Kayla Nanto Wins The Dallas Opera’s Lone Star Vocal Competition
By David Salazar(Photo by Curtis Brown)
Mezzo-soprano Kayla Nanto has won the first prize at The Dallas Opera’s Lone Star Vocal Competition.
She also took home the Jonathan Pell People’s Choice. The mezzo will now automatically advance to the final round of the 2026 National Vocal Competition. She has performed with Santa Fe Opera, Opera Montana, Pensacola Opera, Painted Sky Opera, Fort Worth Opera, and Santa Fe Opera, among others.
Taking home second place was baritone Michael Pandolfo, while third place went to mezzo-soprano Ani Kushyan. Pandolfo has made appearances with the Santa Fe Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Opera Tampa, Florida Grand Opera, and Dayton Opera, among others. Finally, Kushyan has made appearances with the Armenian National Academic Theater of Opera as well as the Houston Grand Opera, and Teatro Comunale di Bologna.
The judges for the competition included TDO’s Artistic Consultant, David Lomelí; Annie Burridge, General Director & CEO of Austin Opera; Kristian Roberts, TDO Director of Education; and Emmanuel Villaume, the Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director of The Dallas Opera.
Jonathan Pell, TDO’s former Artistic Director, was set to be on the panel but withdrew due to illness.
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