The Gerdine Young Artist Program 2027: Deadline approaching!

Deadline July 10!

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is committed to supporting and nurturing the careers of its young artists beyond their young artist seasons by consistently bringing back its GYA alumni in featured and leading roles in future seasons. OTSL counts among its esteemed GYA alumni such singers as Paul Appleby, Jamie Barton, Christine Brewer, Lawrence Brownlee, Christine Goerke, Kate Lindsey, Lester Lynch, Erin Morley, So Young Park, Matthew Polenzani, Morris Robinson, Russell Thomas, and many more. In 2016, the Richard Gaddes Festival Artist Program was created in honor of OTSL’s first general director and offers GYA alumni the opportunity to return in featured and leading roles on the mainstage. GYA alumni who have returned in mainstage roles include Aubrey Allicock, Justin Austin, Joshua Blue, Sydney Mancasola, Elena Villalón, and Mack Wolz, among others.

In addition to mainstage productions, GYAs participate in one-on-one coachings, community engagement performances, industry auditions with artist managers and artistic administrators, and master classes given by distinguished artists in the field. Past master classes have been led by renowned artists such as Stephanie Blythe, Grace Bumbry, William Burden, Michael Christie, Elizabeth Futral, Colin Graham, Denyce Graves, Jerry Hadley, Gordon Hawkins, Evelyn Lear, Susanne Mentzer, Sherrill Milnes, James Morris, Patricia Racette, Shirley Verrett, Brian Zeger, and many more. Additionally, the young artist cover program provides young artists with the significant opportunity to participate in cover sing-throughs and studio runs and has resulted in exciting jump-ins and mainstage debut performances!