John Kun Park, tenor, returns returns to West Bay Opera to sing the title role in Otello.  A Korean-American artist from Los Angeles, John made his WBO debut as Ismaele in Nabucco and also appeared as Erik in WBO's most recent production of Der fliegende Holländer. John began the 2024-2025 season with Opera on the James, making his debut as Rodolfo (La bohème). He appeared with Opera Grand Rapids as Loud Stone in Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice. John also premiered the role of Daruma with New Performance Traditions’ production of Both Eyes Open by Max Duykers. He made his role debut as Manrico (Il trovatore) at Boheme Opera NJ; and he will be joining the Glimmerglass Festival as Cavaradossi understudy (Tosca). He will also be making his debut as Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) in the fall with Opera on the James. John has performed with a number of other companies, makjing his debut in roles such as Siegmund (Die Walküre), Cavaradossi, Bacchus (Ariadne auf Naxos), Anatol (Vanessa), Don Jose (Carmen) and the title role in Faust. He has also been a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall, LA Philharmonic, Chautauqua Opera and Sarasota Opera. He was a finalist for the Wagner Society of New York’s competition receiving an encouragement grant, and is a recipient of the prestigious Olga Forrai Foundation grant.

Jullia Behbudov, soprano, makes her West Bay Opera debut singing Desdemona in Otello. Most recently she sang Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte) with Opera Neo, Hanna Glawari (The Merry Widow) with Mission Opera, Columbine (Smyth, Fête Galante) with Lyric Opera

of Orange County, Lisa in Pique Dame (State Opera Theater, Baku-Azerbaijan), Tatyana (Eugene Onegin and Mimi (La bohème) at Youth Theater (St. Petersburg, Russia), Marguerite (Gounod, Faust) in Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at Hermitage Museum, Iolanta (Tchaikovsky, Iolanta) at State Academic Capella (St. Petersburg, Russia) and State Opera Theater of Komi Republic (Russia), concerts at Mariinsky Theater Concert Hall. Her training includes prestigious programs like the International Opera Academy in Montecatini, Italy and an internship at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.

She got her Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Vocal Performance at Herzen State University (St. Petersburg, Russia).

Robert Balonek,  bass-baritone,  returns to West Bay Opera to sing Iago in Otello. He made his WBO debut singing the title role in Der fliegende Holländer in 2023. A native of Rochester NY, Mr. Balonek recently sang Angelotti (Tosca) with Opera San Jose while covering Scarpia. Mr. Balonek has also covered the roles of Ford (Falstaff) and Count (Le nozze di Figaro) for Opera San Jose, as well as performing the role of Marcello (La bohème) for Opera Modesto. Recent appearances include productions of Rigoletto (Boheme Opera of NJ), Il barbiere di Siviglia (Opera on the James & Boston Midsummer Opera), Owen Wingrave (Little Opera Theater of NY), Handel’s Saul (Canterbury Choral Society), Le nozze di Figaro (Opera on the James & Chelsea Opera), and Gianni Schicchi (PAC at Purchase). World premieres include Ernesto (Ricky Ian Gordon’s Garden of the Finzi Contini) with NYC Opera, Jaap (Gerald Cohen’s Steal a Pencil for me), and Father Francis (Raphaël Lucas’ Confession). Recordings include Prospero (Lee Hoiby’s Tempest) and Father Francis (Raphaël Lucas’ Confession) for Albany Records.

Tom Mulder,  tenor, returns to West Bay Opera to sing Cassio in Otello.  He made his WBO debut in 2023, singing Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly.) He appeared most recently as Doctor Robert Wilson (The Diary of John Rabe) at the Berlin Staatsoper, Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie, Vienna's Ronacher Theater and Beijing's NCPA. He was the first American tenor to perform a lyric Mandarin opera in China. Having performed over 150 times with the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, he has also been seen as a soloist in the premiere of Tenorrrissimo Off Broadway, Nadir (Les pecheurs de perles) with Bel Cantanti, Rodolfo (La bohème) with Long Island Opera, Freddy (My Fair Lady) with Skylight Theater, Nemorino (L'elisir d'amore) with North Shore Music Festival, and Ferrando (Così fan tutte) with the same company. Mr. Mulder has two recordings with Albany Records: Manhattan School of Music's The Mother of us All (Andrew Jackson) and Light Opera of NY's Island of Tulipatan (Hermosa). In addition to performing, Mr. Mulder served as Deputy Managing Director for tenor Michael Fabiano's non-profit organization, ArtSmart, which provides free voice lessons to students in underserved communities and now works in fundraising at San Francisco Opera. 

Isaiah Musik-Ayala,  bass, returns to West Bay Opera to sing Lodovico in Otello.  He made his WBO debut as Surin (Pikovaya Dama) and he has also appeared with WBO as Ramfis (Aida), Raimondo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Jochanaan (Salome) and Oroveso (Norma). A native of Northern California, Mr. Musik-Ayala most recently performed the title role in Le nozze di Figaro with Greenville Symphony after singing the Bonze (Madama Butterfly) and Buff (Mozart in the Museum) with Anchorage Opera, and debuting with that company as Baron Douphol (La traviata). Last year he also made his début at the Los Angeles Philharmonic as The Groundskeeper in Oliver Leith’s Last Days, a new opera chronicling the last days of Kurt Cobain, under the baton of Thomas Adès. Other recent highlights include Rocco (Fidelio) with the Opera Company of Middlebury, Banquo in Heartbeat Opera’s Lady M, a reimagined adaptation of Verdi’s Macbeth, and Prince Gremin (Eugene Onegin) with Union Avenue Opera.

Mr Musik-Ayala is slated to sing Haly (L’Italiana in Algeri) in Anchorage before returning to WBO for Otello, followed by a debut with Pocket Opera as Orgon (Tartuffe).

www.isaiahmusik-ayala.com

Laure de Marcellus,  mezzo-soprano, returns to West Bay Opera to sing Emilia in Otello.  She made her WBO debut as the Countess (Pique Dame). Most recently she sang Corpus in the WBO production of Corpus Evita (Franzetti), and Mary in the WBO production of The Flying Dutchman.  Ms. de Marcellus sung the role of Carmen and Dalila with Opéra Sudio de Genève in Geneva, Brangaene (Tristan und Isolde) with the Volkstheater in Rostock, Germany and honed her craft at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, where she sang multiple roles like Maddalena (Rigoletto), Smeton (Anna Bolena) and Grimgerde (Die Walküre) and the Third Lady (Die Zauberflöte). A native of Geneva, Switzerland, her concert repertoire has led her to sing The Messiah, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and the Verdi Requiem with symphony orchestras in Spain, Austria, Serbia, Singapore and Switzerland. An enthusiastic recitalist, she is currently touring with a concert celebrating the release of her first CD, Pauline Inspired, an album of French and Spanish romantic melodies, recently heard in San Francisco, Madrid and Geneva. Ms de Marcellus is an avid reader of historical biographies and loves to bake.

Carmello Tringali, tenor, returns to West Bay Opera to sing Roderigo in Otello.  Carmello has been a regular comprimario on the WBO stage, last seen as Chekalinsky (Pique Dame). Recent roles with other Bay Area companies include Rodolfo (La bohème), Turiddu (Cavalleria Rusticana), Koko (The Mikado), Romeo (Romeo et Juliette), Triquet (Eugene Onegin), Lensky (Eugene Onegin-cover), the title role in Candide, Grosvenor (Patience), and Henrik (A Little Night Music). A Bay Area native, he is also active as a guitarist and composer.

James Cowing,  bass baritone, sings Montano in Otello. This marks his WBO company debut as a principal singer. He has previously sung with the company as a chorus member in Der fliegende Holländer, Falstaff, Nabucco, L’elisir d’amore, Il trovatore and Don Giovanni (2012). He has appeared with California Lyric Artists as King of Egypt (Aida), Barone Douphol (La traviata), Zuniga (Carmen), Betto (Gianni Schicci). He recently sung as soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and Handel’s Messiah with the Golden Gate Symphony Orchestra. He was heard as Mr. Bennet in the world premiere of Kirke Mecham’s Pride and Prejudice. With Opera San Jose, James has performed in the chorus for 18 Productions, and has appeared as the Jailer (Tosca) and covered several roles. He has been a member of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus since 1995, and has sung with the American Bach Soloists Academy Chorus and San Francisco Festival Chorus, as well as the Pittsburgh Symphony chorus. James resides in Mountain View, California.