Palm Beach Opera Young Artists 'Break the Rules' in Season-Ending Cabaret

Palm Beach Opera concluded its 2026 season with an intimate Cabaret featuring Grammy-award winning pianist, arranger and coach Craig Terry. Singers from PBO’s Laufer Young Artist Program and Apprentice Artist Program were given the opportunity to explore music from the Great American Songbook—including repertoire from George Gershwin to Stephen Sondheim. These classically-trained vocalists had only four days of rehearsal to learn solo, duet, and ensemble numbers after completing three sold-out performances of Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Kravis Center.

This is Terry’s second cabaret with PBO’s Young Artists. He currently serves as Music Director of the Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, and recently worked with opera students at the University of Miami Frost School of Music. As a coach, Terry was tasked with helping students “find ways to use their voices in the way they began training — in the way they learned to love to sing.” At the same time, he encouraged students to become vulnerable as they discover “the magic of their own artistry.”

The Laufer Young Artist Program offers emerging opera singers from throughout the United States advanced training and performance opportunities. Artists receive voice lessons, diction lessons, coaching, and acting workshops from professional faculty. Singers also appear on the PBO main stage in supporting roles, cover principal roles, and perform in local concerts and events throughout the season. Students from these programs go on to perform in venues across the country.

Soprano and PBO alumna Patricia Westley returned this season to star as Gilda in Rigoletto. She previously participated in the Young Artist Program from 2019 to 2021. As a singer, Westley appreciates how PBO encouraged her to take risks as she discovered her unique artistry. She emphasizes that this program “brings in incredible teachers with valuable advice.” Westley notes that “even if the advice is bad, your job as an artist is to take it in, decide what fits for you and find your own voice.”

Marsha and Henry Laufer have sponsored this program since 2024. “These singers start the season at such a high level of performance, learning every aspect of opera…” says Mrs. Laufer. “Now we’ve added this amazing cabaret component. This experience diversifies their talent. They can go into opera, they can go into musical theatre, the world is their oyster.”

This event was underwritten by The Sandy and Isanne Fisher Musical Theatre and Cabaret Fund. This unique funding source ensures that emerging singers can expand their repertoire beyond the standard operatic canon of Verdi, Mozart and Puccini. While opera companies like Wolf Trap Opera and the Utah Festival incorporate musical theatre into their training on an ad hoc basis, Palm Beach Opera’s Musical Theatre and Cabaret Fund allows singers to cross-train between the two genres, so they can be prepared for a variety of different career paths as artists.

Sandy and Isanne Fisher serve as President and Artistic Director of Treble Clef LLC, which produces, presents, and markets cabaret shows in Florida, New England and New York. The Fishers have collaborated with artists such as Carole J. Bufford, Stephanie Blythe and Maureen O. Flynn. As producers, the Fishers hover between classical opera and musical theatre, stressing the importance of singers training for both genres.

“The beauty of this [program] is that it gives these brilliant young singers another dimension so that they’ll be able to not only sing opera, but also sing cabaret at some point in their careers” says Mr. Fisher.

Bass-baritone Evan Lazdowski from Moultonborough, N.H. made his PBO debut this season, covering the roles of Colline in La bohème, Nourabad in The Pearl Fishers, and Sparafucile in Rigoletto. He also played Count Ceprano in Rigoletto. In this cabaret, Lazdowski sang numbers such as “O Sole Mio” and “Lulu’s Back in Town.” Working with Terry, Lazdowski appreciated being able to let go of his classical technique. “We don’t get the opportunity very often to break out of form because when we sing opera, everything is all about singing the right notes and the right words. But [singing musical theatre] allows us to break the rules which we don’t often get to do. It is a challenge that I welcome very much.” Lazdowski will be performing in four different productions at Santa Fe Opera this summer.

Baritone Mario Manzo from Mesa, Ariz. returned to PBO this season after appearing as an Apprentice Artist in Roméo et Juliette, La Traviata, and Le nozze di Figaro. This season, he played Schaunard and covered Marcello in La bohème, covered the role of Zurga in The Pearl Fishers, and played the role of Monterone in Rigoletto. In this cabaret, Manzo sang “If It’s the Last Thing I Do” and “It’s Now Or Never.” This was the Rice University grad’s first time performing musical theatre since high school, where he played Aldolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone. In this return to form, Manzo enjoyed “learning to just be in the moment” onstage.  Manzo will later sing with the Des Moines Metro Opera before joining the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program at Los Angeles Opera.

Tenor and Denver Native Randy Ho completes his second season as a Laufer Young Artist with PBO. In 2025, Ho played Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette and Gastone in La Traviata. This season, he played Parpignol in La bohème and Borsa in Rigoletto. He also covered the roles of Rodolfo in La bohème, Nadir in The Pearl Fishers and The Duke in Rigoletto. In the cabaret, Ho sang “Shadow Waltz” and “This Song Is You.” Before pursuing opera, Ho was exposed to jazz and musical theatre from an early age. During his formative years at the Denver School of the Arts, he sang with jazz artists like Take 6 and Kerry Marsh, and even performed in musicals like Thoroughly Modern Millie and West Side Story. Ho credits Sandy Fisher with offering him the chance to integrate his love for opera, jazz, and musical theatre — even giving him the opportunity to perform alongside Billy Stritch. “The [PBO] community really allows us to go to the extremes of what we were able to do with the human voice and take risks.” This summer, Ho will play the role of Goro in Madama Butterfly and sing in the ensemble for Così at the Glimmerglass Opera Festival.

Soprano Saane Halaholo of Orinda, Calif. also began her PBO career as a 2025 Apprentice Artist, appearing in the chorus for Roméo et Juliette, La Traviata, and Le nozze di Figaro. This season, Halaholo played Countess Cemprano in Rigoletto, along with covering the roles of Mimì in La bohème and Leïla in The Pearl Fishers. In this performance, she sang “Love Is Here To Stay” and “Happiness is a Thing Called Joe.” When working with Craig Terry, she learned that “music is made to be felt. It’s made to tell the audience a story in a way that evokes an emotion.” This lesson especially resonated with Halahalo, who just got married earlier this year. Terry offered her the song “Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe,” so she could share that feeling of true love with the audience. “It was a great reminder to break away from the confines of having to hit a high note or sing a long phrase in one breath. Instead, I can focus on telling these people a story with clarity and honesty.” After PBO, Halaholo will play the role of Edith in The Pirates of Penzance at St. Louis Opera.

PBO’s continued dedication to training the next generation of talent is apparent. By expanding its programming to include works of musical theatre and cabaret, PBO’s Young Artists, Apprentice Artists, and High School Studio Artists can become well-rounded performers in a multitude of genres and styles. The Fisher Musical Theatre and Cabaret Fund is just one example of the many ways PBO continues to create innovative programming for audiences and artists alike.