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Creative OPERAtions, in collaboration with the Monmouth County Parks System, is excited to present I Hear America Singing, as part of the Summer Concert Series at Thompson Park. This free concert will take place on Saturday, August 22nd at 7:00 PM at the Theater Barn in Thompson Park, 805 Newman Springs Rd, Lincroft, NJ.
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, Creative OPERAtions presents I Hear America Singing, a concert celebrating America’s rich musical heritage through classical vocal works, folk songs, and spirituals. The program features works by influential American composers including Aaron Copland, Carlisle Floyd, Douglas Moore, Florence Price and Kurt Weil who helped shaped the nation’s musical identity. This free concert is open to all members of the public.
Our Performers
Jonathan R. Green, baritone
American Verdi Baritone Jonathan R. Green is originally from the south side of Chicago and now resides in northern NJ. Jonathan is an alumnus of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and studied with Richard Miller. Jonathan attended Indiana University and studied with Distinguished Professor of Voice Tim Noble. Jonathan continued his graduate studies at the University of Kentucky and studied with Dr. Everett McCorvey. Jonathan has been a soloist with the National Choral (NYC) performing as the baritone soloist in Carmina Burana. He has internationally performed at the Semperoper (Dresden), Deutsche Oper am Rein (Düsseldorf), Teatro Massimo Bellini (Catania), Teatro di San Carlo (Napoli), and most recently Teatro Regio (Torino). His operatic credits include the title roles of Rigoletto, Falstaff, and Figaro (Mozart and Rossini), Scarpia (Tosca), Renato (Un Ballo in maschera), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Marcello (La Bohème), Crown (Porgy and Bess), Count di Luna (Il Trovatore), Germont (La Traviata) and Enrico (Lucia di Lammermoor).
David Maiullo, piano
David Maiullo, acclaimed by Opera News as “a pianist of sentiment, discretion, and style,” is a distinguished accompanist, coach, and conductor based in the New York City metropolitan area. With a remarkable track record of over 4,000 recitals and performances, he has graced the stages of prestigious US venues including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. His international engagements have taken him to renowned locations in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Hungary, Poland, and Japan.
Mr. Maiullo had the honor of performing the European premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti’s MASS for the composer in Spoleto with the Ars Musica Chorale and has appeared at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He completed a notable twenty-year tenure as Music Director and Chairman of the Board for Bravo Alliance of Performing Artists. Additionally, he served as Music Director for Nyack College’s opera workshop, assistant chorus director at Kean University, and Conductor/Music Director for Eastern Opera, Opera Fest NJ, and Opera Fest Italy in Tolentino, Italy.
Corinne Schaefer, soprano
Soprano Corinne Schaefer is celebrated for her versatility and compelling performances across opera, concert, and musical theater stages. She portrayed Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera at Stage Theater Neue Flora in Hamburg, performing the role 114 times. Her operatic repertoire spans a wide range of iconic roles, including The Queen of the Night (Die Zauberflöte), Beth in the European premiere of Little Women (Brugge, Belgium), Olympia (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel), Nanetta (Falstaff), Musetta (La Bohème), Clotilde (Norma), and Norina (Don Pasquale).
As a highly sought-after concert soloist, Corinne has performed with renowned ensembles that include the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Polizeichor Hamburg, and Bucks County Symphony, with performances across Germany, Austria, Italy, and the U.S.
Corinne’s accolades include 1st prize in Haßloch Meisterkurs La Primavera, 2nd place in the National Opera Association Vocal Competition, and encouragement awards from the Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation, Palm Beach Opera, and Opera at Florham. She was also a finalist in the Liederkranz and Belvedere International Singing Competitions.
A passionate advocate for accessibility in the arts, Corinne is the Founder and Artistic Director of Creative OPERAtions, a New Jersey-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that bridges classical music with communities with limited access to these art forms. She also serves as a teacher and adjudicator for the New Jersey Teen Arts Program and recently participated in the 2024 Eastman Leadership Bootcamp. Corinne is a member of Opera America and the National Opera Association.
Corinne holds a BM in Vocal Performance from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music and is an alumna of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia.
For more information please visit: www.corinne-schaefer.com
Edward Washington II, tenor
American tenor Edward Washington II was born in England and raised in Saudi Arabia. He is celebrated for his compelling tenor voice, lightning-fast coloratura, and unwavering dedication to the art form.
Mr. Washington has performed with Detroit Opera, Opera Omaha, Florida Grand Opera, Lyric Opera, Opera Orlando, Annapolis Opera, the International Festival of the Voice, Syracuse Opera, New York City Opera, and The Metropolitan Opera—earning three Grammy nominations and two Grammy wins.
His concert career includes appearances with the United States Air Force Band, Alexandria Symphony, Wheeling Symphony, Britain’s Got Talent finalist group Vox Ventura, New Philharmonic Chorus, and the American Spiritual Ensemble, among others. He has performed works by seven American composers, including numerous spirituals, art songs, one cantata, two song cycles, and two operas. Recently, he was featured as a soloist in Solange Knowles’ curated El Dorado Ballroom at Jones Hall in Houston, Texas.
A brother of Phi Mu Alpha and an accomplished clarinetist, Edward has conducted choirs, musical theater, and opera professionally. He also served as Music and Education Director of the nonprofit Negro Spiritual Scholarship Foundation. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Stetson University and his Master’s degree from Morgan State University, graduating with a 4.0 GPA.
For more information please visit: www.edward2know.com
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