(828) 526-0173 | [email protected] | Copyright 2024 – All Rights Reserved.
The Perfect Partner
Written By: Janet Grantham | Issue: 2016/08 - August
Mark your calendars for this year’s Bel Canto Recital on Sunday, September 11, at 4:00 P.M. for a wonderful evening of arias from your favorite operas, art songs, and hits from Broadway shows as well as a festive dinner at Highlands Country Club.
Even before the first Bel Canto Recital, Richard Joel knew exactly who he wanted to have as the pianist/accompanist.
That person was Dr. Stephen Dubberly, an up-and-coming young pianist and conductor who obtained his Masters and Ph.D from Yale University and who was then teaching at the University of Tennessee.
Dr. Dubberly is currently Associate Professor in the Division of Conducting and Ensembles at the University of North Texas, serves as Music Director of UNT Opera and teaches opera conducting and opera repertoire. He made his conducting debut in 1993 in Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ American-premiere production of Judith Weir’s “The Black Spider.” Since then, he has conducted for Des Moines Metro Opera, the Knoxville Opera Company, San Antonio Opera, Cartersville Opera, American Bel Canto Opera, the Teatro Accademico in Castelfranco Veneto, Italy, the Teatro Goldoni in Venice, Opera Athens (Georgia), the University of Tennessee, and Webster University.
He has also conducted frequently for Amarillo Opera, including productions of “Don Giovanni,” “The Barber of Seville,” “Don Pasquale,” “Rigoletto,” Pirates of Penzance,” “Falstaff,” “I Pagliacci,” “La bohème,” the regionally-broadcast production of Gene Murray’s “The Wage of Sin,” and “Carmen.”
Dr. Dubberly is Chorus Master and Principal Coach for Fort Worth Opera. His career as an opera coach includes six seasons with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where he served as Ensemble Coordinator and Principal Coach, Assistant Conductor, and Music Director of various educational projects. He has been Associate Conductor at Des Moines Metro Opera, Assistant Music Director for Opera Carolina, and co-director of the Knoxville Opera Company’s Education and Outreach program.
He has partnered numerous singers in recital throughout the United States as well as here in Highlands. Critics have hailed him as “the perfect partner” (Richmond News) and “the ideal accompanist” (New Haven Register).
Dr. Dubberly began his musical training in Montevideo, Uruguay. He lectures frequently for the Dallas Opera and currently lives in Denton, Texas with his wife, soprano Elizabeth King.
