In residence all season, Studio Artists can be seen performing on both our main stage and throughout Arizona. The Studio also provides well-rounded, personalized instruction that propels each artist to the next level. These opportunities help bridge the gap between academic studies and a professional career.

2023/24 Studio Artists
 

Peter Barber, bass-baritone

1st Year Studio Artist

Education: The Academy of Vocal Arts
Recent Engagements: While at AVA, Barber performed numerous roles, including; the title role in Don Giovanni, Schaunard in La Bohème, and Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin. This summer, Barber will be returning to Music Academy of the West to perform Colline in La Bohème with Daniela Candillari conducting. Other role highlights include Escamillo in Carmen, Bottom in Midsummer Night's Dream, and Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro. Outside of the opera world, Barber has a successful YouTube channel with over 100,000 subscribers, and is a member of a four-person bass singing group called The Bass Gang.

Brad Bickhardt, tenor

2nd Year Studio Artist

Education: Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Recent Engagements: 2021-22 appearances have included filming Stone Soup for Tri-Cities Opera, appearing in recital with Chelsea Opera and Maryland Opera, and as a guest artist at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory. Bickhardt has previously appeared with Opera Saratoga in their critically acclaimed production of Man of La Mancha under the baton of Broadway conductor, Laura Bergquist, as well as in Opera Naples’ productions of West Side Story and La Traviata.

Lauren Cook, mezzo-soprano

2nd Year Studio Artist

Education: Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Louisiana State University
Recent Engagements: Cook made her company debuts with Painted Sky Opera performing Hannah After in the Oklahoma Premiere of Laura Kaminsky’s As One, Opera Saratoga performing Antonia in Man of La Mancha, and Virginia Opera performing Wellgunde in Das Rheingold. She was most recently seen performing Edwin the Avatar/Eddie in the film version of Frances Pollock’s Earth to Kenzie.

Véronique Filloux, soprano

2nd Year Studio Artist

Education: University of Maryland and Northwestern University
Recent Engagements: As a Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist, Filloux held roles in The Magic Flute, The Rose Elf, Carmen, Così fan tutte, Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, and Semele. She performed with Des Moines Metro Opera as L’Amour/La Folie (cover) in Rameau’s Platée and returns in Summer 2022 as Peaseblossom/Tytania (cover) in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other recent engagements include a recital with Musicians Club of Women and her scheduled debut with Raylynmor Opera as Nannetta in Falstaff, which was canceled due to COVID-19.

Kihwa Kim, pianist

3rd Year Studio Artist

Education: University of Texas at Austin, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Chonnam National University
Recent Engagements: Dayton Opera, First Coast Opera, Chonnam National University (Gwangju, South Korea), Knoxville Opera, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and Kangsookja Opera Line (Gwangju, South Korea). She received the Vocal Piano Fellowship Award (2017, 2018) and the Opera NEO (2019) at Music Academy of the West.

Mario Pacheco, assistant stage director

2nd Year Studio Artist

Education: University of Toronto and Sheridan College
Recent Engagements: Assistant directing credits include This is Prophetic with Against the Grain Theatre/UofT Opera, La bohème with Brott Opera, Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Opera NUOVA, and Le nozze di Figaro with Western University Opera. Most recently, Pacheco directed Il segreto di Susanna, The Bear, and Bon Appétit! for the University of Toronto Opera Division.

Schyler Vargas, baritone

2nd Year Studio Artist

Education: University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and Colorado State University
Recent Engagements: His work in the dramatic song cycle UNKNOWN by Shawn Okpebholo, commissioned by UrbanArias, was featured on PBS News Hour, NPR, and other publications. Vargas made his debut with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and Opera Edwardsville in Gianni Schicchi and as a baritone soloist, respectively. Other engagements include The Atlanta Opera, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, The Glimmerglass Opera Festival, Dayton Opera, and the Château de Versailles Spectacles in France.

Arizona Opera’s Marion Roose Pullin Opera Studio is made possible through the support of: Marion Roose Pullin, Marlu Allan and Scott Stallard, Ron and Kay McDougall, Drs. Tom and Ginger Collier, Alan and Linda Englander, A Gift from the Estate of Dan A. Klingenberg, Roma Wittcoff, Matt and Ann Melsheimer, Shoshana B. Tancer, Helen S. Pierson, Dr. Judith G. Wolf, An Anonymous Donor, A Gift in Memory of Mario Manetti, Jane and Dennis Fennessey, Marda Bell, Lester and Suzanne Hayt, Andres J. Escoruela, John Hildebrand and Gail Burd, Sharon Landis, Robert and Mary Newstead, Col. (Ret.) Kimberley Smith, and a consortium of individual donors.

If you are passionate about continuing the traditions of opera for the next generation, this is your opportunity! For more information about supporting this program, or to inquire about sponsoring an apprentice, contact Ashley Parks at 602.218.7337 or aparks@azopera.org.