Playing this role showed me the true complexity of operatic characters. By studying this woman, and by representing her with my voice, I got to know myself better, and I found my true voice.

The role of Susanna is one of my all-time favorites, not only because of how fun it is to play, but because I see myself in her. Susanna is playful, clever, and loyal.

I have a love-hate relationship with Lauretta. On the one hand, her brief appearance is the textbook example of “short but sweet.” On the other hand, her material is some of the hardest I’ve ever sang. Through this role, I learned what it really means to sing beautifully and simply.

This character holds a special place in my heart. By far, Hansel und Gretel is one of my all-time favorite scores. Every time I sang the finale, I had to hold back tears. Gretel reminded me how to see the world through the eyes of a child, and bring that naiveté to the stage.

It was through Adele that I found my love for singing. I cannot describe how much fun I had by playing this role, which was my first staged opera experience. Since that moment, I knew I was meant to be on the stage.

Hodel represented for me a part of my own story: leaving my parents in a foreign land to come to the United States and follow my dreams. It’s an important role in my life that I will always cherish for this reason. Hodel helped me develop into the singer I am today.