Gala Concert of the International Opera Studio

The French soprano Marie Lombard 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 in Bordeaux and the Monte-Carlo Opera Academy, and a prizewinner of 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 previous roles include, among others, Inès (“La favorite”), La Princesse (“L’enfant et les sortilèges”), Belinda (“Dido and Aeneas”), Eurydike (“Orfeo ed Euridice”), Adèle (“Die Fledermaus”), Coraline (Adolphe Adam’s “Le toréador”), and the Erste Dame (“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 appeared as Barbarina (“Le nozze di Figaro”) and Contessa di Folleville (“Il viaggio a Reims”) and performed alongside Cecilia Bartoli at the benefit gala concert. In the 2025/26 season, she will again sing Barbarina as well as Sandmann (“Hänsel und Gretel”) and Lauretta (“Gianni Schicchi”). In summer 2026, she will appear as Marzelline (“Fidelio”) at the festival in Saint-Céré, France.

Flavia Stricker, soprano, studied at the Lübeck University of Music. She sang 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. She also appeared in the Christmas Gala of the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra. Since the 2023/24 season, she has been a member of the International Opera Studio at Zurich Opera House. In the current season, she can be heard in “Around the World in 80 Days”, “The Merry Widow”, “Jakob Lenz” and in the new production of “Elijah”.

Maria Stella Maurizi begann ihr Studium am Rossini-Konservatorium in Pesaro. Sie war Gewinnerin des jeweils ersten Preises beim Internationalen Wettbewerb «Young Musicians – Città di Treviso» 2020 und beim 75th Competition for Young Opera Singers «European Community» am Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto. Im Jahr 2021 sang sie Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly) in Spoleto und Perugia; 2022 war sie in der europäischen Erstaufführung von Philip Glass’ The Passion of Ramakrishna mit dem Budapest Festival Orchestra unter der Leitung von Iván Fischer zu hören, sang Micaëla (Marius Constants Tragédie de Carmen) in Spoleto und Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) in Spoleto und Perugia. Im selben Jahr erhielt sie den «Premio Nazionale delle Arti» der italienischen Regierung. Im Jahr 2023 gewann sie Preise beim Concorso Lirico Internazionale «Anita Cerquetti» und beim Concorso Lirico Internazionale Riccardo Zandonai. Seit der Spielzeit 2023/24 ist sie Mitglied des Internationalen Opernstudios am Opernhaus Zürich und war u.a. als Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) zu erleben.

Sylwia Salamońska, soprano, studied with Wojciech Maciejowski in Poznań. During her studies, she performed roles such as Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), and Zosia (Stanisław Moniuszko’s The Spectres). In the 2023/24 season, she was part of the Opera Academy Young Talent Development Programme at the Polish National Opera in Warsaw, where she made her debut as First Companion of Dirce in Luigi Cherubini’s Medea. She also sang Frasquita (Carmen) at the Baltic Opera in Gdańsk. In 2024, she appeared alongside Luca Pisaroni at the “Stars and Rising Stars” Festival in Munich. She is a prizewinner of numerous international competitions, including the Halina Słonicka International Singing Competition in Poland (1st prize), the 21st Juventus Canti International Singing Competition in Vráble, Slovakia (3rd prize and special award), the Riccardo Zandonai International Singing Competition in Riva del Garda (finalist), and the Mikuláš Schneider-Trnavský International Singing Competition in Trnava, Slovakia (finalist). From the 2024/25 season, Sylwia Salamońska will be a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House.

Indyana Schneider, Mezzosopran, wuchs in Australien auf und studierte am Magdalen College der University of Oxford und an der Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien in Hannover. Sie war Mitglied der Akademie der Wiener Staatsoper, wo sie in Olga Neuwirths Orlando und im Semichor von Händels Ariodante auftrat. Auf einer Tournee mit der Kent Chamber Opera verkörperte sie die Carmen und am Theater für Niedersachsen die Mercédès (Carmen). 2021 war sie Finalistin beim Joan Sutherland und Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award und gewann 2022 den 2. Preis beim Walter und Charlotte Hamel Opernwettbewerb in Hannover. In der Spielzeit 2022/23 sang sie die Rolle der Meg Page (Falstaff) in einer Produktion der Hochschule in Hannover, die Rolle des Komponisten (Cover) in der Garsington Opera-Produktion von Ariadne auf Naxos und die Rolle der Zita in Gianni Schicchi mit Sir Bryn Terfel in der Titelrolle und unter der Leitung von Domingo Hindoyan. Jüngst sang sie die 2. Dame in der Zauberflöte am Sydney Opera House. Seit der Spielzeit 2023/24 ist sie Mitglied des Internationalen Opernstudios am Opernhaus Zürich und sang hier seither in Iphigénie en Tauride, A Midsummer Night’s Dream und im jährlichen Opernstudio-Galakonzert.

Dominika Stefańska, Mezzosopran, studierte in Lodz und war Mitglied in der Akademie der Oper Warschau. Sie war Finalistin bei der Ada Sari International Vocal Artistry Competition 2021. An der Oper Łódź war sie als Volpino (Lo speziale) und Frau Reich (Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor) zu hören. An der Oper Poznan sang sie eine Nymphe in Rusalka. Seit der Spielzeit 2023/24 ist sie Mitglied im Internationalen Opernstudio am Opernhaus Zürich und hier u. a. als Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream sowie in Jim Knopf und Sweeney Todd zu hören.

Maximilian Lawrie studierte am Magdalen College der University of Oxford und an der Royal Academy of Music in London. Dort war er als Tanzmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos, Interrogator 2 in Witch, als Rodolfo in La bohème, als Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, als First Sailor in Dido and Aeneas, als Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, als Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, als Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in der Titelrolle von Werther und als Faust in Mefistofele zu hören. Zudem sang er Rodolfo an der Rogue Opera sowie Don José in Carmen an der Rogue Opera und der Cambridge University Opera Society. Seit der Spielzeit 2022/23 ist er Mitglied des Internationalen Opernstudios am Opernhaus Zürich und war hier als Kaufmann (Jakob Lenz) und Tom Snout (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) sowie in Il trovatore, La traviata, Salome, Roméo et Juliette und Die Zauberflöte zu sehen.

Christopher Willoughby, Tenor, studierte an der Royal Holloway, University of London und an der Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien. Er war Finalist bei der Marilyn Horne Song Competition 2022 und zählt zu den Gewinnern der Charles Wood International Song Competition 2021. Im Rahmen des Atelier Lyrique beim Verbier Festival sang er 2023 Tom Rakewell in Strawinskys The Rake's Progress sowie den Narren in Bergs Wozzeck. Seit der Spielzeit 2023/24 ist er Mitglied des Internationalen Opernstudios am Opernhaus Zürich.

Tomislav Jukić, tenor, is originally from Croatia. He is a prizewinner of major international vocal 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 took part in masterclasses with Renata Pokupić, Nikola Kitanovski, Alexei Tanovitski, and Mikhail Sinkevich. His engagements have included the tenor part in Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine with the Croatian Radio Choir and the ensemble Concerto dei Venti in Split, Rijeka, and Zagreb, as well as his debut as Mercury (Boris Papandopulo’s Amphitryon) in a production by the Zagreb Music Academy. More recently, he performed Goro (Madama Butterfly) at the opera house in Ljubljana, gave a solo recital at the Allegretto Festival in Žilina (Slovakia), and appeared as a soloist in concert with the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. Tomislav Jukić will join the International Opera Studio at Zurich Opera House starting with the 2024/25 season.

Raúl Gutiérrez, Tenor, studierte bei Emilio Pons in New York und Alejandro Armenta in Mexico-Stadt. Er war Mitglied der Vincerò Aca­demy, in deren Rahmen er in der Carnegie Hall New York auftrat. 2022 war er
Finalist bei der New Yorker Opera Index Competition und Gewinner der Meistersinger Competition Graz. In der Opernstudio-Produktion der Bregenzer Festspiele 2023 sang er die Titelrolle in Massenets Werther. Seit der Spielzeit 2023/24 ist er Mitglied des Internationalen Opernstudios am Opernhaus Zürich. Hier war er bisher u.a. in Sweeney Todd, Il turco in Italia, Jim Knopf, A Midsummer Night’s Dream und I vespri siciliani zu hören.

Álvaro Diana Sanchez, Tenor, stammt aus Valencia (Spanien). Er studierte am Konservatorium seiner Heimatstadt bei Charo Vallés und besuchte Meisterkurse bei u.a. David Menéndez, Isabel Rey, Tina Gorina, Marina Rodríguez Cusí sowie Aurelio Viribay. Ausserdem schloss er 2020 an der Universität in Valencia ein Studium in Tourismus ab. Zu seinem Repertoire gehören Rollen wie Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Basilio und Don Curzio (Le nozze di Figaro) sowie Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi). Als Solist trat er in Haydns Schöpfung, Bachs Magnificat und Mozarts Requiem sowie in der Neuproduktion Cal·líope im Palau de les Arts auf. Álvaro Diana Sanchez ist Gewinner zahlreicher Internationaler Preise: Er war 2022 Finalist beim Concours Mirna Lacambra im spanischen Sabadell, gewann den Ersten Preis sowie den Publikumspreis beim Internationalen Habanera-Wettbewerb in Torrevieja, wurde im Albacete als «Bester Tenor» mit dem Preis «José Ferrero» ausgezeichnet und erreichte beim Lyrikwettbewerb AMAO in Tomelloso den Zweiten Platz. Ab der Spielzeit 2024/25 gehört er zum Internationalen Opernstudio am Opernhaus Zürich.

Steffan Lloyd Owen, baritone, comes from Wales. 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. His recent performances include the roles of Sciarrone and the Jailor in a semi-staged production of Tosca alongside Sir Bryn Terfel and Kristine Opolais at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Escamillo (Carmen) with Buxton Opera, the title role in Hans Krása’s children’s opera Brundibár at Welsh National Opera, and the Doctor in Verdi’s Macbeth at Mid Wales Opera. On the concert stage, he has sung Mendelssohn’s Elijah at the Beaumaris Music Festival, Mozart’s Requiem with the Orchestre National de Bretagne in Rennes, and Beethoven’s Mass in C major as well as the Choral Fantasy with the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales and the Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Starting with the 2024/25 season, he will be part of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House.

Samson Setu, Bariton, begann seine Ausbildung in Neuseeland, wo er Mitglied des Dame Kiri Te Kanawa Programme for Young Singers war, und studierte am Royal College of Music in London. Ab 2020 war er Mitglied im Lindeman Young Artist Program der Metropolitan Opera New York, wo er in Don Carlo einen der Flämischen Deputierten sang. Er war Finalist bei der Dame Malvina Major Aria Competition und der IFAC Handa Australia Singing Competition. An der New Zealand Opera war er in Gilbert and Sullivans Trial By Jury als Usher zu hören. Seit der Spielzeit 2023/24 ist er Mitglied des Internationalen Opernstudios am Opernhaus Zürich.

The Swiss baritone Felix Gygli is the winner of the Kathleen Ferrier Awards 2023 and the Lied Prize of the Queen Sonja Competition 2024. Since the 2023/24 season, he has been a member of the International Opera Studio at the Zurich Opera House. He is a Samling Artist and was a “Young Artist” at the National Opera Studio in London in 2022/23. He completed his training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. He was a member of the Académie Lyrique of the Verbier Festival 2023, where he was awarded the Prix Thierry Mermod as the “Most Promising Singer.” In January 2024, he participated in the Carnegie Hall SongStudio under the patronage of Renée Fleming. Felix Gygli sang the role of the 2nd Apprentice (Wozzeck) at the Verbier Festival 2023 and appears as Starveling in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Zurich Opera House. He opened the 2023/24 season with the Opéra Orchestre National de Montpellier in an opera gala concert conducted by Chloé Dufresne. Additionally, he performed as a baritone soloist with the Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn in Brahms’ German Requiem. He is a passionate recitalist and has given song recitals with pianists JongSun Woo and Tomasz Domański in the UK, France, and Switzerland. He made his US debut with a performance of Schubert’s Winterreise with pianist Pierre-Nicolas Colombat at the Boston Text and Tone Festival. His oratorio repertoire includes Fauré’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and Bach’s St Matthew Passion. In 2022, he made his operatic debut as Papageno in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with Ouverture Opéra Sion.

Felix Gygli is a new scholarship holder of the Hildegard Zadek Foundation and receives the Liselotte Becker and Ursula van Harten Scholarship.

Lobel Barun, bass, is originally from Croatia. He studied with Alexei Tanovitski at the Music Academy in his hometown of Zagreb. In 2023, he won the special "Željko Lučić" Prize at the "Lazar Jovanović" International Singing Competition in Belgrade. That same year, he made his debut at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb as Bacchus in Boris Papandopulo’s Amphitryon. He also appeared with the Zagreb Philharmonic at the Lisinski Concert Hall and portrayed Salieri in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Mozart and Salieri at the opera studio of the Zagreb Academy. Other roles include Le Surintendant des plaisirs (Massenet’s Cendrillon) at the Zagreb Music Academy, the tame raven Moses (Igor Kuljerić’s Animal Farm) at the Lisinski Concert Hall, Carceriere (Tosca) at the Croatian National Theatre, and Tobias Mill (Rossini’s La cambiale di matrimonio) in Vis, Croatia. Starting with the 2024/25 season, he will join the International Opera Studio at Zurich Opera House.

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’s 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 Vienna Musikverein, Rocco (Fidelio) in a children’s production in Baden, Austria, Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte) at the MuTh in Vienna, and Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro) in a touring theatre production. Starting with the 2024/25 season, he will be a member of the International Opera Studio at Zurich Opera House.