Classical Opera & bel Canto
With accompanist Jon Latané
Durham & Raleigh, N.C.

Ariel Reed, a graduate of the UNC School of the Arts (high school), Peabody Conservatory of Music (undergraduate), and Florida State University (graduate), has developed her opera credits through the roles of Nedda in I Pagliacci, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Suzel in L’amico Fritz, and Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief with the Triangle Opera Studio; Gianetta in L’eslisir d’amore with Capital Opera; title roles Little Red Riding Hood with Triangle Opera; and Gretel from Hansel and Gretel with Peabody Opera, the Florida State Opera, and Capital Opera’s Outreach program, as well as Mrs. Gobineau in Long Leaf Opera’s 2002 and 2008 productions of The Medium. Ms. Reed has recorded a CD, “Tangos y Canciones,” and performs frequently in the area with her father, classical guitarist, Randy Reed. Her oratorio credits range from Baroque to contemporary and include Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, Arvo Pärt’s Berliner Messe, and Bach’s Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht (BWV211). Ms. Reed has performed nationally and internationally as soloist at the Aspen Music Festival, the Franz Schubert Institut, the Lake Placid Institute, the Oberlin Baroque Performance Institute, and with ensembles such as the Cantores Musicae Antiquae of Florida State University, Duke University Collegium, and Peabody Renaissance Ensemble. From 2004 - 2010, Ms. Reed performed as part of North Carolina Opera’s outreach program in the schools and other community venues. 

Mitchener Howell, a native of Durham, NC and a product of Durham Public Schools. graduated from Yale University, where he founded the Yale College Opera Company. He served many roles with this company, organizing and directing its well-received inaugural production, Handel's Giulio Cesare. Howell then focused on performing, and had several notable successes during his tenure at Yale including the role of Astolf in Schubert's rarely performed opera Die Verschworenen, featured soloist on the Yale Glee Club's European tour, and the role of the Duke of Dunstable in Gilbert and Sullivan's farcical opera Patience. He participated in master classes with guest artists, including renowned baritone William Warfield, soprano Virginia Zeani, tenor Jerry Hadley, and opera and musical theater composer Adam Guettel. In 2004 Howell had the honor of soloing for Richard Brodhead’s inauguration as president of Duke University. He went on to earn his master's degree from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver in 2006, garnering praise for his interpretation of Fenton in Nicolai’s The Merry Wives of Windsor. After graduation, Mitchener began performing roles with opera companies in the Triangle area. He has sung Bastian in Mozart’s Bastian and Bastianne, and a concert of Mozart operas for Capitol Opera Raleigh. Mr. Howell has also worked with Long Leaf Opera as Jazz in Blitzstein’s masterpiece, Regina, and covered the role of Ed in the premiere of Carter Chandler’s brooding, blues-infused opera, Strange Fruit. Recent performances include the Vicar in Meredith College's (Raleigh) production of Britten’s sole comedic opera, Albert Herring (starring Metropolitan Opera soprano Claudia Waite), Alexis in The Sorcerer, Captain Fitzbattleaxe in Utopia, Ltd, and Ralph Rackstraw in the HMS Pinafore with the Durham Savoyards'. Mr. Howell has previously sung a co-recital with Jay Pierson for the Strobilus Chamber Music Series, and was excited to recently make an international debut as Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with the Young Artist Project in Italy. Mr. Howell’s performed his most recent recital entitled, “A Spring Awakening” (featuring music of Ravel, Grieg, Verdi and William Grant Still) with the St. Luke’s Artist Series. 

In middle school and high school, Jon Latané took lessons with Kerry Carlin, the chair of the Keyboard Department at ECU. He paid for his BS in Computer Science and second major in Mathematics at UNC by accompanying students and faculty in the music department there. After graduating, he accompanied and music directed numerous opera and musical theater productions with various groups, including Seussical, Legally Blonde, La Clemenza di Tito, and Gianni Schicchi, among others. He served as the accompanist for the Durham Community Chorale until 2022. Today, he spends his time upside down, with his dog, playing and writing music for fun with friends, or building the musical sketchpad app, BeatScratch (https://beatscratch.io), a federated social network, Jonline (https://jonline.io), and other software to make the world better and earn a (fairly) honest living.