We are thrilled to announce the talented artists bringing Central City Opera’s 94th season to life at the 2026 Opera Teaser on February 12.
They will offer an exclusive preview of our upcoming season with incredible selections from The Marriage of Figaro, The Ballad of Baby Doe, and Master Class— plus winning pieces from our Battle of the Arias, where songs that reach $1,000 in donations will be performed that night.
The aria selections include:
– “Glitter and Be Gay” from Candide performed by Hallie Schmidt
- “Là ci darem la mano” from Don Giovanni performed by Hallie Schmidt and Dante Mirales
- “People Will Say We’re in Love” from Oklahoma! performed by Andrew Simpson and Katiann Nelson
- “Flower Duet” from Lakmé performed Hallie Schmidt and Katiann Nelson
- “Stars” from Les Misérables performed by Dante Mirales
- “Some Enchanted Evening” from South Pacific performed by Andrew Simpson
-“Der Hölle Rach” (“The Queen of the Night”) from The Magic Flute performed by Hallie Schmidt
Opera Teaser Artists
Andrew Simpson, bass
Andrew Simpson is a bass-baritone from Dallas, TX. He studied with the great bass Samuel Ramey at Wichita State University. Andrew has sung with many young artist programs including Central City Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Teatro Nuovo, Chicago Opera Theater, Palm Beach Opera, Virginia Opera, Florida Grand Opera, and Sarasota Opera. He has performed the roles of Betto di Signa in Gianni Schicchi with the Chicago Opera Theater, Angelotti in Tosca with Wichita Grand Opera and Virginia Opera, Colline in La Bohème with the Fairfax Symphony, Zuniga in Carmen with Annapolis Opera, First Soldier in Salome with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Sam in Trouble in Tahiti with the Florida Grand Opera, Frank in Die Fledermaus with Central City Opera, Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera in the Rock, Penn Square Opera and Tri Cities Opera, and the title role in Don Giovanni with Teatro Grattacielo in Monterrey, Mexico. In 2025, he sang the title role in Don Pasquale with Opera Fort Collins, Sparafucile and Monterone in Rigoletto with Tri Cities Opera, and The Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance with Salt Marsh Opera.
Andrew is represented by Gloria Parker with Insignia Artists.
Dante Mireles, baritone
Dante Mireles, baritone, from McAllen, Texas, began singing with South Texas Lyric Opera in high school. He earned his B.M. at Texas Christian University as a Nordan Scholar and his M.M. at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Cesar Ulloa. Notable SFCM roles include the Music Master (Ariadne auf Naxos), Trooper (Firebird Motel), Father (Hänsel und Gretel), and Publio (La clemenza di Tito).
He debuted as Polidarte in Long Beach Opera’s Giustino and then joined Opera Colorado as an Artist in Residence, appearing as Marullo (Rigoletto) and the Mandarin (Turandot), and covering Fritz. He subsequently appeared at the Aspen Music Festival, where he covered Messner in Bel Canto. Most recently, he worked with Art Song Colorado, performing in Menotti’s The Telephone and Barber’s The Hand of Bridge.
Hallie Schmidt, soprano
American soprano Hallie Schmidt has performed with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Seattle Opera, Tacoma Opera, Pacific Northwest Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Opera Colorado. Most recently, Hallie made her debut with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic under the baton of Chloé Dufresne, and sang Armida in Rinaldo with Pacific Northwest Opera. This season, Hallie will also sing Rose in Jake Heggie’s one woman opera At the Statue of Venus for Opera Colorado’s Grand Gala, celebrating the 20 anniversary of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Additional upcoming performances include Zerbinetta in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos at Pacific Northwest Opera, and the Poulenc Gloria with the Larimer Chorale. Hallie also holds a strong passion for artistic administration, and is the co- founder of Olympia Opera Theatre.
Hallieschmidtsoprano.com
Katiann Nelson, mezzo-soprano
Originally from Waterford, WI, mezzo-soprano Katiann Nelson, recently graduated from CU-Boulder with her Master’s Degree in Voice Performance, studying under Abigail Nims and Julie Simson. In 2023, she graduated from Carthage College (Kenosha, WI) with undergraduate degrees in Vocal Music Education, and Piano and Clarinet Performance. Katiann has enjoyed recently singing “Hänsel” in Hänsel und Gretel, and her other opera credits include “Meg” in Falstaff, “Taller Daughter” in Proving Up, and “Chorus” in La Boheme (Opera Colorado, Aspen Music Festival). Over the summer, she
enjoyed performing “Dritte Dame” in Die Zauberflöte with Prague Summer Nights. She has participated as a finalist in the Denver Lyric Opera Guild Competition (Denver, CO), the Patricia Crump Vocal Competition (Milwaukee, WI), and the CU-Boulder Concerto Competition. She recently was named as a winner of the 2026 Colorado-Wyoming Laffont Competition. Katiann looks forward to continued work with Opera Colorado as a chorister in Madama Butterfly, and looks forward to singing the role of “Mother” in Loveland Opera Theater’s Production of Little Red’s Most Unusual Day. Having recently finished her degree, Katiann maintains a studio of voice and piano students in Boulder and works as a pianist/coach for voice students at the University of Colorado-Boulder.
Teresa Crane, pianist
Teresa Crane is the Collaborative Pianist for the Regis University Fine & Performing Arts Music Program. She is a highly experienced collaborative artist and vocal coach with many years of accompanying, coaching, and teaching experience. She has accompanied vocalists,
choral groups, and instrumentalists throughout the United States and Europe for concerts, operas, recitals, auditions, musicals, recording sessions and lessons. She was a vocal coach and collaborative pianist at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. She is currently a pianist with the Central City Opera Education and Touring Program, Colorado Chorale and a freelance coach and accompanist throughout the Denver area. She is also the Music Director and pianist at Westminster Christian Church. She completed a Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Coaching and Accompanying at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she studied with the internationally known “Dean of Accompanists” Professor John Wustman.
Join us at Opera Teaser!
Prior to the performance, enjoy an extended cocktail hour and connect with fellow opera lovers. Everyone is welcome to attend this elegant event hosted by the Central City Opera Guild. And Opera Teaser tickets do more than promise an elegant evening—they help to preserve the cherished gardens that have graced our historic Opera House for generations.