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TEAM PAGE
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JUSTIN WERNER

Founder and President

Justin Werner is an operatic professional with extensive experience in production, education, and artist representation. Mr. Werner is the Founder and President of Stratagem Artists in 2018, which cultivates and represents a select roster of operatic artists through artist driven collaboration.

 

Between 2014-2018, Mr. Werner was a co-founder and artist manager at Couret & Werner (C&W) Artist Management.  Mr. Werner gained his initial Artist Management experience at IMG Artists, where he served as an Artist Management intern.

 

Mr. Werner was the founder and Artistic Director of New York Opera Exchange (2011–2015), which afforded numerous opportunities for emerging singers, directors, and designers to mount critically acclaimed productions. According to Opera Today, "Artistic Director Justin Werner manages to infect others with his enthusiasm through sheer force of charisma and passion."  Additionally, Mr. Werner founded the Independent Student Opera Initiative at Boston University.

 

A valued advisor for emerging artists, Mr. Werner is a frequent panelist for Opera America's Career Blueprints and Feedback Audition programs. He has presented masterclasses and workshops for institutions such as Emerging Leaders of New York Arts (ELNYA), Yale School of Music, the Stratford Summer Music Vocal Academy, Des Moines Metro Opera, the Glimmerglass Festival, CCM, Boston University, Fort Worth Opera / Texas Christian University, Oklahoma City University,  the University of North Texas, the New York Opera Alliance, the University of Delaware, Opera NextGen and the Seagle Music Colony. In the spring of 2021, Mr. Werner joined the Atelier Lyrique at L’Opéra de Montréal and Mannes School of Music at The New School as an Artistic Advisor in Residence to the Mannes Opera where he will return for the 2021/2022 academic year.

 

In past seasons, Mr. Werner served on the adjudicating panels of the McCammon Vocal Competition, Talents of the World Annual Voice Competition, MetroWest Vocal Competition, CS Music Vocal Competition and Opera Ithaca Competition. In the spring of 2023, he will judge the finals of the Cooper-Bing Competition at Opera Columbus.

 

Mr. Werner earned his BM in Vocal Performance from Boston University and his Advanced Certificate in Vocal Performance from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. Mr. Werner is also proud to be the chair of the On Site Opera Artistic Advisory Council.

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REBECCA TOWNSEND

Artist Manager

Rebecca Townsend is swiftly solidifying her reputation as a highly accomplished arts administrator, boasting a wealth of expertise in the field of classical music and opera. Her portfolio is distinguished by her fostering of close collaborations with esteemed arts organizations and influential leaders throughout Canada and the United States.

 

A fervent champion of artistic growth, Ms. Townsend possesses a deep-seated commitment to fostering collaborations with artists, facilitating both performance and professional development opportunities. Her expertise and industry acumen has been recognized through numerous engagements, including appearing on panels for the Association for Opera in Canada, judging the NATS Competition and acting as a consultant for distinguished organizations such as the University of Toronto, William Jewell College, Vancouver Opera's Young Artist Program and the Highlands Opera Studio.
 

In addition to her role as Artist Manager with Stratagem Artists, Ms. Townsend also contributes her knowledge to the esteemed team at Lenny's Studio. Within this capacity, she actively engages in content development for artists and companies, harnessing her creative acuity to elevate their ventures while forging impactful connections with global audiences.

 

Earlier in her career, Ms. Townsend had the privilege of performing notable soprano roles including Fiordiligi in Mozart's Così fan tutte, Rose Maurrant in Kurt Weill's Street Scene, Diana in Offenbach's Orphée aux enfers and the Sandman/Dew Fairy in Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel. Throughout her studies in Voice Performance, Ms. Townsend had the opportunity to showcase her talents in recitals at the Canadian Music Centre, Toronto Arts and Letters Club, Heliconian Club and the Alliance Française de Toronto.

 

Ms. Townsend holds a BM and MM from the University of Toronto, and a Graduate Certificate in Arts Management from Centennial College in Toronto.

Maria Miller

MARIA MILLER

Operations Manager

A passionate administrator with a focus on database design, Maria Miller has served many roles in the nonprofit sector, most recently as the Development Coordinator with Classic Lyric Arts for five years. She attended RISE camp with the Crested Butte Music Festival in 2020, receiving training in grant writing and nonprofit entrepreneurship.

 

As an opera singer she has performed with Cincinnati Opera including several workshops and a premiere with OperaFusion: New Works, as well as Sarasota Opera, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and Opera on the James, and has completed residencies with Des Moines Metro Opera, Sarasota Opera and the Santa Fe Opera (Covid19). She also received training with the Mascarade Opera Program in Florence, Italy. Maria received accolades at the Saisons de la Voix competition in Gordes, France, two Encouragement Awards at the regional level of the Laffont Competition, and the Treigle Award in the Corbett Competition. She appears on several recordings with the Taylor Festival Choir in Charleston, SC. 

Maria has extensive experience with writing. A fluent linguist, she served as a house intern at the Ruban Vert Théâtre in Aix-en-Provence, and has since offered translation and coaching services for numerous institutions and composers in French and Italian. She co-wrote Opera in Overalls' recital series Once Upon A Time that included a feature recital film with the Kentucky National Association of Teachers of Music. Her screenplay Housewife, co-written with Josh Kight, advanced to the semifinals of the Screencraft Film Fund. In past years, Maria wrote scripts for courses at Market House Theatre in Paducah, KY.  


Maria holds both a MMus and a BMus in Voice from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. She holds a French Honors Certificate from the Institute of American Universities, and studied French language and history at the University of Louisville. 

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LYNDSI MAUS

Artistic Consultant and Collaborator

Lyndsi Maus is an award-winning collaborative pianist who specializes in Lieder and working with singers. She holds a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as well as a Master’s degree in Klavier Vokalbegleitung from the Kunst Universität Graz where she was a student of acclaimed British pianist, Julius Drake. During her studies in Austria, she was the recipient of several awards, including the Pianist Prize in the 2016 International Brahms Competition in Pörtschach, Austria and in the same year, the “Outstanding Lieder Pianist Prize” at the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria. She is also a Britten-Pears Young Artist, having participated in the 21st Century Singer course in 2018.

In addition to Lied accompanying, Lyndsi has served as a répétiteur and harpsichordist for several opera festivals around Europe, including works such as Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” and “Cosi fan tutte”, Humperdinck’s “Hänsel und Gretel”, and Monteverdi’s “L’incoronazione di Poppea”. From 2019-2021 she was a member of Opernstudio at Staatstheater Nürnberg, where she worked on projects such as Bernstein’s “West Side Story”, Britten’s “The Rape of Lucretia” and Rubenstein’s “The Demon”. For the 2021-2022 season, she joined the team at Theater Regensburg as a full-time répétiteur, playing in productions such as Massenet’s “Werther”, J.Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus”, the musical “Chicago”, and the world premiere of “Mui” by Anton Lubchenko.

After seven years in Europe, she moved back to the United States in 2022 to join the faculty at Rice University The Shepherd School of Music as an Artist Teacher of Opera Studies. In addition to opera coaching, she teaches the graduate level course on Song Literature, and continues to concertize as well as creating special recital projects with students and advising with program planning. She also serves as the inaugural Artistic Consultant for Stratagem Artists, advising the roster on audition and recital repertoire, as well as collaborating with them from the piano on various projects.

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CARLY ANN MOORE

Social Media Manager

Carly Ann Moore is a New York City based actress and performer with a Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre from Oklahoma City University. She's a skilled social media manager, specializing in website design and the development and maintenance of platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Carly is thrilled to be joining the Stratagem Artists team, where she is eager to blend her performing arts passion with digital storytelling.

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EVAN KARDON

Mental Health & Wellness Consultant

“I am an opera singer-turned psychotherapist with a focus on relationships. My practice, Empowered Voice Therapy was born out of personal experiences. I spent much of my life in the performing arts as a vocalist, and what started out as a career fueled by passion and joy, turned into a life full of instability and insecurity. The irony of my situation was, that though I had a voice that was being heard by many, it wasn’t an empowered one. My disempowerment bled into both my platonic and romantic relationships; I rarely voiced what I wanted or needed, sacrificed my pleasure for the sake of others, and allowed my insecurities to dictate how I saw myself and the treatment that I believed that I deserved.

My attunement to others and communication skills were useful in a career that focuses on collaboration; if you are not attuned, you are not in tune. I bring these skills into my work with relationships, as I believe that attunement and transparent communication foster connection and improve overall relationship satisfaction. Through experiences in my own therapy, I recognized that I was muting myself and suppressing my emotions in many aspects of my life. I ultimately decided that a career in the arts wasn’t serving me or my needs anymore and that I wanted to focus on helping others heal on their paths to self-discovery. I now help others find their unmute button and create a safe space for them to use their voices in whatever way makes them feel empowered.

 

I am member of AASECT and AAMFT. I received my training from Jefferson University’s Couple and Family Therapy Program, with a specialization in Sex Therapy, and a Clinical Internship with Council for Relationships. I am trained in levels I and II of the Gottman Method for Couples Therapy and maintain a profound commitment to ongoing education. Understanding that the therapeutic landscape evolves alongside societal shifts, I prioritize continuous learning to ensure I remain adept at addressing the diverse and evolving needs of my clients.”

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JIMENA MONTSERRAT

Artistic Intern

Jimena Montserrat is a Mexican soprano whose curiosity and love for learning new skills have led her to explore the fields of marketing, web development, and data analysis. As an Artistic Administration Apprentice at the Glimmerglass Festival 2024, Jimena brings her organizational talents and her love for opera together. She also has a profound passion for languages and linguistics, and believes that each language offers a unique lens to express experiences and opens doors to different cultures. As a native Spanish speaker, Jimena is fluent in English, has advanced proficiency in Italian, and possesses intermediate skills in French and German.


As a performer, Jimena is currently a Young Artist with DACAMERA of Houston. Her operatic repertoire includes roles such as Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, and Mrs. Fiorentino in Street Scene. With several years of teaching experience, Jimena has nurtured her interest in education and outreach as a DACAMERA Young Artist. She balances her performance career with outreach activities, dedicating time to coachings, voice lessons, and rehearsals, as well as participating in DACAMERA’s educational initiatives. These include teaching music at public schools and performing free concerts in public spaces such as museums and libraries.

Jimena holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Escuela Superior de Música, a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Studies from UNAM, and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Rice University. During her master’s she was a scholar of Mexico’s Ministry of Cultural Affairs. She is thrilled to merge her diverse skill set and passion for opera in her role as an artistic intern at Stratagem Artists.

SERVICES

SERVICES

ARTIST COUNSEL: CONSULTATIONS & MASTERCLASSES

The art of classical singing is one that demands great commitment, discipline, and enthusiasm.  Along each singer's journey arise questions of repertoire, presentation, and career viability.  Stratagem Artists is proud to offer guidance to those singers who wish to improve their command of the operatic craft, while also addressing the realities of the current classical industry.

 

Stratagem Artists is committed to artist development. Justin Werner's experience in artist counsel includes presenting masterclasses for Emerging Leaders of New York Arts (ELNYA), Yale School of Music, Mannes School of Music, Des Moines Metro Opera, the Glimmerglass Festival, Boston University, Fort Worth Opera / Texas Christian University, Oklahoma City University,  the University of North Texas, the New York Opera Alliance, the University of Delaware and the Seagle Music Colony, as well as serving as artistic director / founder of the New York Opera Exchange (2011–2015).  In past seasons, he served on the adjudicating panels the McCammon Vocal Competition, the Cooper-Bing Competition at Opera Columbus Talents of the World Annual Voice Competition, MetroWest Vocal Competition, CS Music Vocal Competition. In 2021, he will adjudicate the Opera Ithaca Competition as well as joining the faculties of the Atelier Lyrique at L’Opéra de Montréal and the Mannes School of Music.

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