Guatemalan-American soprano Naomi Isabel Ruiz is rapidly gaining recognition for her “energetic stage presence” and her “beautiful, Italianate timbre.” As a Resident Artist at Minnesota Opera, Ms. Ruiz performed many roles, including Musetta in La bohème, Barbara in Casanova’s Homecoming, Ines in Il trovatore, Rosaura in the American premiere of Johnathan Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, Berta in The Barber of Seville and covered Marguerite in Faust, the Blue Fairy in The Adventures of Pinocchio and Leïla in The Pearl Fishers. Ms. Ruiz has participated as a James Collier Apprentice Artist at Des Moines Metro Opera where she sang the role of Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi. Additional roles include Mimì in La bohème with the Janiec Opera Company, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, and Antonia in William Bolcom’s A Wedding. Ms. Ruiz recently earned Third Prize in the 2010 Opera New Hampshire Competition, won First Place in the Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Competition, and was a Semi-Finalist in both the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation and the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competitions. Her concert repertoire includes Faure’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Dixit Dominus, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Ms. Ruiz holds both a Master of Music and Performer Diploma from Indiana University. Upcoming enagaments include Liù (cover) in Turandot for the Toledo Opera.
~ OSB Debut
* 2011|2012 Studio Artist