Get to know our 2025-26 Artists in Residence

The place are you from and what excites you about Colorado? I’ve moved round quite a bit, however I used to be born in (and at present reside in) a suburb of Chicago—Hoffman Estates, IL. I’m excited to reside exterior of the Midwest for an prolonged time period. This would be the first time I’ve lived quite a lot of hours away from house! I can’t wait to discover the mountain climbing and nature that Colorado has to supply. I’d additionally like to get again into horseback driving!

What position are you most wanting ahead to performing with us this season? There are such a lot of to look ahead to, but when I had to decide on one, I’d say I’m most wanting ahead to enjoying Juliet in our touring manufacturing of Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet. The music is so lush and exquisite, and I haven’t completed any Shakespeare work since highschool, however I cherished it! I hope there are lots of extra Juliets for me and my profession.

What are you doing this summer season earlier than you be a part of us in Denver? I spent six weeks in Petoskey, MI with the BayView Music Pageant. I sang the position of Micaëla in Carmen and spent many stunning days on the lake.

What’s your dream position? My dream position is Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor. I’d like to discover a darker character and undergo all of the feelings throughout a efficiency whereas singing some epic Donizetti coloratura. Christine Daaé in Phantom of the Opera is one other dream position.

What aria would you present somebody to get them into opera? Why? I might present them the enduring “Largo al factotum” from Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. Chances are high, they’ve heard this aria earlier than. It exhibits those that their preconceived notion of opera maybe being “stiff” and “boring” is so removed from the reality!

What’s considered one of your pre-performance rituals? I wish to get within the fitness center and transfer my physique with cardio and weightlifting. I like a little bit of caffeine, too!

What’s your favourite candy deal with? I like all of the candy treats. I’ve to select one? I’ll go along with Oreos. I might eat a complete package deal with a giant glass of (ideally oat) milk.

What music have you ever been listening to currently for enjoyable? My music style spans a really, very wide selection. Currently I’ve been jamming to pop/dance music and even some symphonic metallic! Something I can transfer and groove to is enjoyable.

Should you had been a merchandising machine, what would you vend? I might vend peanut M&Ms and a few form of potion that may assure a fortunate and profitable day! It’s a package deal deal.

The place are you from and what excites you about Colorado? I’m from Anchorage, AK, and I’m tremendous stoked to be dwelling within the Denver space giving me the possibility to nonetheless be near a number of mountain climbing, snowboarding, and outside actions.

What position are you most wanting ahead to performing with us this season? I’m most wanting ahead to performing as Ruth in Pirates of Penzance because the present itself is so splendidly ridiculous and the character Ruth has so many enjoyable qualities to play with.

What have you ever been doing this summer season earlier than you be a part of us in Denver? I’ve had a quite simple summer season this yr. I went house to Anchorage and have been working as a waitress, spending time with my canine, studying a number of new music (Schubert and Rossini), and spending a number of time exterior.

What’s your dream position? My present dream position is Elizabeth Cree from Kevin Places’ opera Elizabeth Cree as a result of I like her ambition and darker traits.

What aria would you present somebody to get them into opera? Why? For somebody who’s model new to opera, I might probably present them “Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix” from Samson et Dalila or “Non più mesta” from La Cenerentola to get them into opera. Nonetheless, if I used to be attempting to problem somebody’s prior conceptions of what opera is, I might present them “Yo soy maria” from Maria de Buenos Aires or the opera As One.

What’s considered one of your pre-performance rituals? Usually, I wish to make my efficiency days very chill. I sleep in, go on a brief run, probably run by way of my music as soon as, after which after I get to my first name, I wish to be as social as doable as a form of distraction from any nerves. Then, proper earlier than I’m going on, I love to do some squats and push-ups to floor me and get me into my physique and out of my head.

What’s your favourite candy deal with? This can be the toughest query, as I’ve an enormous candy tooth however my favorites are a superb chocolate fudge or any of the pralines from Läderach chocolate firm.

What music have you ever been listening to currently for enjoyable? Outdoors of the classical or musical theatre realm, I’ve been listening to the bands Poor Man’s Poison, Steam Powered Giraffe, and CAKE quite a bit lately.

Should you had been a merchandising machine, what would you vend? If I used to be a merchandising machine, I might probably nonetheless vend chips, as a result of I like them and all the time have (to the purpose the place that’s ceaselessly what I get for Christmas from my household).

The place are you from and what do you’re keen on most about it? I’m from Arvada, CO. I like Arvada, it’s the place I grew up, it was such a stupendous little farming city. I assume I’m a farm boy at coronary heart!

What position are you most wanting ahead to performing with us this season? I’m actually wanting ahead to enjoying Gastone in La traviata.

What are you doing this summer season earlier than you be a part of us in Denver? I used to be at Central Metropolis Opera this previous summer season masking Rely Almaviva in The Barber of Seville! It was a unbelievable time—I had a lot enjoyable particularly as a result of I had a full efficiency because the Rely.

What’s your dream position? Tamino from Mozart’s The Magic Flute is a superb position with a number of unbelievable music! I’ve cherished my time performing that position!

What aria would you present somebody to get them into opera? Why? Scarpia’s aria from Tosca, “Te deum laudamus,” which closes the primary act. It’s so grand, and has cannons in it—who doesn’t like cannons?

What’s considered one of your pre-performance rituals? I don’t assume I actually have a pre-performance ritual, however I do have a tendency to sit down down quietly and simply have a look at my rating earlier than the present. It will get me into a superb head area.

What’s your favourite candy deal with? Oreo ice cream sandwiches from Costco.

What music have you ever been listening to currently for enjoyable? I’ve been listening to a number of nation currently all totally different artists!

Should you had been a merchandising machine, what would you vend? I’d vend 12 months of sunshine and love and happiness.

The place are you from and what do you’re keen on most concerning the Larger Denver Space? I grew up in Memphis, TN! I moved to Denver for graduate faculty at DU and fell in love with each side of Colorado. I completely love the climate and the accessibility to the outside!

What position are you most wanting ahead to performing with us this season? I’m so thrilled for every of my roles this season, however I’m most excited to play the Baron Douphol in La traviata, because the present was the primary ever opera I carried out in as a chorister with Opera Memphis. I’m so excited to revisit Verdi’s timeless rating.

What are you doing this summer season earlier than you be a part of us in Denver? I’ve been attempting to enhance my golf recreation as a lot as I can!

What’s your dream position? My dream position is tied between Marcello in La bohème and Emile de Becque in South Pacific.

What aria would you present somebody to get them into opera? Why? I might present them “Vittoria! Vittoria!…” From Gianni Schicchi as a result of it balances comedy, lush musicality, and has a plethora of emotion and scheming all through. I haven’t met many individuals who avidly dislike Gianni Schicchi both…

What’s considered one of your pre-performance rituals? Sleep.

What’s your favourite candy deal with? A great southern model banana pudding with loads of Nilla wafers!

What music have you ever been listening to currently for enjoyable? I’m an enormous fan of rock bands like Turnstile, Modest Mouse, Arctic Monkeys and Vampire Weekend. I’ve additionally been revisiting the soundtrack from Hadestown currently! Considered one of my favourite musicals.

Should you had been a merchandising machine, what would you vend? I might undoubtedly be an unique Dr. Pepper merchandising machine.

The place are you from and what do you’re keen on most concerning the Larger Denver Space? I’m from Ecuador. I’ve only recently began studying extra concerning the mural scene in Denver. Should you haven’t seen, I’ll inform you proper now, it’s stunning!

What position are you most wanting ahead to performing with us this season? I wish to say Dr. Grenvil in La traviata, it will likely be my first position in a Verdi work, and that’s thrilling.

What are you doing this summer season earlier than you be a part of us in Denver? Outdoors from work, I’ve been studying a number of sci-fi novels and having enjoyable studying about quite a lot of sciences.

What’s your dream position? I feel I’d wish to play Wotan from Wagner’s Ring Cycle someday, possibly in a pair a long time.

What aria would you present somebody to get them into opera? Why? Prince Yeletsky’s aria from Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades), “Ya vas lyublyu” (I like you past all measure), as a result of it’s the most stunning of all of them, for my part.

What’s considered one of your pre-performance rituals? It varies, however someplace in between going over my strains, enjoying on-line Catan, and streaming a film or a present.

What’s your favourite candy deal with? I actually like kheer, which is like rice pudding.

What music have you ever been listening to currently for enjoyable? Chrono Set off piano collections by Yasunori Mitsuda, performed by Trevor Alan Gomes.

Should you had been a merchandising machine, what would you vend? Tickets to your favourite present!

The place are you from and what excites you about Colorado? I’m from Oneida, NY, which is a small city principally within the heart of New York State. I’ve spent two summers working for Opera Steamboat, however I’m extraordinarily excited to maneuver to the Denver Space and soak up the fantastic thing about the mountains. I like being in a metropolis with a younger, youthful vitality, and I can’t wait to immerse myself in that tradition. I’m additionally stepping into movie pictures, and I wish to take a number of ~artsy~ photos of the mountains in Colorado.

What position are you most wanting ahead to performing with us this season? I’m most wanting ahead to performing the position of Marchese d’Obigny in La traviata this November. I had the chance to sing this position with Piedmont Opera in Winston-Salem, NC throughout graduate faculty, so that is the primary time that I’ll reprise a job on the skilled degree. Additionally, Verdi is my favourite composer, so I’m excited to be immersed in his music once more.

What are you doing this summer season earlier than you be a part of us in Denver? I labored in New York Metropolis this summer season for Catapult Opera and Teatro Nuovo. At Teatro Nuovo, I made my NYC debut in Verdi’s Macbeth. I additionally will arrive in Denver proper after ending a cross-country street journey from Central New York to California after which again to Colorado.

What’s your dream position? My dream position is Scarpia in Puccini’s Tosca. The “Te Deum” on the finish of act one is so epic!

What aria would you present somebody to get them into opera? Why? “Che gelida manina” from Puccini’s La bohème, particularly sung by Franco Corelli… the fervour on this aria is so stunning!

What’s considered one of your pre-performance rituals? I usually wish to deal with efficiency days as regular days, in order that I can keep relaxed! That stated, I like to get up early and deal with myself to a espresso at an area espresso store. I should discover a new favourite in Denver.

What’s your favourite candy deal with? Espresso ice cream!

What music have you ever been listening to currently for enjoyable? Bon Iver and Noah Kahan—I like singer-songwriter music and folky stuff.

Should you had been a merchandising machine, what would you vend? I might vend disposable movie cameras so that everybody could make recollections with a movie digicam!

The place are you from and what excites you about Colorado? I come from a city known as Woodstock, which is about an hour northwest of Chicago, IL. The panorama there’s very flat, so a giant a part of what excites me about Colorado is having the ability to reside so near the mountains and expertise the pure magnificence round Denver!

What are you most wanting ahead to about this season? In addition to attending to work with the opposite unbelievable Artists in Residence, I can’t wait to be part of a neighborhood that loves this artwork type. To have the ability to reside within the music of La traviata and Madama Butterfly is a reward in itself, however it’s much more gratifying after I get to play a component in letting an viewers expertise the fantastic thing about these works.

What are you doing this summer season earlier than you be a part of us in Denver? I’ve been having fun with a slower tempo to the summer season after ending 5 years and two levels on the College of Michigan. I labored by way of a backlog of books I haven’t had time for, reconnected with previous mates, and obtained again in contact with the awesomeness of Bach’s keyboard music.

What’s your favourite piano piece to play? If I sat down proper now to play something, it will be the second motion of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90. So candy, with a beautiful melody and a number of soul, I convey it out from time to time as a result of the way in which it rolls off the fingers is simply so satisfying. I’d advocate Igor Levit’s recording to anybody fascinated about listening to it.

What aria would you present somebody to get them into opera? Why? My coronary heart opened to opera after I heard Pavarotti sing “Che gelida manina” on the 1972 recording of La bohème, with Karajan conducting. I’ll always remember it—I’d been round nice music all my life, however that efficiency completely reset my bar for not simply what was doable in music, however what we must be getting down to obtain each time we make it.

What’s your favourite a part of the rehearsal course of? That first rehearsal when the singers and orchestra meet, undoubtedly. There’s a number of work to do, after all, however the room is stuffed with smiles as issues lastly begin to take form. Even after spending a lot time with the music as much as that time, it’s like everybody will get to fall in love another time.

What’s your favourite candy deal with? I’m actual large on Nerds Gummy Clusters today, sadly for my tooth.

What music have you ever been listening to currently for enjoyable? I’ve been having fun with my 70’s funk playlist whereas driving. I wish to play bluegrass guitar, so Tony Rice’s albums are normally on at house.

Should you had been a merchandising machine, what would you vend? A commemorative photograph of your go to to the merchandising machine.