Opera Index, Inc

Last, but very far from least, our biggest prize winner of the $10,000 Lissner Charitable Fund Award in Mezzo Soprano Sophia Baete @sophiabaete ! Sophia Baete is a Mezzo Soprano with a burning passion for telling stories on stage. Currently, Ms. Baete is a second year master’s student at The Juilliard School where she also completed her undergraduate studies under the tutelage of Darrell Babidge. Sophia is proud to be a Jerome L. Greene Fellow at The Juilliard School. Ms. Baete is humbled to have been a recipient of the 2025 Grand Prize, Lissner Charitable Fund Award, from Opera Index. As Sophia embarks on the final year of her master’s degree, she is delighted to perform the Berio Folk Songs under the baton of Barbara Hannigan, return to Caramoor Music Center to give a series of Holiday Recitals, perform as part of Carnegie Hall’s City Wide Recital Series, and make her role debut as Meg Page in Verdi’s Falstaff with Juilliard Opera in the spring. Sophia was thrilled to begin 2025 with her Carnegie Hall debut as a Young Artist in Carnegie Hall’s prestigious SongStudio, followed by a return to Carnegie Hall in March where Ms. Baete performed Matthew Aucoin’s piece, This Earth, as part of the Juilliard at Zankel Hall series. This past summer, Sophia was honored to return as a Gerdine Young Artist with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for a second consecutive season, as well as serve as a vocal fellow for Ravinia Steans Music Institute. She is deeply grateful for these opportunities to grow and eager for what lies ahead.

Highlighting our Jessie Walker Memorial Award winner of $7,500 in Mezzo Soprano Grace Ryan @graceryanmezzo ! “Captivating with [her] vocal power and lush sound” (W. Kromash, Evanston Roundtable), mezzo soprano Grace Ryan is a national award winning young artist, originally from Chicago. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Music in Voice Performance at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, studying with acclaimed tenor Stanford Olsen. Previous roles at Michigan include Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, and Dorabella in Così fan tutte. Upcoming roles include Carmen in La Tragédie de Carmen and Juno/Ino in Semele. Grace was thrilled to be a 2025 Summer Studio Artist with Florentine Opera in Milwaukee, singing the role of the iconic Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg in Scalia/Ginsburg (Wang). Grace received her degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education at DePaul University in Chicago in 2024, where she studied with tenor Scott Ramsay. Most recently, Grace was awarded first place in the University of Michigan Friends of Opera Competition and second place in the Classical Singer National Competition in the Emerging Artists division. She was the grand prize winner of the 2024 Opera Grand Rapids’ Vanderlaan Prize, and was honored to receive an Encouragement Award in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in the Illinois district in 2023.

Winner of our $7,500 Lois Kirschenbaum Memorial Award, Soprano Shiyu Zhuo @shiyuzhuosoprano ! Soprano Shiyu Zhuo, native of Zhejiang, China, is pursuing a Graduate Diploma at The Juilliard School under Amy Burton. In the 2025-2026 season, Ms. Zhuo will sing Nannetta in Falstaff and will be the soprano soloist for Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 with the Juilliard Orchestra. Last year at Juilliard, she sang Norina (scenes) in Don Pasquale, Une Pastourelle in L’enfant et les sortilèges and Handel’s Cecilia, volgi un sguardo at Alice Tully Hall, and covered Despina in Così fan tutte. Ms. Zhuo holds a master’s degree from the New England Conservatory where she performed the roles of Musetta in La Bohème and Calisto in La Calisto, as well as Suzel in scenes from L’amico Fritz. Other performances include Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel at the Musikverein Wien with the Vienna Opera Academy, and the featured soprano soloist in Mozart’s C-minor Mass with the NEC Philharmonic.

The winner of our Murray Rosenthal/Philip Hagemann Award of $4,000, Baritone Yoonsoo Jang @jeiwaies ! Baritone Yoonsoo Jang, from Seoul, South Korea, is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Vocal Arts at The Juilliard School where he studies under the tutelage of Elizabeth Bishop. In the 2024/25 season with Juilliard Opera, Jang performed as a First Officer and Second Commissioner in Dialogues des Carmélites and covered the role of Guglielmo in Così fan tutte. On the concert stage, Jang made his Alice Tully Hall debut in 2025 performing selections from H. Wolf’s Mörike-Lieder. He also made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2025 as part of a Yonsei University alumni concert, performing works by Donizetti, Mozart as well as Korean Composers including Wonju Lee, Jeeyoung Kim, and Nanpa Hong. In 2023 and 2024, he performed the title role in Le nozze di Figaro, Schaunard in La Bohème, and Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Yonsei University. Jang earned his Bachelor’s degree from Yonsei University.

The winner of our $3,000 Alley/Dietrich Family Memorial Award, Mezzo Kate Morton @kateraquelmorton ! Kate Morton, mezzo-soprano, is a Cherokee Nation citizen from Tahlequah, Oklahoma with a Master of Music degree in Vocal Arts from The Juilliard School. At Juilliard, she performed as a soloist with New York Festival of Song, La Chatte/L’Ecureuil in L’enfant et les Sortilèges, and Sœur Mathilde in Dialogues des Carmelites. She was also a Schwab Vocal Rising Star at New York Festival of Song’s Caramoor Residency and a summer Festival Artist with Opera Saratoga in their productions of She Loves Me (Ilona Ritter) and La vie Parisienne (Madame de Folle-Verdure). Morton has performed with Opera Saratoga, Opera Montana, Caramoor, National Sawdust, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, and Canterbury Voices. She recently premiered the role of Loksi’ in Jerod Tate’s historic Loksi’ Shaali’ with Canterbury and the OKC Philharmonic. Morton has been a guest artist with the Seagle Festival, Alexandria Summer Nights, and the Castleton Festival. Morton’s other credits include Stéphano in Roméo et Juliette, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, and Sor Andrea in With Blood With Ink. Morton is also a proud recipient of the Novick Career Advancement Grant, Timothy Long Award, and Cherokee Nation Trail of Tears Award.

Congratulations to the winner of our $3,000 Cesare Santeramo Award, tenor Adam Catangui @adam.catangui ! Tenor, Adam Catangui, hails from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He is an Artist Diploma in Opera Studies candidate at The Juilliard School, where he studies with Kevin Short and received the Burford Scholarship. This season, Adam appears in recital in Juilliard’s Liederabend Series and Wednesdays at One in Alice Tully Hall. He also debuts the role of Fenton in Juilliard Opera’s production of Falstaff. Adam is the proud recipient of the Cesare Santeramo Award from Opera Index, an Encouragement Award from the Gerda Lissner Foundation 2025 Art Song Competition, and the Second Place Constance Eberhart Memorial Award at the 2025 National Opera Association Carolyn Bailey Argento Competition. Adam received his Masters from Rice University and his Bachelors from The Eastman School of Music. He is also an alumnus of the Studio Artist Program at Wolf Trap Opera, the Gerdine Young Artist Program at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and the Atelier Lyrique at the Verbier Festival.

The winner of our $3,000 Sung Shin Award is baritone Korin Thomas-Smith @kthomassmith ! Canadian baritone Korin Thomas-Smith, one of CBC Music’s “30 hot musicians under 30” , has been making a name for himself across North America. This season, Korin performs as Mercutio in Romeo et Juliette at the Canadian Opera Company. Korin later makes his debut at The Dallas Opera, singing The Businessman in The Little Prince. While in the Apprentice Artist Program for Singers, Korin made his debut as Schaunard in La Boheme, Count Ceprano in Rigoletto, and covered Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro at the Santa Fe Opera. Korin is a graduate of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, debuting as Dottore Malatesta in Don Pasquale, and performing in productions of Wozzeck, Eugene Onegin, Faust, and The Cunning Little Vixen. Korin was a Young Artist at The Glimmerglass Festival, Des Moines Metro Opera, and the Ravinia Steans Music Institute among others. In competition, in 2025 Korin was a finalist in the Rumbold Vocal Prize at the Edmonton Opera, the Concours OSM, the George London Vocal Competition, and was a semi-finalist in the Young Concert Artists International Auditions. Korin is the recipient of Second Prize in the Christina and Louis Quilico Awards, and in 2023, was the recipient of Third Prize in the Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition in Opera. For his work as an Apprentice Artist at the Santa Fe Opera, Korin was awarded the Donald Gramm Memorial Award. Korin is an alumnus of Yale University, University of Toronto Opera, and the Royal Conservatory of Music Rebanks Fellowship.

The Mabel C Stovin MD Memorial Award winner of $3,000, Soprano Clothilde Bénard @clothilde.benard.soprano ! Clothilde Bénard is a French soprano whose artistry bridges the traditions of opera with a modern, human touch. A graduate of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and the Manhattan School of Music in New York, she combines emotional depth with refined technique. Winner of the Grand Prix Révélation at the Concours d’Avignon and a Top Prize at Opera Index in New York, Clothilde is recognized for her luminous tone and expressive sincerity. In spring 2025, she will debut at the Opéra de Massy as Marie Read in Barbe Noire, a new contemporary opera. That summer, she joins the Aspen Music Festival & School, singing the First Lady in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with orchestra, before returning to the United States in November for the Opera for Peace Academy in Washington, D.C., mentored by Renée Fleming. Founder and director of the Fée des Champs Festival in rural France, Clothilde promotes access to opera and supports emerging artists through her nonprofit organization, helping them gain stage experience and professional resources such as photos, videos, and artistic promotion tools. Her work embodies a vision of opera that is alive, generous, and deeply human.

We are pleased to introduce our second Emerging Artist Award Winner in baritone Pengyu Yang @pengyu_yang000 ! Bravo Pengyu! Pengyu Yang is baritone from Beijing China, he is a forth year DMA student at Michigan State University with fully scholarship and Teaching Assistantship, he has a Master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music, and a Bachelor’s degree from Communication University of China. he previous credits include Alfio from Cavalleria rusticana by Mascagni with Modern Vintage Opera, Ford from Falstaff by Verdi and Dandini from La Cenerentola by Rossini and Masetto from Don Giovanni by Mozart with Michigan State University. Pengyu Yang’s awards include the Michigan District Winner and Dr.David Dichiera Award in Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in 2023, Great Lakes Regional Encouragement Award in Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in 2024, Emerging Artist Award in Opera Index Competition in 2025.

Almost 1 month ago, Opera Index hosted our yearly Vocal Competition. Now we are happy to introduce to you our award winners, starting with our 2 Emerging Artist Award winners! First up is tenor Matthew Sink! Bravo and welcome to the Opera Index Family @tenordad22 ! Matthew is a 29 year old tenor from Las Vegas Nevada and a current Resident artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts. This season, he will be singing Don curzio in Le nozze di Figaro, Flamad in Capriccio by Strauss, and Dr. Caius in Falstaff by Verdi. Matthew attended Northwestern University where he studied with Steven Smith. While completing his Master’s he performed the role of Ferrando in cosi fan tutte. He was also featured as the tenor soloist in Beethoven Mass in C major. Matthew completed his bachelor’s degree at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Highlighting the baritone half of our upcoming Opera Index recital! Don’t miss the dynamic duo of soprano Shelén Hughes @shelenhughes and baritone Joseph Parrish @josephparrishh ! Joseph Parrish, a 2025 George London Award winner and 2024 Sullivan Grant recipient, is a rising baritone on the Young Concert Artists roster. He debuted at Merkin Hall in NYC this season and appeared with MasterVoices in Blind Injustice. Concert highlights for the 2025-2026 season include Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor at Carnegie Hall, Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem at Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and the 2026 SWR Junge Opernstars Competition in Kaiserslautern, Germany. He made his European opera debut at the Salzburg Festival and recently performed with Cincinnati Opera. A Juilliard and CCM graduate, he is also a frequent collaborator with Voices for Bolivia.

Highlighting our wonderful soprano and a competition alumni who will be performing in our Opera Index featured recital this coming Sunday! Bolivian soprano Shelén Hughes Camacho @shelenhughes began her artistic career as a Bolivian folklore singer and dancer before pursuing classical music. A graduate of The Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music, she is a winner of the 2025 George and Nora Foundation Competition, the 2024 Opera Index Competition, a first prize winner in the 2024 Gerda Lissner Zarzuela Competition, third in the 2025 Gerda Lissner Opera Competition, was a finalist in the 2025 Renata Tebaldi Competition and was a semi-finalist in the 2024 Geneva Voice Competition and the 2023 Alfredo Kraus Competition. She has performed leading roles such as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte (Teatro Nacional de Chile), Servilia in La Clemenza di Tito (The Juilliard School) and Pr. Sonia Gonzales in Huang Ruo’s An American Soldier (Perelman Performing Arts Center, NYC). She debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2019 and with the New York Festival of Song in 2022. In 2025 she has made her debut at Opera Frankfurt and with the Cleveland Orchestra. Beyond the stage, Ms. Hughes is the founder of Voices for Bolivia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting impoverished elderly people through Classical Music.