Meet Our 2019 Audition Winners

Jacinta Barbachano

 Soprano

Jacinta Barbachano is a graduate of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), studying under Maestro Rufino Montero. She has studied with Francisco Araiza, Ramon Vargas, Christa Ludwig, Javier Camarena, Jennifer Larmore, among others, and is currently a student of Maestra Luis Bezrokova in Mexico City.

Gamaliel Reynoso

Counter-tenor

Gamaliel Reynoso, Countertenor
Education/Training
Originally from Toluca, Gamaliel Reynoso received his degree in opera performance from the Conservatorio nacional de musica in Mexico City, and studied in intensive courses in Baroque opera interpretation in Europe.

Jennifer Mariel Velasco

Soprano  

Education/Training

 Jennifer Mariel Velasco graduated from the Escuela Superior de Música, with the soprano Amelia Sierra as her principal vocal professor. She has also studied under Ramón Vargas, María Katzarava, James Demster, Stefano Ragusini, Alfredo Dominguez, Meagan Amelia Brus, Ivan López Reynoso, among others.

 

 

Denis Velez

Denis Velez, Soprano
Education/Training
Denis Velez, born in Puebla, Mexico, received her degree in opera performance from the Escuela superior de musica in Mexico City. She has also studied with Francisco Araiza, Ramon Vargas, Michael Sylvester, Ted Taylor and Andres Sarre.
In 2019 she was invited to join the Ryan Opera Center young artist program of the Chicago Lyric Opera as a member of the 2020-21 class and is now in residence in Chicago.

The winners went on to the Gulf Coast Region auditions in New Orleans in January 2020.

Denis Velez took first prize, went on to the semi-final and final rounds on the MetOpera stage in March, 2020 , and became the first Mexican singer ever named a Grand Finals Concert winner.

Jennifer Velasco took third prize and was invited to audition for the Domingo-Colburn-Stein

Young Artist Program at the Los Angeles Opera and for the artist diploma program at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana university.  The global health crisis has prevented her from pursuing these opportunities.

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