Die Zauberflöte

Vicente Alvarez

tenor

Vicente Andrés Álvarez Maire holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chile. He has collaborated with the Chorus of the Municipal Theatre of Santiago in major productions, including Gioachino Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Richard Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem, and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. As a soloist, he has appeared in opera productions directed by soprano Verónica Villarroel, performing the roles of Alfredo in La traviata and Rodolfo in La Bohème at the El Tranque Cultural Center. He has also interpreted the role of El Remendado in Carmen at the Lucho Gatica Regional Theatre, under the stage direction of Gian Paolo Martelli. In 2024, he took part in the Solístico de Santiago season under the baton of conductor Paolo Bortolameolli, performing excerpts from Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.

Pranav Balaji

tenor

Pranav Balaji is a rising seventeen-year-old classical vocalist who brings eight years of rigorous technical training to this production of Die Zauberflöte. He recently appeared as The Youth in Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah. A dedicated performer, Pranav was selected for the prestigious California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) and the Oregon Bach Festival’s Stangeland Family Youth Choral Academy (SFYCA). He currently studies voice privately under Dr. Maria Maxfield. Pranav is thrilled to transition from the musical theatre stage to his professional opera debut and thanks his family and mentors for their endless support of his artistry.

James Coaxum

tenor

James Coaxum is an emerging tenor recognized for expressive musicianship and a growing presence on the operatic stage. His recent highlights include a summer 2025 appearance with Keystone Opera in Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) as Don Basilio and Don Curzio, along with performances as Nemorino in scenes from Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and Sam Kaplan in scenes from Kurt Weill’s Street Scene. A graduate of Norfolk State University with a degree in Vocal Performance, he also studied music and sang with Old Dominion University’s Concert Choir and Diehn Chorale from 2010 to 2013. He currently performs with the Virginia Opera in Hampton Roads.

Megan Gurer

mezzo-soprano

Mezzo-soprano and composer Megan Gürer is a master’s student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music studying Technology and Applied Composition. She studies voice with Milena Georgieva Bach. Whether composing music or performing for a live audience, Megan’s passion for musical story-telling is at the forefront of her artistic endeavors. Her recent operatic engagements include Cherubino in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (Bach-Millennium Music) and dritte Magd in Richard Strauss’s Elektra (Dramatic Voices Program Berlin). She received her undergraduate degrees in voice performance and composition from UC Davis. Outside of music, she enjoys cooking and spending time in nature.

Brendan Lockhart

conductor

Brendan Lockhart (he/they) is a conductor, music director, and bass-baritone from Waterford, Michigan, and a rising senior at the University of Michigan. He loves working with singers on stage works and is pursuing a career in opera conducting. As a conductor, Brendan has led productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 'Oklahoma!' and 'Cinderella', as well as West Side Story (Bernstein/Sondheim). Other work at U-M includes music directing the recent world premiere of 'The Laugh of the Medusa' by Thani Brant, and in November, he will conduct MUSKET's production at the Power Center for the Performing Arts.

Brooks Liang

baritone

Brooks Liang is a 16-year-old baritone and a sophomore at Archbishop Mitty High School. He performs across classical, musical theater, pop, and jazz styles. Brooks is a First Place winner of the NATS National Auditions (Youth Classical category) and has earned Second Place in both the CS Vocal Competition and the Schmidt Vocal Competition (Northern California). He is passionate about storytelling through music and continues to develop his artistry on stage.

Xinyi Liu

soprano

Xinyi Liu, soprano, is currently pursuing dual degrees in Voice/Opera and Psychology at Northwestern University. At Northwestern, she has performed Emmie in Albert Herring, Laurette in Le Docteur Miracle and has covered Mabel in Pirates of Penzance. This past summer Liu sang the role Adele in Die Fledermaus in Scharbeutz, Germany, with Middlebury German for Singers program. She has sung in UW Madison’s opera workshop in scenes from Roméo et Juliet, Lakmé, Der Rosenkavalier (Sophie), and Alcina (Morgana). Liu has been studying traditional Chinese music and Beijing Opera style since she was eight years old, she is dedicated to create global connections through music.

Gabriela Martinez

soprano

With roots in Anchorage, Alaska and Tucson, Arizona, soprano Gabriela Martinez is equally passionate about opera and choral music. She has performed roles including Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Monica in The Medium, and Marie in La fille du régiment. This summer, she performs Pamina in Die Zauberflöte. An accomplished concert soloist, she has appeared in major works including Handel’s Messiah, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, and Mahler’s Second Symphony. Recent performances include J.S. Bach’s Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott and Schubert’s Der Hirt auf dem Felsen. Gabriela holds degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Indiana University.

Anastasia Miin

mezzo-soprano

Anastasia is a 16-year-old vocalist from California with a strong background choir and piano. She has spent years cultivating her artistry, recently achieving recognition in 2026 as a NATS National Classical Semifinalist, placing 2nd at NATS Cal-Western, and naming as a Schmidt Finalist. For Anastasia, music serves as both a creative outlet and a source of balance. In the midst of a demanding academic schedule, singing provides clarity and focus, allowing her to reset and reconnect. At this program, she looks forward to intensive instruction, collaborating with other musicians, and further developing her voice in a rigorous and supportive environment.

Cristina Mora

soprano

Costa Rican soprano Cristina Mora won the 2023 Costa Rican National Symphony Orchestra Young Soloists Competition. Her stage versatility includes roles such as Adina (L’Elisir d’Amore), Lucy (The Telephone), Knabe 1 (Die Zauberflöte) and the Marquesita del Bierzo (El Barberillo de Lavapiés). She has performed at major venues like the National Theatre of Costa Rica and collaborated with ensembles including the SFCM Historical Performance Ensemble and the Tzintzuni Philharmonic. Currently, she is based in the United States, pursuing her first year of a Master’s in Voice at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of the renowned mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer.

Olivia Siri

soprano

Lyric Soprano Olivia Siri holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from California State University, Fullerton. Recognized for her strong musicianship and an expressive stage presence, some previous roles include Miss Wordsworth (Albert Herring), Rima in the West Coast premiere of Elizabeth Greene’s Hajar, 2nd Lady (Die Zauberflöte), and covering Noémie in Massenet’s Cendrillon. As a chorister, she regularly appears in major works with Pacific Chorale, most recently Ravel’s “Daphnis et Chloé”. A Bay Area native, Olivia has attended training programs such as Bach-Millennium Music, Miami Music Festival, and Opera Seme and is currently based in Southern California.

AJ Sotelo

soprano

AJ Sotelo is a soprano currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area. They hold a Bachelor of Arts in Music Theory and Composition and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance. Significant roles include Mlle. Silberklang in "Der Schauspieldirektor" (Mozart), Belinda in "Dido and Aeneas" (Purcell), and Buff in "Der Schauspieldirektor" as a character role. Along with vocal performances, Sotelo has also composed vocal works, including an operetta titled "Blossoms of Springtime." AJ gives special thanks to their teacher Jane Randolph and their spouse LJ for all of their love and support.

Tianna Vanderhoeven

soprano

Tianna Vanderhoeven is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Performance at Brock University, studying with Dr. Leanne Vida. She began her studies with Vicky Vlassis-Radulovich, completing her RCM Grade 8 voice exam, and making her professional debut as soprano soloist in the Combined Voices in Praise concerts. Tianna enjoys performing for various festivals and competitions, where she has received multiple awards. She has also been featured in RBC’s Music at Noon series and was a soloist in the Niagara Voice of Praise concert. She is currently preparing to premiere a composition by Jonathan Kingma and is looking forward to her first solo recital.

Frank Watnick

tenor

Frank Watnick is an emerging lyric tenor based in Los Angeles who has performed throughout the United States and abroad. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Vocal Performance from Chapman University and California State University, Fullerton. His operatic credits include Sam Kaplan (Street Scene), Nerone (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Lenski (Eugene Onegin), Basilio and Curzio (Le nozze di Figaro), Leukippos (Daphne), Rodolfo (La Bohème), and the Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto). Recent engagements include Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Vaudémont (Iolanta), Tebaldo (I Capuleti e i Montecchi), and cover assignments in Fra Diavolo and Turandot. An award-winning artist, Frank has earned Absolute First Prize in the Special Venue Music Awards, Second Prize in the Los Angeles International Liszt Competition, and was a finalist in the Redlands Bowl Young Artist Vocal Competition. This season, he debuts as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte with the Berlin Opera Academy before reprising the role with Bach-Millennium Music.

Zhangguanglu Wang

soprano

Zhangguanglu Wang is a light lyric coloratura soprano with over 20 years of vocal training, studying with Jane Randolph and Terence Goff. She won First Prize at the 2024 Cultures of China Water Cube Cup Final. Opera credits include Barbarina (cover) in Le Nozze di Figaro, chorus in La Traviata (Livermore Valley Opera) and Madama Butterfly (San Jose Opera). She is also a member of the SF symphony chorus, and an active soloist with the UC Berkeley Baroque Ensemble and the Bay Area Music Circle. Fluent in German, Italian, French, Chinese, and English, she balances music with her work as a consultant at Ernst & Young in San Francisco.

Ziang (David) Wu

tenor

David Wu is a recent graduate of Amador Valley High School who has been learning classical music since 2015. He has performed in productions of Into the Woods and even got to perform as Aeneas from Dido and Aeneas. Moreover, he had his first solo recital in February of 2025. Currently, he is headed to UCLA this year for a degree in Music Education.

Jason Yang

conductor, baritone

Jason Yang is a third-year undergraduate studying Choral Music at the University of Southern California (USC). Most recently, he was a participant in the Western American Choral Directors Association (WACDA) conducting masterclass. Yang was assistant conductor for Baroque Collegium LA, and has conducted as a part of USC's ACDA student chapter. He sings with the USC Chamber Singers and Thornton Baroque Sinfonia. He studies with Dr. Tram Sparks.

Rose Kreider is an emerging mezzo-soprano based in Los Angeles, California. An active performer, she has regular engagements with Southern California based companies, including recent and upcoming work with Opera Santa Barbara, Mission Opera, Palm Springs Opera Guild, California Opera Association (Fresno), and Angels Lyric Opera. Recent roles include Loma Williams (Cold Sassy Tree, Carlisle Floyd), Second and Third Ladies (Die Zauberflöte), Aunt Sue (Slow Dusk, Carlisle Floyd), the Turnspit (Rusalka), Dorabella (Cosí fan tutte), and Jennie Hildebrand (Street Scene). Rose has been a regular member of the Opera Santa Barbara chorus since 2023, including productions of Carmen, Cavalleria Rusticana, and Elmer Gantry. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from California State University, Northridge, and currently studies with Jessica Tivens-Schneiderman.