Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Julia Holoman is a mezzo-soprano praised for being “rich in tone and expressive naturalism” (Santa Barbara Independent). Julia is thrilled to be joining Minnesota Opera as the mezzo Resident Artist for the 2026-2027 season. She will also be involved in concert work and contemporary music workshops. This summer, Julia will be Apprentice Artist at the Santa Fe Opera, where she will cover the roles of Filipyevna in Eugene Onegin and Anna Larsen/Orpheus in Lili Elbe.

During the 2025-26 season, Julia served as the mezzo Resident Artist at the Utah Opera where she performed the roles of Mrs. Massey in David Moravec’s The Shining and Flora in Verdi’s La Traviata, as well as the alto solo for Utah Symphony’s annual Messiah Sing-In concert. Julia was a district winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition in Utah and will be competing in the regional round this February in Denver, Colorado. In the summer of 2025, Julia was honored to attended the Music Academy of the West as a Lehrer Vocal Institute Artist and joined the academy orchestra as the alto soloist in Mahler Symphony No. 3 under the baton of Miguel Harth-Bedoya. She also collaborated with piano quintet to perform Ernest Chausson’s Chanson Perpétuelle as part of the festival’s Salon Concert Series.

During the 2024-25 season, Julia was named a Semi-Finalist for the Houston Grand Opera’s Concert of Arias as well as a Finalist for the National Opera Association’s Argento Vocal Competition. In the fall, she performed the role of the Ruggiero in The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University’s fall opera production of Handel’s Alcina under the theatrical direction of Crystal Manich and the baton of Louis Lohraseb.

During the 2023-2024 season, Julia was a fellow at the Ravinia Steans Music Institute where she was engaged in recital work, including a curated recital “Mentor in Torment,” by Graham Johnson. Julia also portrayed The Sorceress in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas in Rice’s spring opera production, while also performing the role of Dido in concert.

Recent contemporary projects include collaborations with composer Daniel Knaggs on a thirty minute song cycle premiere entitled Time Against our Bodies, performed in April of 2024 and collaborations with Rice faculty member Dr. Karim Al-Zand for the performance of 3 new songs in January of 2024.

Julia is a 2025 graduate of the Master’s program at The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University where she studied under Nova Thomas on full scholarship. Julia attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her Bachelor of Music degree and graduated with highest distinction in 2023 as a Kenan Music Scholar under the tutelage of Dr. Jeanne Fischer. Julia’s past roles include Hansel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Nerone in L’incoronazione di Poppea, L’enfant in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges.