Meet Our Board Members
Rachel Hippert, Soprano (CEO)
Soprano Rachel Hippert exemplifies the modern interdisciplinary artist, uniting classical operatic performance of the highest caliber with a passion for supporting and presenting new works and a bold commitment to making music accessible to all as a conviction of social justice. An acclaimed actress, she is known for bringing intensity and emotional depth to her physical and vocal portrayal of operatic heroines. Ms. Hippert has recently performed with the Amore Opera Company of New York as “Fiordiligi” in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, “Mimì” in Puccini’s La bohème, "Violetta" in Verdi's La Traviata, “Micaëla” in Bizet’s Carmen, and “Rosalinda” in Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus. She has also appeared with the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera (NJAVO) as the “High Priestess” in Verdi’s Aida, The Opera Collective as “Nedda” in Leoncavallo’s I PagliacciI, and the Brooklyn Philharmonia Chorus as “Santuzza” in Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and “Mother” in Giancarlo Menotti’s Amahl and the Night visitors. Ms. Hippert has also been a resident artist with the Brooklyn Philharmonia Chorus, and soloed in works such as Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, Brahms’ Zigeunerlieder and Ein Deutches Requiem, Poulenc’s Gloria, Bach’s Magnificat, Handel’s Messiah, and others. Ms. Hippert is also a recoding artist, having released two albums with independent label Irreverence Group Music. Both albums, Experimentelle und unbestimmte Lieder, Op. 9 and Profanum: the early sacred songs of Julian De La Chica, can be found on Apple Music and Spotify. Upcoming performances include the role of “Donna Anna” in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Amore Opera.
Jose Heredia, Tenor (CTO)
Born in the Dominican Republic, Jose won first prize winner in the NJ Association of Verismo Opera International Competition, and was a finalist and Encouragement Award winner in the Giulio Gari International Vocal Competition. He has performed the roles of Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Canio (I Pagliacci), Ricccardo (Un ballo in Maschera), Turidu (Cavalleria Rusticana), Alfredo (La traviata), Cavaradossi (Tosca), Radames (Aida), Don José (Carmen), Rodolfo (La bohème), Duca (Rigoletto), Marcello (Leoncavallo’s La Bohème), Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore), and King Kaspar (Amahl and the night visitors). He has been an active member with Amore Opera, Long Island Lyric Opera, Regina Opera Company, New York Lyric Opera Theater, NJ Association of Verismo Opera, dell’arte Opera Ensemble, Bravo Opera Alliance, Opera Ithaca and Fundacion Sinfonia, OperaRD, and Opera West! Mr. Heredia made his Zankel Hall debut in a world première of Four Short Stories at the Standard Hotel Op. 6 by Colombian composer Julián De La Chica. He has soloed with the West Point Military Academy, Brooklyn Philharmonia Chorus and Long Island Choral Society in Handel’s Messiah. Additionally, he has soloed in Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, and in Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem and Zigeunerlieder. Other appearances as soloist have included Verdi’s Messa da Requiem in Siena Italy and Ariel Ramierz’s Misa Criolla at David Geffen Hall in NYC, as well as a 34 concert multi-city tour in South Korea. He represented his Native Dominican Republic in the 1st Festival Lírico del Caribe 2021, a festival which, in partnership with the European Union, seeks to highlight the talent of Caribbean singers. Most recently, Mr. Heredia made his Singapore Debut in a Double-bill production of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci with The Singapore Lyric Opera, taking on the challenging roles of Turiddu and Canio. Upcoming performances include the role of Jesus de Nazaret in Dominican Composer Rafael Grullon’s Spanish Opera El Caminante de Nazaret. Performances are in Dominican Republic, at the Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito on March 23rd & 24th, 2024. www.joseheredia.com
Alexis Cregger, Soprano (CAO)
From Winchester, MA and currently residing in New York City has performed with OperaDelaware, Chelsea Opera, Regina Opera, Opera Manhattan, Annapolis Opera and the Helena Symphony. Recently hailed by Opera News as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni “Alexis Cregger’s eye-opening Donna Anna sailed through the difficult role with vocal ease and stylistic aplomb, wielding her gleaming soprano like a shining sword of justice”. Recent highlights include Donna Anna and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus with Geneva Light Opera, Donna Anna with Regina Opera in Brooklyn, the Soprano Soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Putnam County Chorale in Brewster, NY, in Poulenc’s Gloria with the Rockland Camerata, in Mahler’s 2nd Symphony with the Litha Symphony, and reprised her performance in Litha Symphony’s New Year’s Eve concert in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. 2018 brought a change in repertoire with her debut as Aida, and Lady Macbeth. This season, she revisits the role of Amelia in Ballo in Maschera with the Amore Opera (NYC), and Leonora with Regina Opera (Brooklyn). She currently studies with Mark Oswald.
Jonathan Green, Baritone (CPO)
Jonathan R. Green is originally from the south side of Chicago, IL and resides in Brooklyn, NY. He is an alum of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. While at Oberlin, Jonathan studied with RIchard Miller. He also studied at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music studying with Distinguished Professor of Voice Timothy Noble. Jonathan extended his studies at the University of Kentucky with Dr. Everett McCorvey. His operatic credits include the title characters in “Rigoletto” and “Falstaff”, “Giorgio Germont” in Verdi’s La Traviata, “Figaro” in Le Nozze di Figaro, “Figaro” in Il Barbieri di Siviglia, “Marcello” in La Bohème, “Crown” in Porgy & Bess, “Baron Scarpia” in Tosca, “Sid” in Albert Herring, “De Bétigny” in Manon, “Capulet/Duke” in Romé et Juliette, “Mandarin” in Turandot”, “King Melchior” in Amahl and the night visitors and “Renato” in Un ballo in maschera.
Anna Viemeister, Mezzo-Soprano
A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, Mezzo-Soprano Anna Viemeister has been praised for delivering her warmth, engaging presence, musicianship and intensity of sound to countless audiences on the stages of New York City, the Pacific North West, Bulgaria and Germany. Anna developed her ever warming voice where she was “destined perhaps for heftier assignments…” (NYT), serving perhaps as a precursor to her eventual homecoming to the mezzo repertoire. Anna has performed with houses on the East and West Coasts of America, Germany and Bulgaria, bringing her unique and beautiful instrument to music lovers worldwide.