Convention Presenters & Judges

Kirsten Arnold is most known for her portrayal of the title role of SALOME, which she has sung at the Metropolitan Opera, Opera Hong Kong, and with Florida Grand Opera. Her Carnegie Hall debut came on two days’ notice when she sang the fiendishly difficult role of Maria in Richard Strauss’ FRIEDENSTAG with the American Symphony Orchestra. She first joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera in 2016 as a cover of Isolde in TRISTAN UND ISOLDE and rejoined the Metropolitan Opera roster for DIE WALKÜRE.

Highlights for 2019-23 include a return to the Metropolitan Opera as cover for Marie in WOZZECK, a return to Odyssey Opera to sing the title role in Strauss’ DIE ÄGYPTISCHE HELENA, creating a new opera with White Snake Projects in Boston and a new feature opera film FREYDIS AND GUDRID. In concert, she performed scenes from the title role of LORELEY by Catalani for Teatro Grattacielo, GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG for both the Vienna Summer Music Festival and the University of Houston, and bel canto and verismo concerts with Maestra Eve Queler, Opera at Florham, Opera Orlando, and Permian Basin Opera.  She returned as Guest Soloist for the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia and Shreveport Opera’s 25th Anniversary Gala. Later she made both her house and role debut with Indianapolis Opera as Donna Anna in DON GIOVANNI and with Opera Orlando as Marchesa del Poggio in UN GIORNO DI REGNO. She most recently sang Leonore in FIDELIO with St. Petersburg Opera, selections from AIDA, LA WALLY, and THE MERRY WIDOW with Orchestra Ogden at Weber State University, and selections from DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN and NABUCCO at the University of Maryland.

Formerly a mezzo-soprano, Helena was a young artist at the 2016 Glimmerglass Festival where she performed Rebecca Nurse and covered Tituba under the baton of Nicole Paiement in Francesca Zambello’s acclaimed production of The Crucible. Additionally, Helena appeared with Minnesota Opera, performing Dryad in Ariadne auf Naxos; sang Addie in Regina and Mrs. Herring in Albert Herring at Bronx Opera; covered Mama McCourt in Ballad of Baby Doe with Chautauqua Opera; and covered Grandmother Buryjovka in Jenůfa with Des Moines Metro Opera, where she also appeared in scenes concerts as Dalila in Samson et Dalila, Mistress Quickly in Falstaff, Martha in Faust, and Filippyevna in Eugene Onegin.

As a Masters student at Manhattan School of Music, Helena Brown performed the roles of the Witch in Hänsel und Gretel, Klementia in Hindemith’s Sancta Susanna, Madame Halitiere in Cendrillon, Queen Jezebel and Angel in Elijah, and in Mignon Dunn’s beloved scenes program, played Martha in Faust, Leonora in La Favorita, and Erste Magd in Elektra. She also appeared at the Crittenden Opera Festival as La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica and Marcellina in scenes from Le Nozze di Figaro.

No stranger to contemporary music, Helena has premiered compositions as well as principal roles in opera and theater. Notably, she collaborated with Rebecca Erin Smith in the premiere of Feast for Pierrot ensemble at Manhattan School of Music. Helena also performed the actor-singer role of Mother in Bellocq’s Ophelia, written by U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey, which was presented in festival at the Kennedy Center.

Helena holds a Master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Music, Summa Cum Laude, from Hollins University where she also studied arts management and theatre.

Christopher Cano is the Director of the Cafritz Young Artists (CYA) and American Opera Initiative (AOI). He is a recitalist, orchestra soloist, and collaborative pianist who has performed throughout the U.S., Mexico, Israel, Europe, and Asia. Cano is a sought-after coach for leading singers, having prepared vocalists for appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Chicago Lyric Opera, and orchestral appearances with the New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and Berlin Philharmonic among others.

As a collaborative artist, he has played in the master classes of Marilyn Horne at Carnegie Hall, Licia Albanese, Fedora Barbieri, Anna Moffo, Lauren Flannigan, Martin Katz, Craig Rutenberg, and Susanne Mentzer. As a studio pianist, Cano worked with some of the great artists and teachers of singing including Marilyn Horne, Sherrill Milnes, Luciano Pavarotti, Marni Nixon, Patricia McCaffrey, Joan Patenaude-Yarnell, Rita Shane, and Diana Soviero.

Beginning in the 2017–2018 season, Cano was appointed as the Head of Music and Director of the Marion Roose Pullin Opera Studio of Arizona Opera and promoted to the position of Director of Artistic Operations in the spring of 2022.