Our Founders

Thomas Carey

The American baritone, Thomas Carey, was born in South Carolina, and reared in New York. Simultaneous studies at Henry Street Music School and City College of New York were interrupted in his senior year upon being awarded both John Hay Whitney and Martha B. Rockefeller Grants. These enabled him to continue his studies in Europe.

His European home for nearly ten years was Munich, Germany. His career was propelled as the result of his winning the prestigious international vocal competition of Holland. Following numerous engagements with opera companies all over Europe, Thomas Carey came to teach at the University of Oklahoma in 1969 where he stayed until his death in 2002.

Carol Brice Carey

Carol Brice was one of the first African American classical singers to record extensively. Born into a musical family in Sedalia, North Carolina, the American contralto received training at the historical Palmer Memorial Institute in Sedalia, at Talladega College in Alabama (Bachelor of Music, 1939), and from Francis Rogers at the Juilliard School of Music in New York (1939-1943).

She first attracted attention when she sang in The Hot Mikado at the New York World’s Fair with Bill “Bojangles” in 1939. She was also chosen to sing at a concert for President Roosevelt’s 3rd inauguration in 1941 and was the first black American to win the Naumburg Award (1943).

Among her many stage roles were Addie in Regina, Maude in Finian’s Rainbow, Maria in Porgy and Bess, Queenie in Showboat and Harriet Tubman in Gentlemen, be Seated. She was a member of the Vienna Volksoper from 1967 to 1971. She won a Grammy Award for her recording of Porgy and Bess. She began teaching at the University of Oklahoma in 1974. With her husband, the baritone Thomas Carey, she founded the Cimarron Circuit Opera Company.

*Thomas and Carol Brice Carey in a detail from the lobby mural in the Reynolds Performing Arts Center, by Oklahoma artist Mike Larsen .*

Our Staff

Natasha Naik
- Artistic Director

Natasha Naik has worked with Cimarron Opera as a performer, camp counselor, administrator, stage manager and properties manager. She served as the Interim Executive Director for 3 years and is delighted to now be serving as the Artistic Director. Natasha first worked with Cimarron Opera as a teenager in the Summer Opera Theatre Camp, where she developed her love of Opera.
Natasha is an emerging mezzo-soprano. Most recently she was seen as Fenena in *Nabucco* with Opera Ithaca. Other notable roles include Scribe/Maria Maddelena in *Galileo Galilei* (Cincinnati Conservatory MainStage), Dorabella in *Così fan tutte* (University of Oklahoma), Mercédès in *Carmen* (Cincinnati Conservatory French Opera Gala). She has performed at Cimarron Opera as Inez/featured dancer in *The Gondoliers*, Mad Margaret in *Ruddigore*, Mezzo-soprano/Detective 3 in *Murder at the Opera* and Queen of the Fairies in *Iolanthe*.
In addition to her work with Cimarron, Natasha is the Programs Manager for Cincinnati Song Initiative.
Natasha holds a Master of Music in voice from the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and a Bachelor of Music (summa cum laude) in voice from the University of Oklahoma.

Smith42[1].JPG — Kevin W. Smith
- Music Director

In 1996 Kevin was chosen by his mentor Thomas Carey to become music director of what was then known as *Cimarron Circuit Opera Company.* Since that time, he has had the opportunity to collaborate with hundreds of singers, several stage directors, and has racked up well over 1,000 performances of opera, operetta, children’s opera, Broadway and musical theatre shows, recitals, and special presentations. Kevin describes himself as “an incurable teacher” who strives to turn every situation into an opportunity for learning something new or reinforcing something already learned.
In addition to Cimarron Opera, Kevin is also music director and private voice instructor at Lyric Theatre’s Thelma Gaylord Academy in Oklahoma City (since 2004), music director and tour accompanist with Lyric’s Interactive show since its inception in 2007 and has music directed numerous shows at Sooner Theatre, Carpenter Square, Poteet Theatre, Jewelbox, and Kids Alive, among others.
Kevin’s favorite thing: peace.

Salamatu Lot - Financial Manager

Salamatu has worked in Finance and Accounting for over twenty five years and Grants Management for over ten years. She has enjoyed honing these skills in the profit and not for profit industries and has always especially enjoyed working with companies whose mission to improve and/or restore spiritual, social, emotional and psychological equality and justice drives the bottom line business operations, functions and processes to succeed and flourish and not the other way around. With Cimarron Opera's emphasis on making opera accessible to wider groups of people coupled with all the benefits that Opera provides to its students and audiences alike, Salamatu is excited to join Cimarron Opera as an asset in the fulfillment of its mission and as a collaborator to extend the positive impact it has on the community overall.

Our Board Members

Board President

Dr. Olivia Burke

Board Members

Grace Filler

Mark Laufersweiler

Lorraine Sylvester