Puerto Rican soprano, Kresley Figueroa, recently concluded her tenure as a Cafritz Young Artist with Washington National Opera where she earned critical acclaim for her vocal brilliance, dramatic range, and magnetic stage presence.

Frequently hailed by The Washington Post during her residency in D.C as “a strong actress and an even better singer,” she was also praised by the news outlet for her “artful pacing, gleaming highs, and a presence that made her competition-closing performance feel like a reward” in Gilda’s “Caro nome” from Rigoletto, and for her gripping emotional depth in “Piangerò la sorte mia” from Giulio Cesare.

Last season, reviewers noted that Figueroa made a “powerful” and “memorable” role debut as Chrisann Brennan in The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs with WNO and gave the “star turn of the evening” for her performance as River in Mud Girl, an opera commissioned by the company’s 2025 American Opera Initiative.

The 2024–2025 season included major competition wins for Figueroa: National Semifinalist in The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (First Place and Audience Favorite, Mid-Atlantic Region); First Place and Audience Favorite in the James Toland Vocal Arts Competition; First Place in the Kyrenia Opera Vocal Competition; and Third Prize in Florida Grand Opera’s National Voice Competition.

Concert highlights include performances with Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson, and Denyce Graves in WNO’s annual gala, singing Cunegonde in excerpts from Candide; a recital at the Aspen Music Festival with Ana María Martínez and pianist Myra Huang, as well as a concert with Susan Graham at The Library of Congress.

In WNO’s 2023–2024 season, Figueroa performed the title role in Handel’s Partenope, Berginella in an English adaptation of La Périchole, and The Unicorn in The Lion, The Unicorn, and Me. Other highlights include her role debut as Nannetta in Falstaff, performing alongside Bryn Terfel in the title role with the Aspen Music Festival, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni with OPERA San Antonio. Her diverse repertoire includes roles such as Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Servilia in La clemenza di Tito, Bubikopf in Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, Maria in West Side Story, and Fiona in Brigadoon.

This season, she is thrilled to return to The Metropolitan Opera to make her official debut in El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego, singing the role of First Frida Image. Additionally this season, she is delighted to return "home" to WNO to sing the role of Mary Warren in The Crucible.

Figueroa holds degrees from The Juilliard School and Rice University, and continues to establish herself as a vibrant, expressive presence on the operatic and concert stage.

Photo by Soloman Howard