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Countertenor John Holiday has established himself as “one of the finest countertenors of his generation” (Los Angeles Times). His voice has been praised as “a thing of astonishing beauty” (New Yorker), “arrestingly powerful, secure and dramatically high” (Wall Street Journal), and “timeless” (Washington Post). Holiday’s unique voice and powerful story have been the subject of profiles in The New Yorker, CNN’s Great Big Story, Los Angeles Times, and more.

Holiday began his 2022-23 season as a featured artist with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles. The season continues in October at Quantum Theatre in Claire van Kampen's production of Idaspe, where Holiday makes his debut in the title role alongside mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux, followed by the screening and streaming release of his acclaimed film After/Glow on the Opera Philadelphia Channel, part of their event Shorts: The Opera We Made. In November, Holiday returns to The Metropolitan Opera as the Man Under Arch and Hotel Clerk roles for the highly-anticipated stage premiere of Kevin Puts’s The Hours. In 2023, Holiday is set to debut as a featured artist in the world premiere of Four Portraits (Caroline Shaw/Jocelyn Clark) at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Holiday will also be joining the Pittsburgh Opera in May of 2023 to star as John Blue in their production of We Shall Not Be Moved, directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner and Kennedy Center Honoree Bill T. Jones.

During his 21-22 season, Holiday debuted at the Hollywood Bowl under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel in an all-Gershwin program with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, followed by his anticipated Metropolitan Opera debut in Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice as Orpheus’s Double. Holiday also made his debut with the New York Philharmonic in Handel’s Messiah and capped off the season with his debut at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Barrie Kosky’s production of Agrippina in the role of Nerone. Holiday went on to reprise his signature role of the Refugee in Jonathan Dove’s Flight with Utah Opera and The Dallas Opera.

An acclaimed concert singer, Holiday has performed at world-renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, London’s Barbican Center, and the Philharmonie de Paris. His career highlights include a tour with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic; the Sorceress in Barrie Kosky’s production of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, and the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice as Orpheus’s Double at the Los Angeles Opera; the world premiere of Daniel Bernard Roumain’s We Shall Not Be Moved with Opera Philadelphia and the Dutch National Opera; title role in Xerxes at the Glimmerglass Festival; and Caesar in Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto at Wolf Trap Opera. In addition to the traditional concert performances and recitals, Holiday has curated The John Holiday Experience (JHE) to showcase his affinity and talent for many different genres that includes classical, pop, jazz, and R&B. He has performed the program on a national scale, bringing it to Dallas, Des Moines, and Dayton, with plans to continue the eclectic evening of song in his upcoming seasons.

Outside of classical repertoire, Holiday excels in jazz, gospel, and pop music having opened for Grammy award winner Jason Mraz in concert. In 2018, Holiday sang the national anthem for his hometown team the Houston Rockets, and in 2019, Holiday performed at the star-studded Ozwald Boateng Harlem Runway Show at The Apollo Theater, in a performance that was covered by Vogue, Forbes, and CNN, and attended by celebrities Jamie Foxx, Idris Elba, Dapper Dan and others. Additionally, in 2019 Holiday performed Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” at the Apollo Theater Spring Gala. His debut pop single “Alive in Me” was released in August 2021, followed by two more singles: “Waste Mine” and “Love Finds A Way”. Holiday released a Future Rave remix of “Love Finds A Way” through UnitedMasters on August 19, 2022.

Holiday has been the recipient of numerous major competitions and award programs such as the 2017 Marian Anderson Vocal Award; the 2014 Richard Tucker Foundation’s Sara Tucker award; first place at the 2013 Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition, the 2012 Sullivan Foundation, and the 2011 Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition; and third place winner in the 2014 OPERALIA competition. In addition, Holiday was selected among WQXR’s prestigious 20 for ‘20 Artists to Watch, named one of BroadwayWorld’s “New York Opera Gifts that Keep on Giving,” nominated for “Newcomer of the Year” by the German magazine Opernwelt, and listed as one of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts 100 honorees for 2018. 

John Holiday received a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, a Master of Music in vocal performance from the University of Cincinnati College – Conservatory of Music and the Artist Diploma in Opera Studies from The Juilliard School in New York City. Holiday grew up in Rosenberg, Texas, located near Houston, and attended the town’s public schools. 

Baritone Adam Richardson is rapidly gaining acclaims as a multitalented baritone for his powerful operatic, concert and theater performances. Mr. Richardson will begin his 2018/2019 season with a debut at Opera in the Heights in their production of Cosi Fan Tutte as Guglielmo, debut with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra as Jake in Porgy and Bess, and various concerts projects.

In the 2017/2018 season, Mr. Richardson made his house debut with Opera Philadelphia in Daniel Bernard Roumain's world premiere opera We Shall Not Be Moved directed by Tony Award winner Bill T. Jones. This opera was reprised at The Apollo in New York and the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam. He made his debut with Amarillo Opera in the title role of the opera Joshua's Boots, and workshopped Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the new Terence Blanchard opera that will premiere in 2019 at Opera Theatre of St. Louis. His 2016/2017 began with covering and performing the role of Jake in the international tour of Porgy and Bess at the Alte Oper Frankfurt and the Hamburgische Staatsoper. He made a successful European debut in Amsterdam, in the same role, during the 2014/2015 season. 

Highlights from previous seasons include his time at Central City Opera where he was seen as Sciarrone in Tosca and Horace Tabor (Family Performance) in The Ballad of Baby Doe, concerts with the Caramoor Festival in 2015 and a successful international concert debut as a soloist in 2014 with the American Spiritual Ensemble. After garnering major attention at the famous La Folle Journée, his energetic performances premiered in popular European venues such as The American Cathedral in Paris, The Royal Dublin Society, and Wexford Opera House. Achieving matching success domestically, Mr. Richardson debuted in Lyric Opera of Virginia’s La Boheme for the 2013/2014 season. Mr. Richardson also covered the role of Amonsaro while serving as a Studio Artist in Opera Santa Barbara’s Aida in 2013. During the 2012 season, Mr. Richardson performed multiple roles at the Cincinnati Opera. He first premiered in a Porgy and Bess Redux as Jake/Porgy, followed by his role as the Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. Other selected highlights include Betto in Gianni Schicchi, Javelinot in Dialogues des Carmélites with The Juilliard Opera. He's an alumnus of well-known summer programs as the Brevard Music Festival; he performed in Susannah, Candide, and La Boheme. In 2010, he attended Opera North where he performed in the Young Artist cast of La Boheme. 

No stranger to musical theater, in 2013, he has been hailed by BlueRidgeNow Times as having a “…powerful performance” for his role as Old Deuteronomy, and his “…leading role in the finale is one of the highlights of the show” in Flatrock Playhouse’s 2013 production of Cats. He was also an ensemble member of the 2016 Onstage Critics Awards nominated musical Showboat at Westchester Broadway Theater. 

He is well recognized and received several awards including the New Mexico District Winner from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition, Finalist in the Giulio Gari Competition, Encouragement Award from the Gerda Lissner Song Competition, Encouragement Award from the Harlem Opera Theatre, Young Talent Award from the Lotte Lenya Competition, second place from the Pittsburgh National Arts and Letters, and a two-time Benjamin Matthews Competition Finalist.

A native of Smithfield, Virginia, Mr. Richardson holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a Masters degree from The Juilliard School.

Kirstin Chávez is considered one of the most riveting and significant performing mezzo-sopranos today. The combination of her magnificent voice, expansive range, dramatic intensity of her acting, and natural physical beauty make her an arresting and unique presence on the operatic stage. Ms. Chávez captures attention and acclaim and is recognized as one of the definitive interpreters of Carmen of our generation. She has performed Bizet’s iconic heroine with great success throughout the world with leading opera companies and symphonies including New National Theatre Foundation in Tokyo, Staatsoper Hannover, Opera Australia, China National Center for the Performing Arts, Central City Opera, Arizona Opera, Columbus Symphony, Opera Queensland, Welsh National Opera, Opera San Antonio, and the Kaohsiung Spring Arts Festival, Orlando Philharmonic, and Oper Graz, when Opera News reported that her Carmen was “the Carmen of a lifetime. With her dark, generous mezzo, earthy eroticism, volcanic spontaneity and smoldering charisma, Chávez has it all, including a superb command of French and a sense of humor.”