The Studio Artists program provides a platform for emerging singers to gain performance experience, cover MainStage roles, work with special guest artists in masterclass settings and receive acting, movement, and vocal training. Studio Artists also engage with the Central Florida community through in-school programs, retirement center concerts, and other outreach events.
Opera Orlando is currently accepting applications for its 2024-25 Studio Artists.
2023-24 STUDIO ARTISTS
soprano LAURA CORINA SANDERS
Hailed as "impressive,” and "charming ... with a stunning voice," Filipina-American soprano Laura Corina Sanders is an artist to watch. Her notable accolades include First Prize in the Lotte Lenya Competition in 2018, First Prize in the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston Career Grant Competition in 2023, and she has twice been the recipient of an Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council district competition. In 2023 Ms. Sanders made her debut with Minnesota Opera, creating the roles of Joua Thao and Kalia Yang in the world premiere of The Song Poet by Jocelyn Hagen, and she makes her role debut as Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Painted Sky Opera.
mezzo-soprano LINDA COLLAZO
Audiences throughout the U.S. have heard Bronx-born Ecuadorian and Puerto-Rican Mezzo-Soprano Linda Collazo at venues including Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, Lincoln Center, the United Palace Theater, and Repertorio Español, as well as in theaters throughout Italy. Described as having a voice that is “elastic and luxurious…” (Ars Raving Mad), Ms. Collazo's 2021-22 season included singing Cherubino in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro with SAS Performing Arts Company, winning an encouragement award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions New York district, winning a grant from the Gerda Lissner Foundation Operetta & Zarzuela Division, and being named a full scholarship vocal fellow and a Renée Fleming artist alternate at the Aspen Music Festival where she covered Meg Page in Falstaff with Bryn Terfel in the title role and participated in masterclasses with Nico Muhly and Patrick Summers.
tenor DAVID SOTO ZAMBRANA
Tenor David Soto Zambrana is native of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He trained in the bel canto tradition at the University of Oklahoma, where he was awarded a prestigious Weitzenhoffer Opera Fellowship and a master’s degree. Recently, he performed in Painted Sky Opera’s Don Giovanni (Don Ottavio) and sang for the Oklahoma premiere of Lori Laitman’s The Scarlet Letter (Arthur Dimmesdale). He was a Tomita Young Artist with Finger Lakes Opera, performed leading roles with Taconic Opera, and is an alumnus of Musiktheatre Bavaria in Oberaudorf, Germany. As an Artist in Residence at Opera Colorado, Mr. Zambrana performed on the mainstage in Rigoletto (Duke of Mantua), Die tote Stadt (Count Albert), and Turandot (Prince of Persia). He also appeared in Opera Colorado’s Opera on Tour productions of The Pirates of Penzance (Frederic) and Romeo & Juliet (Romeo). David was awarded a Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Encouragement Award, Marilyn Horne Performance Award, and the Dame Eva Turner Award for Vocal Performance.
baritone JOSE CUARTAS
Colombian-American baritone José Cuartas hails from Queens, New York. He received both a Bachelor and Master of Music from Mannes College The New School of Music under the tutelage of the late Ruth Falcon. He was a previous participant of IVAI (International Vocal Arts Institute) in Israel, Virginia, New York City, and Montréal. In 2016, he made his Stern Auditorium debut at Carnegie Hall as a featured artist. His previous roles include Belcore (L'elisir d'amore) and John Brooke in Mark Adamo's Little Women with the Mannes Opera, Prince Ottokar (Der Freischütz) with Bronx Opera, Schaunard (La Bohème) with Miami Music Festival, Amore Opera, and Regina Opera, and Peter (Hänsel und Gretel) with Regina Opera. During the summer of 2017, Mr. Cuartas was invited to be an apprentice artist of the Caramoor Bel Canto Opera and then returned to Montréal to sing the title role of Gianni Schicchi as part of the Institut Canadien d’Art Vocal. In the 2019-20 season, he was selected as an apprentice artist with Sarasota Opera where he made his mainstage debut singing the customs sergeant in La Bohème. He then returned for their 2022 winter season to sing the role of Sciarrone in Tosca.
To book Studio Artists to perform at your school, community center, or special event, email education director and Studio Artists program director Sarah Purser at SPurser@OperaOrlando.org or call (407) 512-1900.
2022-2023 STUDIO ARTISTS
Sara Lucille Law, soprano
Raphaella Medina, mezzo-soprano
Robert Hartfield, tenor
Geoffrey Peterson, baritone
2021-2022 STUDIO ARTISTS
Rachel Querreveld, soprano
Laura Zahn, mezzo-soprano
Logan Webber, tenor
Geoffrey Peterson, baritone
2020-2021 STUDIO ARTISTS
Kyaunnee Richardson, soprano
Gloria Palermo, mezzo-soprano
Brent Doucette, tenor
Andrew Thomas Pardini, baritone
2019-2020 STUDIO ARTISTS
Adriana Nieves, soprano
Anna Eschbach, soprano
Gloria Palermo, mezzo-soprano
Brent Doucette, tenor
Sean Stork, baritone
2018-2019 STUDIO ARTISTS
Courtney Ruckman, soprano
Kelly Kim, soprano
Emily Heumann, mezzo-soprano
Jonathan Iverson, tenor
Benjamin Ludwig, baritone
2017-2018 STUDIO ARTISTS
Kenneithia Mitchell, soprano
Arleen Ramirez, soprano
Samantha Barnes Daniel, soprano
Jillian Marini, soprano
Sarah Purser, mezzo-soprano
John Murray, tenor
Colton Brooks, tenor
Justin Morrison, baritone
Harrison Bumgardner, baritone
2016-2017 STUDIO ARTISTS
Elizabeth Ingram, soprano
Sara Stead, soprano
Sarah Purser, mezzo-soprano
Morgan Davis Peckles, mezzo-soprano
Ralph Pugh, tenor
Justin Morrison, baritone