Arizona Opera Cast Members & Creatives

Puerto Rican soprano Zulimar López-Hernández is celebrated for her lustrous timbre and charismatic portrayals of a wide range of roles.

The soprano’s engagements during the COVID-19 impacted 2020/21 Season include performances with Arizona Opera as La Mujer in El milagro del Recuerdo (postponed).

Original engagements for López-Hernández’s COVID-19 shortened 2019/20 Season began with a return to Dayton Opera in the role of Musetta in La bohème (performed). Later in the season, she planned to create the roles of Abilene and Betty in the workshop (completed) and world premiere of Edward Tulane (cancelled) with Minnesota Opera, followed by Conexiones Puerto Rico with the Orchestra 2001 in Philadelphia (postponed).

The soprano’s 2018/19 Season included performances with Des Moines Metro Opera, singing Tina in Flight for their summer festival, as Maria in West Side Story for the 50th anniversary of the Newport Music Festival, a return to Utah Opera, singing Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, with the Evansville Philharmonic in concert as Maria in West Side Story, and with Dayton Opera for their New Year’s Eve gala performance.

Most recently, the soprano premiered Jonathan Dawes’ Nero and the Rise and Fall of Lehman Brothers, singing Poppea at the Italian Academy NYC. She also joined the Grand Junction Symphony for a suite of music from West Side Story, and the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico for Mozart's Requiem. The 2015/16 Season saw López-Hernández return to the role of Musetta in Virginia Opera’s La bohème, as well as Susanna in Utah Opera’s Le nozze di Figaro. In concert, she appeared as the soprano soloist with the Eugene Ballet for Orff’s Carmina Burana.

In 2014/15, the soprano returned to Knoxville Opera as Micaëla in Carmen, made her Nashville Opera debut as Rosalba in Florencia en el Amazonas, and also returned to Annapolis Opera as Despina in Così fan tutte. She closed the season with Des Moines Metro Opera as Beatriz in Rappaccini’s Daughter.

The 2013/14 Season brought an important debut with the Royal Albert Hall in London as Musetta in La bohème, as well as a concert appearance with Dayton Opera and her first Violetta in La traviata with Union Avenue Opera. She was also engaged by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, covering Despina in Così fan tutte under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel.

The artist returned to Des Moines Metro Opera as Zerlina in Don Giovanni in summer 2012. Following these performances, she debuted with Opera Memphis as Musetta in La bohème. The spring of 2013 included performances of Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro for her debut with Dayton Opera, and a debut with Opera Santa Barbara for Norina in Don Pasquale, which she then also performed with Nickel City Opera in Buffalo, New York. The 2011/12 Season found the soprano in her company and role debut with Knoxville Opera, as Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Musetta in La bohème with Opera Grand Rapids, and covering Despina in Così fan tutte for New York City Opera. In March 2011, López-Hernández made her debut as Susanna in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro with Annapolis Opera. Following this, she performed Nannetta in Falstaff with Mannes Opera, before her debut with Des Moines Metro Opera as Norina in Don Pasquale.

López-Hernández was recently the Third Place winner in the 2010 Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition. A National Semifinalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2006, and a Gulf Coast Regional Finalist in 2008, she was also awarded Radio Choice Audience Favorite in the 2007 Academy of Vocal Arts Giargiari Bel Canto Competition in Philadelphia. In 2009 she was a finalist in the Greenfield Philadelphia Orchestra Competition.

The soprano was a Young American Artist at Glimmerglass Opera during the summer of 2010, where she covered the role of Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro. While there, she transported audience members with a recital of Strauss, Debussy, Greer and Obradors. In the 2009.10 Season, López-Hernández made her debut with Syracuse Opera in their production of Mark Adamo's Little Women, where she sang the role of Beth. She also worked with renowned coach Margo Garrett on the Mannes Recital Series and Evening of Songs. In spring 2010, López sang the role of Despina in Così fan tutte, with Mannes Opera under the baton of Maestro Joseph Colaneri.

López-Hernández began her vocal studies at the University of Puerto Rico. As part of the UPR Opera Workshops she performed the roles of Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Gilda in Rigoletto and Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann. López-Hernández took the stage as soprano soloist in the world premiere of The New Millennium Symphony by Raymond Torres-Santos. Together with local opera companies in Puerto Rico, she has performed the roles of Mlle. Silberklang in Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor, Juaniya in the Puerto Rican opera Los Jibaros Progresistas by M.Gonzales and Rosaura in the zarzuela Los Gavilanes. López-Hernández took the stage with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra in their 2007 Christmas Concert and in 2008 she was the soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah, under the baton of Alan Harler.

In 2006, she began studies at the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. While at AVA, López-Hernández performed the roles of Poussette in Manon, Despina in Così fan tutte and Norina in David Gately's Wild Wild West production of Don Pasquale. Also in 2006, she covered the role of Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte with Opera New Jersey.

López-Hernández holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from the University of Puerto Rico and an Artist Diploma from the Academy of Vocal Arts.