About
A recent graduate of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program at the Los Angeles Opera mezzo-soprano Cassandra Zoe Velasco is considered one of Mexico’s rising stars of opera. Cassandra was a semi-finalist of the 2012 edition of Operalia. Additionally, she represented Mexico at the Monserrat Caballé Competition (Spain), the Competizione dell´Opera (Germany) and the Teatro Colón Competition (Argentina). From the age of 22, Ms. Velasco has starred in productions in Mexico City, including La Scala di Seta, and L’Ocassione fa il Ladro with ProOpera, Angelina in La Cenerentola and Isolier in Le Comte Ory with Mexico National Opera Company, Isabella in Italiana in Algeri with Arpegio Productions, and Charlotte in Werther with Festival Frances. She made her Opera de Bellas Artes debut as Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana, followed by Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia.
The 2017-2018 season for Ms. Velasco included Dorabella in Così fan tutte with Opera San Jose, the title role in Maria de Buenos Aires with Nashville Opera, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Rochester Philharmonic, Olga in The Merry Widow with the Metropolitan Opera, Rodrigo in Pia de’ Tolomei with Spoleto USA, and Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Santa Barbara, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Opera North. Engagements for 2018-2019 include her return to the Metropolitan Opera for productions of Iolantha and Suor Angelica, Carmen with Annapolis Opera, and her debut as Isabel/ Dolores in El pasado nunca se termina with Fort Worth Opera. Future engagements include Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with Nashville Opera and the cover of Nerone in Agrippina with the Metropolitan Opera.