Houston Grand Opera has revealed the incoming class of the Sarah and Ernest Butler Houston Grand Opera Studio for the 2026-27 season. In sum there will be five new artists alongside seven returning members.

The five first-year artists include soprano Scarlett Jones, who took first place at HGO’s 2026 Eleanor McCollum Competition Concert of Arias. Joining her are mezzo-soprano Lauren Randolph, who placed third at the same competition, and tenor Misael Corralejo, who claimed both second place and the Audience Choice Award. Bass-baritone Tzvi Bat Asherah, a finalist at the McCollum Competition, and pianist/coach Maeve Berry round out the new cohort.

Returning for another season are sopranos Alissa Goretsky and Elizabeth Hanje, tenor Luka Tsevelidze, baritone Geonho Lee, bass-baritones Sam Dhobhany and Ziniu Zhao, and pianist/coach Tzu Kuang Tan.

“Each of these inspiring emerging artists has demonstrated rare musical gifts with the potential to propel them to the very top of our field,” said General Director and CEO Khori Dastoor, per an official press release. “It is thrilling to imagine the many ways our Butler Studio artists will share their creative voices with Houston in the season ahead.”

The Butler Studio artists will perform on HGO’s mainstage as well as throughout the Houston community during the upcoming season.

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