Friends of Opera of East Tennessee - Board
Dedicated to the Students and Growth of the University of Tennessee Opera Program.
Provide financial resources, visibility, involvement and social opportunities
Chuck James
President
Chuck James and his wife moved to East Tennessee 16 years ago from the Chicago area. He retired from Transonic Systems a high technology medical company where he served as Executive Vice President. While in Chicago they enjoyed 15 seasons at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Since moving to East Tennessee James has been very active in the Opera Community serving as President of the Knoxville Opera Guild, Member of the Knoxville Opera Board, founding investor in Marble City Opera. Currently James is past President of the University of Tennessee School of Music Advisory Board, Founding Member of "Friends of Opera" He believes "Opera as a living art form helps people better understand the human experience in a magical way."
Jan Bechtel
Vice President Secretary
Bechtel has lived in Knoxville for over 18 years, having moved here from Columbus, Ohio to work for US Bank. She has since retired after spending over 40 years in financial services management and has lived throughout the US. Bechtel is active on the UT School of Music Advisory Board and serves as chair of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra Board. Finding ways to support the arts in our community is very important to her. She enjoys traveling, baking, gardening and volunteering at Heart For Africa’s Project Canaan, a non-profit farm and children’s home in Eswatini, Africa.
Karen White
Treasurer
Advisory Board Member UT School of Music, Co-Chair UT School of Music Gala 2021, Board Member Joy of Music.
Sandra Cramollini
Secretary
Sandra Cramolini, originally from the Central Valley in California, has been involved with opera with her husband, Mark. She retired in 2017 serving over 40 years in healthcare. Cramolini is involved with multiple nonprofits including the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors and Fresno Council for Child Abuse Prevention, where she is board President. The Cramolini's have supported financially the Knoxville Opera, Knoxville Opera Guild, University of Tennessee School of Music, University of Tennessee Opera Theater, as well as multiple nonprofits in East Tennessee.
Dr. Michelle Brewer
Board Member
Past Chair of Knoxville Opera, Member Knoxville Opera Hall of Fame
Eden McNabb-Bishop
Board Member
Bishop is a Knoxville native. She entered the University of Tennessee as a piano performance major, and then graduated with a BA in French and a MS in Foreign Language Education. Bishop began her professional career in non-profit arts administration with the Arts Council of Greater Knoxville. She moved from the Knoxville area but continued a career in the non-profit arts sector, most recently with Piedmont Opera in Winston-Salem, NC. In 2013 Bishop returned home. Her career background in non-profit arts administration and passion for opera sparked Bishop to involve herself in the fine arts community of Knoxville again. In 2015 she served a two-year term as President of the Knoxville Opera Guild and now is the Chair of the Knoxville Opera Board.
George Bitzas
Board Member
For 28 years (1971-1999), Professor George Bitzas's tenor voice started home football games with the "Star Spangled Banner" at the University of Tennessee. He joined the music faculty in 1965 as an assistant professor of voice. His first appearance on Shields-Watkins Field was to sing the tenor aria La Donne e Mobile in a halftime show titled "Back to Bluegrass." Director of Bands WJ Julian then recruited him for regular national anthem duty. He retired from regular teaching in December 1998 and became professor emeritus. In November 2000 he was honored at a gala benefit dinner, and a voice scholarship was created in his name to recognize his teaching, singing, and community service work. .
Andrew Wentzel
Board Member
Retired Professor of voice, served on the faculty at the University of Tennessee from January, 1996 - 2021, he established a strong reputation as a trainer of young professionals as well as a highly sought after adjudicator for such many important vocal competitions, including those of the Metropolitan Opera National Council.
At the Metropolitan Opera, where he made his debut in 1986, Mr. Wentzel has appeared in numerous productions including Roméo et Juliette, Billy Budd, I puritani, Rigoletto, La fanciulla del West, Turandot, Manon, and Les Contes d'Hoffmann.