Meet the Cast

A versatile singer and creator, Taryn Plater’s portfolio focuses on Ukrainian art song, new works, and the intersection of jazz and classical music. Driven by an interest in non-traditional opera creation, she is developing an original multi-media performance piece, Pamyatayesh, and continues to pursue collaborative commissions through her company, Opera Unbound.

Wanshuai Yu, a Chinese lyric tenor, is a resident artist at Nebula Performances. He earned his Bachelor of Music from Capital Normal University and his master’s from UBC. He has won multiple international awards, including the Outstanding Singer prize at The International Music Competition, First Place at the Music Vocal Festival Vienna, and the Final Prize in the 27th World Music Competition. In 2024, he performed Zhou Ping in Thunderstorm and was invited by conductor Norbert Baxa to sing the Prince in Rusalka in the Czech Republic. In 2025, he joined a national tour of Thunderstorm across nine Chinese cities, reprising the role of Zhou Ping.

Heralded for her “clear, vibrant tone” (Opera Canada) and praised for her “good comedic acting…with [a] powerful, agile voice” (Burnaby Now), Armenian-Canadian soprano Tamar Simon is based in Vancouver, Canada. She has performed leading operatic roles with Brott Opera and the Lunenburg Academy of Music, and has appeared as a soloist with prominent Canadian ensembles including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, and White Rock Concerts.

Praised for his “clarion tone" (Ludwig van Toronto) and “impressive vocal colour" (Opera Canada), Canadian-American baritone Geoffrey Schellenberg has recently been featured in a number of North American opera productions, including those with Opéra de Montréal, Vancouver Opera, Portland Opera, and Pacific Opera Victoria.

Elissa Matthew recently graduated from UBC with a Bachelor’s degree in Opera Performance. Throughout her degree she had the opportunity to perform in numerous operatic productions. This summer Elissa attended Chicago Summer Opera to cover Lepido in Handel’s opera, Silla. Last summer she performed excerpts of Le Nozze di Figaro as Susanna at both the Taos Opera Institute and Opera Viva Verona.

Victoria Kazantseva is a singer and dancer with 17 years of training. She has starred in an award-winning short film, performed in musical theatre, and made her operatic debut in Eugene Onegin (2018) with Vancouver Opera. Now in her fourth year at UBC Opera, studying under Krisztina Szabó, Victoria has appeared in HMS Pinafore, Manon, and Street Scene (Mae Jones/choreographer). She is excited to take on the same dual role as Mercédès and choreographer in La Tragédie de Carmen.

Riya Bist is a Vancouver-based performer originally from India. A graduate from Capilano University, she has always been drawn to expressive, emotionally charged storytelling. She has worked across short films, music videos, and commercials, and is drawn to projects that allow her to explore layered characters and dramatic moments. Whether on stage or on screen, Riya is passionate about making performances feel alive, magnetic, and unforgettable.

Matthew is a baritone currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Opera Performance at UBC, studying under Dale Throness. Recent roles include Carl Olsen and Frank Murrant (cover) in Street Scene, Dick Deadeye in H.M.S. Pinafore, and Guglielmo in Così fan Tutte, performed in both Vancouver and the Czech Republic. This summer, he appeared with musica intima, performed in a contemporary opera with Opera Unbound, and was a soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with Westend Chamber Choir.

Having recently graduated from his MMUS in Opera Performance at UBC, Ming-Xuan has performed with various Opera and Theater companies across the lower mainland. Some highlights include Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore with Fraser Valley Muscal Theater, Monty Navarro in A Gentlemen’s Guide to Love & Murder with NUOVA and Sam in Street Scene with UBC Opera.