Chamber Music Series: First Coast Opera presents the Pinnacle Singers
Famous for the beloved tenor aria “Nessun Dorma”, Turandot was Puccini’s final opera. Abridging this grand show to under an hour in length, the PINNACLE SINGERS have reimagined this spectacular score for a cast of just four. First Coast Opera presents these powerful voices up close and personal so you can enjoy every nuance, rediscovering the Legend of Turandot in an exciting new way.
Combining distinctively strong voices and diverse musical influences, THE PINNACLE SINGERS bring new life into a wide selection of repertoire united by their love of beautiful music and their artistry. Each member of the Singers has had an exciting international career and has now made DeLand home.
Soprano Cass Panuska began her professional solo singing adventures in the San Francisco Bay Area, performing opera roles with companies such as Berkeley Opera, Opera San Jose, Pocket Opera, and The Bracebridge Dinner Theatre. Cass now makes her home in Deland, Florida, with her husband, baritone Torlef Borsting, and their two boys, where she teaches voice at Stetson University, owns and operates Banana Street Voice Studio, and produces an intimate winter-time concert series, “Concerts on the Porch.”
Cuban-American Soprano Ashley Nuñez’s upcoming engagements include returning as an Emerging Artist in the Milnes VOICE Studio at the Savannah VOICE Festival with Sherrill Milnes and debuting the role of Lilian in the world premiere of The Eleanors by Jodi Goble and co-librettist Michael Ching. Her repertoire includes singing Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with the Miami Music Festival and Foreign Woman in the world premiere of Ourland by Davies with the San José Chamber Orchestra. She received her Bachelor of Music Degree from Stetson University and her Master of Music degree from Louisiana State University in Vocal Performance.
In 2018 Giles Howe was awarded Outstanding Vocal Performance and Best Male Vocalist by the RTN Network following his New York cabaret debut. Giles has sung extensively worldwide, performing with artists including Josh Groban, Idina Menzel, and Brian May in venues which include London, China and Japan. He has been featured in headline acts which include The 12 Tenors, Viva Voce, and Stars of Opera. Mr. Howe has performed extensively as a soloist, recently in Daytona with a guitarist performing an acoustic set of adult contemporary material.