Meet the Artists



Dublin-born soprano Gemma Kavanagh began her career with the Dublin Opera. Her first studies began in Rome, Italy with Contuctor/voice teacher Maestro Napoleone Annovazzi. As a resident singer and actress with the Bunratty Singers, Gemma performed in many Shannon Heritage medieval castles in Ireland. Before embarking upon the American operatic stage, Gemma sang with the Dublin Symphony in the National Concert Hall and performed with Ireland's prominent Radio Telifís Éireann television programs, under the tutelage of Dr. Veronica Dunn of the Royal Irish Academy of Music. After moving to California in 1994, Gemma performed with the San Francisco Opera, the San Francisco Lyric Opera, the San Francisco Opera Guild, Opera San Jose, Berkeley Opera, Monterey Opera, Oakland Lyric Opera, and Donald Pippin's Pocket Opera. Her operatic repertoire includes lead soprano roles in "Don Giovanni," "Madame Butterfly," "The Magic Flute," "La Boheme," "Die Kluge," "La Traviata," "Tosca," "La Rondine," "Merry Widow," and "Carmen." Her concert/oratorio repertoire includes Verdi's "Requiem," Poulenc's "Gloria," Vaughan Williams' "Serenade to Music" and "Dona Nobis Pacem," Beethoven's "9th," Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana," Haydn's "Creation," Bach's "Magnificat," Faure's "Requiem," Mozart's "Grand Mass in C Minor" and "Exultate Jubilate," Brahm's "Requiem," and Strauss's "Four Last Songs." Since moving to Durango, Colorado in 1999, Gemma has performed with the San Juan Symphony, Music in the Mountains, Durango Women's Choir, and 3rd Ave. Arts.

Nan Wagner received her musical training at the University of Arizona, West Texas State University, The National Music Camp at Interlochen and The Aspen Music Festival. She has been a soloist with First Congregational UCC, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon, the Columbia Symphony, El Paso Choir of the Southwest, Durango Choral Society, Durango Chamber Singers, the San Juan Symphony and the Portland Opera Company. Several roles have come her way including Dorabella in "Cosi Fan Tutte," Zerlina in "Don Giovanni," Nancy in "Albert Herring," Miss Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls," Pauline in "Over Here!", Prince Orlofsky in "Die Fledermaus" and Mother in "Amahl and the Night Visitors." She has enjoyed performing recitals throughout the southwest as well as Portland, Oregon and is proud to have been a founding soloist with the Durango Bach Festival and 3rd Ave. Arts Recital Series. When she's not singing she enjoys hiking, reading, knitting, baking pies, traveling and spending time with her family (Brian, Grace and Skyler) and their many cats and dogs.

Linda Mack Berven earned her doctoral degree from the University of Illinois, and has enjoyed many years of teaching in the Music Department at Fort Lewis College. She currently serves as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Durango Choral Society and the Durango Women's Choir. Her performances as a conductor, singer, and pianist have included the Durango Bach Festival, Durango Chamber Singers, San Juan Symphony, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and the Music in the Mountains Festival, where she also serves as the pre-concert lecturer. Dr. Mack Berven has conducted concerts at Carnegie Hall as well as in Prague, Greece, Zagreb, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Linz.

3rd Ave. Arts • PO Box 1383 • Durango, CO 81302 • (970) 903-8854