Accompanist and Soloists
Dale Williams, Accompanist
Dale Williams holds the Bachelor of Music Education from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama and a Master of Music in Piano Performance from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. In addition, her post-graduate work was done at the University of Illinois where she studied with the internationally acclaimed Vocal Coach/Accompanist Eric Dalheim.
Mrs. Williams has served as staff accompanist for the International Cathedral Music Festival in England for four years and the Seminar für Klassiche Musik in Eisenstadt, Austria for three years. She has also accompanied seminars and master classes conducted by Robert Shaw, John Rutter, Sir David Willcocks, Richard Stoltzman and Yo-Yo Ma.
Previously, Mrs. Williams served on the music faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she was the Associate Chairman of the Music Department, Accompanist/Coach and instructor of music theory courses. She served as the organist at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church, accompanist for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra Chorus and organist, pianist and harpsichordist with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. Mrs. Williams is currently a free-lance accompanist in the Tampa Bay area, keyboardist with The Florida Orchestra, an adjunct instructor at the University of Tampa, and Organist/Choir Director at Pass-A-Grille Beach Community Church.
Susan Hellman Spatafora, Soprano
Celebrated by Opera News for her “perfect, yearningly optimistic coloring-golden and radiant," and by Classics Today for her “impressive instrument,” Susan has performed with many companies, including the Palm Beach Opera, Opera Tampa, Sarasota Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Central City Opera, St. Petersburg Opera, South Florida Lyric and Green Mountain Opera. Recent roles include Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), First Lady (Die Zauberflöte), Nedda (Pagliacci), the title role of Suor Angelica, Micaëla (Carmen), Mimì (La Bohème), Leïla (Les pêcheurs de perles), Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), Giulietta and Antonia (Les Contes d'Hoffmann), and Anna (Puccini’s Le Villi). In addition, Susan is an avid recitalist and concert performer, appearing with the New World Symphony, The Florida Orchestra, the Dranoff International 2 Piano Foundation, Tampa Bay Symphony, North Carolina Women’s Voices Chorus and IlluminArts. Susan earned her master’s degree from the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati and her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University.
Robyn Rocklein, Mezzo-Soprano
Robyn is known for her vibrant and flexible voice. In addition to numerous opera roles, Robyn has sung as the mezzo soprano soloist in the Verdi Requiem, Mozart C Minor Mass, Bach B Minor Mass, and the Stabat Maters of Dvorak, Pergolesi and Rossini. She has appeared as a soloist with Arizona Opera, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, St. Andrew’s Bach Society, Sarasota Orchestra, The Venice Symphony, Graz Festival Orchestra in Austria, Opera Orlando, Opera Tampa, and the Grammy nominated ensemble True Concord. She has also performed with the Kronos Quartet, Barry Manilow, and in John Williams’ Star Wars in Concert. She has won numerous competitions in the U.S. She has a D.M.A. in vocal performance from Arizona State University, a M.M. from the University of Arizona, and a B.A. in music (summa cum laude). She is an adjunct faculty member at the Ringling College of Art and Design.
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Eric Ferring, Tenor
Iowa native Eric Ferring is known internationally for his “fine, gleaming tenor” (New York Classical Review) as well as for being “powerful and direct.” (BachTrack). His expertise ranges from early bel canto repertoire and the music of Handel and Mozart to the origination of contemporary operatic roles. Eric made his Metropolitan Opera debut during the 2021-22 season, singing Pong in Turandot, followed by Tamino in The Magic Flute, Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, a Royal Herald in Don Carlos, and covering Grimoaldo in Rodelinda. He made his debut at Santa Fe Opera in Falstaff, as well as his Spoleto Festival debut in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Academic achievements include Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Drake University, Master of Music in Opera Performance from The Boston Conservatory, and graduate of both Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center and the Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist Program.
Todd William Donovan, Bass-Baritone
Todd has been described by critics as a singer full of confidence, dominating the stage. He is known for his powerful and resonant voice and expressive acting. A highly versatile singer, Todd is sought after as a soloist for oratorio works as well as leading roles in opera and musical theater. A frequent soloist for the Classical Music Festival, his performances include Mozart’s Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem, Haydn’s Theresiennemesse, Paukenmesse, icolaimesse, and Die sieben letzten Wrote unseres Erlösers am Kreuze, Bloch’s Avodath Hakodesh: Sacred Service, Schubert’s Mass No. 2 in G, Beethoven’s Christ on the Mount of Olives and Symphony No. 9, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Handel’s Messiah. Former Tampa Bay Times critic John Fleming has described Todd’s performances as “rich, passionate and powerful; a solid performer with splendid acting throughout, bringing down the house.”
