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, 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 has appeared as a soloist in Germany, Austria, England, and throughout the US. She was a finalist in the Meistersinger Competition in Austria and the Lynam International Vocal Competition and has won numerous competitions in the US. Robyn’s operatic roles include the Witch in Hansel and Gretel, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, Adalgisa in Norma, and the title roles in Carmen, The Rape of Lucretia, The Met’s La Périchole, and Iphigénie en Tauride. She most recently appeared in Oregon as the mezzo soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem in 2025. In addition to singing, Robyn is an award-winning educator and is a Visiting Lecturer of Music at Maryville College in Tennessee. She previously taught music at Arizona State University, University of South Florida, University of Tampa, and at Ringling College of Art and Design. Her students have gone on to sing at the Metropolitan Opera, in state opera houses in Germany and Austria, and on Broadway. She has a Doctorate in Musical Arts from Arizona State University with an emphasis in vocal performance. She is a US Army veteran and moved to Tennessee from Florida in the fall of 2023.
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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.”
