LA Opera has announced the new members of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program for the 2025-26 season. The program welcomes two singers and one pianist and coach from a competitive pool of over 800 applicants. Soprano Emily Damasco and mezzo-soprano Katie Trigg were selected alongside pianist/coach Gabrielė Žemaitytė, showcasing exceptional talent in the world of opera.
Auditions were conducted across several cities, including New York, Cincinnati, and Los Angeles. Finalists presented their performances in Los Angeles during the spring, evaluated by a distinguished panel that included Christopher Koelsch, President and CEO of LA Opera, along with Music Director James Conlon, Artistic Advisor Susan Graham, and other prominent figures in the opera community.
The three new artists will join the ranks of seven current members already in the program: soprano Gabrielle Turgeon, tenors Nathan Bowles and Yuntong Han, baritone Hyungjin Son, bass Vinícius Costa, and pianist/coaches Sujin Choi and Julian Garvue.
In a statement, Koelsch emphasized the program’s reputation as one of the premier training initiatives for emerging operatic talent. “The Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program provides an exceptionally supportive and inspiring environment in which young artists can flourish,” he said. “We are honored to support the development of the next generation of deeply communicative and expressive artists.”
Damasco is set to make her debut with LA Opera as Beketaten in the production of “Akhnaten” and as Pagagena in “The Magic Flute.” She holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music, with previous experience performing roles such as the Countess in “The Marriage of Figaro” and Fiordiligi in “Così fan tutte.”
Trigg will also appear in “Akhnaten,” portraying Maketaten, and will take on the role of the Second Lady in “The Magic Flute.” She completed her Master of Music at the Curtis Institute of Music and has performed with various orchestras, including the Auckland Philharmonia and the Binghamton Philharmonic.
Joining LA Opera’s music staff this season, Žemaitytė will contribute as a pianist and coach for “La Bohème.” She earned her degrees in classical piano performance from the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague.
As the 2025-26 season approaches, the anticipation for the contributions of these talented artists builds, promising a vibrant season ahead at LA Opera.