Performer Biographies
Cassie Kollman
Cassie Kollman is a soprano vocalist and singer-songwriter who possesses an informed command of her craft and performs a wide range of musical genres, including jazz, pop, r&b, blues, musical theater, New music, and classical.
Cassie released her debut album, Lady in Shoes, in 2021; an eclectic mix of groove-based, richly-textured, and imaginative original compositions and collaborations. Cassie’s songwriting is introspective, personal, and emotionally nuanced. An agile vocalist and deep listener, Cassie creates arrangements that are vocally ambitious, harmonically intricate, and lyrically exploratory. The result is a soulful, quirky, blues-based experience of indie-pop music.
Cassie is currently pursuing a Masters of Music in Jazz and Contemporary Music at the Longy School of Music of Bard College, focusing deeply on improvisation, composition, and ensemble performance. A former grade-school music teacher and current non-profit manager, Cassie is passionate about arts accessibility, music education, and live community events.
Abigail Whitney Smith
Massachusetts native Abigail Whitney Smith (she/her) continues to make her mark as a dynamic & versatile singing actress throughout the New England area & beyond. From opera to musical theatre to cabaret to solo recitals & more, Abigail is equally comfortable in a variety of musical genres & relishes in authentic storytelling through music. Ms. Smith has worked with organizations including Aural Compass Projects, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Opera On Tap, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Opera Hub, MassOpera, Seaglass Theater Company. Tri-Cities Opera, & more. Abigail received her MM in Opera Performance from Binghamton University and her BM in Vocal Performance from Boston University. Ms. Smith is openly pansexual & polyamorous & is a passionate advocate for the LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, & gender non-conforming communities. She is currently based in Hartford, CT with her partner & their 3 cats Fifi, Lucy, & Toothless.
David Rivera Bozón
David Rivera Bozón is a Colombian tenor living in Boston, recognized internationally for his extraordinary talent.
A member of Opera on Tap since 2018, David has been featured in some of the company’s most celebrated events including Flowers and Opera, Canciones Para la Comunidad, and OperaGrams.
His thriving performance career includes Werther with Barn Opera, Alfredo from Traviata with MassOpera, Valentine's Celebration with NEMPAC, Chariot Jubilee's Soloist with Nashoba Valley Chorale, The Arctic Playhouse's Solo Cabaret, Guest Singer for Zarzuela at East Boston by Boston Opera and Zarzuela, Head of The Charles' Guest Artist 2022, and Music By Carol Koffinke with Milton Community Concerts.
Some upcoming performances are A Latin American Celebration with Assabet Valley Mastersingers, Nemorino from Elisir d'Amore with Boston Opera Collaborative, and Mario from Tosca with Opera51.
David is a New England Conservatory's Master of Music and the National University of Colombia Conservatory's Bachelor.
For more information, visit DRBTenor.com.
Donatella Fermata
Donatella Fermata is a fierce femme fatale with all the elegance of an old-school diva. From opera hits to rarely performed cabaret numbers of the 1920s, she’ll show you what really makes a diva. Forget the concert hall, Donatella shows you that classical music is better with a stiff drink in hand. Classically trained with a Master of Music from the Eastman School of Music, Donatella shows her talents around Boston in cabaret performances and venues like Club Cafe, Jacques, and Legacy. Out of drag, Michael has sung with the Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Early Music Festival, and performed on national tours at the Kennedy Center. Follow Donatella on Instagram @donatella_fermata and Tiktok @donatellafermata
Marcus Schenk
Marcus Schenck is a Boston-based bass-baritone and is thrilled to be back with Opera on Tap for this concert! He is a strong advocate for putting stories of underrepresented creators and characters accessible to audiences while performing and creating new works or inventing updated interpretations of classics for our time. Recent performances include Nick Bottom in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Miami Music Festival, the Baritone Soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols the Bass Soloist in Mozart’s Krönungsmesse with the Arlington Philharmonic Orchestra and Lore in The Maid of Orleans with Opera Company of Middlebury. Other notable performances include Don Bartolo (The Marriage of Figaro) with Boston Opera Collaborative, The King (The Little Prince) with NEMPAC Opera Project, the workshop premiere of Mr. Twister and the Tale of Tornado Alley by Marc Hoffeditz in the title role, and Le Gouverneur (Le comte Ory) with Lowell House Opera.
Sally Naredla
Sally Naredla, collaborative pianist, enjoys performing with singers, opera companies, and chamber musicians alike. After studying at the Boston Conservatory, she served as rehearsal pianist and vocal coach for a number of opera companies in the greater Boston area including The Boston Conservatory, Odyssey Opera, Boston Midsummer Opera, and NEMPAC, and spent a season on the music staff at Sarasota Opera in Sarasota, FL. Sally went on to pursue a career in nursing and was the lead nurse for the Homeless Healthcare Program at Families First in Portsmouth, NH. She recently became certified as a nurse practitioner and lives with her husband and newborn son in Portsmouth, NH.