The Harlem Opera Festival 2024 - Jackie Robinson Park Edition

3 time Grammy Award-winning tenor David Morgans is known for his riveting performances and dynamic voice. In the 2023/24 season, Mr. Morgans returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Ally in the critically acclaimed X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. He was thrilled to debut Lensky in Opera Baltimore’s Eugene Onegin, and returns to cinemas worldwide.
Mr. Morgans appears as Julio (a tenor) in the feature film, She Came to Me (directed by Rebecca Miller) alongside Anne Hathaway, Peter Dinklage, and Marissa Tomei. The movie’s worldwide cinema release was October 2023. She Came to Me is currently available to stream on most platforms.
David appeared as James Keller in TOUCH with Birmingham Opera, and debuted the role of Aret in Jupiter’s Journey to Earth with the Little Opera Theater of New York. At Charlottesville Opera, he will cover Nemorino in L’elixir d’amore , and will end his summer with the St. Stephen’s Music Festival, reprising the role of Nate in Highway 1, USA.
In 2022-2023, Mr. Morgans performed at Des Moines Metro Opera, singing the role of Mingo and covering Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess; and he appeared in scenes as Il Duca (Rigoletto), and Nadir (Les pêcheurs de perles). He performed Mr. Charles in Ricky Ian Gordon’s Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater, and sang the role of Laurese Glover in Blind Injustice with Opera Theater of the Rockies. David finished out the season as Nate in Highway 1, USA. with the Little Opera Theater of New York. The production in which he was to perform Rodolfo at Florentine Opera’s La Boheme was canceled due to COVID.
The 2021-2022 season began with Mr. Morgans opening the Metropolitan Opera’s new season as Pledge in Fire Shut Up In My Bones. There (MetOpera), he reprised his role as Prayer in Porgy and Bess, performed chorus in the Met’s performances of Verdi’s Requiem and Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, and the Live in HD production of Boris Godunov. Mr. Morgans could also be seen as chorus in their productions of Die Meistersinger and La Boheme.
2020-2021 was the last season of COVID-19 lockdown, and Mr. Morgans was a resident artist at Portland Opera where he debuted Uncle Mac in Night Trip, and sang several recitals. A highlight from his concert work is singing Hailstork’s cantata for solo tenor and chorus, I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, in a concert with Hunter College.
The 2019- 2020 season found Mr. Morgans as a finalist in the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center Competition hosted by the Chicago Lyric Opera. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Prayer in their new production of Porgy and Bess.
The 2018-2019 season began with Mr. Morgans’ New York City debut as Rodolfo (La Boheme) with City Lyric Opera in performances that were praised as “one of the best we've heard” (Voce di Meche). In the spring of 2019, he was an Apprentice Artist with Sarasota Opera. Under the baton of Maestro Victor DeRenzi, he sang several concerts as various Verdian heros such as Don Alvaro (La Forza del Destino), Jacopo (I due Foscari) and Henri (Les vêpres Siciliennes) in addition to concert work as Gerald (Lakmé). Mr. Morgans spent that summer making his first introduction to New York City Opera covering the role of Renata in the world premiere of Stonewall by Iain Bell with libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist Mark Campbell.

After receiving the top score in the 2024 NANM Scholarship Competition for Voice, Justice Yates will be performing as Ibn-Hakia in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and Tobias in La Cambiale di Matrimonio this spring at Yale Opera.

Upon performing Masetto and covering Leporello in Merola’s 2024 production of Don Giovanni, he had previously finished his roles as Father Trulove in Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress and Simone in Gianni Schicchi with Yale Opera in the spring prior. He was one of two recipients for the National Opera Association’s Carolyn Bailey Argento Fellowship for Vocal Performance and placed first in the scholarship division of the Carolyn Bailey Argento Vocal Competition Justice is studying Voice and Opera Performance with pianist and coach Gerald Martin Moore at the Yale University School of Music, expecting his master's degree in May 2025. After earning his undergraduate degree in Music Performance at Stetson University, Justice spent the summer of 2023 as a Young Artist at Houston Grand Opera's Young Artist Vocal Academy and SongFest in Nashville, Tennessee.

His time at Stetson University was completed with his performance of Forester in Stetson Opera Theatre's English production of Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen, followed by his senior recital in the historic Lee Chapel. While working on the opera, Justice also competed for a chance to perform at New York's Carnegie Hall and was honored to have earned a place in the Weill Recital Hall in the spring of 2023 with one of his favorite compositions, H. Leslie Adams's Nightsongs. Upon returning to the US for his last year at Stetson University, he performed as Aeneas in Stetson Opera Theatre's production of Dido and Aeneas.

Following his third year, Justice studied opera in Graz, Austria, with the American Institute of Musical Studies earned placed as a finalist in the program's Meistersinger competition.

Justice's continued to work at his craft and eventually realized that his only passion stronger than teaching was performing, prompting him to change his major to Music Performance at the end of his third year at Stetson. It was this year that Justice won Stetson University's Harold Giffin Competition. At the end of his second year, Justice competed in the National NATS competition and earned 1st place in the Lower Division for Tenors, Basses, and Baritones.

Justice Yates was born in Tallahassee, FL, and raised in Leesburg, FL. After playing the bass guitar and tuba in wind ensembles, jazz bands, and marching bands for seven years, he graduated from Tavares High School in 2019 with plans to be a band director. However, he changed his major from Instrumental to Vocal Music Education after realizing his true passion for singing weeks before his first semester at Stetson University.

Justice aims to make an international performing career out of classical and contemporary singing, one day having a studio and various ensembles to teach and direct.

Kyaunnee Richardson, Soprano

Kyaunnee Richardson made her professional debut as Papagena in The Magic Flute with Festival of the Arts Boca in 2016. Recently, Kyaunnee starred as Calpurnia in the world premiere of The Secret River with Opera Orlando and last season made her Opera Orlando debut as Adele in Die Fledermaus. Other highlights from the last few seasons include the roles of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with the Savannah VOICE Festival; Adele in Die Fledermaus, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Despina in Così fan tutte with Opera in Williamsburg; Monica in The Medium with First Coast Opera; Sister 2 in the world premiere of Why I Live at the PO with UrbanArias; Juliette in Roméo et Juliette and Maria in West Side Story with Gulfshore Opera’s Gala Concert; Frasquita in Carmen and Gretel in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Orlando; Alice Allegretto and Dr. Marigold in Bruce Adolphe’s The Amazing Adventure of Alvin Allegretto with Orchestra Miami, Nella in Opera Fusion’s production of Gianni Schicchi, Clara in Porgy and Bess with the South Florida Symphony, Glinda in Stage Door’s production of The Wiz, Monica in Opera Fusion’s production of The Medium, Yema in Utah Festival's regional premiere of Smith's Amazing Grace, Pamina in The Magic Flute with Orchestra Miami, Esther in the concert premiere of Ginsberg’s Esther, Sweet Esther at the National Press Club in Washington DC, the roles of Najade in Ariadne auf Naxos, Gilda in Rigoletto, Lisette in La rondine, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Despina in Così fan tutte and Adele in Die Fledermaus with Opera Fusion’s Emerging Artist Project series and she has performed with the Savannah VOICE Festival. While completing her masters at Florida State University, Kyaunnee performed the roles of Rose Maurrant in Street Scene and Despina in Così fan tutte.

Her performances as a soloist with orchestra include Handel’s Messiah with the Civic Chorale of Greater Miami and the Alhambra Orchestra and Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Delray Orchestra. She has also been a featured soloist with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Symphony Orchestra, Symphony of the Americas, Orlando Philharmonic, South Florida Symphony Orchestra, Hallandale Symphonic Pops Orchestra, Sugar Pops Orchestra, Opera Fusion Orchestra, Coral Gables Chamber Orchestra and the Sunrise Symphonic Pops Orchestra.

Recently, Kyaunnee placed first in the 2023 Opera Ebony's Benjamin Matthews Vocal Competition and was a semi-finalist in the 2023 American Traditions Vocal Competition where she was awarded the Sherrill Milnes American Opera Award. Other awards include being one of the top four finalists in Orchestra Noir’s International Medallion Competition, a finalist in the 2020 SAS Performing Arts Vocal Competition, the Michael Ballam Concorso Lirico Opera Competition, placing third in the New York Lyric Opera Theatre and Opera Ebony’s Benjamin Matthews Vocal Competition, the Audience Favorite Award in the Harlem Opera Theater Competition, the Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and Stuart Smith Audience Favorite Award from Opera Ebony.

Kyaunnee counts among her highest honors singing for President Barak Obama and other dignitaries at the funeral of South Carolina Senator and Rev. Clementa Pinckney.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic she has performed virtually, including Opera Fusion’s #SongStrong and Music to Eat Chocolate By e-concerts, Hued Songs in Make Music Miami, and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s international online Cadenza Competition.

Shavon Lloyd, Baritone

While maintaining an active career as a baritone, music educator, conductor, and award-winning composer, Shavon Lloyd has been praised as an “uber-talented” (Times Herald Record) artist. Lloyd is a recent graduate if The Juilliard School, where he studied voice with acclaimed bass-baritone, Kevin Short. At Juilliard, he has performed in multiple productions, including Händel's "Atalanta" (Nicandro - cover), Purcell's "King Arthur" (Grimbald/Cold Genius), Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi" (Betto), and Mozart’s “La clemenza di Tito” (Publio).

Shavon has worked with a variety of conductors, including Kent Tritle, Nimrod David Pfeffer, Mark Shapiro, Antony Walker, and Christine Howlett. In collaboration with them, Lloyd has soloed in such works as Mozart’s “Mass in C Minor”, and Handel’s “Messiah” In 2016, while studying with Dr. Lonel Woods, Lloyd made his Carnegie Hall MainStage debut as a soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music and the world premiere of Gary Fry’s Awake, Celestial Airs under the baton of Duain Wolfe. He has won several competitions, including the CFLNY-NATS Singing Competition (2016,2017) and the Classical Singer Musical Theatre Competition for Pre-Professionals (2020). In 2023, Lloyd was selected to be a Gerdine Young Artist for The Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Here, he performed in Puccini's "Tosca" (Sacristan cover), and made his professional debut as Simon in an all-black production of Joplin's "Treemonisha", including a world premiere of Damien Sneed (composer) and Karen Chilton's (librettist) prologue and epilogue detailing moments in Joplin's life. In 2024, Lloyd made his Opera Saratoga debut as Sky Masterson in the acclaimed Frank Loesser musical, “Guys & Dolls”. Shortly after, he made his Off-Broadway debut in Alistair William King’s “The Little Match Girl”, where he performed as Chef/Father Christmas in Theatre555.

In 2019, Lloyd received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Before attending Juilliard in the Fall of 2022, Shavon was a high school music teacher, frequent guest conductor/clinician, and active member of the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA), contributing to both the Belonging, Equity, Diversity, and Representation (BEDR) Committee, and the Composition/Songwriting Committee. Regarding his compositions, Lloyd has won grand prizes in several competitions, including the Manhattan Choral Ensemble’s New Music for New York Competition (2015), the 18th Street Singers’ Composition Contest (Washington, D.C., 2018), the Orpheus Chamber Singers Commissioning Competition (Dallas, TX, 2020), and the Washington Master Chorale’s Florence Price Commission (Washington, D.C., 2024). Since then, his works have been performed internationally across the United States, Canada, South America, and, just recently, Africa.

Soprano Lynnesha Crump hails from Washington, DC, and is a proud graduate of the Mannes School of Music and the Oberlin Conservatory, where she received her Master of Music and Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. Ms. Crump studied and performed in Italy this summer alongside Legend soprano Aprile Millo, Maestro Richard Bonynge, and Marco Gandini. (Opera Dir.of Teatro alla Scala) Ms. Crump recently won the Luana DeVol award for dramatic voices in the SAS Performing Arts vocal competition. She played the role of Mary in William Grant Still’s Highway 1, USA, with Little Opera Theater of New York and Strawberry Woman in Porgy and Bess with Des Moines Metro Opera. She also covered the role of Ruby at the Metropolitan Opera and performed the role of Verna with the Lyric Opera of Chicago in their productions of Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut up in My Bones. Additionally, Ms. Crump is decorated with more awards from prestigious vocal competitions, including two Grammy awards as a featured soloist in Porgy and Bess- as well as her contribution in Fire Shut up in My Bones at the Metropolitan Opera. (Available on the Met: Live in HD). Ms. Crump also sang in the inauguration of former President Barack Obama with superstar artist Beyoncé Knowles. Up next, Ms. Crump will be reprising the role of Mary in Highway 1, USA, with the Syracuse Summer Music Festival this summer.

Marquita Lister has earned worldwide critical praise for the past two decades. Critics all over the world rave about soprano Marquita Lister's poignant, precise and intelligent technique. With an impressive repertoire that includes the masterworks of Verdi, Strauss, Puccini and Gershwin, her courage and a determination to dare the utmost in performance are her hallmark.

Ms. Lister has sung with major opera companies such as the San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Montreal Opera, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Grosses Festspielhaus in Salzburg, La Scala, Semperoper Dresden, Staatstheater Stuttgart, Arena di Verona, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Opera Bastille Paris, Michigan Opera Theater, to name a few. She has performed with world renowned artists, including Placido Domngo, Justino Diaz, Frederica Von Stade, Simon Estes, Sherrill Milnes and Marcello Giordani.

Ms. Lister received her Bachelor of Music degree from New England Conservatory of Music, where she graduated with distinction. She received her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Oklahoma City University. She is the Coordinator of the Vocal Studies Program and Director of Opera at Morgan State University, Vice President and a board member of the MD/DC branch of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Inc. (NATS), and a lifetime member of Sigma Alpha Iota.

Opera Ebony is the longest continuously operated Black Opera Company in America. Founded by Benjamin Matthews, Bass-Baritone alongside Co-Founders Wayne Sanders, Pianist, Sis Elise Sisson, SBS & Mezzo Soprano and Margaret Harris, Conductor. Our legacy was built on pools of talented voices that many opera houses across the world engaged and contributed to countless successful careers both in America and Internationally.

The mission of Opera Ebony is to primarily promote, mentor, and nurture career opportunities for singers, directors, composers, musicians, and others whose training is rooted in spirituals, classical, and operatic repertoire. These artists are underrepresented in the world of classical music.

With a mission of providing free cultural entertainment for the residents of the village of Harlem, Harlem Presents has three program offerings – “HarlemWeen”, “The Harlem Hoedown” and “The Harlem Opera Festival”.

"HarlemWeen" – presented on every Halloween evening since 2011 – except during SuperStorm Sandy – HarlemWeen is a family-friendly costumed Halloween festival presented on the plaza of the iconic Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building. In addition to a DJ inspired dance party, the afternoon/evening activity includes face-painting, storytelling, “Thriller” dance lessons, and the exhibition of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” on a 25’ inflatable movie screen.

“The Harlem Hoedown” – taking place on the plaza of the Harlem State Office Building occasionally since 2012, this family-friendly activity has square dancing, a caller, and the live music of the Ebony Hillbillies at its core. Additional activities include a mechanical bull and a swamp with live animals.

“The Harlem Opera Festival” – since the Summer of 2018, the Harlem Opera Festival has celebrated the next generation of great opera singers by presenting emerging opera singers of color (mostly) in recital format at the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park and the bandshell in Jackie Robinson Park.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Jackie Robinson Park, 319 West 145th Street, New York, United States