Announcing our 2025 Gaddes Festival and Gerdine Young Artists

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 

Today, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) is thrilled to announce the members of the 2025 Gaddes Festival & Gerdine Young Artist Programs. Twenty-nine promising young singers from around the world have been selected for OTSL’s acclaimed young artist development programs, which provide early career singers with key opportunities for vital dramatic and musical training. 

OTSL’s young artist programs cultivate the next generation of promising opera talent by offering invaluable professional experience to emerging young singers. Led by the world-renowned soprano Patricia Racette, also OTSL’s Artistic Director of Young Artist Programs, these programs span nine weeks during the Festival Season and offer artists extensive vocal coaching, master classes with renowned opera artists, understudy opportunities, and onstage experience in both the ensemble and featured supporting roles.  

“As we approach our 50th Anniversary Season, I can share that we had another rigorous audition process for our GYA Program,” said Patricia Racette. “We had fewer than 30 spots to fill from almost 400 in-person auditions, which in turn were narrowed down from approximately 1,000 video applicants. It was very competitive! I want to thank my colleague Yvette Loynaz, our Director of Artistic Administration, whose collaboration is invaluable every year during this process.” 

Of the 29 members of this year’s young artist programs, nine are alumni of the 2024 Festival Season. “This continuity of investment is something in which I strongly believe,” Racette stated. “We must build upon the vital foundational, detailed training necessary in this art form. At the same time, I am also excited to introduce new talents to our company, some of whose progress I have tracked over several years. I look forward to introducing them to our company and season!” 

“As in years past, I purposely invite a mixture of young talents in terms of their development and training, offering a range of ages, abilities, and raw talent. One of my favorite things to foster and observe is the cross-pollination of shared information among these artists, especially in the weekly group classes I host throughout the season.”

The 2025 class comes to St. Louis this summer from three countries and 17 states, and brings with it a variety of rich and diverse experiences. Twenty-eight singers will be designated Gerdine Young Artists; the mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariposa is this year’s sole Richard Gaddes Festival Artist — a special designation for returning GYA alumni who have distinguished themselves with remarkable potential.

During the 2025 Festival Season, these young artists will receive many coaching and training opportunities, including three master classes with Patricia Racette, tenor Richard Cox, and composer Ricky Ian Gordon. Their experience at OTSL will reach an exciting peak with the beloved Center Stage concert on Tuesday, June 24. Center Stage is a one-night-only event that shines a spotlight on these early career singers, accompanied onstage by members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

“I am thrilled that prominent teacher and tenor, Richard Cox — himself an OTSL GYA alum! — will join us, as well as acclaimed composer, Ricky Ian Gordon,” Racette said. “Ricky’s class will give our young artists the unique chance to work with him on his art song and opera repertoire. It is not often that one gets to collaborate with a living composer on their own work!”

Opera Theatre’s commitment to supporting early-career singers has been at the heart of the company’s success since its founding. Many OTSL alumni go on to starring roles on the world’s most renowned stages. Last year alone, ten principal artists in the 2024 Festival Season began their careers in OTSL’s young artist programs. At the prestigious Operalia Competition, two of the top prizes for 2024 were awarded to former GYAs Kathleen O’Mara and Meridian Prall. In addition, OTSL alumni have appeared everywhere from the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden to the Metropolitan Opera and include names such as Jamie Barton, Christine Brewer, Lawrence Brownlee, Christine Goerke, Kate Lindsey, Erin Morley, Paula Murrihy, Matthew Polenzani, Morris Robinson, Michael Spyres, Russell Thomas, Corinne Winters, and many more.    

Please join us in welcoming the 29 members of the 2025 Gaddes Festival & Gerdine Young Artist Programs! We look forward to sharing their talent with you this spring during our 50th Anniversary Season.