luisana
rivas
Voice
Praised for her “heart-rending expression,” (Music City Review) mezzo-soprano Luisana Rivas has a passion for sharing the music of underrepresented composers. For her 2022-23 season she looks forward to debuting the role of Dani in Dreams Americanos with I Colori Dell’Opera and performing at Austin Opera’s Concerts at the Consulate recital series. She is currently appearing with Houston Grand Opera’s Opera to Go! program, singing the role of Monkey Queen/Lord Tiger in Monkey and Francine in the City of Tigers. She previously appeared as Rosina in The Barber of Seville of Texas with Opera to Go!, touring extensively throughout Houston area schools.
As part of her mission to showcase Latin American Classical Music, Luisana’s recent collaborations include singing the role of Latin Alto Vocalist in the Tennessee premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s La Pasión según San Marcos with the Gateway Chamber Orchestra. For Latinx History Month, she toured as guest artist in Apollo Chamber Players’ Library Voyage. Through her extensive work with the Ponce Project Foundation, Luisana was featured as a soloist in “Women Composers of Latin America” and debuted the solo recital “Canciones de amor.”
A frequent interpreter of trouser roles, Luisana recently debuted the role of Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro with LAW-SOW. Other roles include L’enfant in L’enfant et les sortilèges, Turnspit in Rusalka, Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, Dryade in Ariadne auf Naxos, Dido in Dido and Aeneas, and Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance. Additional appearances include “Uns ist ein Kind geboren” (BWV 142) with the Gateway Chamber Orchestra in Clarksville, Tennessee. In 2013-2014, she appeared with Opera Panama and Asociación Grupo Lírico de Panamá. Her awards include recognition from NATS, Austin Peay State University, and University of Kentucky.
Luisana holds dual citizenship from Venezuela and France, and has studied in Panama and the United States. In addition to her work as a singer, she strives to uplift communities through the arts. She is proud to serve as a Teaching Artist for Houston Grand Opera and Alley Theatre.