Chicago native, Thereza Lituma, is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Vocal Performance and Literature at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with research focuses in Quechua and Andean operatic/art song repertoire. She studies voice under the tutelage of Professor Sylvia Stone. During the 2020/21 season, Ms. Lituma performed the roles of Mrs. Grose/The Turn of the Screw, Agent Dee Dee Reyes/The Last American Hammer, and covered the role of Erika/Vanessa. with Lyric Theatre @ Illinois. She also won third place at the 2020 Classical Singer Music Vocal Competition. At the final awards ceremony, she was praised by Frederica von Stade for singing with "beautiful colors and a clear lovely sound." ​ During the 2019/20 season, she performed the role of the hilarious and "scandalized" Owl in Janaček's The Cunning Little Vixen. She covered the role of Vera Boronel in Menotti's The Consul as a part of Transgressive Theatre-Opera's Benefit Concert for Immigration Relief. Ms. Lituma was also the alto soloist in Dvorak’s Stabat Mater under the direction of Andrew Megill (UIUC Oratorio Society) and was the contralto soloist in Ustvolskaya’s Symphony No. 4 with the Illinois Modern Ensemble. In the 2018/19 season, Ms. Lituma performed the title role in Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia (Lyric Theatre at Illinois), where she was praised by The News Gazette for singing with a “sweeping emotive power.”