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Event Information
Opera in the Park offers a free outdoor classical performances that brings together the community, making opera accessible to all. This initiative fosters community pride and encourages family engagement, allowing residents to enjoy world-class performances in a welcoming atmosphere. Additionally, it provides a platform for traveling and local talent showcasing the Permian Basin. There will be free balloon twisting by Harlin, and face painting by Greenie the Clown and don't forget the local food trucks. Bring your picnic blanket and enjoy a beautiful night with PBO.
Thank you Abell Hanger for your Donation to this community Event!
Opera in the Park 2026
Program Order
Act I
1. Krista Coffman — “Poor Wandering One”
The Pirates of Penzance — Arthur Sullivan
2. Noel Zapata — “Un’aura amorosa”
Così fan tutte — W. A. Mozart
3. Gerardo Adrian Rocha — “Fuor del mar”
Idomeneo — W. A. Mozart
4. Katie Osuamkpe — “Thy Hand, Belinda… When I Am Laid in Earth”
Dido and Aeneas — Henry Purcell
5. Damian Christian — “’O sole mio”
Eduardo di Capua
6. Daisy Olivas — “Porgi, amor, qualche ristoro”
Le nozze di Figaro — W. A. Mozart
7. Gerardo Adrian Rocha & Yamni Guevara — “Cállate, corazón”
Luisa Fernanda — Federico Moreno Torroba
INTERMISSION — Amahl Performance and Howard College Band
Act II
8. Andrew Ellis — “Una furtiva lagrima”
L’elisir d’amore — Gaetano Donizetti
9. Gerardo Adrian Rocha — “Salut! demeure chaste et pure”
Faust — Charles Gounod
10. Katie Osuamkpe — “Must the Winter Come So Soon?”
Vanessa — Samuel Barber
11. Mark Watt — “Di Provenza mar il sol”
La traviata — Giuseppe Verdi
12. Edith Rodriguez Gonzales — “Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben”
Zaide — W. A. Mozart
13. Yamni Guevara — “Romeo t’uccise un figlio”
I Capuleti e i Montecchi — Vincenzo Bellini
14. Gabriel Salgado — “Nessun dorma”
Turandot — Giacomo Puccini
15. Damian Christian and Regina Fox — “Pa-pa-pa”
The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) — W. A. Mozart
Meet the Performers
Krista Coffman is a Soprano pursuing an Associates in Music at Howard College under Mark Watt. She's also aiming for a Bachelor's in Music Education and Music Performance at Texas Tech once she graduates. She has participated in multiple performances with both the Midland and Big Spring Symphony and choir, as well as theater productions with the Howard College. This will be her first performance with the Permian Basin Opera and she looks forward to working with them again in the future.
Adrian Ovando is a Mexican tenor and musical director, holding a Bachelor’s degree in
Music and Voice from the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, a Master’s degree in
Business Administration, and currently pursuing a Doctorate in Musical Conducting. His
career spans opera, symphonic-choral, and sacred music, with performances in Mexico,
Serbia, Argentina, Italy, Colombia, and the United States. His operatic roles include Rodolfo
in La bohème, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Rinuccio in Gianni
Schicchi, Dancairo in Carmen, and Javier Moreno in Luisa Fernanda. He is the founder and
president of the Monterrey International Sacred Music Festival, promoting sacred music
through performance, conducting, education, and cultural leadership.
Nicaraguan Mezzo-Soprano, she began her singing studies at the INCANTO Foundation in Managua, Nicaragua, with the Baritons’ Alberto San Jose and Jose Luis Leyton. She completed her pre university studies at the University of Costa Rica in San José, Costa Rica, with the Soprano Sofía Corrales. Then she returned to INCANTO Foundation as a soloist with the Opera Lab, having the opportunity to win a vocal improvement course at the Puccini Foundation in Torre del Lago, Italy, and receive masterclasses with distinguished maesters from Italy, Cuba, and Venezuela. She participated in the Linus Lerner International Singing Competition, finishing as a finalist in 2020 and a semifinalist in 2022. She has performed in various lyrical productions, performing opera roles such as Lola, Cavalleria Rusticana, P.Mascagni, Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni, W. Mozart, Suzuki, Madama Butterfly, G. Puccini, The Mother, Ahmal, and The Night Visitors, Menotti. Azucena, Il Trovatore, Verdi Maddalena, Rigoletto, Verdi, and Amneris, Verdi, Aida. She has performed the zarzuelas Luisa Fernanda by Federico Moreno Torriba, playing the title role, and Cecilia Valdez by Gonzalo Roig, playing the role of Isabel. As a soloist, she has performed Mozart's Requiem and Vivaldi's Gloria, as well as numerous concerts of national, lyrical, popular, and musical theater music.
Damian Christian, originally born in Ohio but raised here in West Texas, is a young local aspiring musician hoping to create music and have fun in love. Damian started his journey in music at Milam Elementary in Odessa where he learned how to play the piano and sing. He then later Attended Permian high school and became very successful there in his musical endeavors. Although Damian is still learning about music, he hopes to one day, write things that will bring all cultures together. But for now he is pursuing his music degree at Midland College; as he studies, he takes time to perform in local gigs/churches/pretty much wherever he can sing, because he understands that this gift is not just his, and it needs to be shared with all. So as Damian continues his journey, we hope to hear him one day on the radio representing west Texas the town who has his heart.
Daisey Olivas is a soprano from Hobbs, New Mexico, with a love for opera. She sings in the Hobbs High School choir, has participated in All-State Choir, and has performed the National Anthem at school and community events. She hopes to continue growing as an opera singer.
Dr. Andrew Ellis is a singer and voice teacher committed to serving the educational needs of local communities. He received his B.M. (2013) from Liberty University, and his M.M. (2020) and D.M.A. (2023) from the University of Georgia. Andrew has performed internationally as an operatic tenor with performing credits that include much of the tenor repertoire including the Duke in Rigoletto, Ferrando in Cosi Fan Tutte, and Faust. He is passionate about combining the field of acoustics with the traditions of bel canto to equip students so that they can achieve artistic expression in any genre.
Mr. Watt is in his eleventh year at Howard College, where he serves as Associate Professor of Music and directs the Howard College Chorale. He also teaches music theory, music literature, music appreciation, voice, and wind instruments. Before joining Howard College, he spent 29 years teaching band and choir in Texas public schools. His ensembles earned numerous UIL Sweepstakes awards, and his Mission High School band was named the outstanding ensemble at the 1995 Musicfest Orlando competition.
Mr. Watt earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Wayland Baptist University, where he sang with the International Choir and received the James Cram Memorial Award as the top music graduate. He earned a Master of Music Education from East Texas A&M University–Commerce, studying voice and conducting. He has performed with chorales alongside the Rio Grande Valley Symphony and Dallas Symphony and has played tuba with various ensembles. He has been a frequent clinician
He has served as president of the Texas Two-Year College Choral Directors Association and the Big Spring Symphony Association for whom he has also been a guest conductor. He is also on the board for Permian Basin Opera and Pops in the Park. He is a member of TMEA, TTCCDA, TTCCBDA, TBA, TCCDA and NATS . He and his wife, Cyndy, have eight children and eight grandchildren.
Edith Rodriguez Gonzalez’s passion for music, and especially for singing, has continued to grow through the experiences and opportunities that have shaped her development as an artist.
For the past three years, Edith has studied and participated in a variety of musical activities at Midland College, where she has strengthened her vocal skills and explored diverse styles, including opera, Latin jazz, cultural music, and musical theater. She continues her training through voice and acting classes.
As an independent performer and soloist, Edith has performed traditional music in both English and Spanish, exploring a wide range of genres while striving to create a meaningful connection with her audiences.
She also participated in an intensive summer music program at Berklee Valencia, with a focus on music theory, composition, and performance. This experience broadened her musical perspective and further enriched her development as an artist.
For Edith, singing is a way to express emotion, tell stories, and connect with others. Above all, it is a way to share her love of music.
She is delighted to share a part of her musical journey with audiences through her voice.
Gabriel Yafet is a tenor, composer, and sacred storyteller originally from Monterrey, Mexico. He began singing professionally at age nine and was accepted as the only child member of the Compañía de Ópera Metropolitana under Eric Steinman, performing as a boy soprano in Gian Carlo Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors and Chip and His Dog. His early career included opera outreach concerts, sacred music, zarzuela seasons, televised performances, and appearances at major venues including Teatro de la Ciudad, Arena Monterrey, and the Hollywood Bowl.
As a tenor, Gabriel has performed works ranging from Handel’s Messiah and Ramírez’s Misa Criolla to operatic recitals, musical theater, sacred concerts, and classical-crossover programs. He has trained with Susan Young, Gilda Cruz Romo, Manuel Acosta, and others, with studies in music, voice, composition, and orchestration through UANL, ITESM, and UCLA-related coursework.
Now based in West Texas, Gabriel serves as a Catholic sacred artist-composer and creator of The Light Was Born, an original sacred Christmas musical for the Permian Basin. His work blends operatic voice, cinematic storytelling, and sacred music to inspire faith, beauty, and wonder.
Regina Fox is a versatile performer, educator, and artist with a passion for bringing music, movement, and storytelling together. With more than 15 years of experience in dance and performance, Regina has trained extensively across multiple styles and has developed a strong foundation in musical theatre and vocal performance.
Her performance experience includes musical theatre productions such as Bonnie Parker in Bonnie & Clyde and Smoke on the Mountain, as well as her current work in the original Christmas musical The Light Was Born, where she portrays the Narrator. Regina has also continued to develop her skills as a vocalist through vocal study and musical performance. Alongside performing, Regina is passionate about arts education. She currently teaches dance at Midland College, where she works with students in ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip hop, and musical theatre.
Whether on stage as a singer, actor, or dancer, she wants to create performances that are expressive, meaningful, and memorable.
Dr. Katie Osuamkpe serves as Choral/Vocal Director and Assistant Professor of Music at Midland College, where she teaches Music Appreciation, Music Theory, Choir, and Voice. She directs the college’s choral ensembles, provides private vocal instruction, and prepares students for campus and community performances, including collaborations with churches, civic organizations, and local events. Dr. Osuamkpe has organized masterclasses, workshops, and guest artist residencies, enhancing the educational experiences of her students and establishing a dynamic music program. She also serves as Board President of Permian Basin Opera, providing strategic leadership, program oversight, and community engagement. Under her guidance, PBO has expanded outreach initiatives, educational programs, and major productions, including Opera in the Park and fundraising galas, strengthening the organization’s cultural presence in West Texas. Dr. Osuamkpe’s performance career spans over 25 years, encompassing opera, concert, and musical theater. Some operatic roles include Dorabella in Così fan tutte (University of Montana), Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro (Montana Lyric Opera), and choir member in Elixir of Love. She has performed as a soloist in Mozart’s The Messiah, Brahms’ Neue Liebeslieder Op. 65, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore, K. 339. Musical theater credits include Pitti-Sing in The Mikado, Catherine in Pippin, the Witch in The Mini Magic Flute, and ensemble in The Merry Widow. Her accolades include recognition in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and runner-up status in the NATS Artist Awards (NATSAA). As a director, she has led youth and community productions, including 101 Dalmatians Jr., Annie Jr., and co-directed Edges with Missoula Masters Theater. Dr. Osuamkpe holds a Bachelor of Music from Idaho State University, a Master of Music from the University of Montana, and a Doctor of Music Education from Liberty University. Through her teaching, performances, and leadership, she has made a lasting impact on students, colleagues, performers, and audiences, strengthening Midland College, Permian Basin Opera, and the broader arts community.
Opera in the Park at a Glance 2025
Opera in the Park at a Glance 2024
