McFAMI

Toffer Mihalka, Tenor

The stunning newly discovered tenor talent of Toffer Mihalka is destined for the New Jersey audiences in the role of The Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto for the 2008-2009 main stage seasons of both Opera Seabrook and Opera Company of South Jersey . The Tenor will return to the New Jersey opera companies again for the 2009-2010 season in the role of Don Jose with their new production of Carmen . Mr. Mihalka made his national debut in Verdi's La Forza del Destino as Don Alvaro with Houston 's Opera in the Heights receiving overwhelming response from both audiences and reviewers. Rounding off his repertoire are his successes in such major roles as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi , Romeo in Romeo et Juliette , and Tamino from Die Zauberflöte just to name a few. Toffer Mihalka has also been showcased with the Opera Company of Philadelphia in their productions of La Traviata and Ariadne auf Naxos .

Earlier in his career, Toffer enjoyed receiving national notice as he covered Richard Leech in the role of Don Jose ( Carmen ) with Cincinnati Opera and performing as a Young Artist with both Sante Fe Opera and Sarasota Opera in the roles of Spoletta in Tosca , L'Imperatore Altoum in Turandot , and the Eunich in Il Corsaro . As he was starting his professional career, he also enjoyed performing with Boheme Opera of New Jersey in the roles of Normanno in Lucia di Lammermoor and Remendado in Carmen .

Toffer Mihalka hails from Southern California .

FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS

Duke

Rigoletto

Opera Seabrook, Salem, NJ
Performances: May 2009

Duke

Rigoletto

Op. Co. So. Jersey, Bridgeton, NJ
Performances: May 2009

OPERATIC ROLES PERFORMED

Cavaradossi	Tosca	Atlantic Coast Opera
Duke of Mantua	Rigoletto	Atlantic Coast Opera
Werther	Werther	Atlantic Coast Opera
L'Imperatore Altoum	Turandot	Santa Fe Opera
Don Alvaro	La Forza del Destino	Opera in the Heights
Turriddu	Cavalleria Rusticana	Atlantic Coast Opera Festival
Don José	Carmen	Cincinnati Opera
Soldier	Der Kaiser von Atlantis	Cincinnati Opera Assoc
Cassio	Otello	New Jersey Opera Concerts
Rodolfo	La Bohème	Philadelphia
Don José	Carmen	Sarasota Opera (Scene Pro.)
Eunich	Il Corsaro	Sarasota Opera
Spoletta	Tosca	Sarasota Opera
Duke of Mantua	Rigoletto	New Jersey Opera Concerts
Remendado	Carmen	Bohème Opera, Trenton, NJ
Rinuccio	Gianni Schicchi	Bloomington, Indiana
Beppe	I Pagliacci	Bloomington, Indiana
Wilhelm	The Ghosts of Versailles	Bloomington, Indiana
Officer	Ariadne auf Naxos	Opera Co. of Philadelphia
Giuseppe	La Traviata	Opera Co. of Philadelphia
Normanno	Lucia di Lammermoor	Boheme Opera, Trenton NJ
Borsa	Rigoletto	Bloomington, Indiana
Sellem	The Rakes Progress	Bloomington, Indiana
2nd Apprentice	Wozzeck	Bloomington, Indiana
Wigmaker	Ariadne auf Naxos	Bloomington, Indiana
Pritchich	The Merry Widow	Bloomington, Indiana
Luther	Les Contes d'Hoffman	Bloomington, Indiana

ROLES PREPARED

Henri	Les vêspres siciliennes
Manrico	Il Trovatore
Ruggiero	La Rondine
Alfredo	La Traviata
Edgardo	Lucia di Lammermoor
Eisenstein	Die Fledermaus
Belmonte	Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Fenton	The Merry Wives of Windsor
Romeo	Romeo et Juliette
Ferrando	Così fan Tutte
Tamino	Die Zauberflöte
Lysander	Midsummer Night's Dream

TRAINING

Voice Teachers: Robert McFarland, Dr. James McDonald, Roy Samuelson.

Directors: Tito Capobianco, Vince Liotta, Franz Grundheber, Henry MacCarthy, Reegan McKenzie.

Conductors: David Effron, Victor DeRenzi, Imre Pallo, Robert Porco, Joseph Pucciati. Jeremy Gill.

Coaches: Tiziana Vieira, David Lofton, Ted Taylor .

AWARDS

Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition District Winner 2005
Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition Regional Finalist 2005

YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAMS

Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program for Singers 2005
Sarasota Opera Apprentice Artist 2004
Cincinnati Opera Young Artist 2004

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, Indiana University
Master of Music in Vocal Performance, Indiana University

LANGUAGES

English, Some Spanish.