Soprano
Aubrey Maren Cole, a dynamic soprano from Arizona, is celebrated for her reliability, tenacity, and fierce dedication to her craft. Since beginning her opera career three years ago, Aubrey has made a name for herself. She earned her first roles as La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, stepping in on just four weeks’ notice when the original singers fell ill. Fully prepared and staged, she delivered fearless performances that revealed her passion and resilience, leading to more prominent roles. Aubrey has since sung Susanna twice more in Vicenza, Italy, with The International Lyric Academy and with Opera Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her repertoire also includes roles such as Genovieffa and Suor Infermiera in Suor Angelica, Micäela in La Tragédie de Carmen, and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte.
In addition to her stage credits, Aubrey has achieved success in competitions, winning first place in the graduate division of The Peabody Art Song Competition, second place in the Amelia Rieman Competition for ages 24-40, and first place in the Southern Arizona Opera Guild’s Quest for the Best Opera Competition.
Before transitioning to opera, Aubrey was active in musical theatre from middle school through college. She has performed leading roles such as The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Casey in First Date, The Lady of the Lake in Monty Python’s Spamalot, Hope Cladwell in Urinetown, and Princess Winifred in Once Upon a Mattress. Her talents in musical theatre have earned her three National Youth Arts Awards, including Best Supporting Actress and twice for Best Leading Actress. Though her focus has shifted to opera, she remains an ardent musical theatre fan and embraces every chance to perform in or attend a production.
Currently, Aubrey is pursuing her master’s degree in vocal performance with a specialization in vocal pedagogy at The Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, studying under the tutelage of Denyce Graves-Montgomery and Margaret "Peggy" Baroody. She is also involved in Peabody’s opera program where she recently sang the role of Mozart—a soprano pants role—in The Classical Style by Steven Stuckey and Jeremy Denk. She is now working on the role of Servilia in La Clemenza di Tito for Peabody Opera Theatre.
Additionally, she works with Peabody Institute's piano accompanying class, helping collaborative pianists develop their skills in working with singers and tackling new repertoire. Aubrey is on track to graduate in May 2025, ready to continue making her mark in the world of opera and beyond. Aubrey is also a cohort member of The Denyce Graves Foundation's Shared Voices program where Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) and prestigious conservatories choose students to collaborate to promote diversity and equality in the opera field.
