Denver native Eric J. McConnell begins his season singing the title role Le nozze di Figaro this September. He then travels eastward for Escamillo in Carmen with DC’s Bel Cantanti Opera before performances as Jim Hardy in Holiday Inn and the title role in Willy Wonka with the Spotlight Center in Jacksonville. McConnell holds degrees from Northwestern University and the University of Miami

Soprano Sarah Sheldon is praised for her warm, sparkling voice and engaging interpretations.  In her home town of Columbia, Missouri, Sarah has performed as a concert soloist with the Columbia Chorale, Columbia Civic Orchestra, Bach Collegium Choir, and Odyssey Chamber Music Series.  Previous opera roles include Mary Warren in The Crucible and Despina in Cosi fan tutte with Show-Me Opera while earning her Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Missouri-Columbia. While working toward a Masters degree at University of Missouri-Kansas City, Sarah performed in scenes from Der Rosenkavalier (Sophie), Werther (Sophie) and Die Fledermaus (Adele).  Sarah resides in St. Louis and is an active church musician and choral collaborator.   

André Chiang has been described as “handsome of voice” (Opera News) and lauded with “let’s hear more from this singer” (Washington Post). Chiang was in the first cohort of PAVA-RV. He is an Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and sings around the nation.

Hailed as a “true Puccini lyric soprano” by Opera News, Italian-American soprano, Anna Mandina, is quickly making a name for herself in the opera world. Anna is thrilled to return to her college hometown to work with the Missouri Symphony and Landlocked Opera in their production of Le nozze di Figaro.

Praised for her "velvety mezzo" (OperaWire), Christina Ray is equally at home on the operatic, concert, and musical theatre stages. As an active choral singer, Ms. Ray is a member of two professional choral ensembles Vox Nova and Prometheus. Ms. Ray is a Professor of Voice at the University of Missouri and is the Founding General Director of boutique opera company, Landlocked Opera.

Praised by Opera News for the “clear beauty” of her voice and her “spot-on comic timing,” mezzo-soprano Sarah Nordin brings an exquisite blend of vocal artistry and strong dramatic instincts to a broad range of repertoire.

Bass-baritone Tyler Putnam’s current season includes Sparafucile and Monterone in Rigoletto with Opera på Skäret in Sweden, Leporello in Don Giovanni with Gulfshore Opera, Oroveso in Norma with Opera Tampa, and The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance with First Coast Opera. No stranger to new compositions, Tyler was heard as Marduk / Commander Mard in Cosmic Cowboy with White Snake Projects in Boston, The Commentator in Scalia / Ginsburg with Opera in the Heights and Cura Viejo in the world premiere of Behold the Man with Opera Las Vegas. Originally from Chebeague Island, Maine, Tyler Putnam is a graduate of Dartmouth College.

American tenor Micah Perry has been praised for his light, natural, and agile voice. This summer he was a member of the Wolf Trap Opera Studio, covering Apollo in Handel's Semele. He recently graduated from Baylor University with his M.M. in Vocal Performance. There, he performed the roles of Martin in The Tender Land, Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi, Duke in Patience, and Bellerose in Monsieur et Madame Denis. Mr. Perry was previously a member of the Manetti Shrem Opera Program at Festival Napa Valley covering Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore and has been a part of Music On Site Inc.'s 2021 and 2022 seasons singing Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors and Ferrando in Cosí fan tutte.

Amelia Lufkin soprano is from Knoxville, Tennessee. She recently completed a dual Master’s in Choral Conducting and Voice Performance from the University of Missouri. She received her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance at  Middle Tennessee State University. Amelia aims to continue her musicianship by directing, teaching, and performing locally and worldwide.

Henry Braeske Bass-Baritone, is from St. Louis and studies at the University of Missouri under Kyle Stegall. He is graduating this year with a BA in Music, and this is his first experience with a young artist program.