Zoë Chessa

Zoë Chessa is a soprano originally from El Paso, Texas in the studio of Randall Scarlata. She is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied under Sari Gruber, majoring in vocal performance with minors in German and Linguistics. Zoë first made her professional debut with Pittsburgh Opera as the First Spirit/The Magic Flute (2021). Zoë’s recent roles at CMU include Miss Sweetsong/The Impresario by Mozart (2023) and Cleonilla/Ottone in Villa by Vivaldi (2024) and The Maiden/Der Kaiser von Atlantis (2023), for which she also served as assistant director. Other roles include Clarice/Die Welt auf dem Monde (2022) with the Middlebury College German for Singers program and Lepido/Silla at Chicago Summer Opera (2021). She is a 3x recipient of the Max Kade scholarship, which has funded her German language studies abroad in Freiburg and Berlin. She is a Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society Member in the Theta Xi Division, and received 2nd Place in the undergraduate category of the 2023 CMU Philharmonic Soloist Competition. Zoë is a recipient of the Harry G. Archer Philharmonic Soloist Award as the Highest Scoring Junior, as well as the Derdeyn Scholarship in Voice. Towards pursuing research in voice at Peabody, she received the Kate Neal Kinley Memorial Fellowship. Other summer programs include Classic Lyric Arts in the Berkshires (2023), Crittenden Opera in Bethesda, Maryland (2017), and the Honors Performance Series in Sydney, Australia (2019).

Louanna Colón

Louanna Colón, soprano, is from Williamsburg, VA. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Classical Vocal Performance from James Madison University, and is currently pursuing her master’s at Peabody Institute under Randall Scarlata in performance and pedagogy. She began her musical studies on the violin at the age of ten, along with Piano, and continued playing in Symphony Orchestra and chamber groups through university. She has been featured in opera scenes and will portray Destino in this winter’s production of Cavalli’s La Calisto. 

Louanna is a Baltimore area Voice, Piano, and Violin instructor. She works with Lessons in your Home Inc., the International School of Music in Potomac and Bethesda and runs her own private studio. She will also be interning with the Baltimore Youth Symphony Orchestra this upcoming year.

Chase Correll

Chase Correll is a baritone based in Baltimore, Maryland. Originally from central Delaware, he spent the past two years at the University of Delaware, where he was an active member and soloist with the UD Chorale. He is currently studying at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University under the tutelage of Randall Scarlata.

Chase primarily sings classical art songs and enjoys performing a wide range of repertoire from various periods, with a particular interest in music written by diverse and underrepresented composers. He recently competed as a soloist with the Delaware Choral Scholars at the 2024 World Choir Games in Auckland, New Zealand, earning four gold medals and the title of World Champion. His other solo experience includes performances with the 2022 Delaware Senior All-State Choral Ensembles and the Delaware Choral Society. He is excited to continue pursuing a career in classical music.

Eli Farrell

Eli Farrell, a tenor from Boynton Beach, Florida, has seen mounting success as a young singer for his vocal artistry and stage presence. His performances reflect an artist with conviction and dedication to leaving the audience entranced.

Eli has performed in the United States and abroad, most recently singing with Opera Lucca in Giacomo Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi as Gherardo. With Peabody Opera Theatre, Eli has performed in Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus and will appear this Fall as the Bartender in Steven Stucky’s The Classical Style. Eli was a 2024 National YoungArts Winner With Distinction and was a winner in the Palm Beach Choral Society Vocal Competition.

Albert Gonzalez

Albert Gonzalez is a Classical and Musical Theater trained baritone. In the classical world, he has competed and placed third in the NATS Regional Classical Voice Competition, twice for third year students in 2021, once for fourth- and fifth-year students in 2022 and placed 2nd for fourth- and fifth-year students in 2023. He was also rewarded both the Joy Vandever Scholarship and the Roz Patton Music Scholarship in 2022 for his vocal talents during his time at West Chester University. There he studied classically with Emily Bullock and opera director, Nicholas Provenzale.

In opera, Albert has been cast as Baron de Pictordu in Cendrillon, Gabriel von Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, and Sheriff in Robin Hood. As for Musical Theater, he has been trained by Charles DelMarcelle. Albert was casted as Rapunzel’s Prince in the university’s production of Into the Woods directed by Charles DelMarcelle. He also competed in the NATS Regional Musical Theater Competition and placed 2nd in 2023. Albert received his degree in Music Performance: Voice and a minor in Theater May 2023.

Christopher Kirby-Saunders

Christopher Kirby-Saunders is a Junior currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at Peabody Conservatory.  During his time at Peabody, Christopher has performed in Die Fledermaus and is looking forward to his roles in the fall 2024 double bill. In the summer of 2024,  he was featured as Elder Hayes in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah at the Harrower Summer Opera program. In addition, he attended the Academia Vocale Lorenzo Malfatti in Lucca, Italy. In 2023, he was the first place winner in the undergraduate division of the Peabody Art Song competition.

In addition to his studies, Christopher Kirby-Saunders takes joy in bringing what he loves to the community. Christopher has completed a year as vice president of the Black Student Union at Peabody Conservatory, contributing to rebuilding the constitution of the student government, as well as building camaraderie amongst African American students in the conservatory environment.

Caleb Mienk

Caleb Mienk, a northern Michigan native, is a bass-baritone studying Vocal Performance at the Peabody Institute. He sings with the First Congregational Church as a choir member in addition to being a soloist. Caleb has recently been a finalist in the Italian Songs and Arias Vocal Competition and the Indianapolis Regional Schmidt Competition and was also named one of Michigan’s most outstanding high school soloists. This past fall, Caleb was seen tackling both Sky Masterson and Nathan Detroit in his high school’s production of Guys and Dolls in addition to the Ringmaster in George Brant’s Elephant’s Graveyard. In the spring, Caleb took on a vastly different persona playing Malvolio in Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night. Aside from singing, Caleb is a cellist who actively plays with the Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra as a section cellist.

Sara Nealley

Sara Nealley, soprano, is a native of Ardmore, Pennsylvania, USA. She completed her undergraduate studies in Vocal performance at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and her graduate studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow and at the Wales International Academy of Voice in Cardiff. She is currently pursuing a GPD at the Peabody Institute where she studies with Randall Scarlata. Her previous roles include: Gianetta, The Gondoliers, Ohio Light Opera; Violetta, La Traviata, Mediterranean Opera Studio and Festival; Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte, Opera in the Ozarks; La ciesca, Gianni Schicchi, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; Hanna Glawari, The Merry Widow, College Light Opera Company; Krystyna Zywulska, Out of Darkness, Eastman Opera Theatre.

Sara received an encouragement award from the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition this year and was a finalist in the Elgar/Spedding Memorial Lieder Competition and the Ye Cronies Opera Award at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In concert, Sara has performed as the soloist in David Liptak’s “Folgore’s Months” with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, and in the World Premiere of Lori Laitman’s “Are Women People?” for Eastman’s Anniversary Celebration of Susan B. Anthony.

Boyoung Park

Korean-born soprano Boyoung Park possesses a powerful and warm voice paired with a bright personality. She developed a passion for music from an early age, participating in children’s song recordings.

During her undergraduate studies, Boyoung received scholarships every year for her outstanding academic performance. She performed in several operas, including The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro, and in student productions of La Bohème, and L’elisir d’amore. Additionally, she was a member and soprano soloist in the Dankook University Choir. She represented the voice department at Dankook University’s Concerto Night, performing with the orchestra, and received an excellence award at graduation for her skills and academic achievements. Boyoung debuted at the Youngsan Art Hall and Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Korea. In the summer of 2022, she began her Master’s studies at Peabody, and played the leading role of Milica in Ana Sokolovic’s challenging opera Svadba. This fall she portrays the Princess in Peabody Opera Theatre’s production of Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges.

Boyoung earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Dankook University in Korea, and received a second Master’s degree at Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University with Baritone Randall Scarlata. Currently, she is pursuing a Graduate Performance Diploma (GPD) at Peabody Institute.

Marissa Perri

Marissa Perri is a soprano from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is passionate about bringing compelling performances to audiences across America. She has appeared on stage as Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with the LAHSOW project (2024), Constance from Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites (2023), and has covered roles such as Susanna from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (2022) and Venus from Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld. This fall, she portrays the Nightingale in Peabody Opera Theatre’s production of L’enfant et les sortilèges. 

With renowned opera director and pianist Dr. Blair Salter, Marissa was involved in Penn State’s Opera Workshop which works to bring new music to audiences by working in tandem with living composers. She hopes that these new operatic works thrive by portraying everyday situations and conflicts of people in 2024. Marissa is passionate about all aspects of the theater, particularly social media and marketing. She currently holds an internship with the Johns Hopkins University, where she is learning marketing strategies. She is also gaining administrative insight as an intern for Opera Baltimore. Marissa is thrilled to be in the studio of Randall Scarlata, and is set to graduate in 2025.

Jacob Plaisted

Jacob Plaisted hails from Charlotte, NC, and holds a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Western Carolina University. While at WCU, he was a member of the Concert Choir, Catamount Singers & Electric Soul, Chamber Singers, and Early Music Ensemble. He also sang the role of Raul in Hotel Casablanca and Car Guy/Combat Photographer/Pathological Liar in Speed Dating! Tonight with the WCU Opera department. He spent two summers as a member of The Lake Junaluska Singers, a professional choir in Waynesville, NC. Following his undergrad, Jacob was involved with Opera Carolina, playing the role of Sheep/Teen Duck for the Opera Xpress production of The Ugly Duckling, as well as singing in the chorus for their production of La Bohème. He has been a soloist in several choral masterworks, and was the winner of the 2018 Jackson County Civic Orchestra solo competition. He is currently working toward his Graduate Performance Diploma at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University where he will portray the roles of Beethoven and the Commendatore in Steven Stuckey and Jeremy Denk’s The Classical Style. During his masters degree at Peabody, he was featured in  the role of Le Doyen de la Faculté in Cendrillon, and was a member of the chorus in Don Giovanni.

Abigail Sherman

Abigail Sherman (she/her) is a mezzo-soprano from Red Oak, Iowa, currently pursuing her M.M. in Vocal Performance & Pedagogy in the studio of Randall Scarlata. Most recently, she performed as Nada in the Peabody Institute’s production of Svadba and as an ensemble member for Music On Site Inc.’s touring production of Amahl and the Night Visitors. She is thrilled to perform in the Peabody Institute’s Fall Double Bill as the title role in L’enfant et les sortilèges and  as Robert Schumann in The Classical Style. Beyond her operatic performances, Abigail is an active teaching artist and collaborator. She teaches private voice and early childhood music classes with the Patterson Park Academy of Music. Additionally, she is a staff singer at Mt. Calvary Catholic church in Baltimore. When Abigail is not making music, she loves to read and is an avid Survivor fan. She holds a B.A. in music, theatre, and psychology from Muhlenberg College, and has previously studied under the tutelage of Christa Warda and Paul Spencer Adkins.

Yaoqing Wang

Chinese-born soprano Yaoqing Wang completed her undergraduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music in 2024.  During her time there, she studied with Ashley Putnam, was featured in Mozart scenes, and in their production of The Mystery of the Fairy Queen. She has attended summer programs such as Classic Lyric Arts in Italy and Musiktheater Bavaria. She has won numerous awards for both voice and piano in her homeland of China.

Yaoqing is currently a masters student at Peabody Institute, studying with Randall Scarlata. She is looking forward to her time here and being an active part of the Peabody community.