Our NOISE Artists
Our professional singers and collaborative pianists have performed with Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Portland Opera Association, Houston Grand Opera, New Orleans Opera, Minnesota Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Seattle Opera, as well as on Broadway and in international productions.
NOISE STAFF
Boyd Schlaefer, Executive Director, Co-Founder NOISE
Boyd Schlaefer sang for New York City Opera for 22 years where he was a soloist and in the Regular Chorus. A Bass-baritone, he has also sung with Seattle Opera, Portland Opera, Eugene Opera, Lake George Opera festival and others. For 19 years he was on the Faculty at Western Connecticut State University as a voice teacher and stage director in both the Music and Theater Arts Departments.
Lisa Bergman, Board President Emerita, Co-Founder NOISE
Lisa Bergman (Board President, Exec. Director Emeritus) is a passionate promoter of the arts and classical music. Together with Boyd Schlaefer (Artistic Director) she is a founding member of NOISE. Bergman is a pianist and a graduate of the Juilliard School, State University of New York at Stony Brook, and the University of Washington. Bergman served on the faculty of the University of Washington for ten years as opera coach and instructor of collaborative piano, and now is a national award-winning radio announcer on Classical KING FM.
Rhonda Kline, General and Music Director
Rhonda Kline (General Director and Music Director) is an Artist in Residence on music faculty at the University of Washington, where she serves as opera coach and director of collaborative piano. Rhonda has worked with NOISE for over 25 years, including touring as a pianist for ten seasons. During summer months, she serves as a collaborative pianist and coach on the faculty of Canta in Italia, a summer program for singers based in Lucca, Italy.
Michele McBride, Artistic Director, Co-Founder NOISE
Michele McBride (Artistic Director) was with New York City Opera for over 20 years and has sung more than 20 principal roles with the company, including two Live from Lincoln Center broadcasts. With NYCO she was also a staff Teaching Artist with the NYCO Education Dept. Ms. McBride has also sung leading roles with such companies as San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Minnesota Opera, and Wolf Trap Opera. She was on the faculty of Hartt School of Music in Connecticut and Western Connecticut State University.
Julie Kae Sigars, Stage Director
Julie Kae Sigars (Stage Director) is a vocal coach/instructor at Seattle Pacific University and Associate Pastor at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. She has appeared with Seattle Opera, Tacoma Opera, the Bellevue Philharmonic, Philharmonia Northwest, Seattle Bach Choir, Seattle Chamber Chorus and the symphony orchestras of Federal Way, Victoria, Everett, Tacoma and the Cascade Symphony Orchestra. Julie Kae sang with NOISE for 13 seasons and has been the stage director since 2012. In her own words: “NOISE is one of those projects that you can put your heart and soul and song into; the beautiful music to sing, the stories we tell, the relationships with fellow cast members, and those fabulous students who delight in hearing these operatic voices. It is so much fun!” She loves teaching and passing along to her students the love of singing.
Kimberly Giordano, Community Outreach Director
Kimberly Giordano, Lauded for being "smoothly eloquent" (KING-FM) and who “covers considerable emotional ground” (Opera News), soprano Kimberly Giordano delights audiences with her consummate blend of elegance and emotion. Her recent solo appearances include Britten’s War Requiem at the University of Washington, Floria Tosca in Tosca with Tacoma Opera, and Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem with Harmonia Northwest, in addition to engagements with Choral Arts Northwest, South Bend Chamber Singers, Kirkland Choral Society and Philharmonia Northwest. She created the role of Mrs. Fairfax in the 2016 world premiere of Louis Karchin’s Jane Eyre, later appearing on a recording of the work for Naxos, and has performed with Seattle Opera, Northwest Sinfonietta and Seattle Youth Symphony among numerous other regional ensembles. Ms. Giordano made her Carnegie Hall debut in Vaughan Williams’ Dona nobis pacem with the New England Symphonic Ensemble. A gifted performer of contemporary music, she sang Pasatieri’s poignant Letter to Warsaw with Music of Remembrance as well as the role of Kelly in the West Coast premiere of John Duffy’s Black Water, with a libretto by Joyce Carol Oates.