Soprano Calista Smith was recently a Studio Artist at Wolf Trap Opera this summer, where she sang a “lovely voicing” of the Shepherd in Tosca at the Filene Center, as well as performing Zerbinetta in scenes from Ariadne auf Naxos (Washington Classical Review). This year, Calista was named a District Winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition’s North Carolina District, as well as an Encouragement Award winner from the Southeast Region of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. During her two summers at the Aspen Music Festival, Calista appeared as the German woman in Jimmy Lopez's Bel Canto and covered Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, studying with Professor Gwen Coleman. Calista earned a BM in voice and opera and a BA in communications from Northwestern University, where she sang Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Cendrillon in Cendrillon, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Oberto in Alcina, and the soprano solo in Beethoven’s Mass in C Major. Originally from Houston, Texas, Calista also played the violin and piano for 15 years.

Madison Kavanaugh is a Mezzo-Soprano studying at The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Amy Johnson. At CCM she performed as Le Directeur in Les Mamelles des Tirésias as well as participated in the university’s Jennifer Higdon Festival as a soloist. She is also a graduate of Louisiana State University where she performed in roles such as Madame Armfeldt in A Little Night Music, Dritte Dame (Cover) in Die Zauberflöte, and Madame de la Haltière (Cover) in Cendrillon. Madison has participated in many summer festivals including Dolora Zajick’s Institute for Young Dramatic Voices (2024) and the Wolf Trap Opera Studio (2025, 2026). During her time in the Studio she performed in Studio Spotlight, a scenes program, as well as covered Filipyevna in Eugene Onegin and Madame de Croissy in Dialogues des Carmelites.

Soprano Calista Smith was recently a Studio Artist at Wolf Trap Opera this summer, where she sang a “lovely voicing” of the Shepherd in Tosca at the Filene Center, as well as performing Zerbinetta in scenes from Ariadne auf Naxos (Washington Classical Review). This year, Calista was named a District Winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition’s North Carolina District, as well as an Encouragement Award winner from the Southeast Region of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. During her two summers at the Aspen Music Festival, Calista appeared as the German woman in Jimmy Lopez's Bel Canto and covered Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, studying with Professor Gwen Coleman. Calista earned a BM in voice and opera and a BA in communications from Northwestern University, where she sang Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Cendrillon in Cendrillon, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Oberto in Alcina, and the soprano solo in Beethoven’s Mass in C Major. Originally from Houston, Texas, Calista also played the violin and piano for 15 years.

Madison Kavanaugh is a Mezzo-Soprano studying at The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Amy Johnson. At CCM she performed as Le Directeur in Les Mamelles des Tirésias as well as participated in the university’s Jennifer Higdon Festival as a soloist. She is also a graduate of Louisiana State University where she performed in roles such as Madame Armfeldt in A Little Night Music, Dritte Dame (Cover) in Die Zauberflöte, and Madame de la Haltière (Cover) in Cendrillon. Madison has participated in many summer festivals including Dolora Zajick’s Institute for Young Dramatic Voices (2024) and the Wolf Trap Opera Studio (2025, 2026). During her time in the Studio she performed in Studio Spotlight, a scenes program, as well as covered Filipyevna in Eugene Onegin and Madame de Croissy in Dialogues des Carmelites.