The Apprentice Artists program provides a platform for undergraduate voice students to gain performance experience with a professional company while working alongside and learning from Opera Orlando staff and guest artists. Currently, the Apprentice Artists program is a partnership with Stetson University, which allows singers to earn college credit through their participation in the program.

2024-25 APPRENTICE ARTISTS

Rachel Castillo, soprano, began taking professional voice lessons at the age ten with soprano Annette Myers. Since starting her professional training, Ms. Castillo has participated in multiple competitions and summer programs including the FPEA Sacred Vocal Competition (1st place), SERNATS Conference (2nd place), The New York Lyric Opera Competition (5th place), The Broadway Artists Intensive, and the Miami Music Festival. Most recently, she won 1st place in Stetson University’s Giffin Competition. She has also had the opportunity to perform internationally for programs that include the Salzburg Music Festival and the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival. Ms. Castillo has performed principal roles in numerous musicals and operas, such as Jo in Little Women, Queen Guenevere in Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot, Second Woman in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Chocholka in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen, and Adele in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. She most recently played Papagena in Miami Music Festival’s production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Ms. Castillo is a fourth-year vocal performance major at Stetson University studying with Dr. Karen Coker-Merritt.

Tajah Garrett, mezzo soprano, has been seen on stage at Stetson University as Lapak in Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen, Merlyn in Lerner & Loewe's Camelot, and Prince Orlofsky in Strauss's Die Fledermaus. Ms. Garrett has nurtured her passion for musical art since her first solo at her elementary school's Christmas concert. In 8th grade, she began piano and songwriting lessons with Emma Wallace and started professional voice lessons with Orlando-based mezzo-soprano Hillary Brown, continuing her voice training through her time at Dr. Phillips High School. Additionally, she participated in Florida All County every year from 2010 to 2020 and advanced to All State and All National from 2018 to 2021 in the Women’s and Mixed choruses. In Orlando, Ms. Garrett works on song production as a singer/songwriter and performs locally, accompanying herself on guitar. Maintaining her passion for contemporary music, she recently received Stetson University's Summer Research Grant (SURE), supporting her self-written and produced album. Ms Garrett is a fourth-year vocal performance major at Stetson University, studying with Dr. Chadley Ballantyne.

Kenneth Browning, bass baritone, is a third-year vocal performance major at Stetson University studying with Dr. Nathan Munson. At Stetson, Mr. Browning has performed as a soloist in performances of Schubert's Mass No. 2 in G Major and Handel's Messiah. He has also sung the roles of Sir Lionel in Lerner and Loewe's Camelot and Frank in Strauss's Die Fledermaus. He is currently preparing to play Polyphemus in Handel's Acis and Galatea. Recently, Mr. Browning sung abroad in Germany through the young artist program Musik Theater Bavaria. He performed in scenes from Weber's Oberon and Kálmán's Die Csárdásfürstin as Scherasmin and Feri von Kerekes respectively.

Baritone Nicholas Dieux is a fourth-year vocal performance major at Stetson University studying with Dr. Chadley Ballantyne. While at Stetson, Mr. Dieux has sung the roles of Maestro Spinelloccio in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, the Forester in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen, Lancelot Du Lac in Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot, and Dr. Falke in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. In July of 2024, he made his international debut as Papageno in Lyric Opera Studio Weimar’s production of Die Zauberflöte. A lover of art song, Mr. Dieux received the Stetson Maris Award for his first degree recital The Wanderer, which portrayed the archetypes found within German-Romantic literature. Mr. Dieux has also participated in masterclasses with Italian vocal coach and Caruso Award winner Massimo Iannone, Dr. Linda Di Fiori, and Damon Nester Ploumnis.

For more information about the Apprentice Artists program email education director Sarah Purser at SPurser@OperaOrlando.org or call (407) 512-1900.

2023-2024 APPRENTICE ARTISTS
Isabel Barbato, soprano
Nidia Guevara-Nolasco, mezzo-soprano