Each year, four singers and a stage director receive the opportunity to apprentice by performing in various roles or directing, learning roles to act as “cover” or “understudy” performers, and learn from a close affiliation with the experienced professionals in all productions.

Each of the Studio Artists is an early career professional with significant training and stage experience. The program builds on The Atlanta Opera’s commitment to provide opportunities for performers at all stages in their careers.

Throughout the season, these artists will have the opportunity to work with established performers and coaches to improve their skills in all aspects of their field. Master Vocal Teacher Laura Brooks Rice has been part of the Studio Artist program since 2021 and is an acclaimed performer and voice teacher and acting coach whose students are currently singers at The Metropolitan Opera, Washington Opera, Sarasota Opera, and internationally at most of the world’s opera houses.

An experienced group of coaches and clinicians are engaged in the training and support of the Studio Artists. These experts include David Okerlund, Principal Guest Voice Teacher; Kevin Burdette, Principal Dramatic Clinician; Walter Huff, Principal Guest Coach; Stefano Baldasseroni, Italian Diction Coach; Marianne Barrett, German Diction Coach; and Pierre Vallet, French Diction Coach.

Significant support is provided by the Donald and Marilyn Keough Foundation, John and Yee-Wan Stevens, and Jerry and Dulcy Rosenberg.

Kameron Lopreore, (tenor), joined The Atlanta Opera as a Young Artist for the 2022-23 season after a summer season with the Santa Fe Opera where he was seen in Carmen, The Barber of Seville, Tristan and Isolde, and Falstaff. Hailed by Opera News as a “fresh-voiced” tenor, Lopreore was heard in performances of The Shining and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Atlanta Opera’s 2023-24 season. A New Orleans native, he was featured as The Tenor in AMC’s television drama Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. Recently, he sang Tamino in The Magic Flute and Panatellas in the world premiere of Songbird at the prestigious Glimmerglass Festival.

Aubrey Odle, (mezzo-soprano), is known for her “luscious” sound and as a competitive up-and-coming vocalist. The 2022-23 season featured Aubrey in roles with Lyric Opera of Kansas City. In summer 2023, Odle joined Des Moines Metro Opera, covering Judith in Bluebeard’s Castle, in addition to other performances. She also was a Resident Artist with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City in the 2021-22 season. Other operatic role experience includes La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica), Zita (Gianni Schicchi), Gertrude (Roméo et Juliette), Dame Quickly (Falstaff), and others.

Amanda Sheriff, (soprano), was a Young Artist at the Glimmerglass Festival for the 2023 summer season. In 2024, Sheriff will make her company and role debut as Musetta (La bohéme) with Opera Bozeman. In 2022, she was awarded first prize in the highly esteemed Lotte Lenya Competition and returned to Opera Delaware. During 2021, she served at Des Moines Metro Opera as an Apprentice Artist. Previous roles include Beatrice (Three Decembers), Celie (Signor Deluso), and roles in and Trouble in Tahiti and New York Stories while she was a Studio Artist at Florida Grand Opera. Sheriff holds both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Nora Winsler, (stage director), is a versatile and accomplished director who has made significant contributions to numerous productions across the United States. For the past two years, Winsler held the position of Resident Assistant Director at Virginia Opera. She has worked with Tara Faircloth, Kevin Newbury, Joachim Schamberger and Mary Birnbaum. More recently, Winsler’s work has been seen at Des Moines Metro Opera where she was the assistant director on Carmen. In 2022, she worked with Francessca Zambello and Brenna Corner at the Glimmerglass Festival. She was honored with the Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Prize for Choreography by Opera America in 2022.

Jason Zacher, (bass-baritone), is a native of New Jersey and is quickly gaining national attention as a rising new talent. He comes to Atlanta after a season with the Studio Artist program at Kentucky Opera where he was featured as Colline (La bohéme), Henry (The Gift of the Magi), and Alidoro (La Cenerentola). In addition, he was selected as a Young Artist at the Glimmerglass Festival for summer 2023. Zacher has been featured in roles on the stages of companies including Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera in the Heights, Ars Lyrica Houston, and Opera NEO. Zacher holds degrees from the University of Houston and Montclair State University.