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Conductor
Kostis Protopapas was named General Director of Opera Santa Barbara in December 2017, after two-and-a-half seasons as Artistic Director. During his time as Artistic Director and principal conductor, Kostis brought a unified vision to OSB’s musical and production values, strengthening the orchestra and chorus, engaging some of the country’s most promising young directors and singers, building a high-performing production team, and increasing focus on contemporary American opera. As General Director Kostis assembled Team OSB, a group of enthusiastic overachievers with a passion for innovation and the desire to strengthen the company’s bond with the community, who consistently exceed patrons’ expectations for programs, experiences and communications. Performance highlights from Kostis’ tenure include grand opera classics like Madama Butterfly, Manon, and Eugene Onegin as well as contemporary works like Daniel Catan’s Il Postino, the mariachi opera Cruzar la cara de la luna, and Laura Kaminsky’s As One. In the fall of 2022 the Santa Barbara Independent wrote: “From contemporary work to obscurities from the early 19th century, from staple repertoire to surprise elements, OSB continues to raise the bar on what an opera company can and should be, even in Santa Barbara.”
Between March 2020 and June 2021, under Kostis’ leadership Opera Santa Barbara remained active and fully staffed. It was the first performing arts organization in Santa Barbara to offer streaming programming, and one of only two opera companies in California to present three live operas in the 2020-21 season. Additionally, Opera Santa Barbara became an advocacy leader for the reopening of the performing arts, and funded live performances by local musicians through “Operation Eurydice”. For his work during the pandemic, Kostis was listed among the Santa Barbara Independent’s 2021 Local Heroes.
Before coming to Santa Barbara Kostis was the Artistic Director of Tulsa Opera since 2008. He previously was an Assistant Conductor with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, LA Opera and Santa Fe Opera. At the Lyric Opera of Chicago, he also served as Assistant Chorus Master under Donald Palumbo for two seasons.
Born in Athens, Greece, Kostis Protopapas studied Archaeology and History of Art at the University of Athens before coming to the United States in 1993, on an Onassis Foundation scholarship, to study piano at The Boston Conservatory and conducting at Boston University. He became an American citizen in 2011. He loves living in Santa Barbara, sits on the Board of the Santa Barbara University Club, and enjoys sailing on the Santa Barbara Channel.
Director
Fenlon Lamb is continually praised for her dynamic and engaging productions in leading regional houses across the United States. She directed Arizona Opera’s world premiere and the subsequent remount of Riders of the Purple Sage which Broadway World called “epic” and “memorable…literally and figuratively blazing trails.” She recently returned to the company to mount a new production of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird. In previous seasons, Fenlon staged a “grand and gripping” Rigoletto and a “classic and stylish” Lucia di Lammermoor for her debut with the company in 2012.
A house favorite at Palm Beach Opera, Fenlon led a “fizzing and delightful” Il Barbiere di Siviglia for their 2013 International Season and her debut with the company. She has since directed La Bohème which highlighted her “superb theatrical instincts” and “an attractive and well-timed staging” of Don Pasquale which was hailed as “one of the companies best efforts” by Palm Beach News. Subsequent seasons included “a spiced up” Tosca and the Papermoon Opera Production of Hansel and Gretel for PBO’s family series at the Crest Theater.
Other notable productions include La traviata for her Madison and Toledo Opera debuts and a new production for Finger Lakes Opera. Fenlon directed a new production of Scalia/Ginsburg for Opera Delaware, Tosca with Jennifer Rowley in the title role, and The Pearlfishers for Dayton Opera. She has directed Carmen for North Carolina Opera, Mill City Summer Opera, Dayton Opera, Bar Harbor Music Festival and Annapolis Opera. She directed Werther and Hänsel und Gretel for Nightingale Opera Theater, Le nozze di Figaro for Orlando Philharmonic and Stephen Paulus’ To Be Certain of the Dawn with Lexington Symphony. Fenlon led a new production of Der Fliegende Holländer with Greer Grimsley in the title role for Opera Carolina that “balanced operatic polish, romantic beauty and feminist critique” and a “sympathetic production” of Werther for Mobile Opera starring Gran Wilson.
Christina Pezzarossi Ramsey, mezzo-soprano, has been praised for her “smoky mezzo” and
captivating stage presence. Hailing from the charming town of Miles City, Montana, Christina’s
journey into the world of opera began as a young dream nurtured by her community, eventually
propelling her to prestigious stages across the country. Her remarkable range, emotional depth,
and artistry have made her a standout presence in the world of opera, enthralling audiences
nationwide.
Recent highlights include her acclaimed portrayals of Carmen (Carmen), Ino (Semele),
Margaret (The Light in the Piazza), Flora (La traviata), and Dorabella (Così fan tutte), as well as
memorable comedic turns in El Gato con Botas and COVID fan tutte with Pacific Opera Project.
Christina’s versatility extends further with performances as Rossweisse in Die Walküre, Lucilla
in La scala di seta, Wellgunde in Das Rheingold, Paula in Florencia en el Amazonas, Gertrude
in Roméo et Juliette, Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor, and
covers like Stewardess in Flight with Des Moines Metro Opera.
In the concert realm, Christina’s talents have shone in performances of Beethoven’s Symphony
No. 9 with the Santa Barbara Symphony and Pacific Symphony, Rossini’s Stabat Mater with
Pensacola Symphony, and Handel’s Messiah with Laguna Beach Chorale. Her dynamic stage
presence has also graced productions such as Encore: A Musical Revue with Central City
Opera.
This season, Christina makes her house debut at Opera Las Vegas as Cherubino in Mozart’s Le
nozze di Figaro and returns to Opera Santa Barbara for two featured roles: Cornelia in Handel’s
Giulio Cesare and Sharon Falconer in Robert Aldridge’s Elmer Gantry.
Throughout her career, Christina has demonstrated unwavering dedication, resilience, and a
profound commitment to her craft, captivating audiences with her ability to inhabit characters
with nuance and emotional truth. She is currently a candidate for the degree of Doctor of
Musical Arts in Voice at the University of California, Santa Barbara, continuing to deepen her
artistry and inspire fellow musicians.
Miller
Baritone Omar Rodriguez has been a featured soloist in opera, oratorio, and recital performances throughout the United States. Some of his recent role highlights include Count Almaviva in Mozart's le nozze di Figaro, Papageno in The Magic Flute, and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte. He has been a frequent soloist with Ensemble Monterey Chamber Orchestra as the bass soloist in Purcell’s Mass to St. Cecilia, Handel’s Messiah and Israel in Egypt, the title role in Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb. Omar has had the honor of performing as a soloist in venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Basilica San Marco in Venice, Vienna’s Votivkirche and the Salzburg Residenz Palast. This summer, he attended the Middlebury Language School German for Singers program, learning German in a complete immersion environment and performing scenes from Mozart's operatic catalogue. January 2022 will see his debut with Espressivo in a performance of Ravel's Trois poèmes de Mallarmé and covering the role of Melchior in the world premiere of Befana: A Christmas Fable by Kirke Mechem. Omar will be performing the role of the Marchese d’Obigny in La Traviata with Opera Santa Barbara in Spring of 2022. Also in the works is an upcoming full-length album with the Canada-based symphonic metal band, Dusk Meridian. Mr. Rodriguez holds a BM in Vocal Performance from California State University Fullerton, and an MM in Vocal Performance from Boston University. Omar speaks English, Spanish, and German. He currently studies with Matthew Worth.
King
Michael Segura began studying voice through musical theater and barbershop before becoming a classical musician. Michael has shared his artistry throughout Orange County by performing roles such as Papageno (The Magic Flute), Mercutio (Roméo et Juliette), and Dancaïro (Carmen) under the music direction of Doris Lang Kosloff, as well as the Winter Fairy (The Fairy Queen), with Lyric Opera of Orange County. He has also done scene-work with Pacific Symphony as Dandini (La Cenerentola) and Belcore (Elixir of Love). In the greater whole of Southern California, Michael further expands his horizons singing with San Diego Opera as a chorister and Pacific Chorale as a staff singer. Michael has recently made his debut with Opera San Luis Obispo in their production of Die Fledermaus as Dr. Falke, as well as his debut with Opera Santa Barbara as Moralès in Carmen. Additionally, he has recently won the San Diego District round of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition.
While working towards his Bachelor's Degree in Vocal Performance at California State University Fullerton, he participated in the annual Music Associates Concerto/Aria Competition twice, taking first place both times. It was also during this time that Michael performed the eponymous roles of Don Giovanni and Gianni Schicchi, along with a long list of scene works; these included roles such as Belcore from L’elisir d’amore, the Count from Le nozze di Figaro, and Figaro from il barbiere di Siviglia.
Michael portrayed the role of Marco from Gianni Schicchi in 2019 while participating in the LA-based Angel's Vocal Art Opera Intensive program. In the summer of 2022, Michael expanded his studies to Vicenza, Italy, once again taking on the titular role in Gianni Schicchi with International Lyric Academy.
Princess
SUNWOO PARK, from Seoul, South Korea, is a Graduate Certi?cate student studying under Professor Elizabeth Hynes at the Thornton School of Music, University of Southern California. She will be joining as Opera Santa Barbara Chrisman Studio Artist this year and performing the world premiere piece called All the Truths We Cannot See: A Chernobyl Story by Ulias Pulkis as a “Bear” in Helsinki, Finland in Spring 2022. She was invited to perform Papagena in The Magic Flute and to cover First Sprite in Rusalka at The Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singer Program and Witness 1, Singer 1 and Woman 1 in Lessons in Love and Violence by George Benjamin at Lyric Opera of Chicago and also to perform as a “Calisto” in Cavalli’s La Calisto at USC Opera in 2020. However, those scheduled performances were canceled due to COVID-19. During the summer of 2019, she covered Musetta in La Bohème at The Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singer Program. At USC Opera, she performed as a “Susanna” in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro in 2019 and “Le Feu (The Fire)” in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges and a “Lady with a Hand Mirror'' as a Operetta Singer in Dominick Argento’s Postcard from Morocco in 2018. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in vocal performance from the Seoul National University where she graduated cum laude with the Eminence scholarship. She also recorded songs in the advertisement of Nikon Camera in Japan and the main title song of "Tachikoma" which is a famous animation movie in Japan.
Ogre
Colin Ramsey is a highly regarded Chinese American bass whose “majestic,
rotund, ravishing bass” (Opera Today) has earned him accolades from critics and
audiences alike. Known for his rich, smoky timbre and dramatic versatility, Mr.
Ramsey has become a sought-after performer in both opera and concert
settings, with a broad repertoire that spans from the classical to the
contemporary.
The 2025-26 season is full of role and company debuts as well as returns to
celebrated parts. The fall begins with his company debut at the Lyric Opera of
Kansas City returning to the role of Alidoro in Rossini’s Cenerentola alongside a
cast of young stars including Jack Swanson, Siphokazi Molteno, and Ian Rucker.
The new production is by Michael Shell and conducted by Maestro Gary Wedow.
He then debuts at Opera Las Vegas in his celebrated portrayal of Figaro in Le
nozze di Figaro. Colin spends the rest of 2025 at the Metropolitan Opera
covering Dumas in Giordano's Andrea Chenier in a cast including Sonya
Yoncheva and Piotr Beczała.
His first operatic engagement of 2026 is a return home to Opera Santa Barbara
to sing the title role in Handel’s Giulio Cesare. Ramsey steps into the titular role
usually performed by countertenors and altos, following in the footsteps of
singers including Norman Treigle, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and Cesare Siepi.
The production will also renew collaboration with conductor, Emily Senturia.
Ramsey then essays his first Timur in Puccini’s Turandot with Pacific Opera
Project and Josh Shaw and then returns to Opera Santa Barbara for TJ Rigg in
Elmer Gantry by Robert Aldridge. He ends the season with his Canadian debut
as Timur in a concert presentation of Turandot with the Orchestre
Philharmonique des Mélomanes under the baton of Francis Choinière.
His most recent credits include the title role in Le nozze di Figaro at Opera
Santa Barbara, Escamillo in Carmen at Amarillo Opera, and the title role in
Porpora’s Polifemo in its U.S. premiere at Opera NEO. On the concert stage, he
has appeared as bass soloist in Messiah with both the Pacific Chamber
Orchestra and Santa Barbara Choral Society, and has given several recitals of
art song in Santa Barbara.
Mr. Ramsey’s operatic career has been marked by an array of roles across
multiple genres, with an emphasis on both dramatic and lyrical bass parts.
Among his most celebrated roles are Colline in La bohème, Escamillo in
Carmen, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Guglielmo in Così fan Tutte, Leporello
in Don Giovanni, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, and Hunding in Die
Walküre. Mr. Ramsey’s unique “smoky” timbre has been well lent to additional
roles such as, Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, The Bonze in Madama
Butterfly, Edward Teller in John Adams’s Dr. Atomic, Father Palmer in Silent
Night, The Speaker and Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Collatinus in Britten’s The
Rape of Lucretia, Fafner in Das Rheingold Seneca in Monteverdi’s
L’incoronazione di Poppea, Il Frate in Verdi’s Don Carlo, Angelotti in Tosca, and
Cadmus and Somnus in Handel’s Semele.
Beyond the opera stage, Colin Ramsey has made a name for himself as a
concert performer. He has appeared as a bass soloist with prestigious
ensembles including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony, Amarillo
Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and La Jolla Symphony. His concert
repertoire includes some of the most revered works in the choral-orchestral
canon, such as Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Dvořák’s Stabat
Mater, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Handel’s
Messiah, Fauré’s Requiem, and the Brahms Requiem. His ability to convey the
emotional depth of these works has earned him praise from critics and audiences
alike.
Mr. Ramsey's voice and technique have garnered recognition in the competition
circuit as well. He is the 1st Prizewinner of the Carolyn Bailey Argento
Competition, winner of the Pasadena Opera Guild Competition, a 3rd Prize
winner in the Rocky Mountain Region of the Metropolitan Opera National
Council Auditions, and an Encouragement Award recipient from the George
London Foundation Competition. These accolades reflect his continued
growth as a performer and his rising stature in the operatic world.
Throughout his career, Mr. Ramsey has participated in a number of prestigious
apprentice programs, which have been crucial to his artistic development. These
include programs with The Santa Fe Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Wolf Trap
Opera, Sarasota Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, and the Crested Butte Music
Festival. These experiences have helped hone his craft, providing opportunities
to work with esteemed directors, conductors, and fellow singers.
A native of Greenwich, CT, Mr. Ramsey was raised in a family that encouraged
his love of music. He began studying music at an early age and developed a
passion for opera. He went on to pursue training at the Manhattan School of
Music, where he was a Presidential and Presser Foundation Scholar. During his
time at MSM, he was awarded the prestigious Hugh Ross Award, which is given
annually to a "singer of unusual promise," reflecting his early potential as a
professional opera singer. He holds a Masters degree in Music from the
University of California Santa Barbara where he is currently finishing his DMA.
As a passionate advocate for the arts and for the future of opera, Mr. Ramsey is
deeply committed to fostering the next generation of singers. In addition to his
active performing career, he dedicates significant time and energy to mentoring
young vocalists. Through masterclasses and vocal coaching, Mr. Ramsey works
to inspire and equip emerging artists with the skills and confidence needed to
succeed in the opera world. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at
Westmont College in Montecito, CA and is a Co-Founder of VoxOps Vocal
Studios, which provides training and consulting to singers across the country. His
dedication to nurturing talent and passing on his knowledge reflects his belief in
the importance of supporting young singers as they embark on their own artistic
journeys.
