Chris Romeo and Dewey Davis-Thompson bring us a preview of their new children’s opera Clara the Rococo Rockstar Rhino. Starring eight of our local opera singing “royalty” (per Nancy Preis) this is the true story of a rhino that toured Europe in the 1770s inspiring the “rhinomania” craze.
Emily Lusk began her musical journey in Mineola, NY and continued by earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Choral Music Education at Florida State University (FSU) where she had her first taste of opera serving as a supernumerary in Rossini’s La Cenerentola. Rossini remains her favorite composer. At FSU she studied with Daniel Belcher, Mary Hangley, and David Oakerlund.
Emily has sung in the opera chorus with St. Pete Opera since 2016 and has also performed as Amahl in Amahl and the Night Visitors. In addition, she has premiered the role of Fidelito in The Triumph of Spring by Dewey Davis-Thompson and Chris Romeo.
Maija Lisa Currie has performed locally with St. Petersburg Opera Company , New Century Opera, Opera for Earth, South Florida Lyric Opera, and as soprano soloist at both St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in St. Pete and Hyde Park Presbyterian Church in Tampa. This 2025-2026 season she is performing with New Century Opera singing Aida; as a featured soloist at SPO’s annual seasonal show Holiday Sparkle at the Palladium; and as The Mother in a local production of Amahl and the Night Visitors with her daughter singing Amahl.
She has performed elsewhere with Opernhaus Zürich, Indianapolis Opera, Kentucky Opera, Mobile Opera, Spoleto Festival USA, Panama City Symphony Orchestra, Brevard Philharmonic Orchestra, Operetta Sirnach, Kulturzentrum Lagerhaus Bremen, Fritztheater Bremen, and the Zürcher Festspiele. Young Artist programs include those at Opernaus Zürich, Indianapolis Opera, Music Academy of the West, Dicapo Opera, the Britten-Pears Festival, Brevard Music Center, and Opera in the Ozarks. Bachelor’s of Music and Performer’s Diploma at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and Master’s of Music at Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins.
Maija is also a Florida licensed life insurance agent as well as a voice teacher here in Pinellas County. If you need either of those services, she’s happy to help new clients or take referrals.
Born and raised in Houston (Texas), Kevin Mitchell became a resident of St. Petersburg in 2017. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Sam Houston State University and a Master’s in Opera Performance from Wichita State University, (where he studied with Samuel Ramey and Alan Held). Kevin is a staff singer with St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in south St. Pete and has sung with the St. Petersburg Opera Company since 2019. With SPO, Kevin has covered the roles of “Jupiter/ Apollo” in Handel’s Semele , “Spoletta” in Puccini’s Tosca, “Jaquino” in Beethoven’s Fidelio, and “Little Bat” in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah. In addition, he has performed the roles of “Geppetto” and the “Narrator” in John Davies’ Pinocchio, “Normanno” in Lucia di Lammermoor, “Elder Gleaton” in Susannah and is a singer with the Holiday Sparkle ensemble. Also singing with Afro Opera, Opera Tampa, Palma Ceia United Methodist Church, Trinity Lutheran, and the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Kevin feels very fortunate and blessed to be able to share his passion and craft with the Tampa Bay community.
Rim Karnavicius is no stranger to the SPO audience having appeared in over 50 opera productions since 2006. Rim most recently appeared in the Opera Tampa production of The Shining and is a staff singer at the Cathedral of St. Peter in downtown St. Petersburg. He will be on the Palladium Stage again in the upcoming SPO production of La Boheme and is thrilled to collaborate with Dewey and Chris once more.
Lyndsey Clopton is a Florida native and graduate of the University of South Florida, where she earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. As a versatile mezzo-soprano, she has performed with St. Petersburg Opera Company, Opera Tampa, South Florida Lyric Opera, and Chicago Summer Opera. Her operatic credits include Sally in A Hand of Bridge, Jacquot in Pierrette et Jacquot, Damon (cover) in Acis and Galatea, Mrs. McLean (cover) in Susannah, and the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos. She also performed internationally in Assisi, Italy as part of the Assisi Music Festival. A former resident artist with St. Petersburg Opera Company (2021–2025), Lyndsey has appeared as a featured soloist in numerous productions. In addition to her performance career, she has over 10 years of teaching experience in voice, guitar, piano, and ukulele, working with students in both private and group settings.
Michelle Rego is a pianist, organist, lyric soprano, and choral conductor who has been active in the Tampa Bay music scene for over 30 years. Currently the Director of Liturgy and Music at Saint Mary, Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, she is also a performing member of the St. Petersburg Opera Company and Opera Tampa. Michelle serves as a guest conductor/clinician and consultant to choirs, churches, and other performing ensembles.
John Short
Dewey Davis-Thompson is a playwright and lyricist in St. Petersburg, Florida. His song Holiday Sparkle with composer Chris Romeo is often performed by St. Petersburg Opera, and their operetta Triumph of Spring premiered at freeFall’s Tandem series. Their short musical meiuqeR: A Tragedy in Reverse premiered at St. Pete Opera’s Creative Collaborations in 2017.
Dewey’s other plays include Sunshine City, The Musical with composer Tom Sivak, Gasparilla Queen and The Manatee’s Tale of Extinction at StageWorks, and the spooky radio drama The Tocobaga Bargain on WMNF’s Soundstage. He also co-wrote and produced two seasons of Cosmic Significance sci-fi comedy on WMNF with Elizabeth Brackman.
Dewey performed with St. Petersburg Opera in Turandot, Carmen, Samson & Delilah, and Seasonal Sparkle, and he covered the part of Pasha in Abduction From the Seraglio. He can be heard on-air as several recurring characters in the sci-fi series Patch and Click Rebooted and as Sam Sonic on Cosmic Significance.
Chris Romeo has been passionate about music since the sixth grade. He discovered his true voice while studying at the University of South Florida, where he earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Vocal Performance. A dedicated performer and educator, Chris is currently the Artistic Director of Diversity: The Voices of Sarasota and One City Chorus of St. Pete. He also serves as a Professor of Voice and Music at St. Leo University and Hillsborough Community College. He also performs regularly with the St. Pete Opera Company and Klassika.