Chelsea Alexandra is a Utah-based soprano who recently returned to the stage of the Mid-Valley Performing Arts to portray Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen with the Lyrical Opera Theater, where she debuted the previous year with the beloved role of Mimì from Puccini’s La Bohème. Her fondness for Puccini grew in Novafeltria, Italy, where she first performed the role of Mimì overseas. Since then, she has portrayed the titular role in Massanet’s Cendrillon at Utah Valley Vocal Arts Academy and The Mother in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors at the Grand Theater in Salt Lake City. During her graduate studies at the University of Utah, she performed the role of Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and scenes from Così fan tutte and La traviata. www.chelseaalexandra.com

Equally at home on operatic, concert, and recital stages, baritone John Allen enthralls audiences with his dramatic and richly musical portrayals. His 2024-25 season includes recitals in Berlin and Salt Lake City, appearing as Don Galoppo in Baroque Opera Berlin’s production of La Fantesca, and as part of Lee Mingwei’s Sonic Blossom at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Past operatic roles include Gianni Schicchi, Scarpia, Enrico, Germont, Rigoletto, Leporello, Conte Almaviva, and Sweeney Todd. Featured as soloist with Utah Opera, Lyrical Opera Theater, Opera Contempo, Salt Lake Symphony, Southwest Symphony, American West Symphony, Utah Valley Symphony, Paradigm Chamber Orchestra, Sound of Ages, Moab Music Festival, Park City Chamber Music Festival, and Cathedral of the Madeleine, John has also been presented at Carnegie Hall, Snape Maltings, Abravanel Hall, and the Vatican. In addition to summer studies at Chautauqua and Aspen, John holds a B.Mus from BYU in Violin Performance, and M.Mus and D.M.A. degrees in Vocal Performance and Choral Conducting from the University of Utah. www.johnknightallen.com

Lyric mezzo-soprano Mandi Barrus is a musician and opera producer. With her "impressive technique and clear tone", her “warm and cozy mezzo-soprano voice” has been hailed as "a breath of fresh air" (Front Row Reviewers, San Luis Obispo Reviews). Mandi’s ‘23-‘24 season comprised producing and singing four roles with Opera Contempo in Salt Lake City, notably premiering the roles of Artemis in Rudman’s Protectress and Nature in Buck’s Le Roman de Silence. She sang on Utopia Early Music and Salt Lake Symphony’s concert “Shakespeare and the Symphony”; on NEXT Ensemble’s “A Night with Dr. Frankenstein”; and was the alto soloist in Holladay’s Messiah. On the operatic stage, Mandi was seen as Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus, 2023), Mrs. Potts (Beauty and the Beast, 2024) and Mercédès (Carmen, 2024) with Opera San Luis Obispo (CA) and Lyrical Opera Theater (UT) and most recently as The Witch in Hansel and Gretel with Rimrock Opera (MT). Mandi holds an M.M. from the University of Utah and sings at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City as the Mezzo-soprano Artist-in-Residence. She is the Artistic Director of Opera Contempo, a chamber opera company in Salt Lake City. www.mandibarrus.com

Benjamin Beckman is a composer, conductor, and pianist based in Los Angeles. Compositional career highlights include performances on the BBC Proms, Tanglewood Music Festival, and Royal Concertgebouw Summer Concerts, and by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra, and Yale Symphony Orchestra. His 70-minute chamber opera Passage won the Beekman Cannon Friends Prize for the best-submitted thesis in the music major at Yale, from which he recently matriculated. As a pianist, assistant conductor, and vocal coach, Benjamin has worked for the Sarasota Opera, Pacific Opera Project, Opera Guild of Palm Springs, Opera Company of Middlebury, Chicago Summer Opera, and Classic Lyric Arts France and Italy. While a student at Yale, Beckman was the Artistic Director of both the Opera Theater of Yale College and the Yale Undergraduate Chamber Orchestra, through which he facilitated the premieres of 21 student compositions. He is currently pursuing graduate studies in composition on full fellowship at the USC Thornton School of Music, where he manages the conservatory’s new music ensemble, the Thornton Edge. www.benjaminbeckmanmusic.com

Originally from Sunnyvale, CA, soprano Stephanie Chee joins Utah Opera as a Resident Artist for the 2024-2025 season, performing Dew Fairy in Hänsel und Gretel and the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah with Utah Symphony, as well as Haydn’s The Creation with the Madeleine Choir School. Recent roles include Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia and Valletto in L’incoronazione di Poppea. Stephanie was awarded an Encouragement Award in the San Francisco District of the 2023 Laffont Competition, an Emerging Talent Award in the 2023 Lotte Lenya Competition, first place in the 2022 Fox Valley Collegiate Voice Competition, second place in the 2022 Upper College Treble Voices Division of the National Student Auditions, and the Farwell Trust Award in the 2022 Musicians Club of Women Voice Competition. This summer, she was a Vocal Fellow with the Manetti-Shrem Opera Program. She received her M. M. from Rice University in 2024. www.stephaniechee.com/

Malaysia-born Jie Fang Goh charts a versatile music career as a pianist, collaborator, and scholar. He recently received an artist diploma in Opera Coaching from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and is currently the pianist-coach for the Resident Artist program at Utah Opera. In previous summers, he served as a pianist-coach and orchestral keyboardist in vocal music programs across the United States and abroad, such as Opera Lucca, Brevard Music Center, Music On Site, Wintergreen Music Festival, Vienna Summer Music Festival, and Miami Music Festival. Holding degrees in collaborative piano and musicology, he co-founded the LexGoh Piano Duo with Alexander Kostadinov and authored the first musicological study on Billy Joel’s only solo piano album, Fantasies and Delusions.

Lena Goldstein is an American soprano who has appeared recently with Opera Parallèle, Vox Opera, San Francisco Conservatory, Songfest, Chicago Summer Opera, Opera Theatre of Yale, Yale Baroque Opera, and the Yale Symphony Orchestra. Her recent roles include Berta (The Barber of Seville), The Governess (The Turn of the Screw), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Eurinda (Doriclea), and Nora (Riders to the Sea). Offstage, Lena works to strengthen the artistic landscape for emerging professionals. She serves as a marketing consultant for WE INC., supporting arts and culture organizations across the Bay Area, and is an adjunct professor of professional development and digital strategy at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Lena is a recent graduate of Yale University (B.A. in Molecular Biology, cum laude), and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (M.M. in Voice) as a recipient of the Samuel Clark Scholarship. Outside of her operatic work, Lena finds joy in leading High Holiday services as a cantor, watercolor painting, and skiing.

Lily Graham, soprano, has performed a variety of repertoire across the opera, operetta, and musical theatre cannons. She has sung with Wichita Grand Opera, Ohio Light Opera, Wichita State University Opera and the University of Utah Lyric Opera. Some of her favorite roles include Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Diana in Orpheus in the Underworld, Galatea in Acis and Galatea, Joanna in Sweeney Todd, and Princess Margaret in The Student Prince. Additionally, Lily has enjoyed performing solo concert works including John Rutter’s Requiem, Consider the Lilies: An Appalachian Requiem by Timothy Michael Powell and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. Lily currently performs regularly at the Cathedral of the Madeleine as a section leader, and as the soprano in the Sound of Ages Consort. Lily received her MM from Wichita State University studying with Alan Held, and her BM from the University of Utah studying with Carol Ann Allred.

Christopher Holmes returned to his home Provo after obtaining degrees in opera at the Oberlin College Conservatory (B.M., M.M.), Temple University (M.M.), teaching voice at Texas State University, and performing throughout the States. With over 40 operatic roles to his credit, Christopher has been featured by companies such as Austin Opera, Central City Opera, Eugene Opera, Opera Idaho, Phoenix Opera, and San Antonio Opera. Recent projects include Jesus in Robert Cundick's The Redeemer with the Temple Square Chorale, Giorgio Germont from La traviata with Bellevue Opera, the title role of Don Giovanni at Painted Sky Opera, and Escamillo at Western Plains Opera. He has been seen as Barone Douphol at Utah Symphony & Opera, Conte Almaviva at Utah Festival Opera, Belcore at Opera Company of Middlebury, Rossini’s Bartolo at Western Plains Opera, and Escamillo at the Pine Mountain Music Festival. Christopher developed a love for the Italian people and culture having lived in the central area of Italy for two years. He is currently an adjunct professor of voice at Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University.

Originally from Chicago, Mira Larson started training in cello and dance at an early age. She continued her cello studies at Northwestern University (BM) and the New England Conservatory (MM). Upon discovering Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Mira immediately enrolled at the Dalcroze School of the Rockies, completing a Dalcroze Professional Certificate and Dalcroze License. She has attended conventions held by the Dalcroze Society of America and the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze (Genève, Switzerland). She currently serves as a trustee on the board of the DSA as well as Chapter Chair for Music for Food. Mira lives in Salt Lake City, where she performs and teaches at the French-Immersion preschool at Tanner Dance, the Gifted Music School, and her own Rythmique Music School (www.rythmiquemusicschool.com).

Clara Hurtado Lee is a celebrated soprano known for her warm, captivating voice and emotionally rich performances. Praised by Reichel Recommends as “vocally stunning” and “poetic,” she seamlessly navigates genres, performing on stage and in collaborations with artists like Jenny Oaks Baker, Nathan Pacheco, and GENTRI. She has appeared with Utah Opera, Utah Symphony, and international festivals in Italy, San Marino and Barcelona. Her concert performances feature masterworks by major composers (some contemporary) as well as art songs. Clara won the NATS Artist Award competition at the regional level and competed in the Nationals where she received the Robert and Ruth Grooters award. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Music from the University of Utah, where she also set in motion Doctoral studies. She teaches privately and is the mother of four children. www.clarahurtadolee.com

Ellie Niver, soprano, is a native of Salem, Oregon, and holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in vocal performance from Brigham Young University. While at BYU, she appeared in numerous leading roles, including Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte and Valencienne in The Merry Widow. She also performed as Frasquita in a semi-staged production of Carmen with the Reno Philharmonic. In 2022 and 2023, Ellie was selected to attend the Institute for Young Dramatic Voices, founded by mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick. There, she worked closely with coaches including Beatrice Benzi of Teatro alla Scala, and John Parr, head of music at Deutsche Oper Berlin. Now based in Utah, Ellie continues to perform while maintaining a vibrant private teaching studio. www.ellienivervocalstudio.com

Hugh Palmer has been a member of the violin section in the Utah Symphony since 2016 and is currently serving as Acting 2nd Associate Concertmaster. Previously, he was a fellow with the New World Symphony, serving as concertmaster under the batons of Michael Tilson-Thomas, Roberto Abbado, and others. He has also appeared as guest concertmaster with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and formerly served as concertmaster of the Colburn Orchestra, National Repertory Orchestra, and the Young Musician’s Foundation Debut Orchestra. Originally from Minnesota, Hugh began his violin studies at the age of 5, studying with Mary West and then Sally O’Reilly. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Northwestern University, studying with Almita Vamos, and was a prize winner in the Thaviu Endowed Scholarship competition. He subsequently received his Artist’s Diploma from the Colburn Conservatory under the tutelage of Robert Lipsett.

Sam Plumb is a tenor at the transition point between conservatory training and professional artistry. In 2025, he received his Master’s of Music Diploma in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Utah. He was the Grand Prize winner of the 2024-25 Concerto Competition (Graduate Level), performing Gerald Finzi’s Dies Natalis. He is fresh off of his first professional contract as a Resident Artist at Teatro Nuovo, a Young Artist Program in New Jersey that focuses heavily on mastering the Italian language and immersion into 19th-century vocal technique. In addition to performing, Sam is building a thriving private studio for voice and piano students, based in Downtown Salt Lake City. When he’s not making music, Sam enjoys the outdoors, cooking, reading, and video games.

David Silvano is an emerging Peruvian-American tenor with a powerful, yet vibrant and flexible voice and a natural talent for acting. Mr. Silvano recently made his role debut as The Duke in Verdi’s Rigoletto with Mobile Opera, and is excited to be among the first to perform with Park City Opera. In 2022, he sang the role of Theodore Billings in the staged premiere of Clint Borzoni's The Copper Queen with Marble City Opera where he was praised by Arts Knoxville for bringing "a deliciously romantic lyrical side" to the character. During the 2023 season, Mr. Silvano was a Resident Artist at Indianapolis Opera, where he covered the role of Don José and sang the role of El Remendado in Carmen. www.davidsilvano.com

Dalloway is an emerging young cellist who is an active member of the arts community in Utah. She uses her talents as a way to connect with others, most evidently in her work as a chamber musician. Dalloway’s grandmother, Ariel Bybee, sang as a mezzo-soprano at the Metropolitan Opera for 18 years; Ariel’s passion for opera continues to grow in Dalloway. Her most recent musical endeavors include attending Ascent Cello and Chamber Music Festival, winning the American Fork Concerto Competition, and winning first prize with her string quartet at the American String Teachers Association Biannual Competition.

Winner of the 2021 Louis Sudler Prize in the Performing and Creative Arts from Yale University and recipient of a 2020 Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Lisl Wangermann is a soprano who has performed with the CIM Opera Theater, Opera Western Reserve, the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Opera Theatre of Yale College, and the Yale Baroque Opera Project. Lisl served as the Managing Director for the Opera Theatre of Yale College (OTYC) in 2019. During her tenure, OTYC expanded its season from two shows to four and doubled the number of singers involved in each season. After graduating from Yale in 2021, Lisl moved to Cleveland to pursue her master’s in voice at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Lisl earned her master’s degree in 2023 and is currently continuing her vocal studies at CIM as an Artist’s Diploma candidate. www.lislwangermannsoprano.com