Former Seagle Festival Artists are now performing in opera houses throughout the United States and across the world including The Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Dallas Opera, Glimmerglass Opera and many others. Other former artists have had leading Broadway roles and many are teaching vocal arts and theatre related subjects at the college level.
Many former artists keep in touch via subscription to our online newsletter, The Chronicle.
Spotlight on Wm. Clay Thompson, bass (2013-14)
Seagle audiences will remember Clay Thompson’s memorable portrayal of Rev. Olin Blitch in 2014’s Susannah by Carlisle Floyd.
Praised for his “mahogany-timbred” voice and “imposing presence” by Opera News, with The Washington Post acclaiming the “sinister undercurrent” of his sound and his lows “smoldering like magma,” Wm. Clay Thompson is anchoring himself as one of the most promising basses of his generation. During the 2025-2026 season, Clay will reprise Colline in La bohème with Madison Opera and debuts the roles of Mark Torrance / Forest Ranger in The Shining (Moravec / Campbell) with Nashville Opera.
The 2024–2025 season saw Clay making exciting debuts as Leporello in Virginia Opera’s Don Giovanni, Colline in Charleston Opera Theater’s La bohème, the title character in North Carolina Opera’s Le nozze di Figaro, and a return to Virginia Opera as Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte. Concert engagements included Zuniga in Carmen with the Sioux City Symphony; bass soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with Camerata Chicago; and bass soloist in Mozart’s Solemn Vespers and Bach’s Magnificat with the New Choral Society.
Clay is a recent alum of the Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, where he made notable debuts as the King in Aida, Zuniga in Carmen, and Chevalier Deux in Le Comte Ory alongside several covers. He has performed with a wide range of esteemed opera companies and festivals, including the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, Minnesota Opera, Arizona Opera, Madison Opera, Virginia Opera, North Carolina Opera, Nashville Opera, Charleston Opera Theater, Fort Worth Opera, Kentucky Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, and Château de Versailles Spectacles.
A recipient of the prestigious Richard F. Gold Career Grant from The Shoshana Foundation, in addition to the Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, he was a resident artist at Minnesota Opera. Keep up with Clay via his website: wmclaythompson.com.
Here are some other former Seagle Festival artists to watch for:
Javier Abreu, tenor (2000-2001) – website
Michael Adams, baritone (2012-2013) – website
Alissa Anderson, contralto (2002-2004) – website
Vanessa Becerra, soprano (2011-2012) – website
David Blalock, tenor (2008-2009) – website
Ryan Bowie, tenor (2004-2007) – website
Seth Mease Carico, bass-baritone (2002-2004) – website
Andrea Carroll, soprano (2009-2010) – website
Terrence Chin-Loy, tenor (2013) – website
Hailey Clark, soprano (2009, 2010) – website
Eric Ferring, tenor (2011-2013) – website
Jonas Hacker, tenor (2011-2012) – website
Jeni Houser, soprano (2011) – website
Christopher Humbert (2019) – website
Wes Mason, baritone (2005-2008) – website
Alicia Olatuja (Myles) (2001-2002) – website
Sean Panikkar, tenor (2002) – website
Michael Porter, tenor (2010-2011) – website
Anthony Reed, bass (2010-2011) – website
Emily Richter (2021) – website
Amanda Sheriff, soprano (2019) – website
Reginald Smith, Jr. (2010) – website
Jack Swanson, tenor (2012-2013) – website
Christopher Temporelli, bass-baritone (2001-2002) – website
Wm. Clay Thompson, bass (2013-2014) – website
Mack Wolz, mezzo-soprano (2016) – website
Kyle White, baritone (2015-2017) – website
