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THE ARTISTS
Carmen
Kirstin Chavez
Kirstin Chávez has spent a professional life time in creating, sharing, and revitalizing the iconic character of Carmen from Georges Bizet’s opera. Through performances spanning the entire globe (including the Sydney Opera House, the Metropolitan Opera, Welsh National Opera, New National Theatre Tokyo, and the China national Opera House Theatre), Kirstin has breathed new life into this incredible personality, sharing her own discoveries into the deep inner thoughts and feelings Carmen experiences leading up to her death at the hands of her ex-lover, Don José.
Don José
Richard Troxell
Richard Troxell’s beautiful lyric tenor voice has been thrilling audiences in leading roles in opera houses and on concert stages around the world for over 25 years. Richard’s career has ranged from the starring role of Pinkerton in Martin Scorcese’s Sony Film of “Madama Butterfly” to being a recurring guest on Jimmy Fallon’s Late Night, to climbing out of the sewers of Seville as Don Jose at the Sydney Opera House in Carmen, to singing the National Anthem for MLB’s ALCS to sharing the stage with Opera star’s Denyce Graves and Roberto Alagana to costarring on Broadway with the beloved Broadway soprano, Melissa Errico, to singing the role of the dwarf in Zemlinksy’s “Der Zwerg” at Avery Fisher Hall to directing “Eugene Onegin” at the Academy of Vocal Arts.
Escamillo
Luis Ledesma
Mexican American baritone Luis Ledesma has established a reputation as a “rich and well controlled baritone” (Opera News). He frequently portrays the heroes and villains of Puccini, Verdi and the bel canto masters as well as roles in recent new works in Spanish including Florencia en el Amazonas and El pasado nunca se termina which featured debuts with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, San Diego Opera and a return to NYCO Opera.
Micaëla
Julia Gershkoff
Julia Gershkoff is a Soprano in Salt Lake City. Some highlights of her recent local
performances include singing Mozart selections with the Salt Lake Choral Artists, Silence
in The Romance of Silence by Anthony Buck with Opera Contempo, Water/ A Rose in
The Little Prince with Utah Opera, and Guido’s Mother in Nine with Hart Theater
Company.
Julia was the Soprano Resident Artist with Utah Opera from ‘20-‘22 where she performed
Micaëla in La tragédie de Carmen, Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Tina in Flight, and Kate
in The Pirates of Penzance. With the Utah Symphony, she has performed Pergolesi’s
Stabat Mater, Handel’s Messiah, and the Annual Christmas Pops concert. Other local
performances include Bach’s Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben with the Cathedral of the
Madeleine and excerpts from Dowland’s The First Book of Songs or Ayres with the NOVA
Chamber Music Series.
Julia received her M.M. in Vocal Arts and Opera at the University of Southern California in
‘20 and her B.M. in Vocal Performance at Ithaca College in ‘18.
Outside of singing, Julia works as an Organizational Development Specialist on the HR
team at Odyssey House of Utah and loves evening walks with her dog and fiancé.
Choreographer
Sol Koreaus
Glenda Sol Koeraus, known as "La Argentinita," is a renowned Flamenco dancer, singer, and choreographer based in New York, with an impressive international career. As a soloist, she has performed at prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center, The Joyce Theater, and the Metropolitan Opera, where she was featured in La Traviata and Carmen. She also served as the Principal Dancer and Choreographer in Carmen at the Portland Opera in Portland, OR. Additionally, she has been featured in the pre-production of Tony Award-winning Christopher Gatelli’s In Your Arms at Powerhouse Theater and in Zorro! The Musical at Alliance Theater in Georgia. Sol has toured with Soledad Barrios and Noche Flamenca, sharing the stage with flamenco legends, and has worked as the Flamenco Ambassador for P&O Cruises. In 2007, she founded Flamenco y Sol Flamenco Company, a New York City-based touring company.
As a teacher, she has led numerous workshops at prestigious New York City studios such as the Alvin Ailey Dance Center, Mark Morris Dance Center, and Flamenco Vivo. Her work has earned her several notable grants, including the NYSCA Grant in Choreography, the MAP Fund, the Jacob's Pillow Scholarship, the City Artists Corps grant, and the Jubilation Foundation grant. Known for both preserving flamenco’s traditions and pushing its boundaries, Sol continues to inspire audiences and students alike, both on stage and in classrooms worldwide.
Mercedes
Paula Sofía Nesticó
Argentine-American mezzo soprano, Paula Sofía Nesticó, has been praised for her warm and rich voice. Devoted to promoting reconciliation between the Americas, she has introduced audiences to several vocal works of Argentine composers in the native castellano accent. These include Carlos Guastavino’s Cuatro canciones coloniales, Flores Argentinas, and La rosa y el sauce.
Ms. Nesticó has recently organized and participated in several recitals including "An Evening in Nature Recital" and "Ariafest Recital." Her upcoming engagements for 2024 include Mercedes in Carmen Inside out and "An Evening of German Lieder Recital" in Salt Lake City, UT.
Notable appearances include: Madame de la Haltière in Cendrillon, L'écureuil in L'enfant et les sortilèges and an invitation to perform a selection from Logan Skelton’s song cycle Letters to Santa. Other credits include: Dritte Dame and Dritte Knabe in Die Zauberflöte at the German Vocal Arts Institute, scenes as Prince Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus and Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, at the International Performing Arts Institute, Germany, and Mercedes in Carmen, Nursemaid in Street Scene, Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte and Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro with Union University's Opera Workshop.
Ramendado
Sam Plumb
Sam Plumb has been storytelling via song his whole life. A child of military veterans,
Sam was raised in several American states, settling in Utah as an adult. After spending his
grade school years in choirs and community theatre productions, he decided to dedicate his life
to the art of singing and music education. Following initial studies at the University of
Michigan-Ann Arbor, He received his B.M. in Vocal Performance, Summa Cum Laude, from
Utah Valley University He is currently working towards completion of a M.M. in Vocal
Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Utah, where he was most recently seen as The
Mad Hatter/White Rabbit in Scurria’s A.L.I.C.E.. During the Summer 2024 season he enjoyed
performing the title role in Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring in his company debut with Chicago
Summer Opera. As a Teaching Assistant, he performs as part of the University of Utah
Graduate Vocal Quartet, and has a wonderful time teaching private lessons to undergraduate
students. It is his great privilege to share his voice with the art-lovers of Salt Lake and beyond
Lilas Pastia
Isaac Martinez-Trinidad
ISACC MARTINEZ-TRINIDAD (Lilas Pastia) is currently a senior in the ATP. He was born and raised around the Salt Lake Valley and is proud to be of Latino descent. Isacc’s previous acknowledgments include Ferdinand in The Tempest (Babcock Theatre), Alexander in Somewhere: A Primer For The End Of Days (Studio 115), Much Miller in The Heart of Robinhood (Meldrum Theatre), and Adam/US Orlando As You Like It (Studio 115). He is thankful for an opportunity to perform in Kingsbury Hall and would also like to thank his parents for their continual support.
Frasquita
Rocio Valle Lucero
Rocio Valle is an accomplished opera singer, born in Mexico. She began her vocal training at a young age as a church choir member and went on to earn a degree in vocal performance in Ciudad, Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Rocio has performed as chorister and soloist in northern Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Nebraska. She has also worked with renowned coaches and teachers such as Anthony Laciura, Dr. Isaac Hurtado and Deborah Voight. She has studied at the studio of tenor Jesus Suaste and vocal coach Judith Natalucci.
Some of Rocio's most notable performances include Suor Dolcina in Suor Angelica, Opera To Go concert series, and Frida 1 and Gualupe Ponti in "El último sueño de Frida y Diego" with Opera Omaha. In addition to her operatic work, Rocio has performed in various concerts and festivals around Mexico and the US. Currently she is pursuing her master's degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at the University of Utah in the studio of mezzosoprano Kirstin Marie Chavez.
Dancer
Isabella Grimaldo
Isabella is excited to be working with the cast and crew of Carmen Inside/Out! She is a dancer with Tablado Dance Company under the direction of Solange Gomes. She was most recently seen in Plan B’s Radio Hour program, “Sherlock Holmes and the Final Problem”. She is a U of U ATP alum. Isabella would like to thank her family for their support!
Dancer
Nic Lee
Dance has been an integral part of Nic’s life for a long time. It’s defined by love. He
started his dancing journey in his first year of high school at Alta. Following his first
class there he tried out for the ballroom team a the school. He made it. Nic was on
the Alta dance team and use a Showcase Ballroom dance style. Upon graduation he
continue to take dance classes and improving his skills. Again, following passion.
Nic began learning Flamenco Dance as side project, taking a local community course.
He quickly advanced. Flamenco is about passion, soul, and heart. Nic has that! He
met Solange Gomez, who directs Tablado Flamenco, when taking a class at the Rose
Wagner Performing Arts Center. With Toblado he fell deeply in love with flamenco.
He joined Toblado and has been performing 8+ years. The soul of Flamenco is
togetherness. Nic has met many friends who border on family. This is Flamenco! He
often takes a very central role in performances. Carmen Inside out will be his first
production performance using flamenco dance style and is excited to help
contribute to the show!
Pianist for the one-woman show
Yuka Munehisa
The Japanese pianist Yuka Munehisa studied piano with Mayumi Ito at the "Yamaguchi Junior College of Arts" in Japan, with Jean-Marie Cottet at the "Conservatoire National de Region" in Paris, and with Christian Favre at the "Haut Ecole de Musique / Conservatoire" in Lausanne.
Besides her studies, she also received important influences from Yuko Yamaoka, Stephen Kovacevich, Pascal Devoyon and Jacques Rouvier.
Yuka Munehisa has performed in many countries in Europe, Asia, and America and has played as a soloist with orchestras such as the Philharmonic
Orchestra of Budweis and the Yamaguchi Chuo Orchestra. Radio and TV recordings document her international concert activity. Already at the age of 15, her playing was broadcast by the Japanese television station Asahi.
She has won several prizes, including 1st prize at the Osaka International Music Competition and 1st prize at the Medoc-Aquitaine Piano Competition in Merignac, France. She has received multiple scholarships and a Steinway grand piano from a private patron.
She founded the "Arte Animi pianoduo" with Samuel Fried, with whom she has won many International Prizes and performed worldwide, including at Carnegie Hall in New York, and Suntory Hall in Tokyo. Her special interest in chamber music has been realized in special concerts with artists such as Gilles Milliere, Jacques Mauger, Takahiro Ono, Andre Henry, Marc Baumann and Kirstin Chavez.
Yuka Munehisa has been named a "Young Steinway Artist" by Steinway & Sons.
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Pianist for live concert performance
Qiao Zheng Goh
Qiao “Ciao” Zheng Goh is an active collaborative pianist, opera répétiteur, and vocal coach. She tours internationally with Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano Kirstin Chavez. Qiao was the Music Director/Opera Répétiteur for UNC Opera at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill from 2015–20. Their 2019 production of Kurt Weill's The One Who Says Yes (Der Jasager) won first prize in the National Opera Association’s 2018–19 Opera Production Competition.
Qiao leverages her vocal coaching experience while pursuing speech language pathology. She is dedicated to integrating a scientific approach and her artistic expertise to promote vocal, speech, and swallowing health. She has performed in the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, and Malaysia. She is fluent in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay, and Hakka dialect, and conversational in French. She also has coaching proficiency in German and Italian.