Mihnea Nitu is a Romanian-Canadian bass-baritone acclaimed for his “booming and robust vocals” (Opera Canada). In the fall of 2024, he made his debut as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the McGill Choral Society and portrayed the title role in Judith Weir’s Blond Eckbert with Opera McGill, serving as the Alumni Artist-in-Residence. His versatile performances include the role of the Father in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel with Manitoba Underground Opera, Somnus in Handel’s Semele, as well as Tom and John in Henry Mollicone’s The Face on the Barroom Floor with Opera McGill. Additionally, he portrayed Nardo in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera with Western University’s Accademia Europea dell’Opera.

Mihnea has also covered the roles of Don Magnifico in Rossini’s La Cenerentola and Pigmalione in the world premiere of Dean Burry’s Il Giudizio di Pigmalione. Beyond the classical canon, he has recently contributed to Théâtre Prospero’s devised work Surveillée et Punie with singer-songwriter Safia Nolin, which has been performed in Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, and Paris. Additionally, he participated as a singer in Operatika, a unique recital that merges pole dance and opera. Mihnea holds a Master of Music from McGill University and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Calgary.

Mihnea Nitu was generously supported by the T.C Hargrave Scholarship in Voice Endowment.

Max Randal, age 26, recently completed a Master of Music in Collaborative Piano at the University of Colorado Boulder in the studio of Dr. Margaret McDonald and Dr. Alexandra Nguyen. Previously, he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he also sang bass in the Nashville Symphony Chorus and served as Minister of Music at Hillwood Presbyterian Church. As a participant in the Music Teachers National Association competitions, he was the Young Artist winner for the state of Tennessee in 2019 and a Chamber Music National Finalist in 2021. Outside the realm of collaborative piano, Max is trained in organ and harpsichord performance, and enjoys composing original works, especially art song. He is also the Lead Musical Engineer at Edify Technologies (developers of MusiQuest) and creator of the ear training app Intonalogy. Finally, Max is an avid distance runner who has won the Seattle Marathon twice and participated in the last five Boston Marathons. He is now located in Chicago.

Max Randal was generously supported by the Banff Centre Artists' Awards.

Kozmo Sammartino (He/Him) is a bass-baritone singer, actor, and pianist, born and raised in Nelson, British Columbia. He graduated from St. Clair College’s Music Theatre Performance program and finished his Performing Arts Honours degree at the Atlantic Technological University in Sligo, Ireland. He sang with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra as a guest soloist on two occasions, including a performance of ‘Epiphany’ from Sweeney Todd. He was the baritone soloist in Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem and will be performing as the bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah this coming winter. Selected theatre credits include Professor Callahan in Legally Blonde, Claude Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Cosmé McMoon in the two-hander play with music, Souvenir. In this role, he played piano, acted, and sang, and will be coproducing the remount of it in the West Kootenay’s this fall. As a pianist, he has accompanied a number of shows, including the new children’s opera, Anything is Possible. Kozmo is also passionate about education, teaching piano, voice, and musical theatre at Studio 88. He aims to use his art to bring hope, humanity, and protest to the world, at a time where we must be stronger and kinder than ever.

Kozmo Sammartino was generously supported by the David Spencer Emerging Vocalists Endowment Fund.

Recognized for her “haunting, smoky tonality” and “thrilling artistry” (Opera Canada), French-Canadian mezzo-soprano Justine Ledoux is an artist-in-residence at the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal for the 2024-2026 seasons. An alumna of Calgary Opera’s McPhee Artist Development Program, she has performed Wellgunde (Das Rheingold), Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro), Béatrice/Ursule (Béatrice et Bénédict), and Mercédès (Carmen). Selected by the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques 2024, she is a laureate of European prizes for the 2024-2025 season, including a gala-konzert at Eisenach's Wartburg Castle in May 2025.

In 2024, Justine made her role and company debut as Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia) at Brott Opera. This season, she has performed Mrs. Nolan (The Medium) with l’Orchestre classique de Montréal, the Teacup and Dragonfly (L’Enfant et les sortilèges) at l’Opéra de Montréal, and was the alto soloist in Messiah with Brott Music Festival.

At Banff Centre’s Opera in the 21st Century, she portrayed Rachel in a workshop of Mary Kouyoumdjian and Royce Vavrek's opera Adoration, in collaboration with Beth Morrison Projects.

Justine continues to refine her craft under the mentorship of Lena Hellström-Färnlöf, artistic director of the Academy of Music and Opera at Mälardalen University (Sweden).  She holds her BM and MM in Vocal Performance from the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal.

Justine Ledoux was generously supported by the Banff Centre Artists' Awards.

Bass Jason Somerville recently graduated with his B.Mus in Opera Performance from the University of British Columbia. He discovered his passion for opera after joining the chorus of Edmonton Opera in 2016 (Turandot, Cenerentola, Les Feluettes, Don Giovanni, La Traviata & Rigoletto) going on to perform his first role as Betto in Pop Goes the Opera’s production of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. Since then, he has portrayed an array of characters with the UBC Opera Ensemble, including Don Alhambra (The Gondoliers), Bartolo (Le Nozze di Figaro), Nonancourt (Il cappello di paglia di Firenze), Dr. Cajus (Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor), Jezevec/Farář (Příhody lišky Bystroušky), and Don Alfonso (Cosi fan Tutte).

In Spring 2024, he debuted with Burnaby Lyric Opera as Colline in Puccini's timeless classic La bohème and with City Opera Vancouver in Missy Mazzoli’s multimedia chamber opera Song from the Uproar. Having diverse interpretive interests, Jason obtained a certificate in Electronic Music Production at the Art Institute of Vancouver, followed by certification as a Sommelier through the International Sommelier Guild.

Jason Somerville was generously supported by the Ruby Mercer Endowment.

Mezzo/Alto, Hillary Tufford is a versatile and engaging performer, noted for her “rich, velvety tone,” (Dawn Martens, Opera Canada).

Last season, Hillary performed Duruflé’s Requiem with the Victoria Philharmonic Choir and she sang the title role in Bizet’s Carmen with Toronto City Opera. This season Hillary made her debut with The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, singing Handel’s Messiah, and she sang Canadian composer Romulo Delgado's oratorio, The Cross of Christ.

A Graduate of Western University (Masters in Literature and Performance), Hillary was invited to join the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program at Vancouver Opera where she sang Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hebe in HMS Pinafore, and “almost stole the show” as Lola in their concert performance of Cavalleria Rusticana (David Gordon Duke, Vancouver Sun).

Other highlights include singing Olga in Eugene Onegin (Highlands Opera), Flora in La Traviata (Brott Opera), and Nadia in Oksana G (Tapestry Opera).

Hillary was a District Winner (Metropolitan Opera Competition), finalist in The Mozart Project and IRCPA Singing Stars, and a Semi-Finalist at the Concours Internationale de Chant de Marmande.

Hillary Tufford was generously supported by the Banff Centre Artists' Awards.

Mezzo-soprano Grace Ronan completed her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance at Wilfrid Laurier University in April 2024. Grace is currently studying with Wendy Nielsen at the University of Toronto in the Master of Music in Opera program. In October, Grace received 2nd place in the finals for the prestigious Norcop Prize in Song at UofT. Recent performance highlights include Dorabella in Così fan tutte (UofT Opera), Queen Arete in Castaway (UofT Opera), the Witch in Into the Woods (Opera Laurier), Meg March in Little Women (Opera Laurier), and Flora in La Traviata (Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony). Grace performs with a chamber choir and orchestra based in Waterloo, conducted by Ben Wallace. She was honoured to be the alto soloist with this ensemble in three premieres of Canadian composer Justin Lapierre’s choral works: The Gatherers (June 2025), One Thousand Shields of Gold (June 2024), and Messe de Ste. Anne (June 2022). In October of 2025, Grace will be premiering the role of Leah in a workshop performance of a new musical, Finding Her Voice written by Lori-Ann Clancy with music by Canadian composers Justin Lapierre and Ian Cusson.

Grace Ronan was generously supported by the Banff Centre Artists' Awards.
 

Canadian soprano Emma MacNeil is celebrated for her “purity of tone” (Ludwigvan) and “compelling stage presence” (Opera Ramblings). She is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Historical Performance at the University of Toronto under the guidance of Jean Macphail and Daniel Taylor. A graduate of Queen’s University (BMus) and The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music, where she earned an Artist Diploma in Opera studying with renowned soprano Stephanie Bogle, Emma has developed a reputation as a versatile and dedicated performer.

Recent highlights include her portrayal of Sister Constance in Dialogues des Carmélites by Francis Poulenc and Laurel in The Laurels by Jeffrey Ryan at The Glenn Gould School. Additional roles include Cleopatra in Handel’s Julius Caesar (Summer Opera Lyric Theatre), Controller in Jonathan Dove’s Flight (GGS), and Shepardess in John Blow’s Venus and Adonis (GGS).

Combining opera, musical theatre, dance, and acting, Emma’s artistry is defined by her versatility, passion, and a commitment to delivering performances that captivate and inspire audiences.

Emma MacNeil was generously supported by the Anonymous Artist Award.

Camila Montefusco is a storyteller at heart. Described as possessing “an instrument of remarkable power and endurance” (Revue L'Opéra Québec), the Brazilian-born mezzo-soprano is a current member of the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal.

Recent highlights include her mainstage debut as Maman in L’Enfant et les sortilèges with the Orchestre de l'Agora, Madame Flora in The Medium with the Orchestre classique de Montréal, and Annio in La clemenza di Tito. She also toured nationally as part of Debut Atlantic’s roster. Closing her 2024-2025 season, Camila will make her role debut as Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale at the Banff Centre.

Previous seasons have seen her in Rinaldo (Handel), Svadba (Ana Sokolović), Suor Angelica (Puccini), and The Mother of Us All (Thompson).

As a co-founder of the Obsidiana Duo, Camila believes in the importance of Latin-American musical culture and history. By bringing the music of historically overlooked composers to the stage, she strives to amplify the voices of communities that have long been silenced. Whether in opera or recital, Camila hopes to connect with audiences through art and inspire a world that hungers for change.

Camila Montefusco was generously supported by the Banff Centre Artists' Awards.

Briana Sutherland is a Canadian mezzo-soprano whose artistry and passion for music were nurtured in a vibrant musical community in Northern Ontario. She has gained recognition for her dynamic stage presence, with recent role credits including Rosette (Manon), Olga Olsen (Street Scene), Buttercup (H.M.S. Pinafore), Nancy (Albert Herring), Meg Page (Falstaff), Vera Boronel (The Consul), Alyson (A Grand Night for Singing), and the Second Fairy in the Drunken Poet scene of The Fairy Queen.

In concert, Briana has performed major oratorio works such as Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, and Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Requiem. She has also performed internationally with organizations such as the Timmins Symphony Orchestra, London Symphonia, International Symphony Orchestra, Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, Opera NUOVA, the Breno Italy International Music Academy (BIIMA), and Nebula Performances.

Briana holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Western University and is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Opera Performance at the University of British Columbia.

Briana Sutherland was generously supported by the Banff Centre Artists' Awards.