Candide

From: St. Louis, Missouri. LA Opera: Voltaire / Dr. Pangloss in Candide (2026, debut).

Scott Bakula is recognized for his work across feature films, television, musical theater and more. Born in St. Louis, Bakula moved to New York in 1976, where he began his career on the stage. He made his Broadway debut in 1983, starring as Joe DiMaggio in Marilyn: An American Fable. In 1988, he was honored with a Tony nomination for his starring role in the Broadway musical Romance/Romance.

Bakula will be seen in Netflix’s upcoming series The Sticks, starring alongside Michelle Monaghan. Created by Nick Naveda and set in a small Minnesota hockey town, the series follows a grieving wife who steps behind the bench of the team her late husband built, guiding a group of young athletes through a season of loss, love and rivalry. Bakula stars as Coach Brody Hansen. The Sticks is set to premiere on Netflix in 2027. 

Last year, Bakula returned to the New York stage in the Off-Broadway musical The Baker’s Wife as the amiable Castagne opposite Ariana DeBose. Opening Classic Stage Company’s 2025/26 season, The Baker’s Wife is a legendary musical written in 1976 that had never received a full-scale production in New York City. The musical features a book by Tony Award winner Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof) and music and lyrics by Oscar, Grammy and Tony Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, The Queen of Versailles), and is based on the film La Femme du Boulanger by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono. Fun fact: Bakula previously appeared in The Baker’s Wife as Dominique in 1980 at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

Prior to The Baker’s Wife, Bakula appeared in the Off-Broadway musical The Connector, conceived and directed by Daisy Prince, with music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (Parade) and a book by Jonathan Marc Sherman. He also starred with his wife Chelsea Field in the Peterborough Players production of Man of La Mancha, where he played Don Quixote. He then went on to star in the Ford's Theatre production of Mr. Lincoln.

Bakula made his UK stage debut in the world premiere of Terrible Advice, a new play from Saul Rubinek (Warehouse 13), at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London, directed by Frank Oz. Throughout his career, Bakula has continued to return to the stage, starring at the famed Hollywood Bowl as Nathan Detroit in a limited run of the musical Guys and Dolls. Over the past few years, he has also starred in Dancing in the Dark at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre, and Jane Anderson’s Quality of Life at the Geffen Playhouse. His other theater credits include No Strings at UCLA’s Freud Playhouse, a production of the Tony Award-winning musical Shenandoah at the historic Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC, and An Evening with Scott Bakula, a benefit concert for Ford’s Theatre. Further stage credits include the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway and Los Angeles productions of Three Guys Naked from the Waist Down and the Los Angeles and Boston productions of Nite Club Confidential. Bakula’s singing talents have also been showcased in performances at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, as well as at the Kennedy Center Honors.

Fans know and love Bakula for his five-year stint on the innovative series Quantum Leap. For his multifaceted portrayal of time traveler Sam Beckett, he won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series, in addition to earning four Emmy Award nominations, three more Golden Globe Award nominations and four Best Actor Awards from the Viewers for Quality Television. Bakula also directed three episodes of the series. Quantum Leap remains one of the most popular series in syndication around the world. There is also a Quantum Leap soundtrack album, which features songs performed by Bakula in several episodes of the show. In 2017, he guest starred in the 12th season premiere of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia playing himself and giving a wink to Quantum Leap. 

On the small screen, he made a surprise cameo appearance in the fourth season premiere of Only Murders in the Building. Bakula was last seen starring on the CBS hit NCIS: New Orleans, playing NCIS Special Agent Pride, the head of the naval investigative unit in the Big Easy. Bakula was nominated for an Emmy for his supporting role in the HBO Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra, which won Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Awards. His fifth nomination (the previous four were for his work in Quantum Leap) was for Bakula’s portrayal of Bob Black, the choreographer who introduced Liberace to his lover. Other series credits include the critically acclaimed TNT drama Men of a Certain Age, with Ray Romano and Andre Braugher, the HBO dramedy Looking, where HuffPost TV praised Bakula’s performance, saying: “Bakula’s presence and air of experience add weight and depth to the show.” He also starred as Captain Jonathan Archer in Star Trek: Enterprise, for which he received a People’s Choice Award nomination for Favorite Male Performer in a New Television Series.  

His film credits include Divinity, produced by Steven Soderbergh, and written and directed by Eddie Alcazar; The Informant!, also from Steven Soderbergh and opposite Matt Damon; 1999’s Oscar-winning Best Picture American Beauty for director Sam Mendes; Life as a House opposite Kevin Kline; the musical feature Basmati Blues opposite Brie Larson; Elsa and Fred opposite Christopher Plummer and Shirley MacLaine; Clive Barker’s supernatural thriller Lord of Illusions; Major League: Back to the Minors; Mi Familia (My Family); A Passion to Kill; Color of Night with Bruce Willis; the football comedy Necessary Roughness; and Carl Reiner’s Sibling Rivalry, which marked Bakula’s film debut. He was also heard as the voice of Danny the cat in the animated musical Cats Don't Dance.

From: Northport, New York. LA Opera: Leocadia Begbick in Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (2007, debut); Samira in The Ghosts of Versailles (2015); concert: A Life in Notes (2024); concert: Matters of the Heart (2026); the Old Lady in Candide (2026).

Patti LuPone, who recently received critical acclaim for her performances in Agatha All Along on Disney+ and opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Ari Aster’s film Beau is Afraid, is a three-time Tony Award winner for her performances as Joanne in Company, Madame Rose in Gypsy and the title role in the original Broadway production of Evita. Her New York stage credits include War Paint (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations), Shows for Days, The Seven Deadly Sins (New York City Ballet), Company (New York Philharmonic), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Tony, Drama Desk, OCC Award nominations), Sweeney Todd (Tony, Drama Desk, OCC nominations), Noises Off, The Old Neighborhood, Master Class, Anything Goes (Tony nomination, Drama Desk Award), Oliver!, Accidental Death of An Anarchist, The Water Engine and The Robber Bridegroom (Tony and Drama Desk nominations).

London: Company (Olivier Award, WhatsOn Stage Award), Master Class, Sunset Boulevard (Olivier Award nomination), Les Misérables and The Cradle Will Rock (Olivier Award for her performances in both productions).

Opera: Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny and The Ghosts of Versailles (LA Opera), To Hell and Back (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in San Francisco) and Regina (Kennedy Center).

Her film credits include The School for Good and Evil (Netflix), Last Christmas, Cliffs of Freedom, The Comedian, Parker, Union Square, Driving Miss Daisy and Witness. TV/streaming: Hollywood, Pose, Mom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Penny Dreadful (Critics Choice Award nomination), Girls, American Horror Story (“NYC” and “Coven”), 30 Rock, Glee, Frasier (Emmy nomination) and three seasons as Libby Thatcher on ABCs Life Goes On. She is a founding member of both the Drama Division of The Juilliard School and John Houseman’s The Acting Company and the author of the New York Times bestseller Patti LuPone: A Memoir.  

From: Seoul, South Korea. LA Opera: Roméo in Roméo et Juliette (2024, debut); Tony in West Side Story (2025); title role in Candide (2026). He is a 2026 recipient of the Stern Artist Award.

Tenor Duke Kim is a grand finals winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (2021), and a recent graduate of the Cafritz Young Artist Program at the Washington National Opera.

Highlights of the 2025/26 season include a return to LA Opera as Tony in West Side Story, debuts at Semperoper Dresden and Teatro dell’Opera di Roma in Roméo et Juliette (Roméo), Teatro de la Maestranza in Lucrezia Borgia (Genaro) and Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in a staged production of the Mozart Requiem. On the concert stage, he debuts with Washington Concert Opera in The Pearl Fishers (Nadir) and at the Philharmonie de Paris with Le Cercle de l’Harmonie under Jérémie Rhorer in Rigoletto (Duke of Mantua). Future engagements include debuts with Opéra National de Lyon and Canadian Opera Company and returns to LA Opera and The Metropolitan Opera.

His appearances for the 2024/25 season include his debuts at the Metropolitan Opera as Tamino in The Magic Flute (Tamino) and at LA Opera as Romeo in Romeo et Juliet, returns to Irish National Opera as Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore and to Seattle Opera as Tamino. In the summer of 2025, he makes his mainstage debut at the Santa Fe Opera in as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto. Future engagements include debuts with the Houston Grand Opera and the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, and a return to the Metropolitan Opera.

He is a graduate of Chapman University and the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. 

Learn more at DukeKimTenor.com.

From: Chicago, Illinois. LA Opera: Cunegonde in Candide (2026, debut).

Internationally acclaimed opera and Broadway star, Meghan Picerno has captivated audiences worldwide. From Broadway’s Majestic Theatre, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center to London’s Royal Albert Hall, to stages across the globe spanning from Japan to Spain to Brazil, she is celebrated as one of the most dynamic sopranos of her generation, hailed by the New York Times as “dazzling.”

Most recently seen as Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance with Tulsa Opera, where she was hailed as “flawless,” she previously was handpicked by theater legends Hal Prince and Andrew Lloyd Webber to return as The Phantom of the Opera’s leading lady, Christine Daaé, for its historic Broadway reopening, where she was nominated as Broadway Replacement of the Decade (Broadway World). A fan favorite, previously she delighted audiences to critical acclaim as Christine on the world tour of Phantom, and originated the role of Christine in the U.S. premiere/first national tour of Love Never Dies, playing to sold out houses in 41 of the US’s largest theaters across the nation, which led to a special invitation from Andrew Lloyd Webber to perform at the Classic BRIT Awards in London at the Royal Albert Hall, marking her debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. A rising star in both the worlds of Broadway and opera, she has become one of the most sought-after Cunegondes world-wide in Bernstein’s musical masterpiece, Candide. 

In 2025, she made her house debut at the iconic Teatro dell’Opera di Roma as Frasquita in Carmen and also performed to sold-out audiences in Santiago, Chile, and across China—including Shanghai, Beijing, and six major cities. 

Off-Broadway/New York credits include: Cunegonde in Candide (New York City Opera), Rose in From Berlin To Broadway: A Kurt Weill Revue. Regional/opera: Marian (The Music Man), Maria (The Sound of Music), Eliza (My Fair Lady), Adele (Die Fledermaus), the Queen of the Night (The Magic Flute), La Fée (Cendrillon), Olympia (The Tales of Hoffmann). Concert credits include performances at Royal Albert Hall London, San Francisco Symphony, Lincoln Center, David Geffen Hall, Avery Fischer Hall, Carnegie Hall, Sony Hall, The Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland Jazz, 54 Below, Green Room 42, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, Marina Bay Sands Singapore, Theater Solaire Philippines, Istana Budaya Kuala Lumpur, Tel Aviv Opera House, Theatro Municipal de São Paolo Brazil, Teatro Municipal de las Condes Santiago, Chile, Gran Teatre del Liceu Barcelona, Spain, Beijing Center of Performing Arts, West Bund Theater, Shanghai, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.  

Follow her: IG @meghanpicerno, FB @meghanpicernocoloratura, Youtube: @meghanpicerno, Website: www.meghanpicerno.com 
 

From: Phoenix, Arizona. LA Opera: Le Dancaïro in Carmen (2026, debut); Maximilian in Candide (2026); High Priest in Nabucco (2027); Ping in Turandot (2027). He will join the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program in the 2026/27 season.

Recognized for his “booming baritone voice” and “particularly beautiful tone”, Mario Manzo is quickly becoming an exciting talent to hear and watch on the stage. Previous training includes two summers (2023 and 2024) as a Studio Artist at Wolf Trap Opera, where he performed the role of Wagner in Faust. He also covered the roles of Don Giovanni, Marcello in La Bohème, and both Father Palmer and the British Major in Silent Night by Kevin Puts, and he participated in the company’s Studio Spotlight performances. 

Mr. Manzo spent the 2024/25 season as a Bailey Apprentice Artist with Palm Beach Opera, making his debut with that company as Grégorio in Roméo et Juliette. He returned there for the 2025/26 season as a Henry and Marsha Laufer Young Artist, performing the roles of Schaunard in La Bohème and Count Monterone in Rigoletto and covering the role of Zurga in The Pearl Fishers.

Recent competition accolades include a district win and regional encouragement award in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in 2024. Additionally, Mr. Manzo was awarded district encouragement awards in the Laffont Competition in 2025 and 2026.

Mr. Manzo is a graduate of Arizona State University and holds a master’s degree from Rice University where he performed the title role of Don Giovanni in 2022.

From: Torrance, California. LA Opera: Sotopenre in Akhnaten (2026, debut); Paquette in Candide (2026).

Mezzo-soprano Kristen Choi is making waves in the world of opera, with Opera News dubbing her a “powerhouse in the making” for her performance as Suzuki in Madama Butterfly. She begins the 2024/25 season with a return to Dallas Opera as Mercédès in Carmen. She will subsequently make her LA Opera debut in Akhnaten.

Her most recent engagements include a role and house debut with the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance as Bloody Mary in South Pacific, and her debut with the Boise Philharmonic as the alto soloist in Mozart’s Requiem. In the 2024/25 season, Ms. Choi also joined Florentine Opera, Kentucky Opera, Austin Opera, and Opera San Antonio in her signature role of Suzuki. Described as “steadfast…solidly empathetic and ferocious” (KCStudio); “warm and lovely” (Washington Post); and “theatrically potent” (Opera News), she has performed the role with 11 different companies since her debut with the Glimmerglass Festival in 2014, including Opera Philadelphia, Virginia Opera, Detroit Opera, the Lubbock Symphony, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and her Kennedy Center debut with the Washington National Opera.

Ms. Choi recently joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera covering Dimitri in Fedora. Other credits include the Second Maidservant in Elektra (Dallas Opera), Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro (Opera Omaha, Sarasota Opera), the Cook in Stravinsky’s The Nightingale (West Edge Opera), Maddalena in Rigoletto (Opera Philadelphia), Annina in La Traviata (HALO), Third Lady in The Magic Flute (Opera Maine, Virginia Opera), Dorabella in Così fan tutte (Pacific Opera Project), Zerlina in Don Giovanni (West Bay Opera), and Sesto in La Clemenza di Tito (Bay Area Summer Opera Theatre Institute).

Highly sought after for her interpretations of contemporary works, Ms. Choi recently returned to Opera Philadelphia in Toshio Hosokawa’s The Raven. The Wall Street Journal wrote: "Ms. Choi embraced the piece’s wide range of pitch and dynamics, shifting from whispers and Sprechstimme to full-throated song… She was equally intense in her movement.” She sang Mother in a workshop of Derrick Wang’s Fearless with Opera Delaware, Hiroko Kobayashi in Jack Perla’s An American Dream with Opera Idaho and Virginia Opera, Stewardess in Flight with Dallas Opera, and Phoung Tran in a workshop of Ruo/Hwang’s The Rift with Washington National Opera. Ms. Choi also created the title role in Murasaki's Moon, a new work with On Site Opera and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Other roles include Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream with Virginia Opera, Ruth Sherwood in Bernstein's Wonderful Town with the Seattle Symphony, Jo in Little Women with Opera North, and St. Teresa II in Four Saints in Three Acts with Opera Parallèle.

Ms. Choi went on tour with the Lincoln Center Broadway production of The King and I as an ensemble member and Lady Thiang understudy in 2018/19, having completed 85 performances of the role with the Marriott Theatre a few years prior, to critical acclaim. The Chicago Tribune described her performances as “exceptionally rich and moving.” She has sung the role of Paquette in Bernstein's Candide with the Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, Opéra National de Bordeaux, and the Glimmerglass Festival, where “she showed off a well-schooled, appealingly smoky mezzo” (Opera Today). She has also covered the role of Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd with Virginia Opera.

On the concert stage, Ms. Choi has sung as the alto soloist in Messiah with the Naples Philharmonic and Phoenix Symphony, as well as Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Dayton Philharmonic. In 2024, she joined the Hart Institute for Women Conductors, singing excerpts from Suor Angelica. She has appeared in concert with the Paesaggi Musicali Toscani and performed as a soloist in Rene Orth’s Tak Tak Shoo with Opera Philadelphia.

Ms. Choi completed training with Santa Fe Opera (Wowkle in The Girl of the Golden West), Virginia Opera, and Sarasota Opera. Ms. Choi is a Lotte Lenya Competition semi-finalist, a winner of the San Diego District and an encouragement award winner from the regionals of the Laffont Competition, and a Jensen Foundation finalist. She received a Career Bridges grant as well as a scholarship with the Pasadena Opera Guild and East Bay Opera League in Oakland, California, placed first in the Coeur d'Alene Young Artist Competition and holds the Lisa Kavelage award from the Henry and Maria Holt Competition. A native of California, Ms. Choi holds a Master of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Learn more at KristenChoi.com.

From: Ngāhinapōuri, New Zealand. LA Opera: Maketaten in Akhnaten (2026); Second Lady in The Magic Flute (2026); Mercédès in Carmen (2026); Baroness/Vanderdendur in Candide (2026); Love in The Three Women of Jerusalem (2027). She joined the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program in the 2025/26 season.

Mezzo-soprano Katie Trigg is dedicated to exploring the ways music connects with communities and society. Her mission is to contribute to the accessibility of classical music and to create opportunities for audiences to engage deeply and genuinely with her performances. Katie completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Waikato and completed her Master of Music at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she studied with Julia Faulkner.

In July 2026, she appears with the Auckland Philharmonia as Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly.

Recent roles include Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro, the Old Lady in Candide and Anna I in Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins, all with Curtis Opera Theatre, and Flora in La Traviata with the Auckland Philharmonia. Katie has recently performed as a soloist for Verdi's Messa da Requiem (Auckland Choral) and C.P.E. Bach's Magnificat (Bach Musica NZ).

In 2024, Katie was the winner of the prestigious Lexus Song Quest. During her undergraduate studies in New Zealand, she was a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar and a student of Stephanie Acraman. After the pandemic delayed her plans to study overseas, she spent 2021 as a Dame Malvina Major Foundation Studio Artist with New Zealand Opera. Upon her arrival at Curtis in 2022, Katie was featured as a soloist with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin and performed with them again in 2023. She has appeared as a soloist in Mozart’s Requiem in D minor for Binghamton Philharmonic under Daniel Hege, performed as part of Opera Philadelphia’s Festival O23, and collaborated with Warren Jones in recital. She attended Wolf Trap Opera as a Studio Artist in 2023, where she covered the roles of Juno/Ino in Handel's Semele and performed in their "Studio Spotlight" showcase.  

For her master’s project at Curtis Institute of Music, Katie pioneered a month-long booster course for high school music students to learn about college-level music programmes from current Curtis students. The project focused on equipping students with skills and confidence to pursue musical studies at college level through individual workshopping and mentorship. After a successful first course, Katie continued to expand and develop the program for a second year. The program will be continuing in the future under the guidance of current Curtis students through the school's community outreach initiative.

Past awards include the Dame Sister Mary Leo Scholarship, the Sue and Guy Haddleton Emerging Artist Award, the Dame Malvina Major Foundation Arts Excellence Award, and the Kiwi Music Scholarship to assist with her studies overseas.

Katie would like to acknowledge the essential support of the Fairfield Rotary Club, the Ohaupo/Ngahinapouri and Te Awamutu Lions Clubs, Circle100, and the Adastra Foundation. 

Learn more at KatieTrigg.nz.

From: São Paulo, Brazil. LA Opera: Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly (2024, debut); Duke of Verona in Roméo et Juliette (2024); Jose Tripaldi in Ainadamar (2025); Count Ceprano in Rigoletto (2025); Aye in Akhnaten (2025); Pistol in Falstaff (2026); Zuniga in Carmen (2026); James/Martin in Candide (2026); Mandarin in Turandot (2027); Pontius Pilate in The Three Women of Jerusalem (2027); Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro (2027). He joined the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program in 2024.

Bass Vinícius Costa has been a Renée Fleming Artist at the Aspen Music Festival, singing the title role in The Marriage of Figaro and the role of Victor Fyodorov in Jimmy Lopez's Bel Canto.

In the summer of 2026, he was a Gaddes Festival Artist with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where he appeared as Count Capulet in Roméo et Juliette.

He sang the roles of Amaral and the Father in a recently released recording of Brazilian composer André Mehmari's 2023 opera O Machete.

Winner of the Ralph Vaughan Williams award for best performance of an English song at the 2022 Wigmore Hall Song Competition, he and his collaborator Pierre Nicolas-Colombat were among the 10 semi-finalists out of more than 120 entries in the most important song competition in the United Kingdom and one of the biggest competitions on the European continent. He was also a first place winner in the Brazilian and Latin American Linus Lerner Singing Competitions.

He has performed with Theater Basel and Bühne Bern in Switzerland and with Teatro São Pedro, Teatro Municipal de São Paulo and Sala São Paulo in Brazil. His roles include Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Dandini in La Cenerentola, Zuniga in Carmen, Fiorello in The Barber of Seville and Rodimarte in Scarlatti's The Triumph of Honor. On the concert platform, he has been a soloist in works such as Bach's Ich Habe Genug and the Saint Matthew Passion, as well as Symphony No. 5 (“Requiem, Bardo, Nirmanakaya”) by Phillip Glass.

He began his vocal and musical education with the Guri Santa Marcelina Program in 2014 with Naraine Sri Hamsa and Paulo Cavalcante. In Brazil he was a student of Maria Lúcia Waldow and Francisco Campos; graduated with a bachelor's degree in singing in 2021 and in 2023 completed his master's degree in performance with Marcel Boone, with specialized training in song with Jan Schultz at the FHNW Hochschule Für Musik Basel. His training also includes the Old Music Workshop at the Escola Municipal de Música de São Paulo with Nicolau de Figueiredo and master classes with Brigitte Fassbaender, Ludovic Tezier and Margreet Honi. In 2023, he participated in the Reneé Fleming Song Studio at Carnegie Hall.

From: Serra, Espírito Santo, Brazil. LA Opera: Le Remendado in Carmen (2026, debut); Cacambo in Candide (2026); Abdallo in Nabucco (2027); Don Curzio in The Marriage of Figaro (2027). He joins the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program in the 2026/27 season.

Brazilian tenor Samuel Wallace, a member of the Internationales Opernstudio at Opernhaus Zürich. He receives the vital support of the Ibáñez Atkinson Foundation, an institution dedicated to fostering his professional trajectory and development. Recently, in 2024 Samuel Wallace won second place in both the Joaquina Lapinha Vocal Competition and the Natércia Lopes Vocal Competition, in addition to reaching the semifinals of the Paris Opera Competition (2025) in France and being a finalist in the Maria Callas Vocal Competition in Brazil (2024). 

In the 2025/26 season at Opernhaus Zürich, Samuel Wallace performs the roles of the Waiter in Arabella, Amelia's Servant in Un Ballo in Maschera, and a Guard in Manon. His repertoire also includes roles such as Tamino in The Magic Flute, Dorvil in Rossini's La Scala di Seta, and the title role in Guilherme Bernstein's Serafim e o lugar onde não se morre. In Brazil, he performed in the Gala Lírica of the 13th Tenors Meeting at the Amazonas Theater. In 2026, he expanded his international reach by joining the NOVUM training program at the Houston Grand Opera. 

A scholarship recipient of the Mozarteum Brasileiro for the Internationale Chorakademie, Samuel Wallace has performed at the Philharmonie de Paris. He has furthered his artistry in master classes and coaching sessions with renowned figures such as Elīna Garanča, Patrizia Ciofi, Adrian Kelly, Thomas Barthel, Hedwig Fassbender, Michelle Wegwart, Atalla Ayan, Marcel Boone, Adriane Queiroz, Kismara Pezzati, Ludmilla Bauerfeldt. Currently, Samuel Wallace is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in classical voice at FAMES under the guidance of Licio Bruno. 

From: Detroit, Michigan. LA Opera: Bardon / Don Issachar / Governor in Candide (2026).

Tenor Bernard Holcomb has “already made a name for himself in the world of opera” with his “delicate and flexible” voice (OperaWire) and the “appealing sweetness and clarity [of] his tone” (The New York Times). Katy Walsh of Chicago Theater Beat said it best: “Although everyone [at Lyric Opera of Chicago] can sing, Holcomb reminds us why we come to the Lyric.”

In the 2025/26 season, Mr. Holcomb joined the Monterey Symphony for their 80th anniversary season-opening concert, Opera Southwest for Mozart’s Mass in C Minor, and Richmond Symphony for Damien Geter’s African American Requiem. He also joined the Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Robbins and Crab Man in Porgy and Bess and as Carlson and Lennie (cover) in Of Mice and Men.

In the previous season, Mr. Holcomb returned to the Metropolitan Opera to sing the Fourth Jew in Salome and to Eugene Opera to sing the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto. He joined Heartbeat Opera for Slaylem: The Witch Trials and Opera Parallele in the title role of The Pigeon Keeper. He also made three appearances at Carnegie Hall in Mozart’s Coronation Mass with MidAmerica Productions, Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass with Manhattan Concert Productions, and Strauss’ Guntram with the American Symphony Orchestra. In the summer, he returned to Central City Opera as the Minstrel in Once Upon a Mattress, and he joined the Savannah Voice Festival to reprise his Duke in Rigoletto.

Recently, Mr. Holcomb returned to the Metropolitan Opera for both X: The Life and Times of Malcom X and Fire Shut Up in My Bones, following his Met debut in the previous season in Terence Blanchard and Michael Cristofer’s Champion. He joined On Site Opera to sing the Curator in Song of the Nightingale, the Narrator in their Bach pastiche Coffee Cantata, and Harlekin in Der Kaiser von Atlantis. He sang Alfredo in La Traviata with Eugene Opera, workshopped the title role in The Pigeon Keeper with Santa Fe Opera, performed as Beadle Bamford in Pacific Symphony’s Sweeney Todd produced by UIA Presents, and made his house debut at Opera Omaha in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. He joined Central City Opera in consecutive summer to perform as Henry Davis in Street Scene and Iago in Rossini’s Otello. In concert, he sang Elijah with Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Adolphus Hailstork’s A Knee on the Neck with New York Choral Society, a holiday concert with the Cincinnati Pops under the baton of John Morris Russel, Jacksonville Symphony’s concert Lush Life: Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, as well as Damien Geter’s An African American Requiem with Fort Worth Opera, after having appeared in its world premiere in the 2021/22 season. He also made his network television debut on the 25th season of Law and Order: SVU.

Previously, Mr. Holcomb joined Opera Carolina for Douglas Tappin’s opera I Dream and made his debut with Portland Opera, reprising the role of Kevin Richardson in Central Park Five following the world premiere with Long Beach Opera. He also returned to the Dallas Symphony as a soloist in Lush Life: Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, Detroit Opera for their production of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, and Lakes Area Music Festival as the Tanzmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos. In concert, Mr. Holcomb performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with St. John the Divine, Bach’s Magnificat and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with Musica Sacra, and Damien Geter’s An African American Requiem in its world premiere with both the Resonance Ensemble and the Oregon Symphony. He also toured Europe with the Harlem Gospel Choir and joined the New York Choral Society for their concert Love in Action. Holcomb also reprised his performance of Dancing in the Street: The Music of Motown for the Dallas Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, and Greensboro Symphony.

Recent milestones include Captain Leadbetter in the world premiere of Emerson Eads and Dave Hunsaker’s Princess Sophia with Project Orpheus, his long-awaited Carnegie Hall debut, his title role debut in Rossini’s Otello, and his debut at the Dresden Semperoper in Porgy and Bess. Other recent engagements include Rigoletto with Seattle Opera, Porgy and Bess in Italy with New York Harlem Productions, the role of Lechmere in Owen Wingrave with Little Opera Theater of NY, a soloist in Gershwin’s Blue Monday with On Site Opera, a soloist in Lush Life: Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn with Austin Symphony and the Florida Orchestra, and the role of Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess with Harrisburg Symphony. Mr. Holcomb performed with Sphinx Connect, as a soloist in Christian De Gré Cárdenas’ Twisted Operettas at Joe's Pub, Poul Ruders’ The Thirteenth Child with Santa Fe Opera at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, BMP: Next Generation with Beth Morrison Projects, Chicago Opera Theater as Tristan in Frank Martin's Le vin herbé, and he was featured as a soloist with Renée Fleming and Sir Patrick Stewart in Second City’s Guide to the Opera.

New York theater credits include Thomas (lead) in Whiskey Pants: The Mayor of Williamsburg Off-Broadway and Tom Collins in Rent. He also performed as Sportin’ Life in the international tour of Porgy and Bess and in productions of Company and Sweeney Todd.

An alumnus of the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center, Bernard performed such roles as Ernesto in Don Pasquale and Rodolfo in La Bohème. During his Lyric tenure, Mr. Holcomb appeared in main stage performances of Elektra, Simon Boccanegra, Don Pasquale, and The Tales of Hoffmann, and he covered major roles in Werther, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and Rigoletto. As part of the Young Artist program at Sarasota Opera, Bernard appeared in main stage performances of Pagliacci, The Crucible, L’amico Fritz, and I Lombardi. At the end of the program, he was awarded with the Anne O’Donnell Award, given to an outstanding apprentice.

Other notable engagements include Paolino in Cimarosa’s Il Matrimonio Segreto and Alfredo in La Traviata with Pine Mountain Music Festival; the Crabman in Porgy and Bess, which led to an international tour through Russia, Poland, Greece, Latvia, Estonia, and Germany; and Gastone in La Traviata with Detroit Opera. Bernard also appeared on several themed song recitals as part of a collaboration between Lyric Opera of Chicago and Chicago’s WFMT 98.7.

Mr. Holcomb has displayed tremendous musicianship and poise on concert and recital stages. These credits include a concert performance of La Bohème with Civic Orchestra of Chicago, holiday pops concerts with the New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra, a concert performance of The Magic Flute with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Augustus Hill’s Exegesis with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Macon Symphony Orchestra and the Illinois Philharmonic, and Mozart’s Requiem with the DeKalb Festival Chorus.

A winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (Michigan District), the Detroit native currently residing in NYC has earned a Master of Music degree from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music.

Learn more at BernardHolcomb.com.

From: Long Beach, California. LA Opera: Neferneferuaten in Akhnaten (2026, principal role debut); principal ensemble in Candide (2026). Previously: Chorus Soloist in Eurydice (2020). LA Opera Connects: Orpheus (2023, 2019); The Wreck of the Miranda (2018).

First prize winner of the 2024 Pasadena Vocal Competition, mezzo-soprano Erin Alford is quickly making a name for herself on the operatic, concert and recital stage. Her appearances in the 2025/26 season included her principal debut at LA Opera as Neferneferuaten in the arresting Phelim McDermott production of Philip Glass's Akhnaten, her Carnegie Hall debut as a soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music, a reprise of Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro with The Muses Project, her role debut as Romeo in Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi with Opera Italia, and a return to the Glimmerglass Festival as Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and to cover Aunt Eller in Oklahoma!

In the 2024/25 season, Erin sang Effie and covered Augusta in The Ballad of Baby Doe with The Opera Buffs, portrayed Agata in the rarely-performed bel canto comedy Don Bucefalo with Pacific Opera Project, returned to Pensacola Opera to make her role debut as Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro and covered Yvonne/Betty in Sunday in the Park with George at the Glimmerglass Festival. For her appearance as Agata, Erin was praised by Opera News for bringing "real bel canto craft" to the role.

In the 2023/24 season, Erin appeared as Berenice in Rossini’s L’occasione fa il ladro with Opera Southwest, in performances in the LA Opera Connects outreach production Orpheus, in the recital Words of Women in American Song with the Ebell of Los Angeles, as alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah with Pacific Opera Project and First Church Miami, and in concert with the Palm Springs Opera Guild.

In the 2022/23 season, she joined Florida Grand Opera as a Studio Artist, where she was seen as Fidalma in Il matrimonio secreto, La Ciesca in a double-bill of Gianni Schicchi and Buoso’s Ghost, and covered Rosina in The Barber of Seville. Erin’s performance of Fidalma was lauded as “statuesque and spunky,” and she was praised for her “powerful mezzo” and for “exhibit[ing] the best sense of classical style in the cast” (South Florida Classical Review). In the 2021/22 season, Erin performed the Second Woman and covered Dido in Dido and Aeneas with Opera San José, returned to Pensacola Opera as the Second Lady in The Magic Flute and joined Opera Santa Barbara as a Chrisman Studio Artist, covering Hannah After in As One and performing the song cycle The Starry Night with renowned American composer Jake Heggie at the piano. Additionally, Erin was named a 2022 Tennessee District Winner in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition.

Other notable roles performed include Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, the title role in Massenet’s Chérubin, Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking, Mercédès in Carmen, and Cousin Hebe in H.M.S. Pinafore. Erin received her Master of Music in her hometown at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach, and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music at UC Berkeley

Learn more at ErinAlford.com.

From: Los Angeles, California. LA Opera: performing credits include Lolo in The Merry Widow (2007, solo debut); dancer in La Traviata (2006), principal ensemble in Candide (2018 and 2026), and solo dancer and choreographer in The Anonymous Lover (2020). 

Andrea Beasom’s work has been hailed as “visually stimulating” by OperaWire, “ethereal and intimate” by Broadway World, and “sexy” by the Los Angeles Times, and has graced the stages of opera houses nationwide. Her direction and award winning choreography has been seen at the Washington National Opera, the Kennedy Center, LA Opera, Seattle Opera, Atlanta Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Austin Opera, Detroit Opera, Opera San Antonio, Glimmerglass Festival, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and Bard Summerscape. 

Andrea has worked closely with luminaries such as renowned opera director and artistic director of the Washington National Opera, Francesca Zambello, as well as other celebrated directors. During her time as a young artist at the Glimmerglass Festival, former Artistic Director Ms Zambello hand picked Ms Beasom as the first young artist to choreograph a production at the festival and out of the 50 young artists, Ms Zambello chose to personally sponsor her two seasons with the company. Ms Beasom has also collaborated with Tony- and Olivier Award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori, Tony Award-winning director Warren Carlyle, American theater director Anne Bogart, Emmy-winning and two-time Tony Award nominee Josh Bergasse, and regularly with top A-list singers. 

In addition to her work as a director and choreographer, Andrea Beasom has captivated audiences as both a professional singer and dancer. Throughout her multifaceted career, she has performed at the the Kennedy Center, Off-Broadway at New York City Center, Hawaii Opera Theater, LA Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, Pasadena Playhouse, Royal Opera House of Muscat, The Glimmerglass Festival, and the Dallas Opera. She has also danced professionally with Alonzo King's Lines Ballet Studio, Pasadena Dance Theater, in numerous commercial productions for Sony, Puma, Moncler, Microsoft and in the film The One That I Want. 

Additionally, Andrea holds a B.M. in operatic vocal performance from Mannes School of Music. When not on the road, she splits her time between Brooklyn and the Catskills.

Learn more at AndreaBeasom.com.

From: New York City. LA Opera: Consuelo in West Side Story (2025, debut); principal ensemble in Candide (2026).

Recent stage credits include Guys and Dolls at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Chicago at the Fulton Theatre in Chicago and Cabaret at the Barrington Stage Company in the Berkshires.

ilm and television appearances include Billions, The Other Two, Power, Schmigadoon, In the Heights and FBI.

Grateful for the love and support. 

IG: @juliaharnett 

From: New York City, New York. LA Opera: principal ensemble in Candide (2026).

Baritone Jawan Jenkins received his training early as a member of the Boys Choir of Harlem. Premiered roles include Asku in Stomping Grounds with the Glimmerglass Festival, Mr. Delgado in Jake Heggie’s It’s a Wonderful Life, and Ricky Ian Gordon’s A Coffin in Egypt, both with Houston Grand Opera. Roles with the Butler Opera Center include Ford in Falstaff, Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia, Papageno in The Magic Flute, Marquis de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites, Charlie in Three Decembers and the Father in Hansel and Gretel. With Houston Grand Opera, Opera to Go, he premiered three roles by Mary Carol Warwick. As a 2018 and 2019 Young Artist with the Glimmerglass Festival, he was seen in West Side Story, Silent Night, ShowBoat, Porgy and Bess, Blue, and The Ghost of Versailles. Jenkins has had recent debuts with Vegas City Opera as Marcello in La Bohème, as Action in West Side Story with Opera San José, and a guest soloist with Albany Symphony Orchestra and Georgia Symphony Orchestra. He has also appeared in Champion at Lyric Opera Chicago.

Jenkins obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Prairie View A&M University, and Master’s and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees from The University of Texas at Austin.

From: Los Angeles. LA Opera: Principal Ensemble in Candide (2026).

Joanna Kim, a Korean-American lyric coloratura soprano, is praised for her “crystal-clear” voice and compelling stage presence (Stage Scene LA). She has earned top honors in numerous competitions, including first place in the Gwendolyn Roberts Young Artist Auditions of NATS-Los Angeles (NATS-LA), one of the district winners in the NATSAA Artist Award Competition (Cal-Western Division), and first place in the Coeur d’Alene Symphony Young Artist Competition (2026).

In July 2026, she performed the roles of Cunegonde in Candide and Suor Genovieffa in Suor Angelica with Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point. Recently, she covered the role of Blonde in Pacific Opera Project’s Abduction from the Seraglio, a Star Trek-themed production. Earlier in the season, she appeared as Sophie in Terrence McNally’s Master Class at the Sierra Madre Playhouse, directed by Tim Dang; as Christine in a reduced version of The Phantom of the Opera with Pacific Opera Project’s outreach program; and participated in the Verdi Marathon in Busseto, Italy, hosted by Mirko Matarazzo, a renowned vocal coach who studied under Mirella Freni. Joanna is also a member of the LA Opera Chorus and Adoro Ensemble, a Los Angeles-based vocal chamber group led by Artistic Director Dr. Joung-A.

In the summer of 2025, Joanna returned to Italy to perform Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro with the Regium Lepidi Opera Company. She joined the chorus of Pacific Opera Project’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore. As a Resident Artist at Opera North (2024), she performed Diana in Orphée aux enfers, Cinderella in Into the Woods, and covered Gilda in Rigoletto. Other recent credits include Son in The Juniper Tree by Philip Glass, Norina in Don Pasquale and Zerlina in Don Giovanni at USC's Thornton School of Music, and a concert performance of Star Singer in collaboration with Beth Morrison Projects.

Her undergraduate highlights at NEC include Amore in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Amahl in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah and Mendelssohn’s Hear My Prayer. Joanna has been a finalist in the Opera Guild Vocal Competition, the Carolyn Bailey and Dominick Argento Vocal Competition, and the Classical Singer Competition (Young Artist Division)

Joanna has also been featured on various video games' official soundtracks. She was featured in the multi-award-winning video game Lies of P. She can be heard in her solo track, “Arche Abbey,” streaming on all online platforms. She also appears in the viral Korean YouTube variety show UMAGAME, singing in the original television soundtrack.

Joanna received her Master’s Degree in Music in Vocal Arts from The Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California (USC), studying under the tutelage of Lynn Helding. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music with a Vocal Performance and Music Education Concentration from the New England Conservatory of Music. 

Learn more at JoannaKimOfficial.com.

LA Opera: principal ensemble in Candide (2026).

Baritone Nicholas LaGesse has been hailed by The Huffington Post as "wonderful eye and ear candy." In 2025, Nicholas made his mainstage debut with Washington National Opera as Jim in Porgy and Bess, also covering the role of Jake. He returned to that company in 2026 as Parson Alltalk in Treemonisha. He also recently appeared with Bronx Opera as the Father in Hansel and Gretel, Bruschino Sr. in Il Signor Bruschino, and Betto in Gianni Schicchi. In 2023, he appeared with Boston Lyric Opera in the roles of Abdul and Abe in the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Omar by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels.

He recently made his debut with Salt Marsh Opera and completed his fourth and final year as an Emerging Artist with Boston Lyric Opera (BLO). During the 2022/23 season, he sang Mercutio in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, a landmark production in collaboration with Commonwealth Shakespeare Company that marked BLO’s first public opera performance on Boston Common in 20 years. His previous appearances with BLO included the comprimario role of Man in Bar in Terence Blanchard’s Champion, as well as covering the roles of Young Emile in Champion and Silvio in Pagliacci.

Nicholas has been a frequent collaborator with Pacific Opera Project, where he performed the roles of Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos, Danilo in The Merry Widow, and served as the cover for the title role in Don Giovanni. In 2015, he debuted as Jameson in the critically acclaimed mobile opera Hopscotch with The Industry, an experimental opera company based in Los Angeles. His accolades include being named a finalist in the Palm Springs Opera Guild Competition, winning the Chicago Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Competition, and receiving the Bella Voce Award in the Bel Canto Foundation Competition. 

He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University, a Master of Music from UCLA.

Learn more at NicholasLaGesse.com.

From: Denver, Colorado. LA Opera: principal ensemble in Candide (2026). He previously performed with the LA Opera Chorus in Carmen (2017).

Tenor Gibran Mahmud was a Resident Artist at Toledo Opera, where he performed the role of Father Chapelle in The Ballad of Baby Doe. At home in opera, concert, and music theater, he has earned acclaim for his musical performances in the Los Angeles area. Credits include the West Coast premiere of Frank Martin's The Love Potion (Kaherdin), Pacific Overtures (Fisherman/Dutch Admiral), and the world premiere of Hail Poetry! (George Power).

He has also joined the Principal/Education Artists of Long Beach Opera and the company of Opera A La Carte, along with singing in the professional opera choruses of LA Opera, Cincinnati Opera, and Dayton Opera. Gibran has sung with the summer programs of Angels Vocal Art, SongFest as a Professional Fellow and for The VOICExperience Foundation with Sherrill Milnes.

He has placed in competitions and received awards from the Center Stage Opera Vocal Competition, Classical Singer Competition, and Buckeye NATS. Other engagements include the role of Professor Figaro in The Barber of Seville with Cincinnati Opera’s partnered outreach program ROKCincy (Roundabout Opera for Kids).

He is an alumnus of USC Thornton School of Music (MM) and Miami University (BM).

From: Denver, Colorado. LA Opera: principal ensemble in Candide (2026).

Madison Manning, a New York City-based artist, is a recent graduate of Syracuse University’s drama department, with a BFA in Musical Theatre.

As an African-American biracial woman, Madison is dedicated to telling stories that celebrate and teach about black history. She is steadfast in exploring what it means to come from different cultural backgrounds. Madison’s passions about these narratives are expressed across the various artistic mediums that speak to her. Those mediums include the stage, screen, and her own choreographic work. Her recent acting credits include Cinderella in Cinderella: Enchanted Edition (Syracuse Stage LORT C), directed by Melissa Rain Anderson, and Bernarda Alba in Bernarda Alba (Syracuse University Department of Drama), directed and choreographed by William Carlos Angulo.

In the summer of 2026, she made her professional choreographic debut with Così fan tutte at the Glimmerglass Opera Festival, where she also appeared as Dream Ballet Laurey/Ensemble/Dance Captain in Oklahoma!. 

In each of her artistic endeavors, Madison sets herself apart with her commitment to preparation, consistency, and adaptability. She is a strong advocate for finding joy in the process of becoming a character. She values self-reflection and cherishes the memories and people who keep her connected to her inner child. For this reason, she especially loves the rehearsal process. She feels that it is a chance to celebrate collective effort and collaborate with those who challenge and inspire her. 

Some great minds she aspires to work with someday include Patina Miller, J.K. Simmons, Camille A. Brown, Jordan Peele, and Ryan Coogler.

Outside of performance, you’ll find Madison in the gym, on a sunrise hike, watching video game streamers on YouTube, or spending time with her family. She likes listening to indie & alt-rock, such as Alt-J & The Runarounds. 

Madison loves to read and aspires to become an editor of fantasy and literary fiction. She hopes to be pitching books for movie and TV adaptations one day. She desires to live with a Lamentations 3:22-23 mentality and walk with gentleness and reverence, caring deeply for her neighbors.

Learn more at MadisonManning.com.

From: Lowell, Massachusetts. LA Opera: A-Rab (Sep 20-21) / Jet Male Swing in West Side Story (2025); principal ensemble in Candide (2026).

Peter is thrilled to join LA Opera’s West Side Story. Past projects include Candide at the Glimmerglass Festival and Piano Men at the Palace Theatre (Manchester, New Hampshire). He thanks his mentors, family and friends for their love and support.

LA Opera: principal ensemble in Candide (2026).

Elliot Peterson recently made his Opera Montana debut as Harry Houdini in Ragtime. Elliot’s past performances include The Flying Dutchman with Virginia Opera, White Christmas at the Arvada Center, and Chuck Baxter in Promises, Promises at Broward Stage Door.

Elliot was a part of the Elf: The Musical national tour and performed as Ned in School of Rock at the Tuacahn Amphitheatre. 

From: Boston, Massachusetts. LA Opera: Action in West Side Story (2025, debut); principal ensemble in Candide (2026).

After graduating from Toronto's National Ballet School with the Christopher Ondaatje Ballet Prize, David spent 10 years with the New York City Ballet before making his Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning revival of Carousel (dir. Jack O'Brian). 

Other notable theater credits include the first national tour of An American in Paris (dir. Christopher Wheeldon), Marie: Dancing Still at the 5th Avenue Theatre (dir. Susan Stroman), West Side Story (Riff) at North Carolina Theatre, Fiddler on the Roof (dir. Lonny Price) at La Mirada Theater and Seattle Opera's world premiere of The Soldier's Tale, Retold, directed and choreographed by Josh Bergasse. Film and television credits include Dr. Odyssey, Etoile and Hocus Pocus 2.

In addition to his work as a performer, David teaches a variety of popular weekly open adult ballet classes at the Westside School of Ballet in Santa Monica.

DavidProttas.com

From: Asheville, North Carolina. LA Opera: principal ensembe in Candide (2026).

Praised as a “beautifully trained soprano with a pleasing touch of metal” (Opera Today), Alicia Russell Tagert begins 2026 with a return to Richmond, Virginia, for her debut with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra singing Copland’s Eight Poems of Emily Dickinson and Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915. In summer 2026, Alicia returns to upstate New York to debut with The REV Theater as Nettie in Carousel. Alicia ended the 2024/25 season by creating the role of Rafaela in the world premiere of The House of Mango Street at the Glimmerglass Festival. In her second season as a Resident Artist at GGF, she also sang in the ensemble of Eric Sean Fogel’s new production of The Rake’s Progress, and as a solo artist in a Midday Music concert and a collaborative concert. In spring 2024, Alicia sang a solo recital in her new hometown of Richmond, Virginia and later in the 2024 summer season, Alicia debuted with Charlottesville Opera as Marian Paroo (cover) in The Music Man. Continually proving herself as an adept musician, during her debut with Virgina Opera as the Forest Bird in their 2023 touring production of Siegfried, she also learned and sang Brünnhilde in one performance on five hours’ notice. In the summer of 2023, Alicia appeared with the Glimmerglass Festival, singing Queen of Eldorado in Francesca Zambello’s celebrated Candide, and for select performances she returned to the role of Musetta in La Bohème. In April 2023, she debuted Gretel in an English translation of Hansel and Gretel with Opera Birmingham. In a glittering season of debuts in 2022/23, she debuted at Cincinnati Opera as Morgan in Fierce as part of the anticipated world premiere, and “brought cheers from the opening-night audience” (Opera News), prior her role debut of a “bright and effortless soprano” as Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro in a return to Fargo-Moorhead Opera’s stage in North Dakota (Fargo Inforum).  

Alicia was a Gate City Bank Young Artist with Fargo-Moorhead Opera in winter 2021, performing Maya in Three Way and Berta in The Barber of Seville. In the 2019/20 season, Ms. Tagert returned to Toledo Opera to debut the role of Musetta in La Bohème, after spending the 2018/19 season as their soprano resident artist. She was scheduled to make her company debut in June 2020 with Lyric Opera Unlimited in the anticipated Chicago premiere of Blue, which has been postponed due to COVID-19.  Her past performances include Musetta in La Bohème, Samantha/Silver Dollar in The Ballad of Baby Doe and Frasquita in Carmen at Toledo Opera. Her numerous credits at the Seagle Festival include the title role in Robert Carl’s workshop of Harmony, Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby and Pamina in The Magic Flute. She has also appeared, as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, the title role in Savitri, and Elaine in Later the Same Evening with Northwestern University Opera Theater; Sylvie in Freedom Ride (workshop) with MassOpera; and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus with Boston University Tanglewood Institute.

Equally recognized for her concert performances, Ms. Tagert debuted in 2024 with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra singing excerpts from Paul Moravec’s Sanctuary Road. In 2022, she debuted with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra as the soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. 

Alicia Russell Tagert is a proud member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity Theta Lambda and Delta Delta Delta Sorority Gamma Xi. She was honored as one of Delta Delta Delta’s “33 Under 33” promising young leaders and selected as a nationally Distinguished Delta. Alicia is a firm supporter of racial equity and diversity in the arts and works with Seagle Festival as a DEI Taskforce member to partner with arts leadership in creating opportunity for artists of diverse racial backgrounds. In her private time, Alicia enjoys reading long books, fellowshipping with her church family, hiking in the mountains with her husband, baking sourdough, and drinking craft beer and fine wine. 

Learn more at AliciaRussellSoprano.com.