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.

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.

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.

 

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. In 2019-2020, 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.  

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As a 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). 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.

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

Zoey Preston has performed with many leading orchestras and opera companies including the New York Philharmonic and New York City Opera, as well as recital tours in Europe and the Midwest. 

 

In addition to her operatic experience, Ms. Preston has worked as a social media strategist for several companies ranging from high end restaurants to a children’s book series. Currently an Artist Manager with Stratagem Artists, she uses her marketing background to provide artists with consultations related to brand building and online presence as well as cultivating and supporting the Stratagem roster. She has completed account internships in two top advertising agencies, acting as the main channel of communication between the creative team and the client. Highlights include her time at Big Spaceship in 2017, where she worked on the Hasbro Games account, assisting in the coordination and development of Monopoly: Cheaters Edition. Ms. Preston has also worked on various analytics teams, using her social media experience to coordinate and communicate with influencers on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.

 

In tandem with her work as an Artist Manager, Ms. Preston runs several arts based social media accounts including those of Mill City Summer Opera, The American Traditions Competition, and Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, where she helps to creatively innovate virtual seasons and introduces use of digital media to expand audience bases. Drawing from her experience in account work and influencer based marketing, she has partnered with several small business and local restaurants to help turn digital performance into a tangible user experience. 

 

Ms. Preston earned her BM in Vocal Performance from the Manhattan School of Music and her MM in Vocal Performance from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College.