International Opera Studio

Lobel Barun, bass, is from Croatia. He studied with Alexei Tanovitski in Zagreb. In 2023, he won the special prize "Željko Lučić" at the International Singing Competition "Lazar Jovanović" in Belgrade. In the same year, he made his debut at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb as Bacchus in Boris Papandopulo’s Amphitryon. He has also performed with the Zagreb Philharmonic and portrayed Salieri in Rimsky-Korsakov’s "Mozart and Salieri" at the Opera Studio of the Zagreb Academy of Music. His repertoire includes, among others, Sarastro ("The Magic Flute"), Commendatore and Masetto ("Don Giovanni"), Don Basilio ("Il barbiere di Siviglia"), Banco ("Macbeth"), Padre Guardiano ("La forza del destino"), Colline ("La bohème"), Gremin ("Eugene Onegin"), and Zuniga ("Carmen"). He made his debut at the Bregenz Festival as Alidoro ("La Cenerentola") and has also performed Verdi’s Requiem with the Orquesta Reino de Aragón in Zaragoza. Since the 2024/25 season, he has been a member of the International Opera Studio.

Maximilian Bell, bass, studied with Michail Lanskoi and Manfred Equiluz at the Music and Arts Private University of the City of Vienna. He furthered his training through masterclasses with Angelika Kirchschlager, Adrian Eröd, and Gerhard Kahry. The Austrian-born singer has already performed roles such as Spinelloccio ("Gianni Schicchi") and Norton ("La cambiale di matrimonio") at the Bregenz Festival, Osmin ("Die Entführung aus dem Serail") as part of the Vienna Philharmonic Summer Academy in Vienna and Graz, Snug ("A Midsummer Night’s Dream") at Theater Akzent in Vienna, the bass part in Bernstein’s "Mass" at the Wiener Musikverein, Rocco ("Fidelio") in a children’s production in Baden, Austria, Sarastro ("Die Zauberflöte") at the Vienna MuTh, and Bartolo ("Le nozze di Figaro") in a traveling theater production. Since the 2024/25 season, he has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House.

Tomislav Jukić, tenor, is from Croatia. He is a prizewinner of international singing competitions, including the Mikuláš Schneider-Trnavský International Vocal Competition and the International Antonín Dvořák Singing Competition (2023). He studied with Martina Zadro at the Music Academy in Zagreb and attended masterclasses with Renata Pokupić, Nikola Kitanovski, Alexei Tanovitski, and Mikhail Sinkevich. He sang Goro ("Madama Butterfly") at the Ljubljana Opera House, gave a solo recital at the Allegretto Festival in Žilina (Slovakia), and has performed as a soloist with ensembles including the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. At the 2025 Salzburg Festival, he sang Portos ("Musketiere!") and Un incredibile ("Andrea Chénier"). At the Zürich Opera House, he appeared in a benefit concert with Cecilia Bartoli. Tomislav Jukić has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House since the 2024/25 season and will perform this season as Rinuccio ("Gianni Schicchi") at Theater Winterthur.

Marie Lombard, soprano, studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and in Rennes with Stéphanie d’Oustrac. She furthered her training through masterclasses with Lisette Oropesa, Anne Sofie von Otter, Stéphane Degout, Inva Mula, Brigitte Fassbaender, and Mariella Devia. She is an alumna of the Opera Academy of Bordeaux and the Monte-Carlo Opera Academy and has won awards at the International Competition for Young Singers of the Grand Opéra d’Avignon, the Sumi Jo International Singing Competition, and the International Opera Competition of Marmande. Her roles to date include Inès ("La favorite"), the Princess ("L’Enfant et les sortilèges"), Belinda ("Dido and Aeneas"), Eurydice ("Orfeo ed Euridice"), Adèle ("Die Fledermaus"), Coraline (Adolphe Adam’s "Le toréador"), and the First Lady ("Die Zauberflöte"). Since the 2024/25 season, she has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House. There, she has performed as Barbarina ("Le nozze di Figaro") and Contessa di Folleville ("Il viaggio a Reims") and sang in a benefit concert with Cecilia Bartoli. In the summer of 2026, she will perform Marzelline ("Fidelio") at the festival in Saint-Céré, France.

Steffan Lloyd Owen, baritone, is from Wales and studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. He has received numerous singing awards in the United Kingdom, including the W. Towyn Roberts Scholarship Prize, the Blue Riband Osborne Roberts Memorial Prize at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, and the Kathleen Ferrier Bursary Prize. In 2025, he won the Josep Palet Singing Competition and was selected as a finalist in the Paris Opera Competition. He has sung Sciarrone and the Jailer in a semi-staged production of "Tosca" alongside Sir Bryn Terfel and Kristine Opolais at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Escamillo ("La tragédie de Carmen") at the Buxton International Festival, the Doctor in Verdi’s "Macbeth" at Mid Wales Opera, as well as the title role in Hans Krása’s children’s opera "Brundibár" and Guglielmo ("Così fan tutte") at Welsh National Opera. Concert highlights include Mozart’s "Requiem" with the Orchestre National de Bretagne in Rennes, as well as Beethoven’s Mass in C major and "Choral Fantasy" with the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales and the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera. Since the 2024/25 season, he has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House, where he has already sung roles such as the Usher ("Rigoletto"), Silvano ("Un ballo in maschera"), Hermann ("Les Contes d’Hoffmann"), and Sciarrone ("Tosca").

Pablo Salido Pulido was born in Madrid. He studied piano in his hometown and continued his training as a répétiteur through an exchange program in Trieste. In Italy and Spain, he has performed as a soloist and with various chamber music ensembles. As a répétiteur, he has worked at the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale in Spoleto and at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste. In 2023, he participated in the Georg Solti Accademia in Venice, where he worked with Jonathan Papp, Rodrigo de Vera, Richard Bonynge, and Anthony Legge. Since the 2024/25 season, he has been a répétiteur and a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House.

Sylwia Salamońska-Bączyk, soprano, studied with Wojciech Maciejowski in Poznań. She also attended masterclasses with, among others, Olga Pasiecznik, Izabela Kłosińska, Mariusz Kwiecień, Hedwig Fassbender, and Edith Wiens, as well as with vocal coaches and pianists Sofia Muñoz, Maciej Pikulski, Katelan Tran Terrell, and Michał Biel. During her studies, she sang roles such as Lauretta ("Gianni Schicchi") and Zosia (Stanisław Moniuszko’s "Die Geister"). In the 2023/24 season, she was part of the Opera Academy Young Talent Development Programme at the National Opera in Warsaw, where she made her debut as the First Attendant of Dirce in Cherubini’s "Medea" and sang Papagena in Mozart’s "The Magic Flute." Since the 2024/25 season, she has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House, where she has performed roles including Nick in Penderbeyne’s "Wir pfeifen auf den Gurkenkönig," in Dove’s "Around the World in 80 Days," Najade ("Ariadne auf Naxos"), and the Boy in Mendelssohn’s "Elijah." This season, she will perform roles including the Dew Fairy ("Hänsel und Gretel") and Shepherd ("Tannhäuser").

Thalia Cook-Hansen, soprano, is from the USA. After studying voice in the USA and Canada, she completed her master’s degree at the Dutch National Opera Academy. She also attended masterclasses with, among others, Elliot Madore, Floris Visser, and Lynne Dawson. In Amsterdam, she performed roles such as Nerina in Haydn’s "La fedeltà premiata," Fanny in Rossini’s "La cambiale di matrimonio," Bastienne in Mozart’s "Bastien et Bastienne," and Adele in "Die Fledermaus." She sang Barbarina ("Le nozze di Figaro") at the Estates Theatre in Prague, as well as the First Lady ("The Magic Flute") and Mademoiselle Silberklang ("Der Schauspieldirektor") in Toronto. Her repertoire also includes roles such as Bubikopf in Viktor Ullmann’s "Der Kaiser von Atlantis," Singer No. 1 in Conrad Susa’s "Transformations," Amore in Monteverdi’s "Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria," and the title role in Donizetti’s "Lucia di Lammermoor." Since the 2025/26 season, she has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House.

Karima El Demerdasch is a German-Egyptian mezzo-soprano. She studied in Cairo and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with John Evans. In 2024, she was a finalist at the Kathleen Ferrier Awards and in 2023 participated in the Georg Solti Accademia. In Guildhall School productions, she performed roles such as Prince Orlofsky ("Die Fledermaus") and Dido ("Dido and Aeneas"). In a 2023 production by Opera Kipling, she sang the title role in "La Cenerentola" at the Upstairs at the Gatehouse theatre in London. In 2025, she took part in the Young Singers Project of the Salzburg Festival and made her debut at London’s Barbican Hall. Since the 2025/26 season, she has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House.

Evan Gray is a Swiss bass-baritone from Winterthur. He began his musical training as a treble with the Zürich Boys’ Choir and later transitioned to the bass voice. After initial vocal studies at the Winterthur Conservatory, he continued his education at the prestigious Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. His roles to date include the Forester ("Das schlaue Füchslein"), Figaro ("Le nozze di Figaro"), and Leporello ("Don Giovanni"). As an accomplished recitalist, he has performed Schubert’s "Winterreise" and Vaughan Williams’ "Songs of Travel" multiple times and has collaborated with artists such as Julius Drake and Robert Holl. From 2023 to 2025, he was a guest at the Marlboro Music Festival, where he developed a close artistic relationship with pianist Mitsuko Uchida, who has invited him back for the summer 2026 edition. Since the 2025/26 season, Evan Gray has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House.

Guram Margvelashvili is from Georgia. He completed his vocal studies in 2024 at the State Conservatory in Tbilisi. From 2019 to 2023, he was a member of the Tbilisi Opera Studio, where he performed roles such as the Priest and Papageno in "The Magic Flute," Valentin in Gounod’s "Faust," and the title roles in "Don Giovanni" and "Eugene Onegin." He also sang Belcore in Donizetti’s "L’elisir d’amore." Guram Margvelashvili has received several scholarships and was a finalist in the Giuseppe Di Stefano International Singing Competition in Sicily and the Tamar Iveri International Singing Competition in Georgia. Since the 2025/26 season, he has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House.

Cashlin Oostindië is a Dutch mezzo-soprano. She received her training at the Amsterdam Conservatory and in Athens, as well as privately with Lauren Athey-Janka and Eva-Maria Westbroek. During her studies, she was a member of Young Opera Noord Holland, sang Marcellina ("Le nozze di Figaro"), participated in the chorus of Poulenc’s "Dialogues des Carmélites," and performed as a soloist at the Lefkas Music Week Festival in Greece. In concert, she has sung the alto parts in Bruckner’s "Requiem" and Rossini’s "Petite Messe solennelle." She regularly gives song recitals in the Netherlands with pianist Florence van der Does. Since the 2025/26 season, she has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House.

Flavia Stricker, soprano, is from Brazil and studied at the Lübeck University of Music. She performed Fiordiligi ("Così fan tutte") at the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre and Galathée (Franz von Suppé’s "Die schöne Galathée") at the Lübeck University of Music. In 2023 she won, in addition to the second prize at the Concorso Lirico Internazionale di Portofino, a sponsorship award from the Kulturstiftung Insel Mainau. Since the 2023/24 season she has been a member of the International Opera Studio at Zurich Opera House, where she has appeared, among others, as Madama Cortese ("Il viaggio a Reims"), Kate Pinkerton ("Madama Butterfly"), Contessa di Ceprano ("Rigoletto"), the Widow in Mendelssohn’s "Elias", and in Stravinsky’s "Les Noces". At the Théâtre de La Monnaie in Brussels she sang in Rossini’s "Petite Messe solennelle", and with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in 2025 she performed as Rosalinde ("Die Fledermaus").

Natália Tuznik, soprano, was born in Budapest and completed her vocal studies at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music there. She was awarded the Junior Prima Prize. In 2023, she was a member of the Opera Academy at the Teatr Wielki in Warsaw and the following year took part in the "Exzellenz Labor Oper," founded by Hedwig Fassbender. She attended numerous masterclasses and worked with artists such as Éva Marton, Claudio Di Segni, Anatoli Goussev, Izabela Kłosińska, Fausto Nardi, Katelan Trần Terrell, Michał Biel, and René Massis. In 2022, she made her debut as Wellgunde ("Götterdämmerung") at the Hungarian State Opera and sang the First Lady ("The Magic Flute") on a tour of Japan. At the Hungarian State Opera, she has also performed the title role in Gluck’s "Iphigenie auf Tauris", Donna Anna ("Don Giovanni"), Alice Ford ("Falstaff"), and most recently Countess Almaviva ("Le nozze di Figaro"). Since the 2025/26 season, she has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House.

Salvador Villanueva is a Mexican tenor. He completed his vocal training at the Universidad de Sonora and subsequently at the Mexican Opera Studio, where he sang roles including Goro in "Madama Butterfly" and Remendado in "Carmen." In the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons, he was a member of the Opera Studio at the Amsterdam Opera, performing roles such as Gastone ("La traviata"), Borsa ("Rigoletto"), the tenor role in Tom Johnson’s The Four Note Opera, and the Sailor ("Dido and Aeneas"). In 2024, he returned to Mexico to sing the title role in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. Salvador Villanueva was a finalist in singing competitions in Mexico City and ’s-Hertogenbosch. He has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House since the 2025/26 season.

Samuel Wallace, tenor, is from Brazil, where he studied voice with Lício Bruno. In 2024, he received a scholarship from the Mozarteum Brasileiro and subsequently participated in Rolf Beck’s International Choir Academy in Lübeck. During this time, he performed concerts in Germany and at the Philharmonie de Paris under the direction of Raphaël Pichon. His operatic repertoire includes roles such as Tamino ("The Magic Flute") and the title role in Guilherme Bernstein’s opera "Serafim und der Ort, an dem man nicht stirbt." In 2024, he sang Dorvil in Rossini’s La scala di seta and took part in the Gala Lírica of the 13th Tenor Meeting of Brazil at the Teatro Amazonas in Manaus. Samuel Wallace was a semifinalist at the Paris Opera Competition, a finalist at the Maria Callas Competition, and a prizewinner at the Joaquina Lapinha and Natércia Lopes singing competitions. Since the 2025/26 season, he has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House.

Ava Linvog is from Seattle. After studying at the Eastman School of Music and Vassar College, she worked as a freelance répétiteur based in New York City. In the USA, she has collaborated with Opera Omaha, North Carolina Opera, the St. Petersburg Opera Company, and the Brevard Music Center. Ava Linvog has given song recitals in New York, supported by City Lyric Opera, the Gerda Lissner Foundation, and Glyndebourne America. In 2025, she was a Vocal Piano Fellow at the Music Academy of the West and subsequently a scholarship recipient at Arizona Opera. Since the 2025/26 season, she has been a répétiteur and a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House.

Ismaele Gatti was born in 1998 in Como, Italy. He completed his studies at the Conservatory of Como with a Master’s degree in piano and a Master’s degree in organ. He continued his studies at the Conservatory of Lugano, where he studied in the class of Stefano Molardi and obtained a Master’s degree in Performance and a Master’s degree in Specialized Music Performance (Solo) in organ. In 2024, he began further training in harpsichord with Francesco Corti in Basel at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. Since September 2025, he has been a member of the Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House, where he works as a répétiteur. Numerous performances have taken him across Europe as a sought-after accompanist on piano as well as organ and harpsichord, including collaborations with various chamber ensembles, choirs, and orchestras such as Philharmonia Zurich, “I Barocchisti,” and RSI. In addition, he has worked with renowned artists such as Albrecht Meyer, Joana Mallwitz, Lorenzo Viotti, Diego Fasolis, and Fabien Touhand.

Maria Stella Maurizi began her studies at the Rossini Conservatory in Pesaro. She won first prize at both the 2020 International Competition “Young Musicians – Città di Treviso” and the 75th Competition for Young Opera Singers “European Community” at the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto. In 2021, she performed as Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly) in Spoleto and Perugia; in 2022, she appeared in the European premiere of Philip Glass’s The Passion of Ramakrishna with the Budapest Festival Orchestra under Iván Fischer, sang Micaëla (Marius Constant’s Tragédie de Carmen) in Spoleto, and Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) in Spoleto and Perugia. That same year, she received the “Premio Nazionale delle Arti” from the Italian government. In 2023, she won prizes at the Concorso Lirico Internazionale “Anita Cerquetti” and the Concorso Lirico Internazionale Riccardo Zandonai. Since the 2023/24 season, she has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zürich Opera House, where she has performed, among other roles, as Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream).