South Florida’s hottest young opera stars offer a free sneak peek at Florida Grand Opera’s upcoming season at their annual First Sing Concerts held in October in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The Studio Artists, who also comprise the Sunday matinee cast of season opener El matrimonio secreto, will perform selections from each of the five works of the 2022-23 season, including the double bill of Gianni Schicchi and its sequel, Buoso’s Ghost, Tosca, and The Barber of Seville. The program also includes a variety of favorite arias and ensembles from Carmen, La finta giardiniera, and more.
FGO’s Studio Artists are an elite cadre of young professional singers, carefully selected via an intensive nationwide audition process. They take up residency in Miami to perform mainstage roles, concertize throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, and serve the community as FGO’s opera ambassadors. This season, the six award-winning stars include sopranos Page Michels and Ashley Shalna, mezzo-soprano Erin Alford, tenors Charles Calotta and Joseph McBray, and bass-baritone Phillip Lopez