio, musical theatre, stage plays and film, she is also a writer and producer of independent film and theatre. Locally, she has performed principal roles with Pacific Opera Project, Mission Opera, The Definiens Project and IOC. Favorite roles include Mrs. Lovett (Sweeney Todd), Charlotte (A Little Night Music), Prudie Cupp (Pump Boys & Dinettes), Miss Todd (The Old Maid and the Thief), Madame Flora (The Medium), Kashcheevna (Kashchey the Immortal), Spring Beauty (The Snow Maiden), Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), Princess Anhilte (The Gipsy Princess), Gertrude (Roméo et Juliette) and Marcellina (Le Nozze di Figaro). Favorite oratorio solo work includes Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Handel’s Messiah, Kodály’s Missa Brevis, Buxtehude’s Jesu Meine Freude and Vivaldi’s Gloria. She is a frequent soloist at churches across LA County. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, she holds an MM in Voice from CSUN and is a graduate of the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting in NYC. By day, she is a graphic designer.