Opera Maine’s 2025 Studio Artist Program presents
ELLEN CHICKERING YOUNG ARTIST AWARD
On April 19, 2020, Opera Maine lost Ellen Chickering, one of our most vital supporters and beloved friends. A voice teacher and longtime head of the opera program at the University of Southern Maine, Ellen led the Opera Maine Young Artist Program with much panache and success in 1996 and 1997, and again from 2002 to 2010. The last Opera Maine project that Ellen worked on was directing our commissioned opera, Girl in Six Beats in 2018. Ellen was also a valuable member of Opera Maine’s Advisory Council.
Opera Maine honors Ellen’s memory and dedication to Opera Maine with the Ellen Chickering Young Artist Award. This annual award recognizes a singer who performs with Opera Maine and who is on a trajectory to become a professional opera performer. Recipients have performed as Education Outreach Young Artists and as members of the chorus, covered mainstage roles, taken part in special master classes, and given special concerts.
2025 ELLEN CHICKERING YOUNG ARTIST
Jared Vigue
Jared Vigue is a tenor classical voice student at the Osher School of Music, where he studies with Professor Scott Wheatley and Mary Letellier. He has performed several roles in Osher Opera Theater productions, including Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, Candide in Bernstein’s Candide, Roméo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, Alfred in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, and Rinuccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. Jared has sung in the chorus for professional productions of Le nozze di Figaro, Aida, La Bohème and La Fille du Régiment. Recently, he made his professional debut singing the role of Chief (Almaviva) in Opera in the Pines adaptation of The Barber of Seville. In 2018 he sang in Opera Maine’s Studio Artist Masterclass with Ron Raines, and in 2024 was a Studio Artist with the Opera Company of Middlebury. A recipient of the 2024 Nordica Scholarship Award, also winning the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition in his division. Vigue was also selected as an Honors Recital performer for the Osher School of Music in 2024 and 2025, and in 2024 he was one of the winners of the OSOM Concerto and Aria Competition. This summer he will perform the role of Bastien in Mozart’s Bastien und Bastienne with Modern Vintage Opera in Connecticut, and will also be a soloist at the White Mountain Musical Arts Bach Festival in North Conway, NH.
Past recipients:
2024 Mia Love
2023 Daniel Laverriere
2022 Jonas Rimkunas
2021 Aaren Rivard
Opera Maine Education Outreach Young Artists present in school programs throughout Maine led by Opera Maine Teaching Artist, Dr. Malinda Haslett.
2023/2024
Nicholas Sutton
Jared Vigue
Caroline Woods
2022/2023
Mia Love, soprano
Kaleigh Hunter
Caleb Randall
2022
Daniel Laverierre, tenor
Jonas Rimkunas, tenor
March Steiger, soprano
Opera Maine’s prestigious Studio Artist program (formerly known as Young Artist Program) was inaugurated in 1996. It has evolved from being an educational activity for local music students, giving them an opportunity to sing in concert settings, to offering full fledged programs for young professionals who perform complete operas. Many of our alumni have gone on to have successful careers in major theaters nationally and internationally. Participants also have roles in Opera Maine’s mainstage production, working with Opera Maine’s Artistic Director, Dona D. Vaughn. For more information please contact Opera Maine at (207) 879-7678
Sponsored through generous donation from
Elizabeth Astor
Connie & Peter Bingham
Christie Comeau-Pierce
Ann L. Elderkin & James Bucknam
Judith Fergin
Jonathan & Catherine Finch
Kathleen Grammer
Leslie Hart & Kevin Schochat
John Hatcher & Dan Kennedy
Tim & Jackie Hart
Elizabeth Heminway
William & Mary Jean Holt
Colleen Khoury & David Karraker
Richard & Edna Krull
Vicki Labbe & Michael Doyle
Martha & Kennedy Lane
Angela LeBlanc
Darrell Leighton
Mike & Nancy Marino
Katherine & Peter Mohlin
Robert & Cynthia Macdonald
Carolyn Murray
Sarah Newick
Vincent & Anne Oliviero
Patricia Peard
Jack & Bonnie Riddle
Jacqueline Robinov
Warren & Melody Schubert
Arlene & Wilmont Schwind
John & Elizabeth Serrage
Virginia Swain
John D. Tewhey
Ogden & Franny Timpson
Charles & Joanne Yestramski
Studio Artist Productions over the years
2023–Rocking Horse Winner (William, Chatterton)
2022–The Fall of The House of Usher (Glass, Yorinks)
2021–As One (Kaminsky, Reed)
2019–Sumeida’s Song (Fairouz)
2018–Three Decembers (Heggie)
2017–An American Dream (Perla)
2016–The Medium (Menotti)
2015–Trouble in Tahiti (Bernstein)
2014–Gianni Schicchi (Puccini)
2011–Cafe Vienna (Thomas) world premiere
2010–The Impresario (Mozart) and The Night Bell (Donizetti)
2009–The Secret Marriage (Cimarosa)
2008–Too Many Sopranos (Penhorwood)
2007–La Canterina and Lo Speziale (Haydn)
2006–L’oca del Cairo (Mozart)
2005–Doctor Miracle (Bizet)
2004–Gianni Schicchi (Puccini)
2003–Rita (Donizetti) and The Telephone (Menotti)
2002–Doctor Miracle (Bizet)
2001–The Barber of Seville (Rossini)
2000–The Impresario (Mozart)
1996-1999–Concerts of arias and ensembles
Support Opera Maine’s Studio Artist Program
Many foundations, companies and individuals have provided generous support for our Studio Artist Programs. If you have an interest in doing so, please contact Caroline Koelker, Opera Maine’s Executive Director at (207) 879-7678