Eastman Opera Theatre

10/05/2026

Congratulations to first-year MM singer, Thomas DeFisher, for being named a Kentucky District Laffont Competition winner! He'll be moving on to the January regional in Chicago!

Meliora!

An autumn afternoon in the Bluegrass made for the perfect day to spend listening to the future stars of the opera stage. The Singletary Center for the Arts hosted a full day of fantastic singing and we are pleased to announce the winners of the Kentucky District Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, sponsored by OperaLex.

The judges selected three singers to receive encouragement awards:

Kylie Bennett, Louisville, KY - Encouragement Award

Natalie Monell, Louisville, KY - Gail Robinson Encouragement Award

Ava Knight, Lynchburg, VA - Encouragement Award

Three singers will advance to the Central Region Competition on January 10, 2027, in Chicago, Illinois:

Thomas DeFisher, Williamson, NY - Kentucky District Winner

Alan Rendzak, Wildwood Crest, NJ - Kentucky District Winner

Nuria Shin, Cary, NY - Kentucky District Winner

Congratulations to all the singers who performed for our enthusiastic audience, thank you to our amazing team at OperaLex, our dedicated donors and the UKOT student volunteers who contributed their time to make the day a successful event. And a huge thank you to our judges Francesca Condeluci, Chía Patiño and Howard Watkins, and our marvelous pianist, Robert Bosworth. We’re happy to hear and support the future stars of opera!

Tomorrow, Monday, October 5, 2026 at 12:00-2:00pm, Melissa Wegner, who is the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and the Lindemann Young Artist Program, will present a free masterclass for University of Kentucky Opera Theatre students. Please attend – Niles Gallery – Lucille Little Arts Library.

09/22/2026

It's so fun to see former Eastman Opera Theatre Assistant Conductor, Matthew Straw, doing what he was meant to do in Strasbourg!

09/14/2026

Our EOT singers before the Friends of Eastman Opera preview performance.

09/06/2026

A huge thank you to Nicole Cabell for giving a fabulous party for the VOVC faculty. It was a perfect day with wonderful people!

08/31/2026

Happy First Day of Class from our EOT team!

08/30/2026

https://www.esm.rochester.edu/esm_news/eastman-opera-theatre-announces-2026-2027-season/

Eastman Opera Theatre’s 2026–27 season explores the "moments that transform us" through works by Bernstein, Humperdinck, and Jason Robert Brown.

04/11/2026

We are tremendously proud of tenor Travon Walker (ESM '21) as he embarks on his career! And, his IMG manager is Noah Sesling (ESM '22). He says:

Now that all the announcements are out, I guess it’s time for an official post. 🤓
Baby’s first Mozart, three months in Belgium, a Met debut, and a return to my home company all in one year. I never could’ve imagined this to be my first season out of the Ryan Center, but I’m so incredibly thankful and ready to see what this career has to offer. So grateful for Noah Sesling and IMG Artists for making this all possible!
Only two weeks left as a young artist, and while it’s bittersweet, I plan to savor as much of it as I can! Let’s do this.

04/01/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7voMcRLtBk

Eastman Opera Theatre presents a lively take on Johann Strauss II’s "Die Fledermaus" — bringing the charm, wit, and champagne-fueled shenanigans of this time...

04/01/2026

First glances from the first Kodak Hall rehearsals of our 1970s disco version of Die Fledermaus! The stage extends in front of the pit, too.

03/24/2026

We are immensely proud of Anna Thompson (ESM '22) for being named a Grand Finals Winner of the 2026 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. Brava, Anna!!!