Finger Lakes Opera (FLO) has announced its roster of 12 Young Artists for the 2026 Summer Festival.

The 2026 Studio Artists are soprano Daniella Brancato, soprano Mariah E. Graves, soprano Hannah Moreno, soprano Erin Ridge, mezzo-soprano Grace Ryan, tenor Lou Kerst, and baritone Zinnia Frank. The five Apprentice Artists are sopranos Lora Bashmakian and Nicole Khouzami, mezzo-soprano Caitlyn Babcock, tenor Jonathan Ellwanger, and bass-baritone Jordan Oney.

During the Rochester-based festival, all 12 will receive weekly coachings, mentoring from FLO’s artistic staff, masterclass opportunities with mainstage performers, and appearances in two festival productions.

Additionally, FLO has launched an inaugural class of Engagement Artists this season, a new initiative designed to showcase talent based in the Finger Lakes region through programming outside the Summer Festival. The seven singers in this cohort are sopranos Mary Fetterman, Rachel Magil, and Sofia Mains, tenors Daniel Kamalic and Xuyue Qing, and baritones Darrin Nicholson II and Jack Leslie, several of whom have already completed performances this season.

“To support the growth of FLO’s engagement programming outside the Summer Festival, and because the company wants to continue showcasing the remarkable talent that resides in the Finger Lakes region, FLO also has added a roster of Engagement Artists this season,” FLO Executive Director Elizabeth Long said, per an official press release. “Seven talented singers were selected to be part of this inaugural class, and a few already have several performances under their belt this season.”

FLO’s Young Artist Program has developed into a nationally recognized training initiative with a year-round presence, supported by the Rochester Area Community Foundation, the Daisy Marquis Jones Foundation, the Guido & Ellen Palma Foundation, the Riedman Foundation, the M&T Foundation, and the Rubens Family Foundation.

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