Ryan Tackett Wardell, a native of Big Stone Gap, has served as director for the 2019 Season of Trail of the Lonesome Pine. He is an active performer, vocal pedagogue, and conductor throughout the region and has performed on stage throughout the United States and Ireland as a soloist in both operatic and professional choral settings.
Currently, Mr. Wardell serves on the voice faculty at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. Mr. Wardell received the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in vocal performance from Morehead State University; with additional graduate work at the University of North Texas with mezzo-soprano Jennifer Lane.
Prior to returning to Wise County, Mr. Wardell served as Assistant Director, and Vocal Coach for Morehead State University Opera, with whom he will be directing a production in December 2019.
Previous stage roles include Frank (Die Fledermaus), The Beast (Beauty and the Beast), Lurch (The Addams Family), Ulysses S. Grant (Mother of Us All), Littore (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Masetto (Don Giovanni), Carl-Magnus (A Little Night Music), Valentin (Faust). As a chorister, and soloist he has performed extensively with the Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble under the direction of Craig Hella Johnson. Previous directing credits include a staging of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and a wide variety of scenes from musical theatre, and operatic repertoire.