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
2024-25
The Shreveport Opera Xpress Residency Program is Proud to be celebrating 25 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 joining Shreveport Opera as the soprano Resident Artist for the 2024-2025 season. She recently 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), Lauretta and Nella (Gianni Schicchi), Le Prince (Cendrillon by Pauline Viardot), and Georgette (La Rondine). Most recently, Gwenyth was a Young Artist at Cedar Rapids Opera where she performed the role of the Sandman (Too Many Sopranos) and in the chorus of Tosca. Other recent roles include Nannetta (Falstaff) and Laetita (The Old Maid and the Thief).
Cambria Metzinger
Cambria Metzinger, Mezzo-Soprano, is originally from Santa Barbara, California. Hailed for her charming stage presence and wide stylistic range, Cambria is a versatile performer who draws from an extensive background in a variety of musical genres including jazz, musical theater, and opera. A recent graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with a Master of Music in Vocal Performance under the tutelage of Cathy Cook, Ms. Metzinger was featured in numerous roles at SFCM, including “Véronique” in Bizet’s Le Docteur Miracle, “Teodata” in Handel’s Flavio, “Le tasse chinoise/La libellule” in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges, “Taller Daughter” in Mazzoli’s Proving Up and “Amastre” in Serse by Handel. Cambria is delighted to join Shreveport Opera as a Resident Artist for the 24/25 season, where she will perform the role of “Mercedes” in Bizet’s Carmen.
Conner McWhirter
Conner McWhirter, Tenor, is starting his 2024-2025 season as a resident Artist with Shreveport Opera. He was most recently an apprentice artist with Sarasota Opera, where he covered Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor. He received a performance diploma from Indiana University, where he performed both Tybalt, and Romeo, in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette, and the Torero in Ainadamar. Additional roles include the Prince in Russalka, the Duke in Rigoletto, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, and Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi. He received his MM from SMU and BM from Eastman. He is thrilled to be performing Remendado in Carmen (covering Don Jose) as well as and Spoletta in Tosca during his residency with Shreveport Opera.
Justin Ramm-Damron
Justin Ramm-Damron, Bass-Baritone, is excited to be joining Shreveport Opera for their 2024-2025 season as a resident artist. Justin has performed roles with several notable opera companies across the United States such as Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Sarasota Opera, Central City Opera, Bronx Opera, Opera Magnifico, New Jersey Lyric Opera, Shakespeare Opera Theatre, and St. Petersburg Opera. Most recently, he expanded his repertoire covering the role of Hagen in Wagner’s Götterdämmerung, and Fafner in Wagner’s Das Rheingold with TUNDI Productions in Vermont.
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.
THE UGLY DUCKLING
STOP! THINK TWICE, BE NICE
OPERATIZERS
Shreveport Opera Xpress
Study Guides
Prepare your students for their opera experience!
Click below to download study guides for your performance.
THE UGLY DUCKLING
Study Guide
STOP! THINK TWICE,
BE NICE
Study Guide
OPERATIZERS
Study Guide
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