Team Members

Raquel King, soprano, holds a master’s in vocal performance from Wichita State and a BA from John Brown and has been singing and teaching voice or music for the past 20 years. She has been featured in numerous concerts, including several Bach solo cantatas as well as opera lead roles which include L’elisir d’amore, Hansel and Gretel, The Magic Flute, and a premier performance of Hageman’s Nightingale and the Rose. A choral music enthusiast, Raquel King won a position in Helmuth Rilling’s Festival Choir in Germany through the International Bach Academy. In 2021, the international vocal competition Cadenza Contest named Raquel a finalist. Also during concertless COVID, she formed the Facebook and YouTube channel @Natural State Tours to connect with others, explore, and rediscover a more peaceful, “natural state” of wonder at her surroundings, and sing a bit online.

Juilliard-trained Theodor Carlson's rich baritone offers world-class singing for discriminating audiences. Mr. Rulfs (stage name Theodor Carlson) has been featured at the Dallas Opera and with symphony orchestras all over the world. A native of Michigan, he began his career at Zurich Opera. He has appeared in leading European opera houses in title roles such as Macbeth, The Flying Dutchman, Rigoletto, and Don Giovanni. While in Texas, Mr. Rulfs served as Artistic Director of Voces Intimae, Art Song Series and has been known to transmit the intense pleasure and profound depth of Franz Schubert's beautiful songs. Now making his home in Northwest Arkansas, Theodor Carlson is teaching voice and singing.

“…. Baritone Theodor Carlson was the vocal event of the evening. Outstanding quality.
…. In the role of Iago, … Theodor Carlson exuded glowering, demonic baritone fierceness…. Steering his strong, rich baritone voice securely and with tonal opulence throughout his entire vocal range, he offered superbly gripping renditions of Renato’s aria from Un ballo in maschera and Gerárd’s monologue from Andrea Chénier.”
Italian Gala in Wiesbaden; Darmstädter Echo-online.

“American dramatic baritone Theodor Carlson was steady as Gibraltar in the role of Jochanaan. The raging orchestral torrents surrounding him were no match for his secure voice and strong dramatic presence; it was amazing how much true humanity emerged from behind the relatively unctuous, empty pathos of this vocally thankless role.”
Salome (Richard Strauss); Giessener Anzeiger.

“Contributing to the outstanding musical aspect of the evening…, Theodor Carlson offered an optically perhaps too young Rigoletto, whose substantial baritone vibrated with rich colors in every register.”
Rigoletto (Verdi); Mannheimer Morgen.

“… a clearly declaimed Mandryka, Theodor Carlson rose with his sonorous lyric baritone in the course of the opera to great passion and to enormous, splendid sounding achievement.”
Arabella (Richard Strauss); Rhein-Neckar Zeitung.

“... especially when the message of this masterwork of romantic poetry and music is presented with such feeling and care as in the interpretation of Theodor Carlson and Bernhard Renzikowski…... It was a pleasure that ... the interpreters avoided all exaggeration, that singer and pianist held back personally and allowed the intensity of the text and music the necessary space. Theodor Carlson’s baritone shined in many nuances, his thoroughly cultivated voice securely ran the gamut from sweet forlorn piano to equally intense desperation and icy coldness. He presented the poetic symbols with very controlled gestures. His association with opera was felt in a positive way.
Winterreise (Schubert); Badische Zeitung.

“Theodor Carlson endowed Simon’s aria at the beginning of the second act with breathtaking, churning drama.”
Lazarus (Schubert); Hildesheimer Allgemeine Zeitung .

"Theodor Carlson furnished his bold Spielmann with dramatic baritonal aplomb, and still had plenty of energy for the opera’s finale that “fillet cut“ of the role at the end, the famous Spielmann’s Last Song.”
Königskinder (Humperdink); Das Opernglas.