KaylA nANTO
mezzo
Kayla Nanto is a dynamic and versatile mezzo-soprano based in Dallas, TX. This season, she appears as "Suzuki" (Madama Butterfly) with Opera San José, Fort Worth Opera, and The Princeton Festival and as the title role in Carmen with Abilene Philharmonic. This fall, she will make her mainstage debut with The Dallas Opera as "Giannetta" (L'elisir d'amore) and as "Lapák/The Woodpecker" (The Cunning Little Vixen). Kayla spent the past two summers as a Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singer, where she sang the role of "Countess Ceprano" (Rigoletto), and covered the roles of "Siegrune" (Die Walküre) and "Deirdre" (The Righteous).
Additional performing highlights include “Hansel” (Hansel & Gretel) with both Opera Montana and Opera in the Heights, "Isabelle Eberhardt" (Song from the Uproar) with Verdigris Ensemble, "Orlofsky" (Die Fledermaus) and "Nettie Fowler" (Carousel) with Pensacola Opera, the title role in the workshop of the new opera Zheng with Opera San José, the title role in Carmen with Painted Sky Opera, and "Flora" (La traviata) with Fort Worth Opera.
The 2023-2024 season brought notable performances, including the title role in the workshop of the new opera Zheng with Opera San José, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Opera in the Heights, and Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with Pensacola Opera. She also joined The Santa Fe Opera as an Apprentice Singer, where she covered the roles of Deirdre in The Righteous and Third Noble Orphan in Der Rosenkavalier. In the 2022-2023 season, Kayla joined Pensacola Opera as a Jan Miller Studio Artist where she appeared as Nettie Fowler in Carousel. During the summer, she joined Teatro Nuovo as a Resident Artist, where she covered the role of La comare in Crispino e la comare. She was also a winner of the Georgia District of The Metropolitan Opera's Laffont Competition.
During the 2021-2022 season, Kayla was a winner in the Colorado/Wyoming District of TheMetropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition. She sang the title role in Carmen with Painted Sky Opera and was a Studio Artist with Fort Worth Opera, with whom she made her mainstage debut as “Flora” in La traviata. In addition, she was engaged as a Performing Artist with The Dallas Opera’s Education and Outreach program. Some of Kayla’s other professional engagements include Second Witch in Dido and Aeneas and Eustazio in Rinaldo with American Baroque Opera Company, Alto Soloist in Messiah with Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Frida Kahlo/Mother in the world-premiere of Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World with Fort Worth Opera, Alto Soloist in Petite Messe Solenelle with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Suzuki (cover) in Madama Butterfly with Opera Fort Collins, Ulisse in Achille in Sciro with Orchestra of New Spain, and Edith in Pirates of Penzance with Loveland Opera Theatre.
Kayla is a two-time District Winner in the Metropolitan Opera’s Laffont Competition, winner of first place and The Jonathan Pell People’s Choice Award in The Dallas Opera’s Lonestar Competition, and a finalist in The Dallas Opera's National Vocal Competition. Kayla has trained as a Jan Miller Studio Artist with Pensacola Opera, a Resident Artist with Teatro Nuovo, and a Studio Artist with Fort Worth Opera and holds degrees from University of North Texas(Master of Music) and University of Northern Colorado (Bachelor of Music)
