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FEATURE | Eight Up and Coming Global Opera Stars

By Anya Wassenberg on March 10, 2022

L-R from top: Golda Schultz (Photo: Dario Acosta); Iván Ayón-Rivas (Photo courtesy of the artist); Rihab Chaieb (Photo: Claire Picheyre); Claire Barnett-Jones in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World finals (Photo courtesy of the artist); Teresa Iervolino (Photo courtesy of the artist); Gihoon Kim (Photo courtesy of the artist); Nicholas Brownlee (Photo: Faye Fox); Jorrell Williams (Photo courtesy of the artist)
L-R from top: Golda Schultz (Photo: Dario Acosta); Iván Ayón-Rivas (Photo courtesy of the artist); Rihab Chaieb (Photo: Claire Picheyre); Claire Barnett-Jones in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World finals (Photo courtesy of the artist); Teresa Iervolino (Photo courtesy of the artist); Gihoon Kim (Photo courtesy of the artist); Nicholas Brownlee (Photo: Faye Fox); Jorell Williams (Photo: Rebecca Fay of Faymous Studios)

If anyone tries to tell you that opera is a dying art, and of interest only to the over-65 set, you can show them our list of up and coming opera stars from around the world. It’s a mere tip of the iceberg when it comes to the strength and depth of younger talent that is lighting up global opera stages.

Our list includes artists who span four continents and seven countries, a testament to the enduring appeal of art song in the 21st century.

Jorell Williams, baritone

American baritone Jorell Williams is well on his way to leaving his mark on the world of opera, hailed by Opera News and the New York Times for both his tone and acting chops. Williams starred as Don Giovanni with Opera Columbus, and as Dizzy Gillespie in Charlie Parker’s Yardbird with the Seattle Opera. He has performed with a variety of companies, including The Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center Theater, along with Dayton Opera, Brooklyn Art Song Society and many more. With degrees from the Manhattan School of Music and SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, he has trained with the Santa Fe Opera, Opera North, and other major companies. His calendar is full, and he performs frequently in Canada, including with Tapestry Opera’s acclaimed Songbook series.

Rihab Chaieb, mezzo-soprano

Mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb immigrated to Montreal from Tunisia as a young child. She went on to study voice at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, and the Franz Schubert Institute in Baden bei Wien. She graduated from the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program in 2019. Significant roles have included Sesto in Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito with the Canadian Opera Company, (a role she says is a favourite), Tebaldo in Verdi’s Don Carlo at the Opéra National de Bordeaux, and Zulma in Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri at the Metropolitan Opera, among others. Rihab won third prize at the Operalia competition in 2018. During the pandemic, Chaieb appeared in Against the Grain Theatre’s highly acclaimed film Messiah/Complex.

Golda Schultz, soprano

South African soprano Golda Schultz has received praise from the world’s press for her gorgeous tone and stage presence. She studied at the University of Cape Town as well as the Juilliard School in New York. Golda began her career in the opera studio, and then as a member of the ensemble of the Bavaria State Opera. While in Germany, she also performed at the Salzburg Festival (2015). She’s sung at La Scala, and made her Met Opera debut in 2017 in the role of Pamima in The Magic Flute. After making her debut with the San Francisco Opera in fall 2021, she recently appeared in the Met’s production of Le Nozze di Figaro, and made her New York Phil debut with a series of Strauss art songs.

Claire Barnett-Jones, mezzo-soprano

English mezzo-soprano Claire Barnett-Jones studied at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Royal Academy Opera, and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Along with several previous competition wins, Claire won the 2021 Elizabeth Connell Prize International Singing Competition, open to mezzo-sopranos and sopranos between ages 25 – 34, and was both Finalist and Winner of the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2021. Following the win, she performed in The Valkyrie with the English National Opera. She has sung at the Last Night of the Proms, Wigmore Hall, and Oper Frankfurt, along with the Edinburgh Festival and Glyndebourne Festival.

Nicholas Brownlee, bass-baritone

American bass-baritone Nicholas Brownlee got one of the bigger breaks of his opera career recently by snagging the role of Colline, the philosopher, in the Metropolitan Opera production of La bohème. He launched his career with a series of competition wins, including first prize at the Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition, the Zarzuela prize at Operalia, and the grand prize at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Nicholas joined the Ensemble at Oper Frankfurt in 2020, where his roles have included Salome (Jochanaan), Oedipus Rex (Kreon), Die Frau ohne Schatten (Der Geisterbote), Fedora (De Siriex), Król Roger (title role), and Bluebeard’s Castle (title role). He’s also performed with Bayerische Staatsoper, Wiener Staatsoperm, Opernhaus Zürich and The Santa Fe Opera, among others.

Teresa Iervolino, mezzo-soprano

After wins at the 63rd edition of the European Community Competition for young singers, and first prize in the Opera Città di Bologna International Competition, Teresa made her stage debut at the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona. A native of Bracciano, near Rome, Teresa has sung at the Rossini Opera Festival conducted by Donato Renzetti, and as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome, among other appearances. Along with her growing operatic repertoire, she is well known for her early music performances, including selections from Cavalli, Cimarosa, Handel, and Vivaldi. With appearances at Teatro dell’Opera in Rome and Opéra de Paris under her belt, she’ll be making her debut with the Gran Teatro de Liceu in Barcelona in July 2022 in Bellini’s Norma.

Iván Ayón-Rivas, tenor

Peruvian tenor Iván Ayón-Rivas studied at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música in Lima, and went on to win several competitions, including the Peruvian National competition for Opera Singers and the Concorso Internazionale di Canto “Premio Etta Limiti.” He’s performed at the Teatro Regio di Torino, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Teatro La Fenice, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, and the Macerata Opera Festival, among others, and won first prize, Audience Prize and the Zarzuela Prize at Plácido Domingo’s Operalia competition in October 2021. After that, he made his Teatro alla Scala debut as Malcolm in Verdi’s Macbeth in December. He’ll perform on a series of Italian stages through 2022, along with the Opera National in Santiago, Chile in July.

Gihoon Kim, baritone

South Korean baritone Gihoon Kim was named BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2021. It’s just the latest in a series of international competition wins, including second prize at both the Operalia 2019 and the 2019 International Tchaikovsky Competition. Born in a rural area, his first exposure to music came via K-Pop. After his studies with Kwan-dong Kim at the Yonsei University in Seoul, Gihoon became a member of the Junges Ensemble at Staatstheater Hannover. He’s gone on to perform at the Mariinsky Theatre and Zaryadye Hall in Moscow. He made his US debut with the San Diego opera in early 2022, with appearances scheduled with the Korean National Opera and at the Glyndebourne Festival through the year.

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