Director

Beth Krynicki was the Principal Stage Manager for Washington National Opera for more than fifteen seasons. She has worked with numerous directors from David Alden to Francesca Zambello, and Gian Carlo Menotti to Giancarlo del Monaco. Other collaborations include Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, The Dallas Opera, Bolshoi Ballet, Royal Opera House Muscat (Oman), Palau de la Música (Barcelona), and the National Symphony Orchestra (DC). She has led masterclasses at the University of Iowa and the University of Maryland, Ópera de Colombia, and Teatro Nacional Sucre (Ecuador). Her voice is heard at the Mariinsky Concert Hall (St. Petersburg, Russia) reminding you to turn off your cell phone.

Laurentino

Originally from San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Recently completed three seasons as an ensemble member at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Germany. There he has appeared as Pistola in Verdi’s Falstaff; as Zuñiga in Bizet’s Carmen and Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos, among others. This season at the Staatsoper he appears as Petrus in Der Mond; 2.Geharnichter in Die Zauberflöte; in Don Carlo and Strauss’s Die Liebe der Danae

In 2020 he finished his residency at the outstanding Houston Grand OperaStudio where he made his house debut as Colline in La Bohème and Masetto in Kasper Holten’s iconic production of Don Giovanni, as well as starring in the world premiere of El Milagro del Recuerdo by J. Martinez.

A graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. There he appeared as the title role in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Ferrando in Verdi’s Il Trovatore, Don Alfonso in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, andRaimondo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

In 2024, Noyola toured with Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra, performing Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos at the Spoleto Festival, MÜPA Budapest, and Vicenza Opera Festival. That same year, he was a finalist in the Belvedere Competition in Jūrmala, Latvia

Previous engagements have included Mustafá in Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri with Tri-Cities Opera in New York; Dulcamara in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (which he performed with Sociedad Artística Sinaloense in Mexico); Figaro in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, with Oberlin in Italy; Uberto in La Serva Padrona and Luka in The Bear by William Walton with the Merola Opera Program at the San Francisco Opera; and the roles of Scapin and Der Lautsprecher in a double bill called “The World Turned Upside Down” that included Gluck’s L’île de Merlin and Ullman’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis at Wolf Trap Opera.

Renata

A soloist in the GRAMMY® Award-winning album Duruflé: The Complete Choral Works, Cecilia Duarte has been praised by The New York Times as “A creamy voiced mezzo-soprano.”

Cecilia created the role of Renata in Cruzar la Cara de la Luna with Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, commissioned by Houston Grand Opera (2010, 2013, 2018); Châtelet Theatre in Paris, France; Chicago Lyric Opera, San Diego Opera, Arizona Opera, The Fort Worth Opera, Teatro Nacional Sucre, in Quito, Ecuador, New York City Opera, El Paso Opera, Minnesota Opera, and Opera San Antonio. Other roles originated are Renata in El milagro del Recuerdo (Houston Grand Opera, 2019, and 2022; Arizona Opera, 2021); Dido in The Queen of Carthage (Early Music Vancouver and re: Naissance Opera); Jessie Lydell in A Coffin in Egypt, (Houston Grand Opera and the Wallis Annenberg Center in L.A.); Gracie in A Way Home (Houston Grand Opera and Opera Southwest); Harriet/First Responder in After the Storm (Houston Grand Opera); Alicia in Some Light Emerges (Houston Grand Opera); and Alma in “Boundless,” the first episode of Houston Grand Opera’s web opera series Star-cross’d.

Operatic roles: Linda Morales in Laura Kaminsky's Hometown to the World, Melissa in Alcina, Sarelda in The Inspector, Maria in Maria de Buenos Aires, and Loma Williams in Cold Sassy Tree, among others. Her experience in early music includes performances with Ars Lyrica Houston, Mercury Houston, Boston Early Music Festival, Bach Collegium San Diego, re: Naissance Opera, Early Music Vancouver, Pacific Music Works, Blue Heron, The Newberry Consort, and Tafelmusik. She is a vocalist in the Kaleidoscope Vocal Ensemble, performing early and contemporary music.

Mark

Argentinian bass-bartione Federico De Michelis, praised by Opera News as a “singer with a deep-voiced authority,” continues to make an indelible impression in the classical music industry with his gorgeous timbre, artistry and stage presence. In the 2024–2025 season, De Michelis will make his Metropolitan Opera debut as Maestro in Ainadamar, Mark in Cruzar la Cara de la Luna with Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Amarillo Opera, and in concert, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the San Antonio Symphony, a Christmas Pops concert with the Las Colinas, and the first workshop of a new work by composer Gabriela Lena Frank, written for him, with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

In the 2023–2024 season, Federico De Michelis reprised the role of Laurentino in El Milagro del Recuerdo with San Diego Opera, the Imperial Commissioner in Madame Butterfly with Houston Grand Opera, Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Opera San Antonio, and joined the Houston Chamber Choir in the world premiere of The Joyful Mysteries by Daniel Knaggs.

During recent seasons, he returned to the Houston Grand Opera as Colline in La bohème, Achilla in Giulio Cesare, Dr. Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore with Jane Glover, Laurentino in El Milagro del Recuerdo, Balthazar in La Favorite, and Nourabad in Les pêcheurs de perles, a role he reprised in his debut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu. Other appearances include Mr. Flint in Billy Budd with Central City Opera, Central City Opera as Elmiro in Otello, Sacristan in Tosca at Dutch National Opera, Palm Beach Opera in the title role of Le nozze di Figaro, Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette with San Antonio Opera, Leporello in Don Giovanni with Florida Grand Opera, Brander in La damnation de Faust at the Aspen Music Festival, Colline in La bohème at Seattle Opera and the Gran Teatre del Liceu, and Timur in Turandot at Des Moines Metro Opera. 

Diana

Lily Guerrero is a soprano originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Post-Covid, Guerrero covered Marzelline in Fidelio at Austin Opera, sang the soprano solo in Brahms’ Requiem with the San Antonio Choral Society, and performed as a Vocal Fellow at Spoleto Festival USA in Yuval Sharon’s new “backwards Bohème.”

She has performed frequently around the Midwest, notably as Norina in Don Pasquale with Windy City Opera in Chicago and as Despina in Così fan tutte with Winter Opera Saint Louis. She covered Marzelline (Fidelio) and Josephine (HMS Pinafore) as an apprentice artist with GLOW Lyric Theatre and attended the Atlantic Music Festival as an Opera Fellow under the tutelage of Mark Crayton and Arlene Shrut. A 2020 graduate of Florida State University, she sang Curley's Wife in Of Mice and Men, Cunegonde in Candide, and Morgana in Alcina on the main stage and Zdenka in Arabella for the Opera Scenes Showcase. Guerrero also sang the soprano solos in Handel's Messiah and Bach's Magnificat with the Tallahassee Community Chorus, conducted by Dr. André Thomas. Guerrero’s last performance before the pandemic was as Violetta in Act 1 of La traviata with Teatro Lirico d'Europa.

During her first season as a young artist with Wichita Grand Opera, she performed Tebaldo in Don Carlo and covered Liù (Turandot) and Wanda (The Grand Duchess). Prior to her season with WGO, she was the soprano soloist in The Creation with the Wichita Chamber Chorale. She sang Donna Anna in Wichita State University's production of Don Giovanni, with Sam Ramey as the Commendatore. She previously performed the role with the American Singers' Opera Project of North Carolina. Other Wichita State credits include Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Suor Genovieffa (Suor Angelica), Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance), and the title role in Carlisle Floyd's Susannah. Scene studies at Wichita State include Violetta (La traviata) and Adina (L'elisir d'amore). 

Lupita

Houston native Vanessa Alonzo embarked on her ranchera music journey under the mentorship of the late Alfonso Guerra at Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts. Since 2010, Vanessa has enhanced her vocal versatility through her participation in operatic performances, such as her role as Lupita in the first mariachi opera, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna (“To Cross the Face of the Moon“) by José “Pepé” Martínez and Leonard Foglia.

Her portrayal of Lupita has earned nationwide acclaim, gracing prestigious venues such as the Houston Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, El Paso Opera, and San Diego Opera, alongside the renowned Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán and Mariachi los Camperos. In 2015, Vanessa originated the role of Juana in Foglia and Martínez's second Mariachi Opera, El Pasado Nunca Se Termina (“The Past is Never Finished”), embarking on a tri-city premiere tour with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Diego Opera, and Houston Grand Opera. Her contributions continued with the premiere of Houston Grand Opera’s El Milagro del Recuerdo in 2019, reprised with Arizona Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and San Diego Opera.

Vanessa's talents have also captivated international audiences in France, Ecuador, Norway, Vietnam, and Ireland. In recognition of her influence and leadership in the music industry, Vanessa was honored with the Influential Latina Award at the Houston Mariachi Festival in 2023 and the International Leadership Award from the Texas Women’s Empowerment Foundation in 2014.

Rafael

A graduate of San Francisco’s prestigious Adler Fellow Opera Program, American tenor Daniel Montenegro is recognized for his flexible and distinctive voice and a varied repertoire of bel canto, verismo, and contemporary roles. Daniel made his Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, and San Diego Opera debuts in 2015 as Luis (a role he created) in El Pasado Nuca se Termina.

Recent and upcoming engagements for Montenegro include Alfredo in La traviata at Lyric Opera of Kansas City, the Duke in Rigoletto at Nashville Opera, and Rafael in Cruzar la Cara de la Luna at Opera Santa Barbara. He also appeared as a featured soloist with Minnesota Opera at the 2021 Opera America annual conference. Recent seasons have included one of his signature roles, Giovanni, in La Hija de Rappaccini with Chicago Opera Theater, a return to San Francisco Opera as Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette, Mario in Il postino with Virginia Opera and Opera Santa Barbara, and Verdi’s Requiem with the Phoenix Symphony.

Other highlights include Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Opera Columbus, Alfredo in La Traviata with Arizona Opera, and Luis in El Pasado Nuca se Termina with Fort Worth Opera. Other recent performances include Rafael in Cruzar la Cara de la Luna in his debut with both New York City Opera and Houston Grand Opera, a return to San Diego Opera as Arcadio in Florencia en el Amazonas, Giovanni in La Hija de Rappaccini with Gotham Opera and his European opera debut at the Théâtre du Châtelet as Mario in Daniel Catán’s Il Postino along side Plácido Domingo, as well as a number of significant role and company debuts including Roderigo in Otello with San Francisco Opera under Nicola Luisotti, Alfredo in La Traviata with New Orleans Opera and Minnesota Opera, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore with Washington National Opera, Pang in Turandot at the Hollywood Bowl conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, Pong in Turandotwith San Francisco Opera and Dallas Opera, Roméo in Roméo et Juliette with Tulsa Opera and the Castleton Festival, and most recently, Mario in Il Postino with Opera Saratoga, Pinkerton in Madama Butterflywith Arizona Opera, and Rafael in Cruzar la Cara de la Luna in his debut with Fort Worth Opera.

Chucho

Miguel de Aranda, born in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, is a celebrated singer of Mexican regional music with a career spanning twenty-five years. Known for his deep respect and passion for Mexican culture, Miguel has dedicated his life to showcasing the richness of his country’s musical traditions to audiences worldwide.

Miguel began his artistic journey at sixteen, studying at the Centro Profesional Artístico y Cultural (CEPAC) under the guidance of the esteemed maestro José “Pepe” Martínez, longtime musical director of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán and composer of operatic works such as Cruzar La Cara de la Luna. This early foundation inspired Miguel to pursue excellence in his craft, leading him to perform at prestigious mariachi festivals and stage productions across Mexico, the United States, and Central America.

His performances often feature an equestrian element, with horses trained in haute école, adding a dramatic flair to his shows. Miguel has shared the stage with iconic mariachi ensembles, including Mariachi Camperos and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, and has released three albums during his career.

In addition to his work in traditional Mexican music, Miguel has made a significant impact in opera. He debuted as “Chucho” in Cruzar La Cara de la Luna with Houston Grand Opera in 2017, a role he reprised for New York City Opera, El Paso Opera, and the world premiere of El Milagro del Recuerdo in 2019. His performances in these operas, exploring themes of family and cultural identity, have captivated audiences in Houston, Phoenix, Tucson, and beyond.

Miguel’s operatic collaborations have consistently drawn sold-out crowds, with each season averaging nine performances. In 2022, he returned to Houston Grand Opera for another successful run of El Milagro del Recuerdo.

Beyond the stage, Miguel supports philanthropic efforts through his music. In 2017, he composed and performed Corazón Mexicano, the anthem for a foundation aiding underprivileged children. His commitment to his heritage and his ability to bridge traditional and classical forms of Mexican music make him a unique and cherished figure in the world of music.

Miguel de Aranda continues to inspire audiences with his dedication to sharing the beauty of Mexico’s cultural and musical legacy.