The Wondrous World of Opera
February 1, 2025
10:00AM
Theater Exile
1340 S. 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146
​East Passyunk Opera Project's The Wondrous World of Opera* is a participatory, learning-based opera experience for young audiences (Preschool to 7 years of age) and their families. The interactive show introduces children to the joy of live performance.
The Wondrous World of Opera (WWO) is dedicated to bringing opera, musical theater, and art song to children. The show runs aproximately 45 minutes and includes: Pre-Show Discovery Time, Introduction to Song group activities, Performances by ePOP (with opportunities for children to join in), and a Post-Show Q&A.
WWO is not your typical performance where everyone is expected to sit and hold still; children are encouraged to engage, interact, and respond. ePOP creates a fun, engaging experience for young audiences, introducing children to the magic of live performance and the joy of attending a show from an early age.
Location-
Theater Exile
1340 S. 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
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Showtime for the Performance-
Saturday, February 1, 2025
10:15AM (doors open at 10:00AM)
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General Admission- $15, which includes drinks and snacks. Seating for general admission tickets is on a first-come, first-served basis.​​
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*Conceived by Stephen Dagrosa.
Presented by East Passyunk Opera Project and RE/MAX ONE Realty The Capri Dessecker Team​​​
Artist Biographies
Stephen Dagrosa, baritone
As a classically trained vocalist, Stephen Dagrosa is a versatile performer in both opera and musical theatre. He has worked extensively throughout the United States with the Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh Opera, Bristol RiversideTheatre in Pa, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, LOOK Musical Theatre in Tulsa, Ok., Opera Philadelphia, Kansas Repertory Theatre, the Spire Vocal Ensemble in Missouri, and the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, as well as internationally with the Lyric-en-mer, festival de Belle-Ile in France and the Florence Voice Seminar in Italy.
Stephen had the privilege of originating the role of "Jacob Hauser" in John Gregor's (Pinkalicious) new work, The Invention of Edison, commissioned by the Pittsburgh CLO. As part of the original cast, Stephen recorded for the cast album and toured for five months throughout the Greater Pittsburgh area.
Outside of musical theatre and opera, Stephen enjoys music directing in the Philadelphia area and has been privileged to work extensively with Camden County Technical Schools in their Performing Arts and Music departments.
Abigail LaVecchia, pianist
Abigail LaVecchia is a pianist based in Philadelphia. She is on the faculty of the classical voice and choir departments at the Boyer College of Music at Temple University. Abigail is music director at Morrisville United Methodist Church, where she is organist and director of the chancel and bell choirs. She is a piano teacher at Friends Select School.
Abigail holds a Master of Music in Collaborative Piano and a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Temple University where she was a student of Charles Abramovic and Lambert Orkis. She lives in South Philadelphia with her husband Patrick, daughter Socorro, and dog Wolfgang.
Rachael Long, soprano
Hailed for her “sparkling upper register and clear vocal tone” by the press, soprano Rachael Long has captivated a wide range of audiences.
This season, Long performed as Mrs. Gobineau in The Medium with Art City Opera in their inaugural performance, competed in the finals of American Opera Idol with Opera Connecticut, made her role debut as Micaëla in Carmen with Boheme Opera NJ, sang as the Soprano Soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria with the North Shore Choral Society, and joined the East Passyunk Opera Project (ePOP) and Liberty City Arts as a Community Artist.
Other roles include Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Nedda (Pagliacci), Countess Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Susanna (Il segreto di Susanna) Serafina (cover-Il campanello), Lucia/Lucia II/Leonora (covers-The Long Christmas Dinner), Corinna and Delia (Il Viaggio a Reims) and La dame in Poulenc’s La dame de Monte Carlo. Long received her MM from the Chicago College of Performing Arts and her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University. She currently resides in Philadelphia.
Kaitlyn Tierney, mezzo-soprano
Mezzo-Soprano Kaitlyn Tierney enjoys working on a variety of repertoire. Having recently completed a production of Steven Lutvak’s A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder as Miss Shingle with Saratoga Opera, her performance credits include Dinah in Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Jo in Adamo’s Little Women, Ursule in Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict, Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther, and Elizabeth Proctor in Ward’s The Crucible.
Ms. Tierney has performed with companies such as Opera Philadelphia, Opera Saratoga, Boheme Opera NJ, Asheville Lyric Opera, and the Savoy Opera Company. She has won awards from the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and Opera Libera. Ms. Tierney received her Bachelors degree from New England Conservatory, her Masters degree from the University of Delaware, and her Doctorate of Music from Temple University.