Lara Lignitz is a Soprano and citizen of the Cherokee Nation. It is her belief that opera uniquely expresses the most human of experiences and it is her job to bring those to life on stage. She has had the opportunity to do this through roles such as Magda in The Consul, The Governess in The Turn of the Screw, and the title role in Suor Angelica. Her superb high notes along with a clear embodiment of character make her a performer who stands out on any stage.  

South Korean baritone Yonghyun Kim is recognized for his rich, resonant tone and commanding stage presence. He has performed across Korea, Italy, and the United States in a wide range of operatic and concert repertoire, including his Italian debut. His roles include Don Giovanni, Marcello in La Bohème, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Il Conte di Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus, and Escamillo in Carmen.

He has appeared as a soloist in Fauré’s Requiem and has performed in concert with orchestras including the Abilene Philharmonic and Sherman Symphony. Recent highlights include the title role in Rachmaninoff’s Aleko and Melisso in Alcina.

A prizewinner of the National Opera Association Competition, the Barry Alexander International Vocal Competition, and the AIMS Vocal Competition, he was also selected as a Kumho Young Artist in Korea.

Kim has participated as a fellowship singer at the Aspen Music Festival and the American Institute of Musical Studies. He will make his debut with The Dallas Opera in the 2026–2027 season as The Businessman/King in Rachel Portman’s The Little Prince as part of the company’s Education & Outreach program. He holds degrees from Seoul National University and the Manhattan School of Music and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of North Texas.

Kelsey Korman, mezzo-soprano, is a versatile artist who has performed in operas, musicals, and  jazz ensembles throughout her career. Praised by Dallas Theatre Journal for her comedic timing, Kelsey brings her unique and humorous perspective to each and every  character she portrays. Her operatic roles include Armelinde (Cendrillon) and Turnspit (Rusalka) with Opera Arlington, Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus) and the title role of Amahl and the Night Visitors with Music On Site, Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro) and the title role of The Little Prince with Red River Lyric Opera, Papagena (Die Zaberflöte) with Music Ministry Conservatory, and Zita (Gianni Schicchi) and Kate Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) with UNT Opera. On the musical theatre stage, her recent performances include Mary McDonnell (National Pastime) with McKinney Repertory Theatre, Irene Molloy (Hello, Dolly!) with Sherman Community Players, Jack’s Mother (Into The Woods) with North Texas Performing Arts, and Milly Pontipee (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) with Love Your City Theater. Kelsey had the pleasure of making her choreographer debut this year, choreographing the dances for the new musical National Pastime, which premiered in North Texas at McKinney Repertory Theatre this October. She is also the music director for Love Your City Theater, a local community theater located in Cedar Hill, Texas. Kelsey holds a Master of Music and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas. 

Tenor, Dylan Elza, a native of Dallas, Texas has most recently performed with Dallas Opera as Giuseppe in La Traviata and with Opera Arlington as Prince Charming in Cendrillon (Viardot) this past fall. Other professional mainstage roles include: Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi with Opera on the James, Gaston in Beauty and the Beast with The Firehouse Theater, Frankenstein in Love at First Fright with Six Flags Over Texas, Officer in Ariadne auf Naxos with the Lakes Area Music Festival, Cop in Cradle Will Rock with Opera Saratoga, and Messenger in Aida with Virginia Opera. He will be performing next as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with Opera Arlington this Spring 2025. 

During his two years with Virginia Opera, Dylan made a number of noteworthy appearances such as: Thug #1 in Il Postino, Dave in Breaking, F.B.I. Agent in An American Dream, Don Ramiro (cover) in La Cenerentola, Pablo Neruda (cover) in Il Postino, Spoletta (cover) in Tosca, Goro (cover) in Madama Butterfly, and Nemorino (outreach and cover) in L'elisir d'amore. Mr. Elza has performed with other notable companies including: Florida Grand Opera, Central City Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Opera Saratoga, Charlottesville Opera, and the Seagle Music Colony. Dylan graduated with his master’s degree in music from Boston Conservatory.

Yu-Hsuan Lu is an active collaborative pianist with a passion for opera and vocal repertoire. Based in North Texas, she enjoys a diverse career as a performer, coach, and educator, maintaining an active freelance schedule with singers, instrumentalists, and opera companies. Yu-Hsuan recently made her debut with Atchley Opera as pianist for Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi. In 2022, she served as pianist-coach with Music On Site for its production of Carmen. She has also worked extensively with the University of North Texas Opera as a graduate assistant, supporting productions and coaching singers in preparation for staged performances.

Currently a doctoral candidate in Collaborative Piano at the University of North Texas, Yu-Hsuan holds two Master of Music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, one in Collaborative Piano and the other in Piano Performance. Prior to her doctoral studies, she was appointed Associate Professor of Piano at Huaiyin Normal University in China, where she taught piano and chamber music.

Dedicated to both performance and teaching, Yu-Hsuan is passionate about fostering musical collaboration and artistry across genres. She currently serves as an adjunct collaborative pianist at Southern Methodist University, while continuing to appear regularly in recital and opera productions throughout North Texas.