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Kelsey Figueroa

Puerto Rican soprano, Kresley Figueroa, recently concluded her tenure as a Cafritz Young Artist with Washington National Opera where she earned critical acclaim for her vocal brilliance, dramatic range, and magnetic stage presence. Frequently hailed by The Washington Post during her residency in D.C as “a strong actress and an even better singer,” she was also praised by the news outlet for her “artful pacing, gleaming highs, and a presence that made her competition-closing performance feel like a reward” in Gilda’s “Caro nome” from Rigoletto, and for her gripping emotional depth in “Piangerò la sorte mia” from Giulio Cesare. Last season, reviewers noted that Figueroa made a “powerful” and “memorable” role debut as Chrisann Brennan in The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs with WNO and gave the “star turn of the evening” for her performance as River in Mud Girl, an opera commissioned by the company’s 2025 American Opera Initiative. In WNO’s 23–24 season, Figueroa performed the title role in Handel’s Partenope, Berginella in an English adaptation of La Périchole, and The Unicorn in The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me. This season, she makes her debut with The Metropolitan Opera in El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego, singing the role of First Frida Image. Additionally this season, Kresley is delighted to be returning "home" to WNO to sing the role of Mary Warren in The Crucible and make both her role and house debut as Fiorilla in Rossini’s Il Turco in Italia with Teatro Nuovo. Major competition wins for Figueroa include: National Semifinalist in The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (First Place and Audience Favorite, Mid-Atlantic Region); First Place and Audience Favorite in the James Toland Vocal Arts Competition; First Place in the Kyrenia Opera Vocal Competition; and Third Prize in Florida Grand Opera’s National Voice Competition. Concert highlights include singing Cunegonde in excerpts from Candide in WNO’s annual gala with Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson, and Denyce Graves, as well as a recital with Ana María Martínez and pianist Myra Huang with the Aspen Music Festival, as well as a concert with Susan Graham at The Library of Congress. Other highlights include singing Nannetta in Falstaff, performing alongside Bryn Terfel in the title role with the Aspen Music Festival, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni with OPERA San Antonio. Her diverse repertoire includes roles such as Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Servilia in La clemenza di Tito, Bubikopf in Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, Maria in West Side Story, and Fiona in Brigadoon. Figueroa holds degrees from The Juilliard School and Rice University, and continues to establish herself as a vibrant, expressive presence on the operatic and concert stage.

Kelsey Figueroa

Puerto Rican soprano, Kresley Figueroa, recently concluded her tenure as a Cafritz Young Artist with Washington National Opera where she earned critical acclaim for her vocal brilliance, dramatic range, and magnetic stage presence. Frequently hailed by The Washington Post during her residency in D.C as “a strong actress and an even better singer,” she was also praised by the news outlet for her “artful pacing, gleaming highs, and a presence that made her competition-closing performance feel like a reward” in Gilda’s “Caro nome” from Rigoletto, and for her gripping emotional depth in “Piangerò la sorte mia” from Giulio Cesare. Last season, reviewers noted that Figueroa made a “powerful” and “memorable” role debut as Chrisann Brennan in The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs with WNO and gave the “star turn of the evening” for her performance as River in Mud Girl, an opera commissioned by the company’s 2025 American Opera Initiative. In WNO’s 23–24 season, Figueroa performed the title role in Handel’s Partenope, Berginella in an English adaptation of La Périchole, and The Unicorn in The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me. This season, she makes her debut with The Metropolitan Opera in El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego, singing the role of First Frida Image. Additionally this season, Kresley is delighted to be returning "home" to WNO to sing the role of Mary Warren in The Crucible and make both her role and house debut as Fiorilla in Rossini’s Il Turco in Italia with Teatro Nuovo. Major competition wins for Figueroa include: National Semifinalist in The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (First Place and Audience Favorite, Mid-Atlantic Region); First Place and Audience Favorite in the James Toland Vocal Arts Competition; First Place in the Kyrenia Opera Vocal Competition; and Third Prize in Florida Grand Opera’s National Voice Competition. Concert highlights include singing Cunegonde in excerpts from Candide in WNO’s annual gala with Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson, and Denyce Graves, as well as a recital with Ana María Martínez and pianist Myra Huang with the Aspen Music Festival, as well as a concert with Susan Graham at The Library of Congress. Other highlights include singing Nannetta in Falstaff, performing alongside Bryn Terfel in the title role with the Aspen Music Festival, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni with OPERA San Antonio. Her diverse repertoire includes roles such as Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Servilia in La clemenza di Tito, Bubikopf in Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, Maria in West Side Story, and Fiona in Brigadoon. Figueroa holds degrees from The Juilliard School and Rice University, and continues to establish herself as a vibrant, expressive presence on the operatic and concert stage.