Laura Elena is a Cuban-American soprano from Miami, Florida. Recent roles include La Contessa in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Magda Sorel in Menotti’s The Consul, and Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen. She has won the Encouragement Award at the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (2023/2021) and First Place at the St. Petersburg Opera Guild Competition (2023). Laura holds a Master of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music from Stetson University. She also teaches voice lessons and was the education coordinator at Little Opera, working with students across the Bay Area.
Alexandra Halchak is an American lyric coloratura soprano known for her powerful interpretations of operatic roles such as Gilda in Rigoletto, Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, and Königin der Nacht in Die Zauberflöte. A 2019 graduate of Florida State University, she has performed internationally at Opera San José, the Oper im Berg Festival in Salzburg, and the Three Bridges Festival in Scotland. Alexandra won the “Mozart Prize” at the 2023 Grandi Voci Competition and has trained in prestigious European opera studios, establishing herself as a rising star in the opera world.
Gloria Palermo, originally from Cocoa, Florida, is based in Tampa. She recently performed with Opera Tampa, First Coast Opera, and the Longmont Symphony. In 2023, she completed her Artist Diploma at CU Boulder, where she sang roles, including Cendrillon in Cendrillon and Flora in La Traviata. Gloria also workshopped Tom Cipullo’s new opera, The Calling. In 2022, she was an Apprentice Artist at Santa Fe Opera. Gloria earned the Encouragement Award at the 2021 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and performed with Opera Orlando, including roles in Hansel and Gretel and Carmen. She holds degrees from USC and Rice University.
Baritone Chancelor Barbaree, from Amarillo, TX, will join Vero Beach Opera in 2024-2025 as Doctor Grenvil in La Traviata and perform Manfred Lewin in Jake Heggie’s For a Look or a Touch with Bold City Opera. He will also sing Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors and the title role in Gianni Schicchi. Recently, he performed Don Alfonso in Così fan Tutte with Opera NEO and was a Gerdine Young Artist with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. His past roles include Marco in Gianni Schicchi and Fiorello in The Barber of Seville. Chancelor has also won multiple vocal competition awards.
Aaron Santos is a classically trained tenor specializing in opera and musical theater. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance and has showcased his talent in various productions. Aaron has performed with Gulfshore Opera, taking on roles in Elixir of Love and Turandot, where his captivating voice and stage presence were highly praised. In addition to his operatic performances, Aaron has hosted several concerts with Gulfshore Opera, demonstrating his versatility and passion for engaging with audiences. He is thrilled to continue collaborating with the company and looks forward to future performances and projects.
