Shreveport Opera Xpress
SOX Artists
The Shreveport Opera Resident Artist Program allows emerging professional singers and pianists the opportunity to receive training within a professional opera company. Each season, the Resident Artists (consisting of four singers and one pianist) perform and/or cover leading, supporting, comprimario and ensemble roles in the three mainstage productions. They receive coachings and workshops with visiting artists, opportunities to sing with area orchestras as featured soloists and weekly cantor positions at Shreveport churches. Perhaps the most important part of the Resident Artists’ position in Shreveport is their participation in the SOX Program (Shreveport Opera Xpress). This program allows the Resident Artists to go out into the communities of Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas to bring opera into their lives. The SOX program features two children’s operas that not only expose children to the art form but also discuss important topics such as diversity, acceptance and bullying, and they are performed in over 100 different schools . The SOX program also includes “Operatizers” (a concert of Opera Arias and Musical Theatre Pieces) at senior centers, community centers and private functions. Along with a weekly stipend, the Resident Artists receive housing, transportation to all company events and a travel stipend. Auditions for the program are held each December in New York City.
For information on how to apply to the Shreveport Opera Resident Artists program, please see the listing on YAPtracker here.
RESIDENT ARTISTS
2025-26
The Shreveport Opera Xpress Residency Program is Proud to be celebrating 26 years of serving the Shreveport/Bossier community, as well as the entire Ark-La-Tex region.
Gwenyth Sell
Gwenyth Sell, Soprano, is thrilled to be returning to Shreveport Opera as the soprano Resident Artist again. Last season she performed the roles of Micaëla (Carmen), Dater (Speed Dating) and Shepherd Boy (Tosca). Recently, Gwenyth graduated with her Performer Diploma and Master of Music from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where she studied under the tutelage of Jane Dutton and was awarded two Performer’s Certificates. During her time at Jacobs, Gwenyth performed the roles of Arminda (La Finta Giardiniera), Nella (Gianni Schicchi), Le Prince (Cendrillon by Pauline Viardot), and Georgette (La Rondine). As a Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition Finalist, she was awarded the Dr. & Mrs. Bob Robinson Award. Gwenyth has also been a Young Artist at Cedar Rapids Opera where she performed the role of the Sandman (Too Many Sopranos) and was in the chorus of Tosca.
Cambria Metzinger
Cambria Metzinger, Mezzo-Soprano, is delighted to return to Shreveport Opera for their 2025–2026 season. Last season, she performed the role of Mercedes in Bizet’s Carmen and will return to perform Musetta in Puccini’s La bohème and Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Cambria’s other credits include performances with Opera Santa Barbara—where she was a Chrisman Studio Artist during the 2021–2022 season—and Pacific Lyric Association, where she sang the role of Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus). She holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Catherine Cook. While at SFCM, Cambria performed roles including Véronique (Le Docteur Miracle), Teodata (Flavio), Taller Daughter (Proving Up), Amastre (Serse), and both Le tasse chinoise and La libellule (L’enfant et les sortilèges).
Jeremy Do
Jeremy Do, Tenor, is excited to be joining Shreveport Opera for their 2025-2026 season as a Resident Artist. Do recently graduated with a Performer’s Diploma and Master’s in music from the Indiana University Jacobs school of music. At Jacobs he performed the roles of Peter Quint (The Turn of the Screw), Anthony (Sweeney Todd), Tybalt (Roméo et Juliette), and Peter Van Daan in the world premiere of Shulamit Ran’s Anne Frank. He was also featured as the tenor soloist in the Jacobs Oratorio Chorus and Concert Orchestra’s performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Do has also worked as a Vocal Fellow with Spoleto Festival USA where he performed as the tenor soloist in Handel’s Dixit Dominus and in the chorus of Spoleto’s production of Samuel Barber’s Vanessa.
Justin Ramm-Damron
Justin Ramm-Damron, Bass-Baritone, is excited to return to Shreveport Opera for their 2025-2026 season. Last season he performed the roles of Angelotti and Jailor in Puccini’s Tosca and Zuniga in Bizet’s Carmen. This year he is excited to reprise the roles of Colline in Puccini’s La Bohème and Leporello in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Justin has been described as a “Poised and characterful bass-baritone” (Opera Today) and known to give “a menacing performance” (KDHX). He has performed roles with several reputable opera companies throughout the United States including Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Sarasota Opera, Central City Opera, Teatro Grattacielo, Bronx Opera, Tundi Productions inc., Opera Magnifico, Shakespeare Opera Theatre, New Jersey Lyric Opera, and St Petersburg Opera.
Robert Cruz
Robert is a versatile musician whose musical passions span everything from Gregorian chant to contemporary musical theatre & opera, Robert Cruz currently works as a freelance musician based in Shreveport, Louisiana. A church musician since the age of 15, Robert is currently the organist at Noel Memorial United Methodist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana. He has served as music director at the Emmett Hook Center for productions of Nunsense, Into the Woods, Forever Plaid, Elf the Musical, and Godspell. At Shreveport Little Theatre he has music directed Seva May: On My Own, Always…Patsy Cline, and My Way. For Stage Center in Shreveport, LA he has music directed productions of SpongeBob Squarepants and Jersey Boys. He has also branched out into directing, serving as assistant director for The Sound of Music and as director for Jesus Christ Superstar and Barefoot in the Park, all at the Emmett Hook Center. He is also in demand as an orchestral pianist/keyboardist and regularly performs with the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra, the Marshall Symphony Orchestra, and the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
Shreveport Opera Xpress
Outreach Productions
Shreveport Opera offers educational performances at your school for preK-12 students.
RALPH THE RAT
LEO, THE LYIN’ LION
OPERATIZERS
Shreveport Opera Xpress
Study Guides
Prepare your students for their opera experience!
Click below to download study guides for your performance.
RALPH THE RAT
Study Guide
LEO, THE LYIN’ LION
Study Guide
OPERATIZERS
Study Guide
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