Celebrated soprano, Cecilia Violetta López, has been named one of “Idaho’s Top 10 Most Influential Women of the Century” by USA Today and has been named one of opera’s “25 Rising Stars” by Opera News. The singing actress is constantly praised for her “alluring voice and incredible range” (Washington Post).

She has received accolades for her signature role of Violetta in La traviata, which she has performed countless times throughout North America. Critic, James Jorden, exclaimed “she is a Violetta fully- formed and, I think, ready for the great stages of the world.” She has now performed the role with Minnesota Opera, Opera Colorado, Opera Tampa, Opera Idaho, Ash Lawn Opera, The Northern Lights Music Festival, Madison Opera, Pacific Symphony and Virginia Opera. Ms. López made her European début as Norina in Don Pasquale with Zomeropera in Belgium, for which Klassiek Centraal exclaimed: “She turns out to be the revelation of the show and wins over the audience with her funny rendition, irresistible charm, and [she is] natural in the different vocals.”

From her performance as Adina in The Elixir of Love with Virginia Opera, The Virginian- Pilot hailed, “Cecilia Violetta López is showing local audiences why Opera News named her one of its ’25 Rising Stars.’ In the lead role of Adina, she hit the highest notes with ringing clarity, performed the vocal runs with precision and grace and showed a particular charm and humanity in the softest passages and lowest ranges.” In her recent performance as Marguerite in Faust with Opera Omaha, the Omaha World-Herald claimed “…López sang Marguerite’s seduction, madness and salvation with an other wordly wisdom and artistry.”

Despite the halting effects of COVID-19 in the opera industry, Ms. López’ 2020-2021 has included both virtual and live recitals with Opera Idaho, Opera Las Vegas, Austin Opera, Opera Southwest, Chatter ABQ, and Madison Opera. Ms. López made her company debut with Pacific Symphony as Violetta in their 90 minute version of La traviata, and Ms. López will also be the featured soprano soloist in the world premier of Mi Camino, a virtual project with Opera Cultura. Cecilia will also return to Opera Colorado as a soprano soloist in Canciones de Nuestras Tierras: a live, outdoor performance.

In past seasons, Ms. López has made several role débuts including her now critically acclaimed role of Adina in L’elisir d’amore with Opera Idaho, Virginia Opera and Opera Las Vegas, the title role in Massenet’s Manon with Opera Idaho, Nedda in I pagliacci with Opera Colorado, Desdemona in Rossini’s Otello with LoftOpera, Maria in West Side Story with Opera Idaho, Marguerite in Faust with Opera Omaha, Mimì in La bohème with Opera Orlando, Rosalba in Florencia en el Amazonas with Florida Grand Opera, Beatrice Russo in Il Postino with Opera Southwest and Opera Saratoga, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, and Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Tampa, Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow with Opera Saratoga, Lucy in Fellow Travelers with Prototype Opera Festival, the title role of Suor Angelica with Opera San Luis Obispo, Magda in La rondine with Skylark Opera Theatre, Gilda in Rigoletto with Opera Idaho, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni with Opera Tampa and Opera Las Vegas. She appeared as Micaëla in Carmen in her house debut with Michigan Opera Theatre and Blanche in Dialogues des Carmélites and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus as a part of Eugene Opera’s New Year’s Eve Opera Trio. In addition to these débuts, she reprised the role of Micaëla in Carmen with Madison Opera and joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera in their 2015 production of The Merry Widow.

Solo concert performances include Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 and selections from Canteloube’s Chants d’Auvergne with the Henderson Symphony Orchestra, and Rutter’s Mass of the Children with the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society. Additionally, Ms. López has performed as a soloist at the reopening of the Idaho Museum of Natural History gala, various Christmas concerts including her company debut with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, and as a featured soloist in concerts with the Boise Philharmonic, Austin Opera, Madison Opera and the prestigious Bard SummerScape Music Festival. Ms. López was also a soloist in Opera Orlando’s One Voice Benefit Concert in Orlando, Florida where proceeds benefited those affected by the tragedy that occurred at the Pulse Night Club. She performed for the Zion’s Bank Annual Gala, and was a guest speaker at the 2017 California State Annual Migrant Parent and Student Conference where she shared her story and musical talents with people of similar backgrounds as her own.

Ms. López also completed a two-year-tenure as a Soprano Resident Artist at Opera San José where she performed Leïla in Les pêcheurs de perles, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, Leonora in Il trovatore, the title role in Suor Angelica, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Nannetta in Falstaff, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, and Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly.

Additionally, Ms. López is an alum of the Caramoor Music Festival where she covered the role of Hélène in Les vêpres siciliennes. She is also an alum of the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival where she sang the title role in their production of L’incoronazione di Poppea. Her début of the role of Violetta in La traviata, was with Martina Arroyo Foundation’s prestigious summer festival, Prelude to Performance.

In January 2021, Opera Idaho appointed Ms. López as the company’s first Artistic Advisor. “Known to Opera Idaho audiences primarily through her appearances in operas over the last six-plus years, Cecilia takes on added responsibilities to advise and advocate for expanded repertoire, provide insights on diversity in artistic practices and community initiatives, and collaborate with senior management in identifying and securing financial support for the company. Cecilia will work closely with General Director Mark Junkert in helping shape the future of Opera Idaho.”

‘When I think of someone, active in the field as a performer who both knows what’s happening in the field nationally and internationally and knows our state, Cecilia is the perfect fit for the position. Many opera companies have similar positions, and it is a sign of Opera Idaho’s growth that we’re able at this point in our history to add an Artistic Advisor.’

—Mark Junkert, General Director, Opera Idaho

Ms. López is the recipient of an Idaho State Concurrent Resolution honoring her life as an Idahoan and her work in the world of opera.

“We should be so very proud of Cecilia Violetta López. She exemplifies all that is what America is about: apply yourself, work hard, dream big, and you can achieve those dreams. She tells every Idaho girl and boy that they, too, can succeed … no matter where they came from, no matter how small they may start out, no matter how long their journey may appear to be. Idaho should be so very proud of this young lady and should hold her up as an example of what all Idaho children might achieve.

—Opera Idaho Board Member, Yvonne McCoy for Senator Buckner-Webb.

Ms. López, “The Daughter of Idaho,” a Mexican-American native of Rupert, Idaho, is featured in two Idaho state museums and got her musical start at a young age singing mariachi music that she learned from her mother.

Taylor recently toured the world as Riff on the International Tour of West Side Story (dir. Lonny Price). Selected theatre credits include: 360’s Peter Pan, National Tour (Peter Pan), Peter and the Starcatcher (The Boy, TTB Nomination), Our Town (George Gibbs, TTB Nomination) The Music Man (Tommy Djilas), Into the Woods (Jack) and West Side Story (various: Chicago Lyric Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Atlanta Opera, KC Opera, Opera San Jose, NC Theatre, Moonlight Amphitheatre). TV/Film Credits include 1923, Somewhere in Queens (dir. Ray Romano), Bodybag, Law & Order: SVU.

Isaac Tobler is so excited for his first leading role with Opera Columbus! Studying vocal performance at Wright State University, Isaac was able to focus on his life-long love for singing and performing. During his studies, Isaac starred in the role of Papageno in The Magic Flute and Sir Joseph Porter in H.M.S. Pinafore, to name a couple. Isaac had the privilege to work masterclasses with vocal greats such as Roderick Dixon, Alfreda Burke, and the legendary Stephen Schwarts while studying there. After Wright State, Isaac went back to his musical theater roots where he worked with Dare 2 Defy Productions, in Dayton, Ohio. With D2D, Isaac was cast in HAIR, and his dream role to date, Tom Collins in their 2014 production of RENT. In his time away, Isaac has remained a community liaison for the LGBTQ+ community, performing under his forename, Isaac Ismael. Isaac has hosted and performed at local community events such as ComFest and Columbus Pride while capturing local and national recognition throughout competitions and shows. Isaac was elated to rejoin the performing community by starring in the Short North Stage’s production of Ain’t Misbehavin’ as Andre, and then first working with Opera Columbus in their production of The Threepenny Opera. In his downtime, Isaac enjoys spending time with his friends, trying new restaurants, and keeping his cats content at home. So deeply appreciative of this opportunity, Isaac wishes the rest of this cast an excellent run, and thanks to all the attending audience and support system he has.

Venezuelan bass-baritone Miguel Pedroza is passionate about bringing stories to life through opera. A resident artist with Opera Columbus from 2020 to 2022, he is delighted to return to the company for another performance. Miguel has also collaborated with St. Petersburg Opera, Bronx Opera, Opera Maine, Opera Southwest, Teatro Nuevo, and Opera on the James.Recentroles include Randy Curtis in Lady in the Dark, Zuniga in Carmen, Colline in La Bohème, Marco in Gianni Schicchi, Marchese d’Obigny in La Traviata, Raimbaud in Le loup garou, and King Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors. Later this year, he will be performing the role of Sarastro in Opera Mississippi’s Die Zauberflöte. An alumnus of the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music and the University of Houston, Miguel is eager to reconnect with Columbus’s vibrant audiences.

Ryan is incredibly excited to be making his debut with Opera Columbus! If you’ve seen any theatre in Columbus recently, you may have seen Ryan’s projection designs for Short North Stage’s production of Nine the Musical and A Christmas Carol, or you may have seen him as Eddie/Dr. Scott in Short North Stage’s production of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show. He’s also done projection design for CCT’s Next to Normal, and JCC’s Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and lighting design for Short North Stage’s Ain’t Misbehavin’. Ryan has also been credited with performing roles in other SNS productions such as Rock of Ages, Tick, Tick, Boom, RENT, and White Christmas, Into the Woods, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party. Ryan is a local performer, originally from Mansfield, Ohio, where he’s performed in over 45 professional musical productions at the Historic Renaissance Theatre. His favorite roles performed include Jack Kelly in Newsies, Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Drew in Rock of Ages, and John Wilkes Booth in Assassins at Theatre 166. Outside of theatre, he also owns and operates Fyrebird Media, a digital media marketing agency, specializing in videography, photography, advertising, and projection design. You can see more of his design work by following @FyrebirdMedia on social media. Ryan would like to thank his incredible friends and family for all their support, as well as thank the cast and crew for putting on this incredible production! He hopes you enjoy the show and thanks you for supporting the arts in Columbus. For more info about Ryan, visit ryanshreve.com or follow him on Instagram at @iamryanshreve

Jordan Young is thrilled to be making his Opera Columbus debut in West Side Story! Jordan is a mainstay in the local musical theater community and excited to be returning to his classical roots. Past roles include Dr. Madden/Fine in Next to Normal (CCT), Kyle/Dewey/Lowell in Legally Blonde (Short North Stage), Phoebus de Martin in Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (CCT), and Mr. Price/Richard Bailey in Kinky Boots (Short North Stage). He would like to thank Allegra, Que, and the creative team, the cast and crew for being warm and welcoming, Sara Pardo Fishburn for her artistic guidance, and his family and friends for their continued love and support. He would like to dedicate his performance to the late Richard Crist with thanks for nurturing his appreciation for this beautiful art form. Let’s get ready to rumble!

Katie Ann is a Columbus-based actor/musician, music director/conductor, and stage manager. She holds dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Music from OSU. Most recently she music directed ‘Little Women’ and appeared as Dolly in OC’s ‘The Threepenny Opera’. Some favorite credits include Belle in ‘Beauty and the Beast’, Cinderella in ‘Into the Woods’, Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid’, Sibella in ‘A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder’, Rusty in ‘Footloose’, Ex-Girlfriend/violin in ‘Once’, and Louise in ‘Gypsy’.

Cynthia López-Olaya is a Xicana soprano originally from Los Angeles, California, and based in Columbus, Ohio. She received her training from The Ohio State University and Boston Conservatory of Music at Berklee. As an emerging artist, she has had the pleasure of combining her work in advocacy through her performance career, lectures, panel discussions, and philanthropy with leading companies in the industry.

Mrs. López-Olaya’s 2023-2024 season included Natalia (Caravana de Mujeres), a comedic opera about a Colombian immigrant family, where she sang the world premiere at Opera America’s New Works Forum with MassOpera and OperaHub, and Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) with the Boston Festival Orchestra and NEMPAC Opera Project. She then completed a residency with Hogfish Opera where she sang the role of Frasquita and covered Micaëla (Carmen) in a reimagined production that highlights conditions at the border between El Paso, Texas and Mexico. During her residency, she also completed a recital highlighting Nahuatl songs, the most prevalent Indigenous language in Mexico. She then premiered the work Soul Echoes with Concertia HTX as the soprano soloist, a vocal drama elevating narratives of children detained at the US-Mexico border.

Other credits include: Maria (West Side Story), and Mimì (La bohème) with MassOpera; Despina (Così fan tutte) and Blanche (Dialogues des Carmélites) with Boston Conservatory Opera; Nannetta (Falstaff) with Martina Arroyo Prelude to Performance; and Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) with The Ohio State University Lyric and Opera Theater. In addition to her classical music career, she is also the vocalist for a professional contemporary Latin trio in Columbus, OH and she is the co-founder of Latina Women in Opera.

Anabella Petronsi, Argentinian mezzo-soprano, graduated from the National University of Arts in Argentina and The Ohio State University, where she served as a Graduate Teaching Associate.

She has sung Barbarina (Mozart), Serpetta (Mozart), Papagena (Mozart), Despina (Mozart), Rosita (Torroba), Poèsié (Charpentier), Berenice (Rossini), Mrs. Webster (Candey), Flora (Charpentier), Mirror 1 (Albinarrate), Mariquita Sánchez (Scher), Heraldo (Lambertini), Sorceress (Purcell), Rosine (Pasatieri), Giovanna (Verdi), Hansel (Humperdinck), Mercèdés (Bizet), Pillar 3 (The Temple), and Kate (Pirates of Penzance).

She worked as an Artistic Administrator and Director of Operations and Special Projects and Events for the College of Musical Arts at the National University of Arts in Argentina. She sang with Enhorabuena Company, Opera Joven, Ensemble Tempus, The Cardinal Ensemble, Opera Project Columbus, and Opera Columbus.

Alan Tyson is thrilled to be making his Opera Columbus debut. He is beyond grateful for this opportunity. He wants to thank his loving God because without Him none of this would be possible, his family, friends, and the wonderful cast and crew. Recent acting credits include: Reggie, Skeleton Crew at The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio; Walter, A Raisin in the Sun with Actors Theatre of Columbus. Recent directing credits include: Beautiful: The Carole King Musical with Gallery Players and Chicken & Biscuits with Actors Theatre of Columbus. Recent Film Credits: Ezra in Obstacle Corpse and Dee in The Holiday Club (both on Amazon Prime). All socials: @AlanELTyson. Be sure to visit: www.Alan-Tyson.com

Brian C Gray is a singer/actor/director living on the East Side of Columbus. Brian carries two music degrees: a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Otterbein University, and a Master of Music in Music Theatre from Oklahoma City University. Post graduating Brian performed with various theatre companies including Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, TN, Lexington Children’s Theatre in Lexington, KY, and the Springer Opera House in Columbus, GA. Locally, Brian has performed in numerous theatre productions with several companies, including The Contemporary (previously CATCO), Columbus Children’s Theatre, Available Light Theatre, Short North Stage, and more. Brian also directs the OutLoud BIPOC Theatre Collective at Olentangy Orange High School in central Ohio.

Jake is honored to join Opera Columbus in telling this classic story. He was last seen as Professor Bhaer in Curtain Players’ production of “Little Women” in December last year, Dracula in “The Passion of Dracula” at LTOB in October, and Edward Bloom in “Big Fish” also at LTOB in June. Originally from Michigan, he studied acting under the tutelage of Joe Jezewski and singing under Vicki Walker at Alma College. Jake is also a professional voice actor and audiobook narrator, having narrated for authors such as Jessica Booth, Roxie McClaine, and Brittni Chenelle. When not performing, he enjoys video games, anime, exercise, and taking care of his children (cats), Eri and Hero. He would like to thank Sean for supporting him in everything (and rescheduling gym), his friend Krista in helping his dreams come true, and his family in the Columbus theatre community for their love.