Paula Breid is a life-long resident of Rochester. After a career in nursing at Mayo Clinic,  Paula jumped right into the local choral scene; taking voice lessons with Pat Anderson of Rochester and was accepted as a member of Hometown Opera Company.  She also sings with Rochester Symphony Chorale and with her mother in the Resounding Voices Choir. This is a group that supports people with dementia.

Saffron Makoutz is excited to return for her second production at Hometown Opera Company. Previously, she played Guiccio in Gianni Schicchi. She is currently studying Pre-medicine and Musical Theater at Luther College. She would like to thank her family and friends for their constant encouragement.

Travis is excited to perform in his first ever opera! He was last seen in Frozen The Musical with Rochester Civic Theatre. Travis was also involved in Jersey Boys with Absolute Theatre, She Kills Monsters with Rochester Repertory Theatre, Dracula: The Rock Musical with Once and Future Classics, Newsies: The Musical, Peter and the Starcatcher, A Christmas Carol and The Little Mermaid at the Rochester Civic Theater, and Twelfth Night with Rochester Shakespeare Theater. When not acting or singing, Travis is a supervisor for biostatisticians at Mayo Clinic and enjoys running and playing board and video games.

Abigail is a classically trained mezzo soprano from Rochester, MN. She began her musical studies at Cornell College in 2018, and graduated in 2022 with a minor degree in musical theater. During her undergrad, she studied vocal performance and received voice lessons under Dr. Benjamin Laur. Abigail’s voice has been described as both full and bright, resulting in her voice being well suited for Alto and Soprano roles. Abigail has not performed in a full opera before but she is very excited to perform opera in Rochester with Hometown Opera Company!

Marinda is a Rochester, MN based soprano. Her background includes extensive private voice study with Carla Hanson. She has performed in several area choirs, including Bella Voce and the Rochester Chorale. Her past roles include Queen Regina in Jests, Madrigals and Mirth, and Pinellina in Gianni Schicchi in Hometown Opera’s 2025 season.

Hannah - is a 2nd grader in the Spanish Immersion program at Riverside. She is the middle kid and loves to sing, dance, and all things glitter. When not on stage, you'll find her at the barn with her favorite horse, Charlie, or crafting her day away. Past favorite roles include: Ivonka in Once (Calliope Theatre), Gretl in Sound of Music (JA Theater), Gracie in Music Man (Summer Community), Voci Bianche in New Media Opera (Hometown Opera Company) and Forest Kid and Young Anna US in Frozen (Civic Theatre).

Ryan - is a 5th grader in the Spanish Immersion program at Riverside. Other than theater, he loves piano, violin, tennis, soccer, waterskiing and annoying his two little sisters, Hannah and Clara. Past favorite roles include: Young Charlie in Kinky Boots (Calliope Theatre), Winthrop in Music Man (Summer Community), Voci Bianche in New Media Opera (Hometown Opera Company), Prince Alexei/Young Dimitri in Anastasia (Civic Theatre) and Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol (Mayo High School).

Megan - is a teacher at John Adams Middle School by day and mom to three crazy kids at night. She loves to dance and choreographs many middle school musicals in town. She has been involved in theater and dance through Eagan HS, Children’s Theatre Company, Lou Conte Dance Chicago, Stewartville Community Theatre, and Once and Future Classics. Favorite past roles include: Minnie in Little House on the Prairie, Silly Girl in Beauty and the Beast, the Countess Bordeaux in The Three Musketeers and Ensemble in Frozen. And a huge thank you to her amazing husband, Joe, for holding down the fort, so she could jump on stage!

Stefanie is a classically trained Soprano from Brainerd, MN. Stefanie is a proud Luther College Alumni where she sang in the Nordic Choir and participated in the Opera Program. During her time at Luther, Stefanie studied voice with Dr.Andrew Whitfield. A favorite Opera memory is singing in the chorus in the Fargo-Moorhead Opera’s Die Fledermaus. Stefanie frequently performs at the Rochester Civic Theatre, Wits End Theatre, and Rochester Repertory Theatre. Off-stage, Stefanie’s a school social worker and enjoys spending time with her husband and their two rabbits.

Joy Jasik was born and raised in Rochester and is excited to be participating in her second season with Hometown Opera! Joy holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, Minnesota and moved back home to Rochester after graduating in 2024.  She began singing at a very young age in school and church events, and in her high school years she developed a strong love of musical theatre. Joy has a passion for many different genres of music, including opera and classical music, folk music, rock, jazz, pop, and choral music. She has also become involved with Choral Arts Treble Singers and often participates in local community theatre; she was last seen in the Rochester Repertory Theatre’s production of Little Women. By day, she currently works as a Desk Operations Specialist in the Orthopedics department at Mayo Clinic.

Erin Haefner, soprano/mezzo-soprano, is a vibrant and versatile singer who hails from small-town Byron, Minnesota. She brings exquisite precision and remarkable musical versatility through performances in opera, musical theater, and orchestral performance. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Flute Performance from Luther College, where her combined proficiency in flute and voice served as the basis for her varied artistic career. After her time at Luther, she attended Northern Arizona University and received her Master of Music in Vocal Performance. Erin’s performance credits include, but are not limited to: Zita “La Vecchia” (Gianni Schicchi), Margaret “Meg” March (Little Women), Daughter (Daughter), Sherlock Holmes (A Certain Madness), Vivienne Kensington (Legally Blonde), and Rachel (If I Were You). She has been a featured soloist for both the Rochester Symphony and Rochester Pops Orchestra. In March 2025, she performed in the groundbreaking New Media Opera Scenes with Hometown Opera Company (Rochester Opera) in Rochester, MN. In April 2023 and Summer 2025, she participated in the premiere performances of local composer Robert Stanley Peter Gardner’s works: Here in This Garden and Scenes from Dante. In her first ever opera role of Ramiro in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera, she received the Frank and Sally Hansen Singer/Actor Award of Excellence. Erin is dedicated to quality, tradition with originality, and beauty in all aspects of her work. She remains a dynamic figure in the local arts community.

Cassandra Grace McGreevy is a Rochester-based soprano thrilled to perform the role of Mabel in The Troubadour Returns with Hometown Opera Company. Her performance experience includes singing at Lincoln Center in New York City and performing regionally with The New Morning Band. Cassandra holds a Bachelor of Science in Equine Science and values collaboration, storytelling, and community-based performance. She is delighted to be part of this production and to share opera with audiences throughout Southeast Minnesota.

Minneapolis native Alexander Adams-Leytes makes his Hometown Opera Company debut in a role utterly fitting for him—that of a fool! He is a basso buffo education at St. John’s University and the University of Minnesota. Since finishing his Master’s in 2012, he has performed across the country and beyond, from California to Mississippi to Florida to Maryland, to Maine, to Germany with comic role highlights including Bartolo in “Barber of Seville,” Don Magnifico in “Cenerentola” (Cinderella), Leporello in “Don Giovanni,” Bartolo in “Marriage of Figaro,” Major General in “Pirates of Penzance,”  Benoit/Alcindoro in “La Boheme,” and Sacristan in “Tosca.”

Grant Holsinger, Bass-Baritone, is originally from Stillman Valley. He earned his degree in Vocal Performance from Luther College in 2017, studying with Dr. Gary Moss and working with Dr. Jessica Paul and Dr. Nicholas Shaneyfelt.

Praised for his rich, versatile sound, Grant performs operatic basso profundo and basso buffo roles while also exploring musical theater. In SE Minnesota, he has appeared with Hometown Opera Company as Simone (Gianni Schicchi), Vladimir Popov (Anastasia), and Eddy (The Wild Party).

Before relocating to Rochester, he performed roles in works by Franz Lehár and Gilbert and Sullivan. He is proud to help bring opera to SE Minnesota.

Rhylan is a recent Luther College graduate, majoring in Theatre and heavily studying vocal performance. Some productions he was in rather recently include: Absolute Theatre's Jersey Boys (Nick Massi), as well as their production of Forever Plaid (Sparky); Hometown Opera's Gianni Schicchi (Betto di Signa); Rochester Pops Orchestra's Lazarus Requiem; and more to come! He is a proud board member of Absolute Theatre, a Baritone in Rochester's Choral Arts Ensemble, and a Pet Care Attendant at Leashes & Leads. He has two loving parents, three brothers and two sisters, one boisterous dog, four noisy birds, four crazy cats, one loving partner (Emmelyn) and many friends; all of whom he would like to thank for their unwavering support.

Jesús is an undergraduate voice student at Luther College, originally from Venezuela. He is pursuing formal training in classical voice, with an emphasis on developing a strong technical foundation and expressive musicianship.