Kristen Marie
Gillis

Kristen Marie Gillis
(She/Her) Emerging artist, Kristen Marie Gillis, is a Black Mexican-American soprano currently residing in Phildelphia, PA. In her 23/24 season, she joined Central City Opera as a Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Studio Artist. In early October, she will compete in the Gerda Lissner Foundation Lieder/Art Song Competition. From October to November, she will join Opera Ithaca's Apprentice Artist Program for their 2023 Festival. This summer, Kristen is excited to be joining Finger Lakes Opera as one of six Tomita Young Artists.
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Kristen Marie Gillis

Black Mexican-American soprano, Kristen Marie Gillis, is a blossoming young artist- sharing her artistry through concert and opera.

Kristen opened her 23/24 season as a Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Studio Artist with Central City Opera. There she was featured in scenes as Madeline (Mollicone’s Face on the Barroom Floor), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), and La Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro). Ms. Gillis also performed as a Recitalist in CCO’s “Lunch & a Song” luncheon series, as well as performed in the ensembles in all three mainstage productions. In early October, she will compete in the prestigious Gerda Lissner Lieder/Art Song Competition. Starting at the end of October, Kristen will join Opera Ithaca’s Apprentice Artist program as a Young Artist. During her time there, she will perform as the First Wood-sprite, Turnspit, and cover the titular role of Dvorak’s Rusalka. Ms. Gillis will also perform in the Apprentice Artist recital series as a part of the 2023 Opera Ithaca Festival.

In her 22/23 season, she made her role debut as Eliza in Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters, Mutter in Hänsel und Gretel, and was featured in scenes as Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), and Norma, all with Temple Opera Theater. In January, she joined the inaugural class of the Vocal Immersion Program at the Castleton Festival, led by mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung and tenor Paul Groves. In April, Kristen was invited as the Soprano I soloist with her alma mater to perform Mozart’s Mass in C minor, with the ACU A Cappella Chorus. In competition, she was named a Winner of the Career Bridges Grant Awards, Winner of the Boyer College Student Soloist Competition, and Third Prize of the Mario Lanza Scholarship Competition. She also advanced as a Finalist in Opera Ithaca Edward M. Murray International Competition of Voice, and a Semi-Finalist in the Dallas Opera Biennial Lone Star Vocal Competition, the Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition, and the Giulio Gari International Vocal Competition.

This past summer season, Kristen participated in a masterclass with internationally renowned voice teacher, Gregory Lamar, in collaboration with the Black Opera Alliance and the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts. In her 21/22 season, she revisited the role of Countess Rosina Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro) and performed in scenes as Carolina (Il matrimonio segreto), and the title roles of Strauss’ Arabella and Floyd’s Susannah. In past seasons, Ms. Gillis has been seen on stage as the Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, the title role of Suor Angelica, and in scenes as Donna Anna (Don Giovanni) and Marschallin (Der Rosenkavalier). Although canceled due to COVID-19, Kristen was accepted in the Varna International Summer Program as a Principal Artist to make her role and company debut as Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus.

In concert, Ms. Gillis has been a soloist in the Messiah with both The Lubbock Chorale and Amarillo Opera. She has also been the soprano soloist in Fauré’s Requiem and Hadyn’s Missa Sancti Nicolai with the Abilene Christian University A Cappella Chorus and University Chorale, respectively.

As an avid competitor, Kristen has advanced and placed in many competitions in the past seasons. In the 2021/2022 season, she most recently was awarded 3rd Prize in the Advanced Treble Voice category of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Eastern Region student auditions. Kristen was also a recipient of the John T. Douglas Award for Young Artists through the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University. Ms. Gillis was also a Winner of the Tulsa District in the 2021 Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition, awarded the First Prize of the Charleston International Music Competition, and Second Prize in the Advanced Division of the Rocky Mountain Music Competition. Kristen has advanced as a Semi-Finalist in the Premiere Opera Foundation + NYIOP International Competition and the SAS Company Vocal Competition. In February 2020, Ms. Gillis was the First Place Winner of the Texas Tech University’s Concert Competition. During her undergraduate studies, she was Winner of the NATS Texoma Region Auditions, botb in 2017 and 2018.

In Summer of 2020, Ms. Gillis had the privilege of working with soprano Angel Blue in her Opera Training Studio as a Young Artist. She has also been a masterclass participant with Christine Goerke, Melissa Wegner, Ana María Martínez, and Barbara Hill Moore and performed under the baton of Michael Sakir, John Hollins, Brian Holman, Imre Palló, among others. During her time in Lubbock, TX, she was also one of five Young Artists to be part of the Susan Graham Studio at Texas Tech University in the 2019-2020 school year. Kristen is an alumna of the summer training programs Red River Lyric Opera in Wichita Falls, TX and Taos Opera Institute in Taos, NM.

Kristen is a Texas native and currently resides in Philadelphia, PA. She is a proud first-generation college graduate, holding degrees from Temple University and Abilene Christian University.

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