2011-12
Our goal is to bring the finest artists to the finest theaters world wide, with careful attention given to establishing and maintaining professional careers. The Laifer roster is divided among Americans and Europeans, stars and emerging talents.

I believe very strongly that it is of the utmost importance to find the "right manager" - someone who "guides and nurtures" careers, and helps the artist understand what is necessary in order to advance at the various stages that happen in the course of a lifetime career. This "marriage" between artist and manager is perhaps the most important professional decision that the artist will have to make alone - and this choice will shape what happens and when, in the natural evolution of a career. I maintain a very small and select group of singers and conductors, so that I can have the time and energy necessary to accomplish these goals.

The newest artists on the Laifer Roster are Wagnerian soprano Deborah Mayer who has recently performed Isolde and Brunnhilde in Siegfried with the Toledo Symphony and will also sing Isolde next season in Korea as well as in some German houses in the next two seasons and is presently working on Turandot; and mezzosoprano Leah Summers who most recently has appeared as Dorabella with Opera Colorado, Sara in performances of Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux with Dallas Opera and Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with Opera New Jersey. Her performances with New York City Opera include Cherubino (also Pittsburgh Opera), Suzuki and Maddalena. Other highlights have included Romeo in Capuleti at Berkshire Opera, and Orsini in Lucrezia Borgia with Opera Orchestra of New York. Early in Ms. Summers’ career featured appearances at the Vienna Staatsoper as Lola in Cavalleria, the Page in Salome, Grimgerde in Die Walküre and Schimmelfräulein in Erich Kastner’s Der 35.Mai (recorded commercially and available on Arcadia Video).

Acclaimed Russian born mezzosoprano Elena Bocharova replaced Olga Borodina as Dalila with the Orchestre National du Capitole and at the Salle Pleyel in Paris this past spring and had a great triumph. Just prior she was "glorious" as Dallas Opera’s Marina and "triumphant" as Trieste’s Dalila preceded by an acclaimed Verdi Requiem. Also recently, she had an absolute triumph, standing ovations, as Azucena in Macau Opera’s Festival Trovatore. She made her Italian debut as the Principessa in Adriana in Firenze succeeding her Canadian debut in a New Years eve gala in Toronto to begin 2010. Some important roles that have come into her repertoire recently included her “sensational” Azucena for Southern Opera New Zealand; and her first Amneris was “very vibrant, gutsy with steely resolve” in 2008. Her Dalila “stole the show” for Dayton Opera in 2007. She was a “gutsy and thrilling Carmen” in Kansas City and a Carmen “seething with sensuality with a voice of enveloping warmth” in Dayton. She appeared with NYCOpera in her debut as Carmen in 2003 and in a Richard Tucker gala at Avery Fisher Hall. Her Opera de Paris debut took place in Boris in 2005. She was Carmen for her Semperoper debut in Dresden in 2006 and Amneris at the Savonlinna Festival in 2008 and sang the Verdi Requiem with the Bergen Philharmonic to great public and critical acclaim! Last year she performed her "excellent and voluptuosly sung" Amneris with the Minnesota Orchestra. She debuts as Santuzza in the Mumbai International Festival in early 2012 and as Amneris in Edmonton Opera's 50th anniversary gala to begin 2012. To begin the current season, Cuban-American soprano Elizabeth Caballero opened the new opera house in Kansas City as Liu and her “performance of the piece on opening night was stunning”. She also recently performed “the strongest and most memorable performance of this production as Micaela with her soaring, lyrical soprano and poised, graceful presence” for Central city. She was also “a truly wonderful Violetta” for Madison Opera and had a triumph as Liu in Florida Grand Opera’s season-opening Turandot last season. “Elizabeth Caballero gave a meltingly effective performance…in the aria Signore, ascolta…her warm middle-range tones and floating high notes made for amoving pleas to the prince”. She also recently performed Nedda for Kentucky Opera and just prior recitals in Montevideo, after her recital in Miami in June. Last season began with Micaela with Madison Opera and her Metropolitan opera house debut in Carmen and Boheme. She returned to Madison as Violetta. 2012 continues with her return to Florida Grand in Rondine in the winter. It is then onto Austin Lyric for Liu again and to Central City for Mimi next summer. Mimi is the role for her return to Seattle Opera next season.

Exciting coloratura soprano Rachelle Durkin was a "tour de force" performing the Hoffmann Ladies in W Australia this past summer and Donna Anna with Opera Australia just afterwards. Last year she performed Norina in her Metropolitan Opera broadcast debut. Other notable roles have included the title role in Alcina with Opera Australia, Gilda in Bilbao, Angelica in OpAustralia’s Orlando and Konstanze in Hawaii. In ’09-10 she sang concerts in Australia and was Fiordiligi and Countess for OpAus and recently was Amina in Sonnambula in Perth. At the MET this season she reprised her role in Satyagraha, and covered Marie in Fille du Regiment and Rosina. She also will perform Violetta with Opera Australia. Jeffrey Halili is a leading character tenor having performed Nerone, Pong/Pang, DBasilio, Borsa, Goro, Incredible, Bardolfo, Pedrillo… throughout the U.S. He appeared with the Phil Orch as David in Meistersinger and performed Goro with NYCOP, San Antonio and Florida Grand. ‘10-11 started with Nashville Opera as Incredibile in Chenier, the Lancaster Symphony in the Verdi Requiem and San Antonio for Basilio. The Hoffmann servants served as a "star" vehicle for Jeffrey with AVA-Philadelphia and the holidays featured performing at Avery Fisher Hall in Amahl as Kaspar once again. 2012 continues with NYCOP as Gaston and to Nashville as Nick in the spring. Spanish mezzosoprano Nancy Fabiola Herrera has performed in Mexico City, Paris, Montpellier, Madrid, the Metropolitan, Covent Garden, Verona, Tokyo and Las Palmas in recent seasons. Recent highlights have included Dalila (Manaus Fest), Carmen w/LA Opera and her season-opening debut at the Arena di Verona as Carmen in 2009, Las Palmas for L’Italiana and Malaga for Carmen and the Musikverein in Vienna for her recital debut there. Last fall had her back to Los Angeles Opera in a world-premiere, Il Postino, that opened ‘10-11. She was Carmen in Dresden, and in Berlin this season and Bayerische Staatsoper the following. She had recitals in Las Palmas, Tenerife, Valencia and Madrid. She was Giovanna Seymour in Barcelona this past spring. Gitanas is a one woman show that Ms. Herrera has introduced in South America last season and brings to Madrid this season. This fall she also performed in a gala concert with Placido Domingo in Santa Domingo as well as solo concerts in Barcelona and Rio. Next summer she appears at Tanglewood in La Vida Breve with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and with Toronto, LA and Philadelphia orchestras the following.

Tenor Carl Tanner's 2011 had him at the Metropolitan as Dick Johnson in Fanciulla, followed by Pagliacci and Aida in Hamburg. He brought his signature role of Otello to Dresden in the spring, after debuting the role the previous season in Palm beach and Charlotte. Also this past spring he sang Luigi in a new Tabarro at the Colon, Buenos Aires right afterwards followed a new Pagliacci in Napoli this past summer, which he took to St. Petersburg at the Mariinsky this past fall. Summer 2010 witnessed his return to the Minnesota orchestra in Tosca and a great success as Dick Johnson in Fanciulla in concert at the Edinburgh Festival. In 2009 he was Pinkerton at the Opera de Paris and in recent seasons appeared at the Bregenz Festival (Trovatore-DVD), Brussels as Canio, Hamburg in Cav/Pag, and Firenze as Calaf (Mehta). He was “a stunning and powerful” Samson in Washington and performed in the Richard Tucker Gala at Avery Fisher Hall and Fanciulla in Carnegie Hall in NY. Other notable recent appearances have included Madrid and Berlin for Gioconda, Firenze (Don Jose-Mehta) and Hamburg Calaf. Fall 2008 had him as Manrico for Dresden’s new Trovatore, Calaf in Hamburg and Radames in Berlin. Spring/summer 2009 he was Des Grieux in Las Palmas, Radames and Calaf in Dresden and Barcelona and Radames with the Minnesota Orchestra follwed by Dresden as Manrico and Hamburg as Radames. To begin 2012, after Berlin appearances as Calaf Mr. Tanner makes his debut at the Moscow Bolshoi as Calaf and from there goes to Hamburg as Radames. After Calaf in Hamburg in the spring, he makes his debut as Herman in Pique Dame with Grange Park Opera, UK in June 2012. Bass-baritone Paul Whelan has already appeared in many leading opera houses of the world as a baritone including the Metropolitan, Covent Garden, Munich, Geneva Opera, Paris Opera/Bastille, the Netherlands Opera, Teatro Municipal de Santiago di Chile, Scottish Opera, Australian Opera, Montpellier, and Nimes. He has just sung his first Wotan in Auckland Symphony’s concert performance of Rheingold this summer. In 2010-11 he was in Glyndebourne for Claggart in Billy Budd, for Alidoro in Cenerentola, Collatinus in Oslo’s Rape of Lucretia and Thesius with ENO in the spring. He debuted in Hamburg as the lead singer in Bliss this past fall. 2012 continues with Seneca in Lille and Dijon as Ramfis with Opera Australia later in the season.

Manager’s Report
January 3, 2012