Meet the Soloists
Richard Ollarsaba, bass-baritone
Mexican-American bass-baritone Richard Ollarsaba, praised by The Washington Post for his “meltingly smooth bass-baritone” and for “evoking a young Ruggero Raimondi in looks and manner,” represented the USA in the 2019 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, was a member of the prestigious Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago for three seasons, and a grand finalist in the 2013 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. The 2025-2026 season brings the artist to Opera Columbus as Dr. Rappaccini in La Hija de Rappaccini, a house debut with The Florentine Opera in the title role in Don Giovanni, Escamillo in Carmen with Piedmont Opera, and as soloist in Carmina Burana with New Philharmonic, Verdi’s Requiem with Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah with The Oratorio Society of Virginia.
Ollarasba’s 2024-2025 season began with a house debut as Escamillo in Carmen for Nashville Opera and continued with Figaro in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro for the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera. After spirited New Year’s Eve concerts with the New Philharmonic, he enjoyed a role debut as Riolobo in Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas for North Carolina Opera, a role debut as Miguel de Cervantes/Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha for Piedmont Opera, and house debuts with Hawai’i Opera Theatre and Charlottesville Opera as Escamillo in Carmen. Engagements of note during the 2023-2024 season included a production of Carmen, singing Escamillo in a house debut with Opera Columbus, a return to Portland Opera as Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, concert appearances with Piedmont Opera and New Philharmonic, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with Pensacola Opera, Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro with Piedmont Opera, and a house debut with Arizona Opera in the title role of Don Giovanni. During the 2022-2023 season, Mr. Ollarsaba debuted with the Glimmerglass Festival, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Portland Opera as Escamillo in their respective productions of Bizet’s Carmen. He also debuted with Chicago Opera Theater in the world-premiere opera The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing (composed by Justine F. Chen), and returned to the role of the Count in Le nozze di Figaro with Knoxville Opera. On the concert stage, he was seen as the bass soloist in performances of Messiah with the Palm Beach Symphony, Pulcinella with the Salisbury Symphony, and returned to The Master Chorale of South Florida for performances of Verdi’s Requiem.
Caroline Worra, soprano
Caroline Worra is hailed by Opera News as “one of the finest singing actresses around.” Praised for her vocal prowess, dramatic ability, and versatility, she has performed over 100 roles in more than 80 operas, including over 20 world, American, and regional premieres, showcasing her ability to tackle diverse and challenging repertoire. Reviewers note her “rock-solid voice,” “white-hot charisma,” and “warm, naturalistic delivery” that brings emotional depth to her roles that span from classical to contemporary.
Notable performance highlights include her Grammy-nominated recording of The Mines of Sulphur, her portrayal of Jenny in the same opera, which won the Best Opera of Ireland Award, and her work in six acclaimed recordings including Glory Denied, The Greater Good, and Amleto, all recognized as top classical recordings of the year by Opera News and The New York Times. Dr. Worra has been lauded for her emotional intensity and technical precision, with reviewers describing her as “riveting” and “electrifying.” Critics have compared her communicative stage presence to Beverly Sills, emphasizing her ability to connect with audiences through luminous vocal quality and expressive acting.
Worra’s extensive career spans over 90 different prestigious venues including The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, and Glimmerglass Opera, as well as international stages in Sicily, Ireland, Brazil, and Hong Kong. She performed on two U.S. national tours as Violetta in La Traviata and Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus and performed several times as a soprano soloist at Carnegie Hall, including a Weill Hall debut recital.
A recipient of the Shoshana Foundation/Richard F. Gold Career Grant, Worra has a Doctor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Indiana University with minors in Choral Conducting and Music Education. Beyond performing, she teaches private voice and piano lessons in Connecticut, where she resides, and conducts the choirs at First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich. She is also a voice instructor at the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Summer Music Center in North Carolina and is the Artistic Director at Charlottesville Opera in Virginia.
Photo credit: Meredith Hart Photography
Isabel Randall, mezzo-soprano
Isabel Randall is a civic-engaged mezzo-soprano, poet, and librettist from Rota, Spain, who “stands out for her impassioned, expressive physicality” (The New England Theatre Geek).
In the 2025–2026 season, Ms. Randall will complete her second year in Dayton Opera’s Artist-in-Residence program with exciting engagements expanding her artistry. She made her Dayton Opera and role debut as Mercédès in Bizet’s Carmen in November 2025 and will appear as the mezzo-soprano soloist in multiple programs with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, including Messiah, American Soundscapes, and Mozart’s Requiem in D minor. She will also portray the title role of Hansel in Dayton Opera’s concert version of Hansel and Gretel. Isabel debuts with the Rochester Oratorio Society as a featured artist in their annual Arts Connexions recital series, curating a program of African-American and Spanish art song and original poetry. She looks forward to building on this work and expanding her repertoire through Cincinnati Song Initiative's 2026 Fellowship of Song: Life’s Journey.
Ms. Randall’s 2024–2025 season included completing her first year as a Dayton Opera Artist-in-Residence, portraying abolitionist Amelia J. Piper in Whaling Women at The Boston Conservatory, covering the role of Zoe Walker in Ricky Ian Gordon’s world premiere opera This House (2025) at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ 50th anniversary season, and portraying the praised journalist Gwen Ifill in Guerilla Opera’s 15th anniversary performance of Curtis K. Hughes’ opera Say It Ain’t So, Joe?
Passionate about accessible and contemporary opera, Randall originated the roles of Mable in Courthouse Bells and Ruby in Is This America?, both composed by Mary D. Watkins, and participated in the Act I workshop for Damien Geter’s opera Loving v. Virginia.
Her accolades include Finalist for the Slovak National Theatre’s Opera Studio, Finalist in the Eastern Region NANM Scholarship Competition, First Place in the Thomas Music Study Club Voice Competition, Second Prize for the Wilkinson’s Young Singers Fund, and semifinalist placements in the Benjamin Matthew Williams and Annapolis Opera Vocal Competitions. She is also a two-time Opera Buffs, Inc. grant recipient.
Ms. Randall has performed with Boston Opera Collaborative, Boston Lyric Opera, Charlottesville Opera, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Des Moines Metro Opera, Guerilla Opera, The Oratorio Society of Virginia, Virginia Opera, and White Snake Projects. Her operatic credits include Alcina (Ruggiero), Carmen, The Love for Three Oranges, Omar (Giddens & Abels), and Porgy & Bess. Her concert work includes the North American premiere of Ēriks Ešenvalds’ Passion According to St. Luke, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Manuel de Falla’s El Amor Brujo (Candelas), Margaret Bonds’ Ballad of the Brown King, and Handel’s Messiah.
Known as “The Inquisitive Typist” in her writing, Isabel collaborated with composer Ben Russman on Five Short Pieces, earning the 2023 St. Botolph Club Foundation Emerging Artist Award. She recently completed a libretto, Once There Was a Girl: An Opera in Three Acts, based on her mother’s memoir, developing the full opera with composer Janet Lagah-Bona.
Brenden Christie, tenor
Lyric Tenor, Brenden Christie, is rapidly establishing himself as a rising star in Opera and upon the theatrical stage. In May he makes his professional Oratorio debut in Mendelssohn's Elijah with The Oratorio Society of Virginia. He has also been chosen by audition and named one of the twenty-four Resident Artists of the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. His full four-year scholarship will begin in September of this year. Prior to that, he will sing the role of Tamino in Mozart's Die Zauberflüte at the Chautauqua Opera Conservatory in New York in July.
His experience has been building abroad after being awarded a full scholarship by the Kingsport Music Club to study during the summer of 2025 at the International Lyric Academy in Italy where he was featured in two leading roles in Strauss' Die Fledermaus and Adamo's Little Women. During the summer of 2024, Brenden was lead tenor in three productions with the College Light Opera Company in Massachusetts.
In addition to numerous solo and joint recitals, Brenden's many stage appearances have included Frederick in The Pirates of Penzance, the Baker in Into the Woods, among others with the Jonesborough Repertory Theater and Milligan University. His studies have been with the Masters Voice Studio under Mark Owen Davis in Bristol, VA. Hailed as having a radiant voice of exceptional range and beauty, combined with a charismatic stage presence, Brenden Christie is poised to extend his studies and performances toward the professional stage, both nationally and internationally.