Member of NATS;
National Association of Teachers of Singing
Dallas Bono is a lyric tenor who has distinguished himself nationally in several great opera houses in leading roles. His
career began as a studio artist with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis when he stepped in to sing the leading role of Ruggero in
Puccini's opera La Rondine under the Baton of the international superstar conductor Emmanuel Villaumme. Bono received the
warmest standing ovation the company had ever seen, and from that point on has been seen in several mainstage roles including
the title role of Don Carlos in the 5 act origional French version of Don Carlos with New York Grand Opera,Don José in
Carmen, The Duke in Rigoletto, Manrico in Il Trovatore, Manrique in Le Trouvere, Riccardo in Ernani, Cassio in Otello,
Heinrich in Tannhauser, Der Könnigsohn in Könnigskinder, Naraboth and the 3rd Jew in Salome, Alfred & Eisenstein in Die
Fledermaus, Camille in The Merry Widow, Rodolfo in La Bohéme, Cavaradossi in Tosca, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly,
Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, Canio in I Pagliacci, and Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera. He has performed with Opera
Colorado, Central City Opera House Assoc., Sarasota Opera, Union Avenue Opera Theatre, Houston's Opera in the Heights,
The Baltimore Opera, Arizona Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, The Atlantic Coast Opera Festival, The Athena Grand
Opera, and Bob Jones University Opera Theater. He has worked with great conductors including Victor DeRenzi, Henry
Holt, Alfredo Silipigni, Vincent LaSelva, and the Metropolitan Opera's Christian Badea & Emmanuel Villaumme. He has also
worked extensively with the Metropolitan's premier directors Nathaniel Merrill, John Copley and James Lucas. Mr. Bono
has a huge repertoire of Italian & Neapolitan songs, which he sings with stylistic authority. In 2001 Dallas was a recipient of
the Alfonso Cavaliere Memorial Award, and he has also won the coveted Stanley Richman Memorial Award from Opera
Theatre of St. Louis. Mr. Bono has trained with New York City Opera, and Metropolitan Opera tenors Enrico Di Giuseppe
and John Absalom, as well as Virginia Zeani, leading Soprano at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, and the Vienna State Opera.
He is also well versed in American Musical Theater styles. He is on the voice faculty at Emmanuel college and directs the
opera workshop there as well. Christmas of 2007 will see him as Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors with the Athena
Grand Opera. 2008 will see Mr. Bono in many recitals and will mark his appearance as stage director at some opera
companies around the U.S. He teaches master classes on vocal technique and interpretation and is available as an adjudicator
for competitions and for seminars on the art of singing. His favorite leading role however is husband to his beautiful wife
soprano Kendall Marie Kookogey.
Mr. Bono draws from his years of experience on the stage
to create a strong technical foundation of singing for his
students
I teach people to sing. To me singing is not just popping out tunes, it is about communicating on an emotional level with
an audience. Learning to sing is about finding the vocal color for each phrase, finding the confidence to explore and conquer
the limits of range and power. It is about expression, drama, and stage presence. It is about being an artist sensitive to
other musicians you are performing with in an ensemble. It is also about finding the passion within yourself to connect
with that audience. All of this can happen with a solid foundation, which is a good vocal technique. I teach that technique.
Students will be encouraged to sing in bi-monthly recitals to showcase their progress for family and friends. They will also
be encouraged to compete in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition that is held yearly, as well as to
audition for musicals and operas with local companies or ensembles. Although I believe it is important for a student to be
patient, and wait before making any grand auditions before their technique is solid, I do believe that part of learning is
exposure. I will also provide occasional "master classes" from other teachers or coaches who might prove to add another
level of learning to my students. I will also be offering four session beginning voice class workshops starting next fall.
My ultimate goal is to make myself obsolete. Although students choose to return occasionally for "tune-ups", I want my
students performing, and out of the studio as soon as they are vocally ready, and confident.
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