Chase Côté, a mellifluous baritone, is pursuing his degree at LSU.  With recent debuts with Art City Opera in the title role of Gianni Schicchi, and Opera Louisiane in Amahl and the Night Visitors. Chase looks forward to Mercutio in Romeo et Juliette, along with the leading role “Mac” in the collegiate premiere of Jake Heggie’s opera Before it All Goes Dark, both with the Turner-Fischer Opera Center at LSU.

Robert Grayson, A GRAMMY winner and leading tenor at New York City Opera for 10 seasons, Robert Grayson has performed 43 leading roles throughout the USA and internationally. A Puccini specialist, Grayson has sung more than 120 performances of the composer’s operas, and is noted for his “Faust” in Mefistofele, “Don Jose” in Carmen, and “Pollione” in Norma.   Grayson and his protégé, Paul Groves, are the voice teachers of each of tonight’s performers.  Notable among the singers Grayson has produced is the renowned soprano Lisette Oropesa.  Grayson has worked with the young artists at the Metropolitan Opera, Canadian Opera Company, and at the Castleton Vocal Immersion Program.  His online studio may be accessed at www.robertgraysonstudios.com

Cristina Escobedo – A gifted soprano from Peru, she pursuing her degree at LSU. Cristina recently made her debut with the Baton Rouge Symphony as soloist in MESSIAH.  This summer she will appear with Opera Theatre of St. Louis.  In Summer 2025 she sang in Young Artist Vocal Academy at the Houston Grand Opera.  Recent opera roles have included Countess Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, Youka in L’Etoile, and Juliette in Romeo et Juliette.

Elise Strain – A talented soprano from Louisiana, she is completing her degree at LSU.  Elise performed with the Austrian American Mozart Academy where she debuted as Madame Silvertrill in The Impresario, followed by Morgana in Handel’s Alcina with Opera Seine. Other recent appearances include Adele in Die Fledermaus and Paquette in Candide.

SCOTT OCHOA With over a decade of solo singing experience Scott Ochoa is often praised for his emotional connection to the music and to the audience. A recent graduate of LSU, Ochoa studied under Robert Grayson and Paul Groves while receiving his Masters in vocal performance. An avid opera enthusiast, Ochoa has performed in various lead roles including: Beppe in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci , Nemorino in Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore , Rinuccio in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi , Aeneas in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and the Schoolmaster in Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen .