Asheville Lyric Opera Puccini's "La bohème" in conjunction with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. Past performances have included guest singers, conductors and directors who have performed across the U.S. and internationally. Soprano Susan Dunn gave a recital as part of the company's first season in 1999, and in 2001, the company presented Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" with Rockwell Blake in the role of Count Almaviva. The company began touring with their 2003/2004 season and has brought productions to Indiana, Georgia, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The 2006–2007 season saw an expansion to three full opera productions along with an "education opera" performance
Kimberly Barber debut in 2002 as Nero in Handel's "Agrippina" and her Paris Opera debut as Annio in Mozart's "La Clemenza di Tito". On November 18, 2003, Barber performed in recital with fellow mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade and pianist Steven Blier at Wilfrid Laurier University's Maureen Forrester Recital Hall. In the 2006-2007 season, Barber created the role of Jessica in John Estacio’s opera "Frobisher" for Calgary Opera. Her discography includes Ravel’s L’heure espagnole on Deutsche Grammophon under André Previn, Handel’s Rinaldo on Naxos Records and a solo disc of Handel and Hasse arias for CBC Records. Kimberly Barber Kimberly Barber (born December