Fort Worth Opera has named its 2025-26 Hattie Mae Lesley Resident Artists.
This year’s artists include soprano Melissa Martinez, mezzo-soprano Madeline Coffey, bass-baritone Jose Olivares, and tenor Coleman Dziedzic. These artists will take on lead and supporting roles throughout the company’s season. They will also perform in classrooms, community festivals, and public spaces across North Texas. This year, they will also be involved with the “Project: Opera” program, performing at Fort Worth ISD high schools.
Martinez is a master’s graduate from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Coffey is a master from Indiana University, while Olivares has performed with such organizations as Seagle Festival, Des Moines Metro Opera, Sarasota Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Opera Magnífico. Dziedzi is a master’s graduate from Roosevelt University.
“We have a wonderful group of Resident Artists this year,” said Fort Worth Opera General & Artistic Director Angela Turner Wilson, per an official press release. “I’m looking forward to experiencing their confident explorations of the canon — from the romanticism of French opera to the shimmering pulse of American minimalism, and the drama and beauty of Puccini — and sharing their excitement about opera in school programs and events throughout our community.”
Read Related Stories