The Murderess

With a voice described as “wonderfully powerful,” Joanna Ehlers is Kansas City’s Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano. A Kansas City native, Ms. Ehlers is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance, from which she holds both Bachelors and Masters degrees. She frequents Kansas City stages as a chorister and a soloist for Kansas City-area vocal ensembles, most notably Cardinalis Chamber Choir and the GRAMMY-Award winning Kansas City Chorale. Ms. Ehlers has performed with KC VITAs Chamber Choir, Te Deum Chamber Choir, Antiqua, Kantorei KC and the Missouri Oratorio Society. Ms. Ehlers is a long-time choral scholar at historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in downtown Kansas City.

As an opera singer, Ms. Ehlers has performed with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Landlocked Opera Inc., Lawrence Opera Theatre and several independent productions. Ms. Ehlers enjoys performing character and comedic roles, although her focus is on the music of Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi. In 2021, Ms. Ehlers was a semi-finalist for the Friedrich and Virginia Schorr Memorial Award for the American Prize in vocal performance. She is an administrator for the Kansas City chapter of the national organization Opera On Tap. Recent opera performances include Landlocked Opera’s “Tartuffe” (M. Pernelle, 2022) and “Mother Noah” (Sella, 2023.) In the fall of 2023, Ms. Ehlers looks forward to a performance of Menotti's “The Medium” (M. Flora) with Opera On Tap-Kansas City and Mascagni's “Cavalleria Rusticana” (Lucia) with Opera West.

When she isn’t performing, Ms. Ehlers can be found in her garden, playing with her house pets or trying new recipes in the kitchen. An avid hiker, Ms. Ehlers enjoys visiting area nature preserves with her family. She resides in Independence, Missouri.  

Originally from Los Angeles, CA, mezzo soprano Kelly Morel has now made her home in Kansas City, having completed her Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of California, Irvine and a Master of a Music in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory.

Ms. Morel has sung regularly with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City since 2015 as both chorus and a supporting artist, and at UMKC she performed the lead roles of Bertarido in Handel's Rodelinda, Zita in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, and La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica, as well as a being a soloist with the UMKC Wind Ensemble, UMKC Choirs, and winning the 2017 Concerto & Aria Competition. 

She performed as the Alto Soloist in Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony under the baton of Kyle Pickett and the Topeka Symphony Orchestra in 2016 and that summer made her European debut in the role of Suzuki in Puccini's Madama Butterfly with the Varna International Opera Academy in Bulgaria. She returned to Varna in 2017 to perform the title role in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges and Mrs. Jones in Kurt Weill’s Street Scene, as well as traveling to San Diego to perform the role of Delfa in Cavalli's Giasone with Opera NEO, where she returned in 2018 to perform the role of Rosmira in Handel's Partenope. 

In 2018-2019, Ms. Morel was the Mezzo Resident Artist with LOKC, making her debut as Kate Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, and then attended the Aspen Music Festival as Désirée Armfeldt in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music and as Marcellina in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. Before the pandemic in early 2020, she joined LOKC to debut the role of Alisa in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. 

In 2022, she traveled to Europe to perform recitals for both Opernfest Prague in Czechia and the American Institute of Musical Studies in Austria. Later that year she made her debut as La Ciesca with Salt Marsh Opera in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. For 2023, she will join the KC Chamber Orchestra as the Soloist for Respighi's Il Tramonto, LOKC to sing Mrs. Massey in The Shining, will cover Leonore in Beethoven’s Fidelio with Opera Company of Middlebury, and perform Meg Page in Verdi’s Falstaff with Salt Marsh Opera. She is currently represented by Vocal Artist Management Services.

Houston Native Mezzo-soprano, Katarina Galagaza, received a BM in Applied Voice from the
Eastman School of Music, an MM in Vocal Performance from Boston University, and an Artist
Certificate in Performance from the University of Missouri Kansas City. Some of her most
notable roles include Nancy in Britten’s Albert Herring, Flora Bervoix in Verdi’s La traviata,
Fox Goldenback in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen (Boston University Opera Institute),
Sesto in Giulio Cesare, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro (Seagle Music Festival), and Dorabella
in Così fan tutte (UMKC).
Katarina was the Mezzo-soprano Young Artist with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City from
2020-2022. There, she was an ensemble member in Baseball: A Musical Love Letter and in the
chorus for Amahl and the Night Visitors, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, and Tosca. She returned
in their 2023 Season as a chorus member in La traviata.
Previously, Katarina performed with Landlocked Opera at the “For the Love of Singing” concert
in February. She is extremely excited to be performing the role of Jane Toppan in the world
premiere of The Murderess with this incredible creative team.

Dani Major, mezzo soprano, comes from Platte City, Missouri. They are a first-year master’s student pursuing an MA in Theatre at the University of Missouri. Dani recently graduated with a BA in music from Mizzou, and during their time at the university they have been a member of Mizzou’s University Singers, Show-Me Opera, and Canticum Novum in addition to being a scholarship singer at Missouri United Methodist Church. They have appeared as Mistress Quickly in Show-Me Opera’s production of Falstaff by Verdi, Cherubino in Mizzou’s 2022 production of Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart, and Maureen Johnson in Mizzou Theatre’s 2021 production of Rent.

Emily Venturella (she/her/hers) is a soprano currently pursuing her Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Illinois, under the tutelage of Professor Yvonne Redman. Emily earned her MM in vocal performance from the University of Kansas where she studied with Drs. Julia Broxholm and Genaro Mendez. Emily attended the Boston Conservatory where she studied with Sara Goldstein Gall, in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in music. She has also studied acting with founding company member of the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University, Karen MacDonald. Emily has been seen most recently on the Virginia Theater stage as Alaura Kingsley and Carla Haywood in Lyric Theater @ Illinois's production of  City of Angels. She is thrilled to be making her Landlocked Opera debut performing the role of Julianne in the world premiere of the new opera, The Murderess. 

L. Amelia Lufkin, soprano, is from Knoxville, Tennessee. She has recently completed a dual Masters in Choral Conducting and Voice Performance from the University of Missouri. Her previous studies were done at Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelors in Voice Performance. Her collegiate voice instructors include Dr. Christine Isley-Farmer from 2015-2019 at MTSU and studied with Dr. Steven Jepson at the University of Missouri form 2020-2022. She currently studies with Professor Kyle Stegall from the University of Missouri.

Amelia worked and studied as a Graduate Teachering Assistant at the University of Missouri under Dr. R. Paul Crabb and Dr. Emily Edgington-Andrews. With their support she rehearsed and directed the University Singers, University Treble choir, Concert Chorale, Opera Chorus, and Choral Union. Currently, Ms. Lufkin works as a Conservatory Singer at Missouri United Methodist Church, where she often solos and assists in rehearsals as a section leader. 

While in Columbia, Missouri, Lufkin found an opportunity in working with the Columbia Youth Choir (CYC). Under the direction of Dr. Emily Edgington-Andrews and CYC Coordinator, Kara Smith, Amelia was able to gain experience working with music administration.

As a professional singer her previous operatic roles include: Phyllis in Iolanthe, covered the role of Alice in Falstaff, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, and most recently sang the role of Micäela in Carmen with the Vocal Academy of Opera in Bodrum Turkey Summer 2022. Lufkin’s love and talent in the choral arts placed her as Choral Union’s soprano understudy in their Verdi’s Requiem Concert in Fall 2022 and was the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah with Columbia’s Civic Orchestra in Winter 2022.

Ms. Lufkin, along with colleague Professor Jeremy Wagner, opened up their own Voice/Music studio in January 2023, Lufner Studio. Their studio aspires to educate students of all ages on their unique musical journey. Lufner Studio offers lessons in voice, piano, and music theory or a combination of all three. 

Most recently, Amelia has been accepted as Landlocked Opera’s Soprano Young Artist for their 2023 season.  Amelia will be covering the role of Susanna and playing the role of Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro in Landlocked’s production this Fall.

Amelia aims to continue her musicianship by directing, teaching, and performing locally and world wide.

Rob Brown is a recent graduate of Central Methodist University and they are so excited to be making their Landlocked Opera Debut! Rob was born and raised in Saint Louis. You'll primarily find Rob on the musical theatre stage, but they're no stranger to opera as well. Rob recently played the role of Gabriel von Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus. Rob's credits also include Edward Bloom in Big Fish, Franklin Shepard in Merrily We Roll Along, and various other theatrical works.

Kaitlyn Landers is a Mezzo-Soprano based out of Columbia, Missouri. Kaitlyn specializes in both classical and musical theater repertoire. Her voice has been described as dark, colorful, and expressive when she performs on stage. She has enjoyed performing with many choruses in the Mid-Missouri area, including Choral Union, The Jane Froman Singers, Broadway Christian Church, First Baptist Church, and many other solo and chorister opportunities. Kaitlyn studied vocal performance at Columbia College in Columbia Missouri. Her favorite roles at Columbia College were The Witch from Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim, as well as singing Mimi’s duet with Rodolfo in La Bohème by Puccini for a scenes program. In 2019, Kaitlyn had the opportunity to travel to Opera in the Ozarks, where she performed as a chorister in La Bohème by Puccini and Die Entführung aus dem Serail by Mozart. Kaitlyn also portrayed the role of Elena in the studio artist program production of Monkey See Monkey Do by Robert Xavier Rodriguez. Kaitlyn has enjoyed learning from her colleagues and getting to know  the life of Minnie.

Rachel Misner, mezzo-soprano, is from Chesterfield, Missouri, and is currently in her fourth year at the University of Missouri. She is pursuing a B.M. in Vocal Performance, and will be graduating in May 2024. She studies voice with Professor Steven Tharp. Rachel received First Place in the Upper Musical Theater Treble division of Central Region NATS, as well as Third Place in Upper Classical Treble. She has participated in Mizzou’s Show-Me Opera program since her freshman year, and has also been a member of many other ensembles at Mizzou, including University Singers, Concert Chorale, Hitt Street Harmony, Ars Nova, and Canticum Novum. During Summer 2021, she was cast in Mizzou’s Larry D. Clark Summer Repertory Theater, her first musical theater endeavor. Through this experience, she performed as Private and Mort in Madagascar: A Musical Adventure, as well as various roles in the Blame it on the Summer Night Benefit Concert in honor of Marcia Berry. This past summer, she had the opportunity to travel to New York to participate in the NYU Summer Study in Musical Theater, working with artists and teachers such as Justin John Moniz, Rona Siddiqui, and Natalie Weiss. Through Mizzou’s Opera program, she has had the opportunity to perform in the Fall Opera Scenes program for four years, was a member of the chorus in Pirates of Penzance, played Meg Page in Falstaff as a sophomore, and most recently performed the role of Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro. She recently performed the role of Hermia in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. She is incredibly grateful and excited to begin her work with Landlocked Opera as a Young Artist, and cannot believe how fortunate she is to get to do what she loves every single day.